Overlord Vol 8 CH Sidestory 2

Chapter Sidestory 2
Overlord Volume 8 Side 2 (1/2)

A day in Nazarick

Translators: Rockgollem

Editing: Skythewood, Namorax, TaintedDreams, Nigel, Ferro, NoirX, Zack Tan, SifaV6

Special thanks to Anon

5:14 Nazarick Time

 

A droplet of water gathered at the end of the golden faucet, and it slowly swelled, until at last it was pulled down by gravity and splashed onto the floor of the bathroom .

 

There were several bathing facilities within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and this was one of them .

 

Someone soaked within a stone bathtub that was large enough to accommodate several people at once .

 

Blue water dripped off a slippery white body . This blue color was not a literary allusion, but an actual blue color, as though it had been produced through a deliberate application of dye .

 

A blue-colored liquid licked at the porcelain-like body, starting from its feet . Its slippery body defied the force of gravity and crawled upwards, unlike the water which flowed in all directions .

 

“ . . . Fuaahhhh…”

The bathroom was very echo-friendly, and the thus words which had unconsciously slipped out were unexpectedly loud within its confines

 

Perhaps it was ashamed by its own voice, but a slender hand suddenly emerged from the blue liquid . The expected sound of water droplets and ripples in the water’s surface were nowhere to be found . That was because this liquid was abnormally viscous .

 

The upraised hand caressed a face which many had praised for its beauty .

 

“Haa~”

 

The person in question sighed softly, then let itself fall backwards into the liquid . However, that person’s body did not sink into the water . Rather, the blue liquid slowly caught that person’s slender frame . The softness resembled a waterbed .

 

The liquid was clearly sapient .

 

That point was promptly proven in the next moment .

 

The blue liquid began to writhe, extruding several tentacles that were the thickness of one or two fingers each . These tentacles began to move, as though to embrace that person . Naturally, the same thing was happening within the blue liquid as well .

 

It touched the face, the chest, the belly, the arms, the legs ─ as well as the loins .

 

After seizing its prey, the liquid began squirming, as though satisfied . In truth, it was a Sapphire Slime, a high-level slime variant .

 

The Sapphire Slime began moving the long, thin tentacles which wrapped the body .

 

The tentacles infiltrated the tiny crevices of the groin .

 

“─Ahhhhhh…”

 

The cry rang out once more . While it was louder than before, that person did not think about lowering their voice this time, simply focused on the sensations of the slime working around and writhing within their body .

 

The sound of someone talking to themselves echoed through the bathroom .

 

“─Ah, this feels great . It’s too good for words . ”

 

 

The person within the bathtub ─ Ainz ─ muttered to himself as he took a slime bath .

 

He scooped up a handful of slime and poured it onto his head . The slime which had been hard at work cleaning out the crevices of his pelvis seemed to sense where its master wanted it to clean next . Ainz felt the slime crawling around on his head .

 

“Huu, this is paradise . ”

 

Ainz’s undead body was composed entirely of bones .

 

He had no metabolism, so his body would not stink or become dirty from bodily wastes . However, this did not mean he did not need to bathe . After all, dust and soot still accumulated on him, and sometimes he would be splashed by his enemies’ blood . In the end, he would still get dirty .

 

Besides, as a Japanese person, he felt very uncomfortable about not bathing .

 

“I could only take steam baths over there (in my original world) . So once I knew I could bathe here, I wanted to soak my entire body into the tub… perhaps bathing is a deeply-ingrained practice for Japanese people . ”

 

He went through the motions of exhaling while he sank further into the slime . The slippery sensation received and accepted his body .

 

It would not feel strange if he treated it as a viscous liquid .

 

Normal bathing is very troublesome .

 

Ainz lowered his head to look at the most troublesome part of his body .

 

The rows of his ribs came into view .

 

Cleaning each rib one by one was very troublesome . Ainz recalled his struggle from when he had done it before, and sighed ─ despite the fact that he did not need to breathe .

 

That was not the only troublesome thing .

 

His spine was the same way . The protrusions snagged his towel, and he could not clean them off easily in one quick go . He had to slowly clean each individual vertebra .

 

At the beginning, Ainz had taken great care in bathing himself . However, Ainz soon began to find it tiresome, despite his supposed mental resilience . It took at least half an hour to bathe, and he could not help but think “Are you kidding me?”

 

After that, he decided to soak into soapy water and turn around inside it like a washing machine . That was a pretty good idea . The problem was that he did not feel clean . If he did not scrub himself, it did not feel like he had gotten all the dirt off him .

 

Following that, he used a handled brush to scrub himself . That was quite effective .

 

Granted, the soap and foam went everywhere, but it was not as though Ainz was the one cleaning it anyway . Cleaning was the maids’ job, and they were delighted at the chance to show their stuff . It was truly a win-win situation .

 

However, even this good idea was flawed .

 

That flaw was not knowing if he had really scrubbed himself clean .

 

It was just like getting a cavity despite carefully brushing one’s teeth; though he thought he had scrubbed himself from head to toe, he was still worried that he had missed scrubbing some part of himself .

 

In the end, Ainz hit on this solution, which was to let a slime engulf him .

 

“This technique… as I thought, it’s truly revolutionary and unique, a perfect technique that can’t be faulted,” he muttered to himself as he looked at the blue slime crawling all over himself .

 

Ainz nodded happily, satisfied by the method he had invented for easy bathing . For all he knew, this might have been the best thing he had thought up since he came to this world .

 

“Well done, me!”

 

As Ainz praised himself once more, he looked to the slime which industriously oozed all over him .

 

How cute . . .

 

Monsters like these were extremely vicious; they could dissolve their enemies with acid and they were strong enough to bend iron bars with ease . Yet to Ainz, they were his bathhouse attendants, who helped get him clean . To some extent, they felt like pets .

 

Still, while slime baths are good… I’d like to take a regular bath sometime .

 

There were all sorts of facilities on the 9th Floor of Nazarick . One of them was a large bath . It was a complex of various bathing sub-facilities themed after a spa resort .

 

“Maybe I’ll go bathe there and see what it’s like…”

 

That said, bathing by himself was too boring . That being the case─

 

“Alright! I’ll get the Guardians to go with me . It’d be good if there’s a time when everyone’s free . ”

 

Ainz smiled at his good idea .

 

7:14 Nazarick Time

 

There were two types of maids in Nazarick .

 

One group was the combat maids, as represented by Yuri Alpha, and the other was the regular maids who had no combat abilities . The latter were homunculi, with a combined racial and job level of 1, and they were responsible for various jobs in the 10th and 9th floor of Nazarick . In particular, cleaning the various Supreme Beings’ rooms was a task of utmost importance to them .

 

One of these regular maids, known as Sixth, moved rapidly along the corridor, for she was in a rush . This was a simple maid technique ─ not a special skill or anything ─ and it carried her to the cafeteria .

 

There was only one reason to go to the cafeteria at this time .

 

When she arrived, almost all her colleagues had already gathered for breakfast and started eating .

 

The cafeteria was predominantly white in color, with sparse decoration . The echo of the girls’ cheerful chatter echoed off the walls like ripples in water . It would not have been much of a problem if there was only one person, but since there were many people speaking, their voices blended into one incomprehensible noise . On top of that, the sound of clinking tableware added to the din .

 

The maids in the cafeteria could be separated into four main groups .

 

The first three groups were sorted according to their creators . There were 41 regular maids in total, but it was not because each Supreme Being had created their own maid . Rather, the regular maids were created by the trirumvirate of Whitebrim, Herohero, and Coup De Grâce .

 

Strictly speaking, the last group was not a proper group by itself . It was composed of those maids who had detached themselves from the first three groups in order to eat in silence, to eat while reading or to talk to maids who had been made by other Supreme Beings .

 

Sixth, who had arrived late at the cafeteria, belonged to the last group .

 

She waved to the maids made by the same Supreme Being as herself —they were her sisters, in a sense— and then headed to her usual place .

 

“Good morning… have you eaten?”

 

“Good morning . And yes, we’ve already eaten . Breakfast was so good~ so creamy and fluffy and tasty~”

 

The person delivering that deadpan reply was called Foire . She was bad at lying, but lied anyway . She had short hair and her maid skirt was similarly shortened to match her energetic appearance .

 

Contrasting her was Lumiere, who had a neat look about her . There was a mysterious gleam in her blonde hair, which sparkled like there were stars in it .

 

“Good morning . ─Foire, since you shouldn't need seconds, you can wait here for us . I haven't had breakfast yet, so I'm going to get some . Come, Sixth, let's go . ”

 

Lumiere stood, trailed closely by Foire, who was frantically saying, “I was just kidding, really~”

 

After concluding their usual dialogue, the three of them went over to the self-service buffet counter . Naturally, they had the maid called Increment, who was quietly reading a book beside them, watch over their seats .

 

The first thing Sixth took at the buffet bar was a serving of crispy bacon . As a member of the faction which believed that “soft bacon is the devil”, she always went for that first . Next, she helped herself to some soup . Of the three flavours today —soup of the day, corn and onion— she selected the last . After that were sausages, french fries and danishes . Her other plate was piled high with onion salad, almost to the point of spilling . Finally, Sixth placed an order with a masked manservant .

 

“Um, I'll have triple cheese, double onions, and extra mushrooms . ”

 

The manservant nodded, and began making the omelette .

 

Sixth returned to her seat to put down her dishes, and then poured herself a glass of milk before returning to where the manservant was waiting with her freshly-prepared omelette .

 

“Thank you very much . ”

 

The flawless omelette was perfectly prepared, without a single singe mark on it, and she returned to her place just as her friends did .

 

“Then, let's eat!”

 

“Let's eat~”

 

“Let's eat . ”

 

The three of them had their breakfast in silence . Slowly but steadily, they transferred the mountains of food — far in excess of what a normal girl would consume — from their plates into their bellies . It was because they all possessed increased appetites, as a racial penalty .

 

Because of that, even though they were among friends, they never talked while eating .

 

Foire chewed while her cheeks were bulging with food, Lumiere ate elegantly, but her fork moved at a ferocious speed, and Sixth ate at a rate in between the two .

 

Soon, their plates had emptied with startling swiftness, and the three of them downed their glasses after that .

 

“Huuu…”

 

The three of them exhaled, the scent of milk heavy on their breath, and then looked at each other .

 

“Seconds?”

 

“Sounds good, but let's take a break first . ”

 

 

“I approve~ Feeling kinda stuffed now, anyway . Say, Sixth, isn't it your turn to serve Ainz-sama today? You seem more determined than usual today . ”

 

Foire smiled mischievously, and so did Sixth .

 

“Lucky you, how much longer will it be until it's my turn?”

 

Lumiere counted off the days on her fingers .

 

 

The rooms of Nazarick’s supreme rulers were massive in scale, so much so that one person would need half a day or more to clean one of them carefully . While the maids had the raw numbers to clean them all on a daily basis, even with Albedo's spare room factored in, that would require a lot of people to work all day without any rest .

 

However, this was not a problem to the maids . They had been created by the rulers of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown; it was only fitting that they should work their fingers to the bone for them, because it was an act of venerating their gods .

 

And then, these fanatical workers had been told to stop by the god-like being, Ainz Ooal Gown .

 

Ainz knew the hardships of working under unethical companies, and he could not bear to let these girls, who were like his friends’ daughters, suffer like that .

 

He had told them, “Don't clean the unused rooms so frequently”, and then “You will work and rest ion shifts . ”

 

Thus, the regular maids of Nazarick were organized into two shifts; the day shift and the night shift . The former had 30 people and the latter had 10, while the one remaining person got the day off . After calculating the working days for the maids, the announcement that they would have a break every 41 days was met with complaints .

 

It was not that there were too few days off, but the opposite . They requested that the day off be cancelled .

 

Ultimately, working for the Supreme Beings was the reason for their existence . Telling them that they did not have to work damaged their sense of self-worth and made them feel like they were no longer needed .

 

As such, the maids decided to discuss the matter with Ainz . They said, “Please don't take our jobs”, “We want to do it all day and night”, and so on .

 

Ainz shot the suggestion down on the spot . The concept of fatigue existed in YGGDRASIL and while it could be easily remedied with magic, there was no guarantee that fatigue would be healed as easily in this world . Even with magic, he was worried that it would steadily degrade their ability to function, like a cogwheel losing its teeth .

 

Yet, the maids adamantly refused to back down . Faced with their tears, Ainz gave in and proposed a new type of work for them .

 

They would have to personally serve Ainz .

 

That task entailed staying by Ainz's side to attend to his every need and whim, and the maids would take turns filling that role .

 

This offer was as tempting as sugar sprinkled with honey to the maids, whose greatest joy in life was to serve the Supreme Beings . They accepted the suggestion without a second thought, along with the order that “you need to take care of yourselves and rest well the day before, so you can serve with all your strength when it's your turn . ”

 

 

“We need our nutrients so we can work hard, you know . Plus, depending on the circumstances, you might need to skip a meal too . ”

 

“Of course, when you serve Ainz-sama, your brain needs all the nutrients it can get . ”

 

“I want something sweet~”

 

The three girls nodded in unison . Incidentally, all the maids carried several meals' worth of candy and other such treats on them . They would snack on them whenever they had free time while serving Ainz . However, be it fortunate or not, they simply could not find that free time . As such, the morning meal was very important to them .

 

“Have you heard? They say they're going to cook using ingredients from the outside world and have a food tasting . ”

 

The other two gasped at Sixth's statement .

 

I expected as much, Sixth thought .

 

Few of the maids thought well of the outside world — the world that lay beyond Nazarick . Some of them felt that the outside world was inferior to Nazarick, but most of them were afraid of it, because the floor right above their home, the 8th floor, had once been invaded by people from the outside .

 

“Will all the maids be attending the tasting? Or will only a few of us be allowed to go?”

 

Just as Sixth was about to answer Foire's question, the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed . The air itself seemed to heat up .

 

As the newcomer came into the maids’ sight, they squealed in delight .

 

“Shizu-chan!”

 

“It's Shizu-chan!”

 

The person who had just entered the cafeteria was one of the Pleiades, CZ .

 

The battle maids were like idols to the regular maids, and CZ was the most popular of them all . There were frequent struggles to sit next to her .

 

“Ah, the penguin’s here too . ”

 

CZ held a penguin under her arm, and a worried-looking manservant was trailing behind her . It was the Assistant Butler, Eclair . He flapped his wings with all his strength, but there was no way he could escape with the strength of a level 1 Birdman . His desperate struggles quickly lost their vigor as the maids looked on .

 

In the end, the penguin ran out of strength and went limp, like a real stuffed doll .

 

““Shizu-chan! Over here, over here! Come eat with us!”

 

“No, come over here! Shizu-chaaaan~”

 

“Just throw that butler away! Over there would be fine!”

 

“Send that useless bird to the head chef, at least he'll contribute to Nazarick that way!”

 

There was a marked difference in the reception that the Assistant Butler and CZ received from the maids, but that could not be helped . He was disliked because he loudly proclaimed that he wanted to take over Nazarick, despite being a mere assistant butler . Even if he had been created that way by the Supreme Beings, his frequent announcements of those wild words made him quite unbearable .

 

CZ peered through the commotion around her, as though she was searching for someone . The adorable way in which she did so, like she were a child who did not know where to sit, made many of the maids' hearts beat faster .

 

“Even that bird looks cute when Shizu-chan holds him, how strange . ”

 

“I want a Shizu-chan hug pillow . Albedo-sama seems to know how to make those, I wonder if she'll teach me?”

 

“Albedo-sama is very kind, I'm sure she'll agree . Why don't you try asking her next time?”

 

The sound of a book closing with an audible thud came from the next table over, and when Sixth turned to look, her eyes met Increment's .

 

“This place is getting noisy, so I'm going back . Since you're attending to Ainz-sama today, you should probably finish breakfast quickly and head over to him . Any mistakes you make will reflect on all of us . ”

 

Having said her piece, Increment turned and left without waiting for a reply . As she watched her fellow maid leave, Sixth took out her pocket watch . Fortunately, she still had some time . After freshening up, she should be just in time .

 

“All right, I'll go grab some more stuff to eat while everyone's focused on Shizu-chan!”

 

Foire and Lumiere nodded at Sixth's idea .

 

“Oh~ that's a nice idea~su”

 

The sudden answer from the side made the three maids gasp .

 

“Lu-Lupusreginsan!”

 

With hands clasped over her lurching heart, Sixth turned to face the source of the voice . There had been nobody there just a moment ago, but Lupusregina had appeared out of nowhere while everyone was distracted by Shizu and looking away . She sat sideways on a chair with her legs up on the table and even had a share of her own food .

 

“Please don't scare us like that, honestly~”

 

Foire was still clinging tightly to Lumiere, her eyebrows pressed into a / shape .

 

“My heart almost jumped out of my mouth~”

 

Lumiere barely paid any attention to Foire, who was clinging to her . She spoke quietly, like she had been scared out of her wits .

 

The three of them directed reproachful voices at Lupusregina, yet they were actually just a little happy inside . That was because Lupusregina was the only one of the battle maids who treated them like friends, although her actions were hard to predict . She spent her time moving between the different maid groups, so being approached by her was a sign of good fortune . The best proof was how some of the others were looking at Sixth and her group with envious eyes .

 

“Nishishi, seems my experiments in the village didn’t go to waste, you three gave me some pretty amusing reactions~”

 

The way Lupusregina supported her face with her arm on the table, while having an evil grin on her face, made her look a little like a cat out of the storybooks . Although her smile was nothing but mischievous, it was still surprisingly charming . Sixth watched the battle maid smile for a while, utterly fascinated by her .

 

The other two seemed to feel the same way, but the first to recover was Foire .

 

“The village?”

 

Foire tilted her head, which made her short bob hair brush against Lumiere’s face .

 

Lumiere resisted the urge to sneeze and shoved Foire away, and then she rearranged herself so she was looking Lupusregina straight in the face .

 

“Lupusreginsan, you work outside, right?”

 

“Yup, in the human village ~su . ”

 

“Humans, huh… it must be tough . ”

 

Lumiere looked at Lupusregina with sympathetic eyes .

 

“Nah, it’s nothing like that! Since Ainz-sama ordered it, it’s worth doing! …Although, I have to say, it’s kind of boring . How should I put this… it would be so much more fun to squish them beneath my feet . ”

 

Sixth had no particular opinion about that statement . Humans and their villages and whatnot were unimportant to her . Whether they prospered or were destroyed, the only thing that mattered was if they were useful to Nazarick .

 

“Come to think of it, Ainz-sama said that village was very valuable, but I don’t see it~su”

 

“Given Ainz-sama’s personality, he must have said so because he pitied the miserable little humans there . . ”

 

“No, no, Ainz-sama’s like a hurricane of death . I’m sure he’s just waiting for the right moment to kill them all, right?”

 

“What are you saying? Don’t you know Ainz-sama is a genius? All this must be part of his plan . ”

 

“Ara, I can’t pretend I didn’t hear that . Isn’t Ainz-sama’s power the best part of him ~su?”

 

The four beautiful girls stared at each other, none of them willing to back down .

 

“Ainz-sama is a beautiful, compassionate person . ”

 

“Ainz-sama is Death, come for this world . ”

 

“Ainz-sama is an incomparable hero . ”

 

“Oh, looks like everyone has a different impression of Ainz-sama . Then, let’s have a competition . We’ll see who can pick out the most suitable title for Ainz-sama . ”

 

In an instant, everyone went silent . Lupusregina was wearing her usual smile, but she had a certain understanding of her liege’s qualities and was unwilling to admit defeat . However, Sixth and her two friends felt the same way .

 

The regular maids were weak beings, but their respect and adoration of their master was no less than that of anyone else’s .

 

“Then, the three of you may start off ~su . ”

 

“In that case… “

 

Lumiere was the first to speak .

 

“Then, as I said earlier, I wish to praise Ainz-sama’s beauty . So how about ‘A figure of beautiful porcelain, shining and flawless, the gentle lord of mercy . ’”

 

Next was Foire .

 

“Well, if we’re going to praise Ainz-sama, then we should praise his awesome power, right! As a ruler of death, what could be more fitting than ‘Memento Mori’?”

 

The third was Sixth .

 

“Ainz-sama was the one who coordinated the Supreme Beings, so his management skills would be excellent . So he is a ‘wise king’ . ”

 

Although everyone’s names fitted their master well, in the end they all thought that their own choices was the best .

 

Lupusregina coughed gently as Sixth, Foire and Lumiere looked at her . With a proud look on her face, she said,

 

“In the end, we shiuld call him the absolutely strongest and most—”

 

“…There you are . ”

 

The source of the calm voice was CZ . The assistant butler Eclair she had been holding under her arm had vanished to parts unknown .

 

“…Stop using invisibility all the time . ”

 

“Soz~ it’s a habit ~su”

 

“…And you started eating . ”

 

A sun-hot anger burned under CZ’s emotionless face . Sixth had the feeling that she should not be here any longer .

 

“…Ah, I-I have to go to Ainz-sama!”

 

“Then, I’ll go too . ”

 

“I’ll send you along~”

 

Sixth and the others quietly vacated their seats, though they did feel a little bad ignoring Lupusregina’s pleading looks toward them .

 

In the end, they did not manage to get seconds . It was a bit of a shame, but she had to pull herself together now .

 

Sixth paid no heed to the danger in the air behind them . Instead, she lightly slapped her cheeks to focus herself . Her face had the stern, brave expression of a soldier heading off to a war, but her footsteps were light and fast .

 

 

9:20 Nazarick Time

 

This was the 6th Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick .

 

The undead which roamed the tomb were nowhere in sight, but magical beasts ─ such as the controlled by Aura ─ defended this location in place of POP monsters . This area ─ known as the most expansive in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ─ was largely covered by dense forest, to the point where it could be described as a sea of trees .

 

That said, the past members of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown were very meticulous about details They certainly would not paint this area green and be done with it .

 

There was a Colosseum here, a giant tree, traces of a village which had been swallowed up by the jungle, a lake, a venomous cave, a twisted grove, a mangrove forest and a bottomless swamp, all of which added variety to the Sea of Trees . Recently, they had even built a small village to receive new residents .

 

In the center of this sea of trees was a big lake ─ that said, it was still smaller than the underground lake area on the 4th Floor ─ which was surrounded not by forest, but by grassland . While the grassland and lake were fairly small when compared to the entirety of the 6th Floor, it was still large enough for their purposes .

 

Their ─ the first of “them” was the Floor Guardian Aura . She rode easily atop a gigantic wolf with jet-black fur, and just a glance was enough to tell that she was an old hand at this .

 

However, that was only to be expected . After all, when she patrolled this large area, she preferred to do so while riding the magical beasts under her dominion, although running would have been easy enough, given her preternatural physical abilities .

 

There were two other people .

 

One of them was the Guardian Overseer, Albedo . She was not wearing her usual, beautiful white dress, but the black full plate armor which she donned for combat . However, she was not carrying her weapon or shield .

 

The other was Shalltear . She looked the same as always, and her eyes had a strange look which was less of interest than enjoyment .

 

 

“Then, let’s begin ─ come, my mount . ”

 

The skill Albedo used was called [Summon Mount] .

 

A magical beast slowly emerged out of nowhere, as black as the armor she wore .

 

This beast had a white mane and tail, and it resembled a horse . It was clad in a suit of full-plate barding, and it was fitted with reins and a saddle .

 

It was slightly smaller than a horse . However, its presence was far more oppressive than that of an ordinary horse . The most defining difference could be found on its head . There, one would find two horns that protruded straight outwards .

 

The first response to the magical beast which had suddenly appeared came from Aura, who knew the most about such creatures .

 

“Oh! It’s not like an ordinary Bicorn! Its horns are strong and it looks really beefy too . ”

 

“Fufu,” Albedo laughed . “That’s right . This Bicorn has been strengthened by my abilities into a War Bicorn Lord… well, it’s actually a level 100 Bicorn . ”

 

“Can it fly?”

 

“No, it can’t . It’s fundamentally the same as a regular Bicorn; it doesn’t have any special abilities, just improved stamina, strength and dexterity . ”

“Looks like you can’t really strengthen your mount without rider-type skills ─ in that case, since its special abilities are too weak, it might get in the way if it took part in our level 100 battles”

 

“Indeed . However, I can make up for that by using my skills to protect this boy, so it can fight for longer periods . ”

 

“But doesn’t that mean you’ll be wasting your resources on it? It’ll be a big hassle in combat, right? Why not power it up by changing its gear? I hear mount-type monsters can be equipped with barding and horseshoes and so on . ”

 

“Indeed . You can change the equipment of mounts summoned through skills . It’s related to the question asked just now, Aura; for instance, I could equip it with horseshoes that grant flight, and it would be able to fly . However, I’ve already given it magic items to boost its speed… it really is a tough decision . ”

 

Albedo lightly patted the flank of the magical beast . Perhaps she had used too much force, but the Bicorn shuddered .

 

There was no way a magical beast she had summoned would be thrown off balance by just that much . Just as Albedo frowned while wondering if it was making a fool of her, Aura asked a question .

 

“Say, does it have a name?”

 

“It’s a Bicorn, right? Didn’t you just say so yourself?”

 

“No, I don’t mean the name of its species, I mean its name as an individual . ”

 

“Does it need one?”

 

She looked to Shalltear for her reaction . The Vampire said nothing, simply shrugged .

 

“Surely it needs one, right? Isn’t it your pet, Albedo?”

 

“Well, it’s not really a pet… besides, do I really summon the same one each time?”

 

As she heard Albedo’s question, Shalltear came up with a great idea, which she decided to share .

 

“How about asking Kyouhukou? He excels at summoning his comrades, so he ought to know a lot about this sort of thing . ”

 

“ . . . Give me a break . He’s a fellow member of Nazarick, and I shouldn’t hate him, but…”

 

“Ah ─ indeed . They don’t mean ill, but they crawl into your clothes all the same . However, Entoma seems to visit him from time to time . ”

 

“That’s gross~ stop talking about things that make me feel all itchy… that place really is a house of horrors . I might be in charge of that Floor, but I honestly do not wish to go in there . ”

 

“ . . . Shalltear, did you know? Entoma calls that place the snack room . ”

 

“Ugeeeh─! Seriously? Seriously? Uwah ─ I don’t want to go near Entoma ever again . ”

 

Albedo felt the same way . She did not wish to approach anyone who could call that sort of thing a snack . Just as the mood started to turn queer, Aura decided to raise her voice and clear the air:

 

“Anyway, why don’t you name it?”

 

“Indeed . If you think naming it is better, then I shall . ”

 

Albedo muttered to herself as she fell into contemplation . Since she was going to name her mount, then obviously she had to give it a name that would not embarrass her . She thought of various words and phrases, and then a flash of inspiration struck her as a song played in her head .

 

“What are you mumbling about?”

 

“Ah, my apologies,” Albedo said, as though she had just woken from a dream . “Well . If Ainz-sama permits, I would like to give it a name that represents how I feel; ‘Top of the World’ . ”

 

“Hmm ─ that’s a good name . By Top of the World, you mean Ainz-sama, right?”

 

Albedo smiled, but did not answer .

 

Shalltear’s eyebrows quirked up at a dangerous angle .

 

As the tension built in the air, it was Aura who had to break them up, as usual .

 

“Well, it’s not like anything will happen . Anyway, since you’ve called out your Bicorn, let’s perform the next experiment!”

 

“Mm, I understand . ”

 

Having been treated as a child throwing a tantrum, Shalltear narrowed her eyes and glared at Albedo as she turned to the bicorn and put a greaved foot on the stirrups . Albedo mounted up on it with a grace that did not seem like it had come from someone wearing armor . The moment she touched the saddle, she could feel the Bicorn’s body quivering through the point of contact .

 

“What’s wrong?!”

 

Albedo could not help exclaiming . She could not think of any reason why this level 100 Bicorn would be unsteady on its feet . Suddenly, she recalled what had happened when she had patted the Bicorn . Could it be that some problem had occurred then? If that were the case, then what was the cause?

 

“Aura! Shalltear! Something strange is going on with my Bicorn . Could you help me take a look?”

 

Just then, the Bicorn began to wobble . It looked like it could no longer stand up . The two of them looked at it and realized that there was something abnormal going on here .

 

“In… in any case, you should get off first, Albedo!”

 

“Al… alright . ”

 

After hearing Aura say so, Albedo finally responded by jumping off the creature .

 

The wobbling Bicorn promptly collapsed . It was panting heavily and its coat was covered in a fine sheen of sweat .

 

“ . . . Albedo, did you get fat?”

 

Shalltear was not saying that to make fun of her . Any observer would have thought the same thing .

 

“How rude! I’m always watching my weight because I’ve got more muscle than most!”

 

“Then, could it be that its muscles wasted away because you haven’t been riding it regularly? By the way, I raise all my kids free-range, and I often take them patrolling around the 6th Floor . ”

“Eh? How could that be… speaking of which, [Summon Mount] ─ isn’t it just like a normal summoned monster? There’s no way it could get weaker . ”

“Would you like me to ride it?”

“I’m sorry, but it won’t work . This is my mount, and nobody else can ride it . If anyone tries, it’ll automatically unsummon itself . ”

“Then how about asking the mount itself? Hey, Bicorn, what’s wrong?”

 

Aura asked it a question . It was not that Aura could speak with horses, but magical beasts like Bicorns ought to have pretty high intelligence, so Aura hoped that it would understand human speech . Of course, the Bicorn could not speak, so all it could do was neigh like a horse .

 

“It can’t speak… don’t tell me it can’t write either?”

 

The Bicorn whinnied in the affirmative .

 

The three of them looked at each other .

 

“Aura, can you use your skills to do something amazing?”

 

“I can’t . Besides, what do you mean by amazing? Didn’t you ask me what abilities I had when we had our one-on-one chat a long time ago? Don’t tell me you forgot that too, Guardian Overseer-dono!”

 

“Ara… how do you usually communicate with Fenrir, then?”

 

“I just tell him to do this and that . ”

 

“So you speak to him, right? So if you try, you should be able to communicate with this Bicorn, am I correct?”

 

“Just because I can communicate with the beasts I control doesn’t mean I can speak to all beasts . And besides, I already tried . The Lizardmen have a pet called Rororo, right? I don’t know why, but I just can’t get through to him . ”

 

The three of them looked at each other once more .

 

“ . . . If we’re stuck, the only one we can turn to is Demiurge, after all . ”

 

“Unfortunately, Demiurge is now working abroad on Ainz-sama’s orders . He hasn’t spent much time in Nazarick recently . I can contact him, but frankly speaking, I don’t really want to consult to him if it’s not related to work . ”

 

A look of jealousy appeared in Shalltear and Aura’s eyes . Demiurge ─ who ran around working for their master ─ was the object of the Guardians’ envy .

 

“Ah~ I really do envy him . I know that the defense of Nazarick is an important job, but if nobody invades, then we won’t have a chance to show our stuff, and it makes me wonder if I’m actually useful . I want to go outside and accomplish something so I can work hard for Ainz-sama . ”

 

“All I’ve done recently is make mistakes…”

 

“Don’t worry, Shalltear . I think that you’ll have the chance to work for Ainz-sama soon ─ no, I’m sure you’ll have the chance to do so . But you need to be a bit smarter, otherwise that might be a bit tricky . ”

 

“Don’t you think that’s… a little harsh?”

 

“Ahhh, the fact is, you did mess up . You need to produce results worthy of a Guardian . ”

 

Shalltear grit her teeth, and then suddenly her face brightened up, as though a light bulb had just switched itself on above her head .

 

“Ku, ku, ku, now why are you all talking bad about me? What I wanted to say was that if Demiurge wasn’t around and we couldn’t ask him, then I would lend you a helping hand instead . Well, since it can’t be helped, I’ll look it up for you!”

 

Shalltear took out a book . It appeared thick and heavy, like it had a thousand pages at the very least . However, to Shalltear ─ who looked like a girl on the outside but who was anything but on the inside ─ its weight was nothing much .

 

“Ohhh─! Don’t tell me, don’t tell me that’s…!”

 

“Hnnng, a treasure bestowed upon you by Ainz-sama!”

 

It was not just Aura; even Albedo looked upon Shalltear with jealousy in her eyes .

 

“Indeed! This is the Encyclopedia Peroroncino-sama! It’s my reward for completing Ainz-sama’s orders!”

 

While this was more of a consolation prize cum appreciation award, to Shalltear it was instead the best form of praise, and she smiled in satisfaction . No, that was only natural . An item from her creator was more valuable than any form of encouragement .

 

 

This book was called the Encyclopedia . It was an item every player received after starting the game, and it could not be stolen or lost unless its owner chose to dispose of it . In addition, it was unique .

 

YGGDRASIL was a game of enjoying the unknown, and this item could be said to be a physical expression of the developers’ desire for players to transform the unknown into the known .

 

This was because the Encyclopedia recorded the visual data of all the monsters a player had ever encountered . However, it did not display statistics ─ the monsters’ ability scores ─ but only its typical appearance and name . If it was a monster from mythology, it would also display the relevant contents from the myth in question and other relevant information .

 

In order to make effective use of this book-shaped item, one would need to personally enter the information which one had gathered into the book . Such information included a monster’s special abilities or its weaknesses and so on .

 

The Encyclopedia that Shalltear possessed had once belonged to the man called Peroroncino, and he was the one who entered the data within that book . Ainz remembered that he had left this item in the Treasury when he had quit the game, and so he handed it to Shalltear .

 

However, a lot of the content which Peroroncino added had been erased . It was as though Peroroncino were afraid of leaving it behind and deleted it .

 

As a result, the item was not very useful, but Shalltear did not mind . This was an item that her creator had once used . That was the important thing .

 

 

“B ─ Bi ─ Bicorn,” Shalltear muttered as she flipped through the pages .

 

Aura and Albedo leaned in to take a look, but Shalltear used her body to cover up the book and then backed up, before fixing the two of them in place with a sharp glare .

 

“Hmph ─ that’s fine . I too have a bracelet gifted to me by Ainz-sama . ”

 

Aura gently caressed her silver wristband . Similarly, Albedo stroked the ring on her left index finger . However, she had not been the only one to receive that ring .

 

I want a special reward for me and me alone . I want a special item from Ainz-sama─

 

Just as Albedo began caressing her abdomen, Shalltear exclaimed . It would seem she had found the page she was looking for .

 

“Bicorn! Got it, let me see…”

 

Shalltear suddenly froze and looked up in shock, then stared at Albedo .

 

“Wh-what is it? Is something wrong?”

 

Albedo nervously questioned Shalltear as she looked at the book again and read the entry .

 

“ . . . a mutant species of Unicorn . Just as Unicorns are supposed to be associated with purity, Bicorns are associated with impurity . Unicorns will only allow pure maidens to ride them, but conversely, Bicorns will never allow pure maidenss to ride them… haaah?!”

 

As Shalltear read that part, Aura’s eyes went so wide it seemed as though they would fall out of their sockets .

 

“No way… don’t tell me Albedo’s a…?”

 

“What do you mean ‘no way’? What do you take me for?”

 

“Eh, but aren’t you a Succubus, Albedo?”

 

“S ─ Su ─ Succ ─ Succubus…”

 

Shalltear seemed to be confused and she began searching for the Succubus entry .

 

“That’s right, I’m a Succubus! But I don’t have any experience with men, sorry about that! But what can I do about it? I’m the Guardian Overseer, so I’m always stuck in the Throne Room! I hardly ever get to meet anyone else! Besides, Ainz-sama has never called me to his bed… and I don’t want to do anything like that with men who aren’t Ainz-sama…”

 

Albedo hung her head, and then she suddenly jerked it up again .

 

“Since you put it that way…”

 

Albedo glanced at Aura, then shook her head . If Aura was not like that, there would be a huge problem .

 

“How about you, Shalltear?”

 

“ . . . I don’t have any experience with men . Now, women are a different matter…”

 

Aura did not understand for a moment and tilted her head . Then, she seemed to get it, because she wrinkled her brow and went “Uwah~” as her face seized up and wordlessly said “no, thank you” .

 

“Ahhh! It’s because there aren’t any good men around! I like the dead, but rotting corpses are just… right? Right?”

 

“Don’t look to me for approval, Shalltear . Your fetishes are just too weird and I can’t understand them . ”

 

The three of them looked at each other, then simultaneously averted their eyes . They had silently agreed to end this topic here .

 

“ . . . Alright, so at least we know why I can’t ride a Bicorn now… I can’t believe that was the reason . ”

 

Albedo’s face twisted in unhappiness . The Bicorn thought it had been scolded and curled up into a ball .

 

“Hm ─ this is like sealing off part of Albedo’s strength . ”

 

“Still, it’s not like you’re really good at mounted combat anyway . It’s just one ability you can’t use, right? If you can’t ride your Bicorn, then how about one of Aura’s beasts? Maybe a Unicorn might be good . ”

 

“Hm ─ I don’t have a Unicorn . Though I want one . ”

 

“Isn’t there a better way? It’ll be fine if Ainz-sama helps me ride the Bicorn, right?”

 

Albedo’s smile seemed to tell the other two that there was no better way than that .

 

“That’s sly!”

 

“Hmph!” Albedo hmphed at Shalltear . “How rude, Shalltear . This is necessary in order for me to make full use of my powers as Guardian Overseer of Nazarick for Ainz-sama . ”

 

“Fufufu . Hmph! So you can’t get Ainz-sama’s love without using your official duties as an excuse… That’s just too sad for a woman . It means you can’t win it with your charm alone . ”

 

“Haaaah?” Both of them glared at each other . Aura could not bear them any more and said:

 

“I say, you two seem to have wandered off into a weird topic; would you mind leaving it at that? Stop talking about these pointless things . Besides, it’s not like it’s going to cause a problem right away . Can’t you summon other mounts?”

 

“I have a magic item which can summon me a steed . ”

 

“Then isn’t that enough? There’s no problem at all . ”

 

“Using a magic item to summon a mount needs me to change my gear or take out the item, so it’s more effort than just summoning a mount with a skill . And this Bicorn has much better fighting power…”

 

“Then have the Bicorn take your enemy’s attacks and use the opening to summon a mount! That’s a basic tactic for a beast tamer . ”

 

“It seems that’s the only way it can be used . ”

 

“That would mean you’ve become weaker, Albedo . ”

 

“Could you not speak like you’re laughing at others’ misfortune?”

 

“Don’t you delight in my suffering too, Albedo?”

 

“Do not . ” “Do too . ” Both sides went back and forth .

 

“Honestly, I’ve had it with the two of you… eh, stop glaring at each other already . How about going elsewhere? Ainz-sama granted us time off, after all . ”

 

“That’s right . ” Albedo went with that, and Shalltear ─ who had been arguing with her ─ nodded as well . However ─

 

“ . . . He asked us to take time off, but what should we do? We were made to protect the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and work for the various Supreme Beings . Working is our life…”

 

“Even so, when Ainz-sama wants us to rest, we have to rest . ”

 

The three of them had gathered here because their master had told them, “You all work hard every day . Since free time like this is hard to come by, you female Guardians should arrange to go out and have fun together . ”

 

“We’ve had fun, so does this mean we’re going to disperse? Does this really count as fun?”

 

“I have my doubts about that . Granted, we had some fun, but I still have my doubts . That’s right, what do you usually do?”

 

“I patrol between the 1st to the 3rd Floor . Then I collect feedback from the Area Guardians, or I check on the readiness of the entire floor . If I have time, I take a bath, or get a facial…?”

 

“I’m surprised that you’re so hardworking . ”

 

“What do you mean by surprised?”

 

“Bathing… how about you, Aura?”

 

“Hm~ When Mare stays in the Colosseum, I patrol the forest . A bunch of newcomers arrived recently, after all . Then I go home and sleep… that’s all, I guess . ”

 

“That’s it!”

 

Aura and Shalltear’s faces were filled with surprise .

 

“That’s it, that’s it . The newcomers you mentioned ought to be the residents of the village which was just built on this Floor, right? I haven’t been there yet . Let’s go together . ”

 

“Eh? Really? Shalltear, you’ve been there before, right?”

 

“I have . ”

 

“Really?” As she saw the puzzled look on Albedo’s face, Aura explained:

 

“Actually, the other guardians have all been here too . First was Cocytus, for the Lizardmen . Demiurge came round too, to check on the situation . The others also drop by from time to time . Hm ─ then let’s go take a look . Besides, it’s not all that far away .

 

 

9:38 Nazarick Time

 

The village built in the 6th Floor of Nazarick was little more than a row of ten-odd log houses . It barely qualified as a settlement . There was a crop field on the right side of the village, and on the left was an orchard that was several times larger than the crop field .

 

Naturally, it was surrounded by forest, and when one looked down from above, it might resemble a hole in the forest; or a Green Hole . The trees here had been felled and then dug up by the roots, so by right the ground ought to have been uneven . However, the ground in the village was unnaturally level . That was the effect of Mare’s magic .

 

Many people could be seen working hard in the orchard .

 

The first person they saw was a human-looking female, whose skin was as lustrous as tree bark . Beside her was a creature which could only be described as a walking tree .

 

The former was a Dryad, while the latter was a monster known as a Treant .

 

The Treant placed the Dryad on its branch-like hands and raised her to the upper reaches of a fruit tree .

 

“There’s also ten or so Lizardmen living here . Sometimes they go to the north ─ to the lake where we just visited ─ to have fun . It’s not like they live in the water anyway . How strange . ”

 

“The village is bigger than the last time I came . There seem to be more residents too . ”

 

“That’s right . That’s because we found a few species who were allowed to enter Nazarick after we conquered the Great Forest of Tob . ”

 

“Species who were allowed to enter Nazarick… I recall the conditions were: they have to be heteromorphs, they must not need food, and they have to be good-natured, right?”

 

“Mm, that’s what Ainz-sama told us . Although, the ‘must not need food’ condition is more of ‘must be self-sufficient’ . . . the Dryads and Treants absorb nutrients from the earth, so they don’t need to eat in particular . Although, it’ll be bad if the earth’s nutrients run out, or if it doesn’t rain . ”

 

“Ohh ─ does Mare make rain with magic? Or is it an item?”

 

“That’s basically Mare’s job . Same with restoring the earth’s nutrients . Some spells allow for big harvests, and I heard those spells can fully restore the earth’s nutrients . The Dryads and Treants all say it’s so delicious that they’ll get fat… but I don’t know about the taste . ”

 

As Shalltear chatted with Aura, Albedo slowly surveyed the village with a cold, clinical gaze reserved for examining experimental test subjects . Then, a hint of emotion crept into her eyes for the first time .

 

“Ara? That ought to be Sous-Chef in the fields, right? What’s he doing?”

 

They looked along her line of sight, and there, within a patch of fenced-off land ─ seemingly hiding behind a large stalk with red fruits growing all over it ─ was a mushroom-like monster squirming around . At a closer look, he was wearing clothes which he did not mind getting dirty as he picked the red fruits .

 

“It’s just like what you saw . They sometimes come here to gather ingredients, and they grow their own plants . Let’s go take a look . ”

 

Albedo and Shalltear looked at each other . After verifying that neither of them were against it, and that it would be fine as long as they did not interfere with their colleagues’ work, they went over to take a look .

 

“Hi~ Working up a sweat as always, I see!”

 

As he heard Aura’s cheerful voice, Sous-Chef raised its head to look at the three of them .

 

“Well, my body doesn’t really sweat . ”

 

Sous-Chef grunted like an old man as he stood up and straightened his back . Although he was hunched over in a posture of working the fields, the fact that he had no waist ─ his body was the same thickness from top to bottom, so there was no part of him that was quickly identifiable as a waist ─ meant that they could not tell if his back really ached or if he had done so to change his mood .

 

After that, Sous-Chef rotated his neck, like someone with shoulder aches . His head was like a toadstool’s cap, coated with some kind of purplish-red liquid which looked like it might drip off at any time, but the fact was that it was as solid and mysteriously stretchy as dried glue, so there was no way it would drip off or splash around .

 

“Say, are

those tomatoes?”

 

Albedo seemed interested in what Sous-Chef was holding, and so she asked him . He brought the fruits before his eyes, then wiggled his head in bafflement .

 

“Indeed, they are tomatoes . They are tomatoes as everyone knows them . They are not the type which explode after absorbing sunlight, attack people, or radiate golden light when you cut them open; they are ordinary tomatoes . ”

 

“In other words, they’re edible, commonly available and ordinary tomatoes, right?”

 

“Indeed . I do not have the special skills needed to grow vegetables that can produce special effects . Given your interest in these tomatoes, does that mean you are interested in tomato dishes? Unfortunately, I can only make drinks . ”

 

“No, I was simply asking out of curiosity . I believe Shalltear’s the one who wants to eat tomato dishes . ”

 

“ . . . Why does everyone think Vampires like tomato juice? Even if the undead eat something, they won’t gain any buffs from it . ”

 

“A lot of people in Nazarick don’t need to eat . ”

 

Thanks to certain items, most of the NPCs no longer needed to eat or drink .

 

“There’s nothing to be done about it . Food and drink only add to the expenses of sustaining Nazarick . We’d have to spend a lot of money if everyone ate as much as your magical beasts . ”

 

“Ah, wouldn’t it be better for me to go outside to make some money?”

 

“There’s no need for that . That’s because Ainz-sama and the other Supreme Beings made careful calculations when building this tomb in order to balance income and spending . ”

 

“Oh, so that’s why he decreed that only self-sufficient species could enter here . That way, no matter how many came in, the income balance would remain intact . ”

 

“Indeed… eh, didn’t you know about this?” Albedo looked to each of the three others present .

 

“How vexing . Not understanding the very place you were protect is a very big problem . I’ll make some time in future and explain everything to you in detail . ”

 

Albedo sighed, then casually regarded the fields . It was then that she noticed that she had seen the leaves of a row of certain plants before .

 

“Those are carrots… no, are they magic carrots?”

 

“No, they are not . Have you not heard of them before, Overseer-dono?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Sous-Chef’s eyes turned to Aura .

 

“Ah, she did not… I see, she did not tell you about them . Then, what shall we do, Aursama? Will you call them, Aursama? Surely you must have trained them by now?”

 

“I already filed a report on it─” Aura smiled wickedly . Then, she took a deep breath, then bellowed “─Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!”

 

Suddenly, the row of leaves reacted to her words and began moving . They wiggled vigorously from side to side, then pulled themselves out of the earth, and their carrot-like roots popped up onto the surface .

 

They resembled Asian ginsengs, but they were distinctly different from those . They had four discrete limbs, and they moved deliberately and not through reflex . The uppermost parts of the roots ─ near the stem ─ bore cavities and shadows which resembled eyes and mouths .

 

Shalltear’s eyes went wide and she spoke the name of these monsters .

 

“Could those be Mandrakes? We shouldn’t have anything like that in Nazarick…”

 

“Ah! That’s it! I saw the report, but this is the first time I’ve personally seen one . ”

 

The Mandrakes chorused “Long live Ainz Ooal Gown”, “Long Live Ainz Ooal Gown” as they formed up into ranks .

 

“They aren’t too smart really . Their relatives such as the Galgenmännlein, Alrunas and Alraunes ought to be smarter… but I didn’t find any of those when I did a quick search of that forest . However, the forest is big, so maybe I just haven’t found them yet . Also, there’s a huge underground cave that leads into the mountains . There seems to be a Myconid settlement there, but I haven’t made a move on them yet . ”

 

“Still, teaching them to speak like that must have been difficult . I’m very impressed,” Sous-Chef explained as he picked up one of the Mandrakes who were lined up in a row .

 

The Mandrake struggled; apparently having its stem grabbed was painful .

 

“Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!”

 

“Long live Ainz Ooal Gown!”

 

The Mandrakes broke their ranks to encircle Sous-Chef, as though to protest the mistreatment of their friend . During this time, they said the same thing as before .

 

“Forgive my rudeness . Aursama, can you ask them to return?”

 

“Okay~ Right! Go back!”

 

Sous-Chef gently placed the Mandrake back on the ground, and the others followed it as they crawled back into the holes they had occupied just now . In just a few seconds, the Mandrakes were back underground, as though they were hibernating for winter .

 

“I see, it’s like an animal’s call . ”

 

“You could say that . They simply cry it out like a parrot imitating speech; they don’t really know what they’re saying . Apparently, there’s a minimum level of intelligence, below which you can’t understand speech . However, that’s still under investigation . ”

“Although, all that is from Demiurge-sama; I am simply repeating what I have heard,” Sous-Chef said .

 

“Hm ─ that’s right, Albedo, can I ask you a question? As the Guardian Overseer, isn’t it bad that you don’t know about the newcomers? What if a spy came in with them?”

 

Before Albedo could answer, somebody else voiced an objection .

 

“Ahahaha, that’s funny, Shalltear . It’s true that the 6th Floor is very large, so it’s only natural that you might think that capturing and slaughtering intruders would be difficult . Certainly, it would be troublesome if they managed to escape from the Colosseum and ran around like little spiders . ”

 

Her laughter was hollow, and her eyes were as cold as ice .

 

“But don’t you think you’re looking down on me? This place is my hunting ground . Even if they dispersed, I could swiftly hunt down and kill every last one of them . Honestly, even if those people somehow managed to escape the 6th Floor and tried to harm Ainz-sama, they would have to pass through the blazing world of the 7th Floor, and then there’s the inviolable 8th Floor to worry about . Even if they wanted to escape, they would have to pass through the frozen hell of the 5th Floor, the dark waters of the 4th Floor, and then your levels… do you think that’s possible?”

 

Shalltear shook her head .

 

“Not at all . ”

 

“And that’s how it is . Therefore, there’s no need to worry no matter how many newcomers there are on this Floor . ”

 

“Aura took the words out of my mouth . Mm, in any case, there’s a plan going on now to gather all kinds of creatures here . ”

 

“Huh? isn’t it just plant-type monsters?”

 

As she heard Aura’s surprised question, Albedo smiled and answered:

 

“That was the plan in the beginning, but after some observation, we found that no problems came up thanks to Aura and Mare’s hard work, so the plan was amended and expanded . That said, this is only at a draft stage, and there’s no guarantee that it’ll be put into practice . Therefore, even a Floor Guardian like yourself has not been informed yet . ”

 

Albedo told them to keep it a secret, and then she described the plan:

 

“The name of the plan is ‘Project Utopia’ . It is a large-scale project beginning with the secret base that Aura built, and its end stage is to gather monsters who can get along with humanity and have them live here . ”

 

“Why is getting along with humanity in particular a condition?”

 

Albedo smiled, as though implying “I knew you’d say” . That smile looked terribly evil .

 

“That is the key to the entire plan, the focus of Project Utopia . ”

 

“Permit me to be blunt, but I find it hard to understand . This Nazarick is a haven for the Supreme Beings, and we labor for its sake . Why has it been named that way?”

 

“This is in order to let the outside world believe that we can coexist with other races . ”

 

“I see… so that was the aim . ”

 

“No way, Shalltear actually understood it…”

 

Shalltear’s face filled with an expression that could shatter a million year-old love, and she glared angrily at Aura .

 

“Do you take me for a retard?!”

 

“ . . . Wait… hang on, Shalltear . Might I trouble you to reflect on what you usually say and do before asking me that? Please, just think about it for just a bit . ”

 

And indeed, for just a moment, Shalltear thought back on everything she had said and done until now, and her pupils widened like that of a dead creature . After that, her eyes roved all over, like they were being tossed in stormy waves .

 

After seeing her utterly pathetic state, Albedo graciously steered the conversation back on track .

 

“Er, in any case, Ainz-sama came up with this plan . When we discussed the 6th Floor, Ainz-sama once mentioned that he would like to collect various monsters . Surely someone with a limited understanding of the world would never have been able to come up with an idea like that . In the past, I discussed Ainz-sama’s wisdom with Demiurge, and the conclusion we reached was that Ainz-sama is a true genius . ”

 

“Anyone would know that Ainz-sama is a genius, though I hear great men tend to speak little . ”

 

“Did Demiurge say that? Honestly… Ainz-sama never simply states his thoughts, and sometimes he does mysterious things . Still, as the saying goes, ‘true courage seems cowardly, while great wisdom appears foolish’ . That’s the sort of person Ainz-sama is . ”

 

Albedo’s eyes were moist, and she shook her head .

 

“I did not even expect Ainz-sama to create the persona of the adventurer Momon . Truly, he is an awesome man… I did not expect everything that took place until now to be in the palm of Ainz-sama’s hand…”

 

“Momon is Ainz-sama posing as an adventurer, right? What’s it for?”

 

“Soon you will understand… the Momon persona will become the bedrock of Ainz-sama’s rule . Ainz-sama is far too amazing… perhaps it was his hidden hand at work behind Demiurge’s suggestion─”

 

“What are you mumbling about over there? It’s kind of scary . ”

 

Shalltear’s voice called Albedo back to her senses, and after coughing lightly, she regarded the faces of the other three .

 

“Er, where was I? Right right right! Everything Ainz-sama says and does contains great meaning . Therefore, even if you can’t reach his level, you need to try your best to Ainz-sama’s true intentions from his words . ”

 

“That’ll be hard . Ainz-sama’s just too smart ─ ah, it’s a Spear Needle . ”

 

Two balls of white fluff, each over two meters tall, appeared from inside the village and slowly made their way to Aura’s side . They were magical beasts who looked like Angora rabbits .

 

“They’re cute . ”

 

Shalltear stroked one of the furballs standing beside Aura .

 

“They’re so soft, I want to raise one . ”

 

“They feel comfortable, don’t they? However, when they encounter enemies, they become as sharp as needles, you know?”

 

Spear Needles were level 67 monsters .

 

Once they entered combat mode, they would become a ball of extremely dense spines . If the Spear Needles were killed in this state, their fur would not return to their original soft state . Therefore, when hunting them, one would have to take them unawares and instantly kill them . That was why the players who hunted them were often much higher level than they were .

 

“Ehh? Really? That’s scary…”

 

Shalltear might have said that, but she was still caressing them nonstop .

 

“However, if I don’t give the order, they won’t go into a combat state . Now, if there were enemies nearby it would be a different matter, but no hostile invaders would be able to make it all the way in here . At the very least, the other Floors would send a report . ”

 

“That’s true . It’s only to be expected . The top three floors are filled with vassals that have excellent detection abilities . It would be very difficult for someone to sneak in here without being noticed by them . ”

 

Just then, Aura froze, and she turned to the Colosseum .

 

“What’s wrong, Aursan?”

 

“The teleport gate to the 7th Floor just activated . ”

 

“From below? Demiurge ought to be outside now, so… could it be one of your subordinates? Is it alright to not take a look?”

 

“Hm ─ Mare’s around, so there’s no need to worry . If anything happens, he’ll contact me . ”

 

Aura tapped the earring around her neck .

 

“Besides, it’s hardly a rare thing . You need to take teleport gates at specific locations and go up level by level if you want to go from a lower Floor to an upper Floor . Oh yeah, didn’t somebody use magic because they didn’t want to run─”

 

“Ahem! Nazarick is an impregnable fortress . ”

 

“Indeed . Not even that super-tier spell [Sword of Damocles] or my World-Class Item could destroy an entire Floor at once . That’s why we must not let the Ring which allows for at-will teleportation to be taken . ”

 

All eyes went to the ring on Albedo’s left ring finger .

 

“Mare apparently hands the ring to someone else for safekeeping when he heads out . From that, you can tell how important the rings are ─ ah, Mare contacted me . ”

 

Aura moved away from the others and grabbed at her earring, and then she began a conversation with the absent Mare . The three of them looked at Aura, whose face was slowly turning serious, and by the time they had finished talking, she looked very unhappy .

 

“I’m sorry . Mare apparently needs to head out for something, so just in case, I’ll be going back . ”

 

“I see . Then… why don’t we head back ourselves, Shalltear?”

 

“I don’t mind . ”

 

“I’d like to do something in the fields first before I go . Also, I’d like to chat with the Dryads and the Treants . ”

 

“Then we’ll each go our own ways . Thank you for coming, everyone . Thanks to you, I know how to spend my vacation time . If we’re free some other day… yes, next time, we should all bathe together . ”

 

Part 2

 

9:28 Nazarick Time

 

Mare looked up from the book he was reading, slowly shifting his eyes to peek at the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor .

 

Sensing a faint wave of power, he put his bookmark between the open pages and quietly laid it on the chair beside him . He then picked up the staff beside him, the divine-class item known as “Shadow of YGGDRASIL . ”

 

Mare brought his empty hand to the magical item dangling before his chest, but then it stopped halfway .

 

There was no need to contact his sister . He had not received any reports of an intrusion, so the person who came must have been a friend .

 

He moved his legs and jogged over to the teleport gate directly below him .

 

His big sister enjoyed jumping down directly from the spectator seats, but Mare did not like to do that . He felt that since there were stairs installed in the arena, he ought to take them on the way down . That was how one showed their faithfulness to the Supreme Beings . The stairs were meant to be used, after all .

 

But I don’t dare tell onee-chan that… she’ll look at me in a scary way . . .

 

Mare decided that at the very least, he would not waste the Supreme Beings’ efforts, and so he ran down the steps, and then he ran past the resting area . It was then that he saw someone standing before a huge round mirror that flashed with all the colors of the rainbow .

 

“For… forgive me for keeping you waiting . ”

 

“Oh! If it isn’t the Floor Guardian, Mare-sama! Thank you for coming all the way here . I am utterly delighted . ”

 

The clown before him was dressed in pure white and wore a mask that resembled a crow’s beak . He bowed, and Mare nodded in response .

 

“Hello, Pulcinella . What happened today?”

 

“Oh yes, as you know, Mare-sama, I am currently working under Demiurge-sama, and today I have come as an envoy from Demiurge-sama . Please, take this . ”

 

The clown swiftly handed over the folder he was carrying .

 

“If Demiurge-san wants me to have this, does this mean it’s a circular?”

 

“Precisely . Ah, I’m so glad it was you who came, Mare-sama . How fortunate . If Aursama had come, I would have to ask her to fetch you . ”

 

“Why? Is… is that so?”

 

The circular notice system had been invented by the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown . While it was little more than writing down non-urgent news and other miscellaneous matters on a piece of paper and letting the various Floor Guardians circulate and read it among themselves, something like this had never been practically used before .

 

Therefore, Mare stared in bafflement at the folder he had just received, muttering “So this is…” to himself .

 

“H-huh? W-why can’t you give it to onee-chan?”

 

Aura and Mare were both Floor Guardians, so there was no reason not to give it to her . In addition, she was actually quite careful about these things, and she would not simply toss the circular away .

 

“I am unclear about that myself . All I know is that Demiurge-sama instructed me to hand it directly to you, Mare-sama, and not to Aursama . ”

 

“Is that so… ah… then, how about Demiurge-san?”

 

It was a somewhat vague question, but Pulcinella seemed to understand what he was asking .

 

“ . . . Well, I do not quite understand his intentions . But I feel the answer or reason may lie within that folder . ”

 

“I see… er, then, yes, that’s right, Demiurge-san, what… what is he doing now?”

 

“Conducting breeding experiments . Humanoids can breed among themselves, but demihumans cannot breed with humanoids; what a tragic state of affairs . A loving couple is denied the chance to bear the fruition of their love just because of the differences in their race . Demiurge-sama is working hard in order to save these poor souls . He will create possibilities between humanoids and demihumans!”

 

The clown practically sang his reply, spreading his arms and looking up to the sky . Pulcinella’s sudden change in mood made Mare roll his eyes .

 

“Ah, how rude of me . I could not help but be excited by Demiurge-sama’s kindness as he works to make people smile . Please forgive me . ”

 

“Er, okay, I don’t mind . ”

 

“Demiurge-sama has even said that he would allow himself and the others ─ the demons ─ to be sacrifices so as not to make others hate themselves . What a noble spirit of self-sacrifice! I, Pulcinella, am moved to tears by it . ”

 

Pulcinella rubbed at his eyes through its mask . Of course, he was not crying . Even his voice sounded the same as always . He did not sound sad at all .

 

“ . . . Why do people hate him?”

 

“I do not understand either . Why would the kind Demiurge-sama incur the hatred of others? But Demiurge-sama said so himself . Yes, yes, please listen to this, of how kind Demiurge-sama really is . Last time, Demiurge-sama said that it would be a shame to let the livestock starve, and so he roasted up the children of both sides whole, and served them up to each other . Surely a cruel and merciless person would not have swapped them first, but served them up directly, no?”

 

“R-really?”

 

“But of course . And in order to allow the parents of both sides to bid their children farewell, Demiurge-sama even invited them to the dinner table… Demiurge-sama specially allowed them to say goodbye with a smile… I am sure that nobody other than the Supreme Beings could be as compassionate a person as he is . ”

 

As he watched Pulcinella prattle on, Mare went “oh” in an uninterested tone .

 

Those people were not entities of Nazarick, so it did not matter what happened to them . His feelings about Demiurge’s livestock vanished from his heart after a couple of seconds .

 

“And when one is hungry, the gut may be unable to digest food even when the brain desires it . Demiurge-sama even considered that point as he warned them to eat well . His kindness is truly beyond compare~”

 

Mare felt that this was go on forever, and so he hurriedly cut in:

 

“─Ah, then, how… how about Guren-san? I thought he would be the one sending it, but what’s he doing now?”

 

“ . . . Is it him, or perhaps her? I believe Guren-sama has no gender, but when I saw him a couple of days ago, he was waiting in ambush near the 7th Floor’s teleport gate while Demiurge-sama was gone . ”

 

“I… I see . ”

 

Mare thought of Guren’s appearance .

 

Guren ─ an Area Guardian who hid his massive body within flowing lava and dragged careless foes into a battlefield where he had the advantage and fought them . Though he was only level 90, he was optimized for combat, and so by sheer fighting prowess alone, he was among the top few combatants of Nazarick, and could even hold his own against some of the Floor Guardians . Thus, there was no better guardian for the 7th Floor in Demiurge’s absence .

 

“Ah, I seem to have spoken too much . Now that I have delivered the circular to your hands, Mare-sama, I must now go spread more smiles to others . ”

 

“Thank… thank you . ”

 

Mare bowed, and Pulcinella gently replied:

 

“There is no need for thanks . I am satisfied by being able to see your smile, Mare-sama . ”

 

The clown shrugged in a joking manner . “Well then, till we meet again . ” He waved, and then vanished into the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor .

 

After Mare watched him leave, he opened the circular . The fact that it was meant for his eyes and not those of his sister filled him with a mix of emotions ─ superiority and guilt ─ and after he quickly scanned the contents, he blinked a few times .

 

This… isn’t so much a circular as a message Ainz-sama wanted to send to the Guardians .

 

It read, “To all male Guardians” and contained appreciation and praise for their daily work . In summary, this was an invitation to “bathe together and relieve fatigue” .

 

There was a list of participants, reading Ainz, Demiurge, Mare and Cocytus from top to bottom, each with a Going/Not Going option beside them . The top two entries already had “Going” circled . Sebas’ name should have been in there too, but he was currently under orders to gather information with Solution in a human city .

 

Er, the date is . . .

 

The circular stated that the date was not fixed, and that it would be held when it was most convenient for the participants, which was why he could circle “Going” without any hesitation . While the circular stated that he could refuse, there was no way Mare could refuse the invitation of his generous and compassionate master . No, nobody in Nazarick would do so .

 

He picked up the pencil in the folder and circled the “Going” beside his name .

 

“ . . . Ehehehe,” he giggled as he looked at the circled “Going” . However, before long, clouds shrouded his heart .

 

“Ah, but… how am I going to get this to Cocytus?”

 

The circular repeatedly emphasised not to inform the female Guardians about this, so it was clear that his master wanted to keep this a secret between men . In that case, the best way was to bring it over himself .

 

It’s not good to keep things from onee-chan… right? Because while I’m receiving his… er, should I call it affection, I’ll need onee-chan to guard the Floor by herself .

 

It was one thing to leave when under orders, but when they had to visit the other Guardians for fun or do other things, Mare and Aura would always tell each other where they were headed . That was because Aura and Mare were assigned to guard this Floor by order of the Supreme Beings, so doing that much was only to be expected .

 

Mare grabbed the magic item hanging around his neck .

 

“O-oneechan? Can you hear me?”

 

He received an immediate reply .

 

『I can hear you . What’s up, Mare?』

 

“Ah, that’s great . Er, um, it’s like this . Ah, I need to visit Cocytus for a while . I’ll be back soon . ”

 

『Visit Cocytus?』

 

“Mm, I need to get there in a hurry . ”

 

『What happened?』

 

Mare’s shoulders quivered in fright . He almost squeaked instead of speaking, and he barely managed to squeeze out a normal voice .

 

“N-nothing? It’s nothing, just… I feel I have to go there . ”

 

『Oh─ . . . 』

 

Aura clearly sounded suspicious, and Mare’s palms grew clammy with sweat as he heard it .

 

But, um, it can’t be helped . Ainz-sama ordered it .

 

Other than the words of Aura and Mare’s creator Bukubukuchagama, Ainz’s words were the most highly placed of all the Supreme Beings . It was only natural to place what he said as his topmost priority .

 

『Well, I guess that’s fine . Go, then . However, the 5th Floor is very cold, so don’t forget to protect yourself against the cold… oh yeah, you should be fine there, Mare . 』

 

“Mm, um . I can handle it with magic . Don’t worry . I’ll go there and come right back . ”

 

If he continued talking, he might end up saying something strange . Therefore, Mare hurriedly released the magic item . It would seem his sister wanted to say something else right at the end, but whether it was good or ill fortune, he did not hear it .

 

“All… all right! I need to move quickly!”

 

Mare activated the power of the Ring which his master had given him .

 

 

After teleporting, chunks of a white substance flew right at Mare and stuck to his face . This was snow, carried by the wind .

 

The cloud of white breath that Mare exhaled instantly flowed behind him . That was because of the supercooled wind shear .

 

The snow driven by the blizzard went in all directions, obscuring all vision and covering up footprints . This was to waylay any intruders, but under normal circumstances the weather on the 5th Floor was not so bad . The clouds which covered the sky would only dispense scattered snowflakes, and while the mood was gloomy, visibility was excellent .

 

“ . . . Hm . ”

Mare looked around . Since he had teleported via the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, he must be close to his destination .

 

Once he found the place where he had to go, Mare advanced with light steps . He left no footprints on the snow where he had trod . His feet did not sink into the snow, as though he were walking on solid ground .

 

In this lonely world of white, the sound of falling snow seemed to carry directly into Mare’s ears . Of course, Mare ‘s always-on extrasensory perception spell let him know that this place was not truly deserted . The ambushers knew he was the 6th Floor’s Guardian, and so they did not show themselves .

 

Mare arrived at his destination in silence .

 

Before him was a large white sphere, which looked like an inverted hornet’s nest .

 

Six gigantic crystals surrounded the white sphere, their sharp tips pointing to the heavens . The crystals were transparent, and there were people visible inside .

 

Mare took a step, and a distasteful sound which made him uneasy issued from beneath his feet . Looking down, he saw that the ground below was different from the snowdrift just now; it was a shiny layer of ice . It looked thick enough, but there was nothing but inky blackness beneath the ice layer . It was clearly a big hole .

 

Mare stepped onto the ice . He walked without any hesitation, as though he was certain that the ice below him would not crack . He trod on the ice, which made a trembling, creaking noise, and arrived at the vicinity of the white sphere .

 

“Ah… um, is Cocytus-san in?”

 

Mare was not addressing the huge white sphere, but the crystals around it .

 

Monsters which resembled human females emerged from the crystals in response to his voice . There were as many monsters as there were crystals, and they were dressed all in white . Their skin was pale, and their long hair was black .

 

They were Frost Virgins ─ level 82 ice-type monsters, responsible for defending Snowball Earth, which was Cocytus’ home . They were something like a bodyguard team .

 

“Welcome, Mare-sama . We are pleased that you came to visit in person . ”

 

“Ah… um, where is Cocytus-san?”

 

“Cocytus-sama is currently outside the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . He is visiting the Lizardman village .

 

“Is… is that so?”

 

The Frost Virgin bowed her head as an affirmative .

 

“May I take a message for you?”

 

Mare hesitated .

 

Since he had come all this way, he could probably leave the circular in Cocytus’ room and then let the Frost Virgins inform him . However, after thinking about the contents of the circular, handing it directly to him might be the best way to carry out his master’s intentions .

 

But how could he go outside to find Cocytus?

 

There was no rule preventing them from leaving Nazarick . However, there was a requirement that had to be met in order to step outside . This was because their master had strictly forbidden anyone from moving around alone outside Nazarick .

 

After analyzing the data they had collected so far, the level 100 Guardians of Nazarick were unimaginably powerful compared to the outside world, comparable to walking disasters . Thus, as one of those walking disasters, Mare would not be in danger when moving around alone outside . On the other hand, it was the world that ought to be afraid of him . However, anyone with such a reckless mindset must surely have forgotten something .

 

That was the fact that Shalltear had been brainwashed by an enemy who ─ in all likelihood ─ possessed a World-Class Item . And there were also traces of players’ existence throughout the world .

They did not know how powerful and how broad in reach these people were,so they had to be extra careful .

 

“Er… hm ─ what should I do…”

 

Anyone going outside had to be escorted by five vassals of level 75 and above, as a bare minimum . Mare had two Dragons who were directly assigned to him as vassals, but bringing them around with him would be too conspicuous . The fastest way would be to ask his sister, but when he thought about what had happened when he came here, he could not muster up the courage to do so .

 

Just then, a revelation flashed across his mind . Their numbers and levels were just right .

 

“Ah, could I ask you to come and look for him with me?”

 

“I… I am very sorry . Cocytus-sama has ordered us to defend this place . Unless Ainz-sama himself orders it, we cannot disobey Cocytus-sama’s orders… we beg your forgiveness!”

 

“Ah, no, not at all . It’s fine . ”

 

That could not be helped; or rather, he would have realized it if he had thought of it . After that, he hit on a second good idea, which was to borrow the Evil Lords from the 7th Floor . However, if he simply asked them normally, his request would probably be denied like this . Still, he could only count on Demiurge for aid .

 

That was because he wanted to do his best to avoid asking Guardians whose names were not written on the circular for help . In addition, most of the vassals who were above level 80 were the direct subordinates of a Guardian, and very few were independent .

 

Due to these two reasons, he would need to contact Demiurge in order to borrow his Evil Lords .

 

But how will I contact him?

 

In order to reach Demiurge, who was outside, he would need to dispatch a vassal or use magic .

 

Then, there’s─

 

Mare thought of the book he had just read .

 

He has subordinates of level 75 and above too, right? But he’s not a Guardian… hm ─ well, he’s male, so it should be alright . I’ll just have to swear him to secrecy . . .

 

“Ah… ah, thank you all . Er, I think I’ll figure something out myself . ”

 

“Really? Understood . ”

 

Mare activated the power of the ring . His destination was the massive library on the 10th Floor of Nazarick ─ Ashurbanipal .

 

 

9:54 Nazarick Time

 

After teleporting, the scenery before Mare’s eyes changed from a snowfield to an expansive room . The basic color of the room’s furnishings was an ebony brown, and it appeared quite dignified as it was illuminated by warm lighting . The ceiling was a gentle dome and there were a pair of double doors opposite him .

 

These massive doors were big enough to rival the ones which opened to the Throne Room, and they were flanked by a pair of Golems which were each almost three meters tall . Both Golems resembled warriors and had been built from rare metals by a Supreme Being, so they were more powerful than regular Golems .

 

“Ah, please help me open the door . ”

 

In response to Mare’s words, the golem on each side placed their hands on the door and slowly pushed it open . There was a weighty sound as the the doors opened to the point where several people could walk through them side by side, and Mare stepped through them .

 

The scene which unfolded before him did not resemble a library so much as a view from a similar institute ─ yes, it looked like an art gallery . The floor and bookshelves were elaborately decorated, and the neat rows of books on them looked like ornaments as well .

 

The shining, spotless floor was an intricately-patterned parquet mosaic .

 

Above was a towering ceiling, and there was a mezzanine balcony on the second floor . Beyond that was a room girdled by countless bookshelves . Every inch of the hemispherical ceiling was covered in magnificent frescoes .

 

There were glass showcases scattered throughout the room, each displaying several books .

 

While there were countless light sources, they did not produce strong illumination . A human being would surely frown in resentment at the dimness of the room . .

 

One could not take the entire room in with a single look . The bookshelves blocked one’s view .

 

The doors slowly closed behind Mare amidst this library-appropriate silence . Without the light from the outside, the room’s interior seemed even darker . That, combined with the profound silence, filled the room with a creepy atmosphere .

 

Of course, Mare could see in the dark like it was broad daylight, and so he did not feel creeped out at all .

 

Mare walked inside, somewhat quickening his pace .

 

He was currently in the Hall of Reason . This library was divided into the Hall of Knowledge, the Hall of Reason, the Hall of Magic, and various other smaller rooms with their own specific purposes ─ such as the individual rooms for each of the staff . With that in mind, his destination seemed quite a ways off .

 

Countless books filled the neat rows of bookshelves which lined the passage on either side .

 

 

There were roughly five kinds of books in YGGDRASIL .

 

The first kind was monster data, which could be used to summon mercenary monsters .

 

There were three types of monsters in Nazarick: the first were the NPCs, who were made just like the players were; the second were the automatically spawning monsters of level 30 and below, and the last ones were the summoned monsters who could serve as mercenaries . These mercenary monsters had to be summoned via a ritual which used a book and then expending an appropriate amount of currency according to their level . Therefore, one could not summon them without a book .

 

The second kind were magic items .

 

Certain data crystals could only be imbued into book-type items . For the most part, book-type items were one-use magic items . The difference between them and scrolls were that one needed to be of a spellcasting job class to use a scroll, while book-type items could be used by anybody .

 

The third kind were event items . It was not uncommon for the items required for changing to a specific job class to take the form of books . When Ainz had gone from a Skeleton Mage to an Elder Lich, he had needed the item known as the Book of the Dead . There were also things like the Martial Arts Monograph and the Tales of the Four Great Elementals . Apart from these job-change items, there were also items which allowed one to learn new spells when used .

 

The fourth kind was visual data .

 

In other words, they were books which contained visual data for swords, shields, armor and the like . Anyone with specific blacksmithing skills could use these books with the required raw materials to produce an item skin .

 

The fifth kind were novels distributed in book form . The most commonly seen examples were pieces of classic literature whose copyright had expired, followed by background material from the development team, and then original stories created by YGGDRASIL’s players . There were also a few secondary creations set in YGGDRASIL’s universe, or diary-style walkthroughs for the game .

 

Within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the vast majority of the books within its library belonged to the first kind ─ books gathered in order to summon mercenary monsters . Of course, there was no need to collect that many books .

 

In truth, even if one dumped the guild’s coffers into the task, one could not summon even a tenth of the monsters from the books which filled this place . Then why did they have so many books? That was because the summoning books were not particularly expensive, so the guild members decided to mess around and made a huge stack of copies . This also served the purpose of hiding important items .

 

 

Mare looked at the books on either side as he walked .

 

Suddenly, a ghostly form appeared from between the bookshelves, as though to block his path .

 

The ghost wore a black robe, and it seemed to meld into the darkness of the library . There was a jewelled wand on its waist, and several jewels tied to its belt .

 

There was a waxy, corpse-like face beneath the robe’s hood . Its hands were skin and bones . Every time it moved, the faint darkness surrounding it shifted as well .

 

It was an especially famous monster among the undead magic casters known as Elder Liches .

 

In YGGDRASIL, they were nicknamed White Counterfeiters . Monsters like these were level 30 and were ranked second among the Elder Lich family . There were other, palette-swapped monsters like these in YGGDRASIL, colloquially known as the Red Counterfeiters and the Black Counterfeiters .

 

However, he differed from the average Elder Lich in that he had an armband on his left arm .

 

The armband read “Librarian J” .

 

“Welcome, Mare-sama . ”

 

The Elder Lich spoke in a hoarse, garbled voice, then bowed in deference, slowly but deeply, with one hand clasped to its chest in a prim and proper movement .

 

“Ah… ah, I came to look for the Head Librarian . Er, is he in?”

 

The Elder Lich struck a thinker’s pose, and then replied:

 

“The Head Librarian is currently making scrolls, so he is in the workroom . ”

 

“Thank you . ”

 

“Allow me to show you the way . Please, follow me . ”

 

“How could I impose on you like that? I can’t keep you from your work . ”

 

“Think nothing of it . Aiding users of the library is my duty . ”

 

Since he had already said as much, continuing to refuse would be rude .

 

“I understand, then I’ll have to trouble you . ”

 

A smile appeared on the Elder Lich’s ghastly face, and then it led the way forward .

 

As Mare followed him, he glanced at the other Elder Liches and caster-type undead they passed along the way .

 

“Oh yes, would you like me to put that book back for you?”

 

“Ah, please do . :

The Elder Lich took the book from Mare and looked at the title .

 

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, hm . Did you enjoy it?”

 

“Mm, it was very interesting! I’m thinking about what I should read next . ”

 

“Then allow me to recommend you a book . This one is very funny, it concerns a murder ─ ah, we have arrived . ”

 

“Thank you very much . ”

 

Mare opened the door which the Elder Lich had guided him to .

 

What was supposed to have been a spacious room felt oppressive and cramped, thanks to the large shelves on all sides .

 

The shelves were filled with countless reagents ─ ores, precious metals, element-imbued rocks, various powders, organs from several animals ─ all arranged in neat rows . There was also several stacks of parchment ─ some were rolled up, while some were simply laid there .

 

All these were the materials needed to make scrolls .

 

Of course these were not all the resources which the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick possessed . There were several hundred times this amount stored within the Treasury .

 

Only those supplies which would be promptly used were stored in this room .

 

There was an extrlarge drawing table in the center of the room, with a piece of parchment opened upon it .

 

Before the table stood a skeleton which looked like a fusion of human and animal bones .

 

It was not very tall . It was around 150 cm in height .

 

Two demonic-looking horns protruded from its head, and it had four-fingered hands . Below its ankles were cloven feet .

 

This bizarre creature was wrapped in a saffron himation . Apart from that, a hood of similar material lightly shrouded its head without being pierced by the horns, and there was another piece of cloth around its waist .

(TL Note: A himation is an ancient Greek garment worn over the shoulder)

 

In addition, it wore a silver bracelet with a multi-colored jewel set into it, while there was a golden ankh around its neck, and it had several complex-looking and strange rings on its bony fingers, which looked like they were twined around the digits . There were jewels attached to the himation which took the place of a sash . Each of them was a fairly potent magic item .

 

It wore several scrolls at its belt, like they were swords .

 

While it had a unique outfit, it was actually a Skeleton Mage . It was one of the basic undead species, and the stage before the Elder Lich .

 

However, this Skeleton Mage was the Head Librarian of this massive library ─ Titus Annaeus Secundus .

 

This being had not been created by the Supreme Beings to focus on combat power, but production ability . In fact, its total level was higher than that of the Elder Lich just now .

 

“You have come just in time, Guardian Mare . I bid you welcome . ”

 

“Ah, nice to meet you, Titus-san . I came to ask a favor of you . ”

 

“I see . Then tell me what business you have here . ”

 

“Ah… yes . Um . I’d like to borrow your vassals here who are above level 75 . ”

 

“I understand . You intend an excursion, I believe?”

 

“Eh? Y-yes, that’s right . How did you know?”

 

“ . . . I have never forgotten the words of my ruler, Ainz-sama . After that, I considered your situation and I guessed it immediately ─ very well . ”

 

He spent only a moment in contemplation .

 

“I shall lend you the Overlords within this library ─ Cocceius, Ulpius, Aelius, Fulvius and Aurelius . ”

(TL Note: These are all the second names of various Roman Emperors)

 

“Eh? Really?!”

 

“But of course . In all honesty, their battle potential is somewhat excessive for the library . Rather than have them do dusting all day, far better to have them be your escorts . I am sure it would make them very happy . ”

 

“Ah… ah, er, thank you very much!”

 

“That said, some recompense is due . I would have you assist me with a task, the creation of scrolls . ”

 

“Ah, certainly! What should I do?”

 

“Fret not . Once I say ‘now’, kindly cast a 4th tier spell upon this scroll . That is all .

 

“What… what sort of spell should I cast?”

 

“The choice is yours . ”

 

Mare looked puzzled . Being told to decide for himself was quite difficult . He did not know if he should just use an ordinary spell .

 

There was a small desk beside the drawing table with the parchment . Titus reached a bony hand out at the desk and touched a pile of glittering gold ─ YGGDRASIL gold coins .

 

Suddenly, the gold YGGDRASIL coins melted below his bony palm, and they flowed along the parchment like they were sentient .

 

The golden serpent crawled along the parchment, and then dispersed, as though it had already decided where to go .

 

In the time between breaths, a golden magic circle covered the parchment . The mystic tracery was both complex and delicate .

 

“Now . ”

 

Mare ─ who was nervously awaiting his cue ─ cast his spell like he had been startled .

 

Mare felt his spell being sucked up by the magic circle .

 

Normally, that would have completed the scroll . That was what Mare had thought .

 

Until that moment ─

 

 

There was a bright red blaze .

 

Something impossible happened upon the drawing table .

 

Mare looked in shock as the parchment burned like it had been soaked in alcohol, but within a couple of moments, the fire had gone out .

 

 

The events just now felt like an illusion . There was no trace of a fire within the room . Not even the smell of burning lingered .

 

However, there was evidence on the table which proved what had just happened was no illusion .

 

That was the remains of the parchment ─ its ashes .

 

Titus seemed to have anticipated this, and he calmly picked up the ashes to examine them .

 

“So you can’t imbue them with 4th-tier spells . I seem to have confirmed that it has nothing to do with the caster’s power . ”

 

Titus muttered, “ten years old was a failure” and made notes .

 

“Er, what… what just happened? What did I do wrong?”

 

“Pay it no heed . I attempted to use the materials of this world to make scrolls in order to save on parchment costs, but their quality is simply atrocious . ”

 

 

The tier of a spell limited the materials that could be used to make a scroll which contained it .

 

For example, scrolls made from average parchment could hold a 2nd tier spell at the very most, but not spells of a higher tier . If one used the highest grade of parchment ─ that made of dragonhide ─ one could scribe a 10th-tier spell into it .

 

Naturally, dragonhide was a special material, which required one to slay a Dragon .

 

For that reason, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown’s members had banded together to farm Dragons, but that was from the YGGDRASIL days . Until they could verify that this world contained Dragons ─ as well as other beasts ─ Ainz had sensibly imposed a restriction on the use of dragonhide .

 

He could not do something foolish like expend a non-renewable resource . After all, there was no telling when he might need to use it .

 

 

“You can’t use my Dragons!”

 

“But of course . I will not do such a thing . Beginning with your Dragons, all these specially-summoned beings are the will of the Supreme Beings made manifest . Harming them is strictly forbidden . ”

 

Mare breathed a sigh of relief . Titus looked at him with interest in his eyes, then swept the ashes into a bin .

 

“Er, then, does that mean this world’s parchment isn’t suitable for making scrolls?”

 

Mare’s eyes looked toward the remains .

 

“That is quite possible . No, I do not know yet . It might be that my manufacturing methods are unorthodox in this world . For instance, they seem to produce potions in a markedly different way . ”

 

“But… is that really so? If it’s just one failure, couldn’t it be the parchment’s fault?”

 

“Just one, you say? I have already used the parchment from the outside for various experiments, but whenever I attempt to imbue a spell above the 3rd tier into them, I receive the same result each time ─ destruction . It is quite likely that the parchment burns because the magical power cannot be infused into it . ”

 

“ . . . But the magic casters in this world all use that sort of parchment, right?”

 

“No, what I just disposed of is probably not a typical piece of parchment used by the magic casters of this world . Of course, after considering that there are various nations in this world, I cannot guarantee that nobody has used a parchment like this one . When I used the parchments of the nations near Nazarick─”

 

Titus produced a stack of parchment which seemed different from the piece just now .

 

“─The experimental results were even worse; they were limited to 1st-tier spells . ”

 

“So that means the humans know how to make good use of poorer materials?”

 

“No . I believe it might be a technological difference . While it pains me to admit it, their technique is, to some extent, more refined than ours . I would love to acquire this new technology and improve my skills . ”

 

“That’s amazing!”

 

Mare felt nothing but respect for the Head Librarian’s spirit of self-improvement .

 

“All this is for the Supreme One’s sake . Then, Guardian Mare, as we agreed, I shall lend you the Overlords . Come with me . ”

 

 

10:28 Nazarick Time

 

He handed his ring to someone else along the way and then reached the surface . There, Mare and company performed a mass teleport and arrived in the middle of a room within a stone structure in the Lizardman village .

 

This building was constructed of sturdy, heavy stone . Iit could only be built in a place with sufficiently firm ground, thus requiring construction techniques the Lizardmen did not possess . Needless to say, the people who had built this place were a third party ─ a group from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick .

 

The reason to have people come all the way from Nazarick to build this structure stood behind Mare’s back . The object which stood within the depths of this building explained everything .

 

Mare bowed deeply to the object in question . The Overlords travelling with him bowed as well .

 

A stone statue made in the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, stood upon an elevated platform . It was so lifelike that it seemed as though the original had been turned to stone . The way it raised its staff radiated the dignity and gravitas of a ruler .

 

All manner of offerings adorned the altar before the statue . Naturally, those offerings were worthless in Mare’s eyes, meager tributes of flowers and fish and the like .

 

However, Mare was not displeased .

 

That was because the ones who had made those offerings were filled with genuine respect and reverence . For instance, fresh flowers did not grow in the swampland, but in the forests which were very dangerous to the Lizardmen ─ they must have risked their lives to pick them . The fish were the Lizardmen’s staple diet, but the offerings were much bigger than the average fish . Mare understood that they had only chosen the most impressive specimens to offer up .

 

“Mm,” Mare nodded in satisfaction .

 

Seeing common riffraff express their respect for his great master made him very happy .

 

“Well done . ”

 

He spoke to reassure the Lizardmen who were peeking fearfully at him .

 

They were the personnel responsible for cleaning this sanctuary . They possessed druidic abilities, which were rare among the Lizardmen, and they wore badges with the guild emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown around their neck .

 

There was a vast difference between their stations and that of Mare, between that of the conquered and their conquerors, so there was no need to thank them for their hard work . However, for the reasons mentioned earlier, Mare had been so satisfied with their labors that he had decided to thank them for it .

 

Mare left the Lizardmen bowing nonstop behind him, and led the five Overlords out of the sanctuary .

 

Before him was a patch of swamp, the Lizardman settlement . It seemed more developed than before .

 

Indeed, they had lost many people during that war . However, the five tribes were now one, and in the end they had formed a stronger, larger village .

 

The boundary fence encompassed a wide area . At some point, watchtowers had been built in the muddy swamp, and upon each of them stood a skeleton ─ probably a Nazarick Old Guarder ─ scanning the surroundings with an arrow nocked to its bow . Several Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen walking around in the swamp; presumably, they were conducting reconnaissance

reconnaissance in case of enemy attack .

 

“Ah, where’s Cocytus-san?”

 

Cocytus stood out in many ways . If he were in the village, then he ought to be instantly visible from here; if he were inside a building, there ought to be vassals like the ones Mare brought along waiting outside . With that in mind, he looked around the entire village, but could not find him .

 

“Could one of you please ask where Cocytus-san is?”

“Certainly . A moment, please . ”

One of the Overlords ─ Aurelius ─ headed back into the sanctuary .

 

Mare looked out at the swamp ─ at the Lizardmen’s peaceful and quiet village . Nobody here was wary of the Nazarick Old Guarders . Even the Lizardman children were the same way . Both sides seemed to be coexisting like it was the natural thing to do .

 

Though they were attacked and conquered by the undead, they don’t seem to bear any resentment for them . Was this because of Cocytus-san’ policy of friendliness? Or is this the nature of the Lizardmen?

 

As he idly pondered the matter, Aurelius soon returned .

 

“Forgive the delay, Mare-sama . The people in the sanctuary do not know the whereabouts of Cocytus-sama . However, they say that Shasuryu Shasha ─ the leader of the tribal alliance ─ might know . ”

 

“Ah, then, um, let’s go visit him and take a look . ”

 

Mare’s entourage proceeded under Aurelius’ leadership . They did not cross over the swamp to go to the Lizardman village, but followed the edge of the lake, walking a short distance through the forest . The forms of Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen in the distance .

 

Once the group exited the forest, they saw a large-scale construction project under way on the other side of the swamp .

 

The flow of water here had been dammed, and roughly ten Stone Golems were excavating the soil . The sand and mud they dug up were carried away by Lizardmen with pushcarts on the shore .

 

As Mare watched what they were doing, a strapping Lizardman ran over in a hurry .

 

This Lizardman was covered in old wounds . His physique was imposing and he was distinctly different from the average Lizardman . The medal around his neck swung wildly due to his haste in running over .

 

The medal was a symbol of loyalty, and also a mark of protection . It was not magical in itself, but by wearing it, they could prove that they were Ainz’s property . Therefore, nobody from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick who revered the Supreme Beings as gods could harm the Lizardmen intentionally . Of course, it would be a different matter if they deserved death, but fortunately, the Lizardmen were not that stupid . They knew their place and acknowledged the strong as their masters .

“I welcome you, Mare-sama . My name is ─”

 

“You’re Shasuryu Shashsan, right?”

 

“Indeed, I am . I am honored that you know my name . ”

 

“Ah, I… I heard it from Cocytus-san… ah, do you know where Cocytus-san is now?”

 

Shasuryu waxed thoughtful for a bit .

 

“I recall Cocytus-sama brought several of his subordinates and several dozen trainee Lizardmen on his expedition to subjugate the Toadmen . ”

 

“Toadmen?”

 

“They are the demihumans who live in the northeastern reaches of the lake . They look like frogs, and we do not get along too well with them . They possess the ability to control large monsters and magical beasts, so they are very tricky opponents for us . I hear that there was a war once during my grandfather’s time . We were soundly defeated and one of our tribes was dissolved as a result . ”

 

“As… as expected of the northern species, they’re quite strong . ”

 

This lake was shaped like two smaller lakes joined together, or an inverted gourd . The smaller lake on the south where the Lizardmen dwelled was half swamp and half lake, and due to the shallow water there were few large monsters there . In comparison, the water in the larger northern lake was deeper, so many large monsters lived there, and they were stronger than the monsters of the south . Of course, it made little difference to Mare .

 

“That’s right, when you mentioned Toadmen, were you talking about a species called the Tuvegs?”

 

Mare was referring to the monsters who lived in the poison swamp around Nazarick in the past . He knew his sister had several of those monsters as servitors .

 

“Well, I am not too sure about that . Perhaps you could ask Cocytus-sama after he comes back? He will probably return soon . ”

 

“I understand . Then, I’ll ask about something else, about… about that . You seem to be building something big here, but what is it? It’s quite a distance from the village, but it doesn’t look like a fence or some other kind of defense…”

 

“Yes . In truth, we are building our fourth fish preserve here . ”

 

As he heard Shasuryu’s words, enlightenment dawned on Mare .

 

It was good that the Lizardman tribes could be united . But once their population grew, food shortages would naturally result . While many people had died during the war, they could not hunt or trap enough to feed their people . Of course, they could solve that problem by returning to their former villages to fish, but Cocytus, the new ruler of the Lizardmen, did not agree .

 

It was one thing for the entire village to move as one to another part of the swamp, but if only a few people moved by themselves, there was a high chance they would be attacked by monsters . The Lizardmen’s numbers were already greatly decreased . Cocytus did not want to lose more of them .

 

In order to ensure the prosperity of the Lizardmen, Cocytus took action to solve this problem ─ the food problem .

 

First, he imported rations from Nazarick ─ with Ainz’s permission, naturally ─ and distributed it to the Lizardmen . After that, he began studying methods to ensure a sustainable food supply . It went without saying that the solution he had discovered was the fish farms built by Zaryusu . After that, he discussed the matter with Demiurge, and began to build superior fish farms .

 

They had worked at a fever pitch and built three gigantic fish farms, and this was the fourth one .

 

“But the fries haven’t been raised yet, am I right?”

 

“Yes . What we… no, what my brother learned was not raising them from fries, but breeding already-grown fish . However, thanks to Demiurge-sama’s guidance, we have made preparations to farm fish fries . If all goes according to plan, we should be able to support twice the present population of Lizardmen through the produce of the fish farms . “

 

“I… I see . In a few years’ time, you won’t need to take fish from Nazarick . Ah, of course, if an emergency crops up, I imagine you are always welcome to take fish . ”

 

“Every member of our tribe is deeply grateful to Ainz-sama’s merciful kindness in giving us so much fish… although, the fish Ainz-sama gave us lack internal organs, so how do they live? Are they like certain monsters who do not need to eat? No, they do not even have bones; what sort of lifeforms are they?”

 

“They are the food which was made by the power of Ainz-sama and the other Supreme Beings . ”

 

The food Cocytus had given them was made with a magic item called Dagda’s Cauldron .

 

“What!? Ainz-sama could actually make enough fish to feed us all!?”

 

Shasuryu shook his head .

 

“When Zaryusu and the others visited the fortress of the Supreme Ones and came back with tales of what they had seen, it sounded like they were dreaming . They said the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick contained many smaller worlds within it, a true land of the gods . Is Ainz Ooal Gown-sama truly a god…?”

 

“But of course . ”

 

Why was this Lizardman stating the obvious? Mare could not understand him and tilted his head in confusion .

 

Ainz Ooal Gown was the greatest of the gods . He was their creator .

 

“I see . So all this was bestowed upon us by Ainz-sama . My thanks to Ainz-sama . ”

 

“Mm . I’ll let Ainz-sama know that . ”

 

Part 3

 

10:30 Nazarick Time

 

“You’re making too much noise . Quiet down . ”

 

Ainz motioned with his left hand, and held that pose .

 

He took a step back and returned to his original position .

 

“You’re making too much noise . Quiet down . ”

 

Once again, he motioned with his left hand and froze mid-pose . He checked the reflection of himself in the mirror and slightly adjusted the position of his left hand .

 

“…Good? …Is this the spot? No… Would it be cooler if I extended my hand a bit more to the left?”

He returned to his initial position .

 

“You’re making too much noise . Quiet down . ”

 

Finally satisfied with the pose, Ainz grabbed the memo pad on the table beside him .

 

“Since I’ve finished the pose… I should practice the lines while I have extra time . ”

 

He circled the phrase he was practicing earlier with a pen, and then turned a page .

 

The majority of the sentences written on there were variations on the phrase “I shall consider it . ” The phrases that were too dull or too over-the-top and thus too lame were all crossed out .

 

For Ainz, who used to be an average person, acting like a leader was difficult . Thus, he repeatedly practiced playing that role just in case a situation called for it . Of course, the entire memo pad was filled with phrases Ainz came up with .

 

Even though an hour had passed since Ainz started practicing, he did not require any rest .

 

Ainz was the supreme overlord, but in reality, he barely did anything . Unless there were important decisions or emergency situation that required his leadership, there was nothing to do . Albedo took care of all the details and all Ainz had to do was skim through the reports .

 

Since there was never anything in the reports that required his attention, he really just skimmed through them all . It was a little dangerous for a ruler, but as long as Albedo was around, and there was no emergency, there would be no problem .

 

All proper organizations should be like this anyways . It’s not good for someone who stands above others to work on the frontlines .

 

It was a foolish move for the supreme commander of an army to participate in the fighting on the frontlines unless he was there to raise morale . If he did, it would be very dangerous .

 

I should give up this adventurer business and gather knowledge to deal with emergency situations— I know I have to train my mind as well, but what should I do? Who’s going to teach me…? How can I not ruin the image of Ainz Ooal Gown that everybody believes in…

 

Everyone inside Nazarick respected Ainz as an absolute ruler and knelt before him . That was right . Ainz received respect from his subordinates which his had former comrades created, who were, in some ways, their children . Just like how a father could not the respect his children placed in him, he could not betray them as well . That was why he practiced acting, in the hope that he could at least appear to play the part .

 

Of ciue0rse, Ainz was fully aware that it was embarrassing .

 

Otherwise, why would he lock the door and forbid the maids and the Eight Edge Assassins that guarded him from entering? Sometimes, he would even plant his face in the pillow and scream “Arrrgghhh—!” when he could not stand it anymore .

 

“Something fitting the supreme overlord of Nazarick… A form that one can respect…”

 

Ainz felt like he would cough up blood as he flipped through the pages . There were still many more lines which he had come up with in his spare time, and the finish line seemed nowhere in sight .

 

Ainz Ooal Gown was undead and emotions over a certain threshold were suppressed . But—

 

“I need a break…”

 

The remnant of Suzuki Satoru was weary from mental fatigue, and he wailed . “I’m sick of this,” he cried .

 

However ─ Ainz silenced that cry with a grinding of his teeth,

 

“What am I doing? I need to work harder . ”

 

After rebuking himself for trying to run away, AInz’s eyes filled with strength, and he looked himself in the mirror again .

 

Suddenly, a digital “pipipipipi” noise rang out .

 

The sound coming from the bracelet on his left arm was like music to Ainz’s ears . He turned off the sudden beeping and sighed deeply .

 

“If time’s up, then it can’t be helped . Yes, time’s up . ”

 

Ainz returned the memo pad to a box . When he closed the lid, he could hear the sound of several locks engaging . If someone tried to forcefully open the box, it would trigger an extensive array of attack spells, all of which would be centered on the box to destroy it . The defenses on the box were formidable enough that nobody but a level 90 rogue-type character or a level 80 specialized rogue character could breach them .

 

After securely locking the item, he returned it to his pocket dimension . There were many other rare items in there as well . Still, a high level thief could steal items from a place like that as well . That said, a thief could not just immobilize his opponents and rob them blind . They were limited to one or two items at the most . Still, the prospect of being robbed just once or twice made Ainz —who should have known no fear as one of the undead— shudder in terror .

 

In addition, unknown powers such as Talents existed as well . . That was why he placed the box among other rare items, so thieves would steal them instead of the box .

 

After he put it away, he checked it again to make sure .

 

It was as though he were a housewife checking that the main door was locked before heading on a trip . After he did so, he finally breathed a sigh of relief .

 

Only after doing all that did Ainz finally leave his bedroom . The place he was headed to was the room he regularly used as the study . The ones who bowed deeply to him there were the regular maid, Albedo, and Mare .

 

The first two were hardly a rare sight, but the boy did not come here often, and it surprised Ainz . He cut across the room, circle around his ebony table and sat down, in a way which he had practiced over 30 times before .

 

Sitting in this way meant not stepping on his robe or making noise when pushing his chair out of the way .

 

After that, he had to be careful about how he leaned back in the chair . It would not look good if his movements were too rushed or if he put too much weight into the back of his chair . Kings had a kingly way — maybe — of sitting down .

 

But I don’t know how kings take a seat… I should go observe how a king sits down…

 

It was recommended for company men to lightly sit in the middle of the chair without leaning on the backrest . But Ainz Ooal Gown was no longer a company man .

 

Therefore, all Ainz could do was realize the image of an ideal king within his mind .

 

“Raise your heads . ”

 

It was only than that the three of them looked up . Ainz was annoyed by the fact that they would not raise their heads without an explicit command, and he felt that it was a waste of time . Still, he could not disregard the loyalty they showed their master . Therefore, Ainz bore with it every time and replied in the same way .

 

“Then I shall begin with a question . Mare . What business do you have?”

 

“Ah, yes!”

 

Perhaps Mare was nervous, but his voice cracked a little . Ainz smiled . Of course, there was no way his fleshless face could twist itself, but he still did his best to exude an air of kindness . Perhaps Mare had sensed it, but he breathed a sigh of relief . He seemed less stiff now .

 

“Ah… that, this, er, I brought it . ”

 

Ainz was not a cruel superior who would go, “what did you bring” . Since Mare had brought it, Ainz ought to receive it from him . For all he knew, it might have been an order he had given and forgotten about .

 

“Really now ─ no, that’s fine . ”

 

Ainz reached out a hand to stop the day’s duty maid as she sought to take the item from Mare .

 

“Mare, hand it to me in person . ”

 

“Yes!”

 

Mare held his chest high as he walked up to Ainz and gave him the folder he was holding .

 

AInz magnanimously accepted the folder and opened it .

 

This is… the circular I sent out .

 

All three Guardians had circled “Going” to Ainz’s invitation .

 

“By right, Cocytus should have sent a minion to deliver this to me . Thank you for going to all this trouble, Mare . ”

 

“N-not at all, it’s nothing, nothing of the sort! Cocytus-san was busy, so I insisted on helping him . And besides─”

 

Mare lovingly caressed the ring on his left ring finger .

 

. . . That’s the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown . No, I’m glad he values it so highly, but putting it on that finger means… More to the point, why is that boy looking at me with dewy eyes . . .

 

Ainz shivered, and then he glanced aside to Albedo . She was smiling kindly, as always .

 

Ainz line of sight shifted to Albedo’s left ring finger .

 

As expected, she had worn her Ring there, just like Mare . It seemed as though it was the right place to wear the ring .

 

Where did that practice come from? It was from ancient Greece, right?

 

He recalled what Yamaiko had once told him about the meaning of wearing a ring on different fingers .

 

Apparently, the ancient Greeks believed there was a blood vessel which ran from the left ring finger to the heart, and so if the left ring finger touched something harmful to the body, it would send a signal to the heart, which was why they dispensed medicine with their left ring fingers… Does Sous-Chef do the same thing too? Ah, this is bad… he’s gazing at me again .

 

Ainz meshed his fingers on the table .

 

“What is it, Mare? Did you see something? Has something gotten onto my face?”

 

He chose his words carefully, making sure his reply did not sound like mockery .

 

“No… not at all . I simply thought you looked very handsome, Ainz-sama . ”

 

“I… am handsome?”

 

Ainz unconsciously stroked his bony face .

 

“Fuhaha… You’re quite the flatterer, Mare . ”

 

“It’s not flattery!”

 

The loudness of that voice did not sound like it could have come from Mare .

 

“F-forgive me, Ainz-sama . But, I really do think you look handsome . Even just now, the way you sat down looked just like how the supreme ruler of Nazarick ought to be…”

 

Ainz looked questioningly at the duty maid . The homunculus sensed her master’s intentions and nodded silently and vigorously, as if to say, “precisely” . Ainz did not look at Albedo, yet she was also nodding vigorously, and there was a patapata sound as her wings flapped .

 

“Really now . That is good to hear . ”

After that brief reply, Ainz rose from his seat and walked before Mare, then gently patted the head of the boy who had tensed up in anticipation of a scolding .

 

It was a casual act, yet one filled with kindness .

 

“Ai-Ainz-sama…”

 

“Thank you, Mare . Your words have always pleased me . ”

 

It was incredibly embarrassing to say that, but he did not display any of these Suzuki Satoru-like emotions .

 

“I have always been thinking this; I ought to thank my friends . ”

 

“Do you mean the Supreme Beings?”

 

Ainz knelt, so his eyes were level with Mare’s .

 

“Precisely . I want to thank them for making the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and for making you and everyone else . You ─ and by this I mean Albedo and Sixth as well ─”

 

Albedo’s wings stood fully erect .

 

The maid who had just been suddenly addressed was in a panic . She was typically calm, so after seeing this rare side of her, Ainz laughed cheerfully .

 

“You are all my treasures . ”

 

Ainz scooped up Mare .

 

“I can hardly bear to let Bukubukuchagamsan have you . ”

 

“Thank you, Ainz-sama . ”

 

Tears of joys streamed down Sixth’s cheeks as she answered on behalf of Mare .

 

“When all the Supreme Beings left this place, only you remained here until the end, and everyone in Nazarick is grateful for that . Perhaps we have failed to meet your expectations and perhaps we have often upset you . I understand that speaking in this way to our creator is deeply rude, but I pray you will allow ─ that you will permit us to pledge our undying loyalty to you . ”

 

“I permit this . I recall that in the past, Albedo and Demiurge said something similar to me, so hear this ─ I am the master of Nazarick; I am your master, Ainz Ooal Gown . ”

 

Ainz had never rehearsed these lines before, so he was quite surprised by how smoothly he could recite them . However, when he thought about it, that was only to be expected . Since he was speaking from the heart, it made sense that he could do so in such a natural manner .

 

Mare hugged Ainz and buried his face in Ainz’s shoulder .

 

Good thing I’m not wearing my usual gear, the calm part of Ainz’s mind said .

 

He felt a wet sensation spreading through the shoulder of his robe, but Ainz left Mare where he was . As the sound of Mare’s sniffling gradually died down . Ainz gently caressed his head .

 

Ainz produced a handkerchief from his pocket .

 

He had never wiped someone else’s face before, so perhaps his movements were a bit rough, but Mare allowed Ainz to wipe him .

 

“Come now, Mare . Go wash your face . ”

 

“Ah… what about you, Ainz-sama?”

 

“Ah, I’ll be heading over to E-Rantel afterwards . I need to meet the Guildmaster . I’ve been putting it off because it’s annoying, but I can’t delay it any longer . Now then ─”

 

Ainz glanced at Albedo, who had been remaining silent all this while . Her long hair covered her face, and he could not see her expression . However, the non-stop quivering of her body was enough to strike terror into Ainz’s heart . The image of a volcano simmering with anger, on the verge of eruption, flashed through his mind .

 

“What’s wrong, Albedo?”

 

And in that moment─

 

“─Gu-guwaargh!”

 

─Ainz’s field of vision shifted just as he felt an impact on his back .

 

Naturally, it did not hurt . Ainz’s body could only be harmed by magical means . He did not feel pain from the light impacts which resulted from bumping into things . However, the remnants of his humanity made him shut his eyes in reflex .

 

This sudden development left him unable to think . The mental makeup of the undead meant that they did not panic or the like, so this confusion must have been Suzuki Satoru’s .

 

“Nh, ngghhh…”

 

He opened his eyes, and saw the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling . In other words, he was on his back . When he realized this, Ainz immediately tried to stand up, but a strangely soft object pinned his entire body down, and thanks to that, it was hard to move .

 

Impossible . My items grant me immunity to mobility impediments such as pinning . I should have been liberated the moment I was completely immobilized… in other words, someone’s using a very powerful binding technique on me!

 

Ainz checked to see what was the soft lifeform pinning him down, and as expected ─ it was Albedo .

 

“Ainz-samaaa!”

 

Albedo was straddling Ainz in a full mount and pushed him back down as he tried to rise .

 

“What… what’s this? What’s happening?”

 

“ I─ I can’t take it any more!”

 

Albedo’s suddenly opened her eyes . Her flaring golden pupils sent a chill down Ainz’s spine .

 

“You… what are you saying?!”

 

Albedo ignored Ainz’s panicked question and instead brought her hands to the front of her dress . With a “hng” of effort, she tried to pull it off, but she could not budge it .

 

“Magical clothing is so annoying . You need a skill to destroy it or take it off normally . ”

 

“Calm yourself, Albedo! Get off me!”

 

Ainz thought to push her off with sheer brute force, but Albedo was a level 100 warrior . Also, whenever Ainz tried to push her away, his hands made contact with something soft and squishy, so he could not use his full strength . Albedo’s hands moved, seeking to remove Ainz’s robe .

 

“Don’t take my clothes off! Stop wiggling your hips! Wai─”

 

“Ah, awawawawa…”

 

“It’s your fault, Ainz-sama! I’ve been bearing with it for so long, but then you said that and I couldn’t take it any more! It’s all your fault, Ainz-sama! I just need a little bit! Just a bit! Just a little bit! A little bit of your love! Just count the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling and it’ll be over before you’re done!”

 

If Albedo had chosen this moment to scold Ainz for changing her backstory, perhaps he would have lost the will to resist . However, Albedo looked like she was going to swallow him whole, and so he did not feel guilt, but the terror of one who was about to be devoured . That instead caused him to struggle even more desperately .

 

It was only then that his subordinates, who had been stunned by the sudden development, finally went into action .

 

“Albedo-sama has gone mad!”

 

“Albedo-sama has gone mad!”

 

The Eight Edge Assassins descended as one from the ceiling .

 

“Pull her off Ainz-sama! No, don’t try to immobilize her, she’ll slip free right away! Just pull her away with brute force!”

 

“No good! What’s with this strength! I’d expect nothing less of the Guardian Overseer! Mare-sama, we request your aid!”

 

“─Awawa! O-okay!”

 

 

In the end, Ainz was finally freed, and after smoothing out his rumpled robes, he looked to Albedo, who was seized hand and foot by the Eight Edge Assassins, and said:

 

“Albedo shall be confined for three days . ”

 

The Eight Edge Assassins dragged Albedo from the room .

 

“Ah… Ainz-sama… are you alright?”

 

“I’m perfectly fine… has Albedo always been that strange? Did she eat something funny? …Granted, demons don’t need to eat or drink, but it’s not like they can’t . ”

 

As Ainz asked that question, Mare averted his eyes .

 

“I see… no, well, hm . She must have a lot going on . For all I know, it could be pent-up stress from work . ”

 

Ainz rose to his feet and called out to the maid . He regained his dignity ─ which had been previously scattered to the winds ─ and spoke in a commanding tone .

 

“ . . . Summon Narberal and Hamsuke . It is time for me to leave for E-Rantel . ”

 

 

13:35 Nazarick Time

 

Ainz pulled on the reins from where he was mounted on Hamsuke’s back, bringing Hamsuke to a halt . He silently regarded E-Rantel’s city gates .

 

Ainz quite liked these thick and sturdy gates, which looked like they could repel an army . While there were many gates in YGGDRASIL which were bigger and cooler-looking than this one, this gate was not a mass of data, but made by the hands of mankind ─ although they might have had magical assistance .

 

As he stood before these gigantic steel gates, an indescribable feeling welled up inside him .

 

There were guilds in YGGDRASIL who conquered cities too . In the past, I thought it was troublesome to use a location that was so difficult to defend as a guild base, but… I think I can understand those guilds now . Ruling a big city might be a male ambition .

 

In YGGDRASIL, there were frequent city battles between guilds . Many of Ainz Ooal Gown’s members simply watched coldly from the side, unable to understand them, but there had been those who said they wanted to take part .

 

Were they battle maniacs . . .

 

In the past, Ainz had not like those words much, but when he thought about it now, they were good memories .

 

“Is something the matter, milord?”

 

“Not at all, don’t worry about it . ”

Hamsuke had been curious and asked its question because its master had bade it stop, and yet had not done anything . Ainz’s flat reply had shut down that topic . He felt embarrassed about letting Hamsuke know that he was reminiscing about the past .

 

“Now then, to the Adventurer’s Guild, where we’ll show our faces for the meeting and then immediately take on a monster extermination quest . ”

 

He could have stayed in an E-Rantel inn, but he did not have the luxury of making such pointless expenditures . The reason why Ainz ─ who did not eat or drink ─ had to book a room in the highest-end inns was purely to highlight his status as the most highly-placed of adventurers . After that, it was a matter of making connections . However, he had already met all the influential people in this city, and he was assured that they would receive him warmly if he sought them out . Therefore, Ainz had no need to book a room at an inn .

 

Besides, whenever AInz checked into an inn, he would immediately teleport back to Nazarick, where he would produce undead and work on other things . That being the case, it would be wiser to take a monster extermination mission and leave the city as soon as possible .

 

Frankly speaking, he did not feel that there was further merit in staying around E-Rantel .

 

“Is that so? Verily, milord does enjoy battle . ”

 

“It’s not like I enjoy it or anything . Besides, when I wipe out monsters, I take them out right away and spend most of the time in Nazarick . ”

 

Ainz lightly rapped Hamsuke’s large head .

 

“I intend to give you all sorts of training so you can use weapons and armor . ”

 

“This one has always been working hard! This one has asked the Lizardmen to teach this one all manner of tricks, and soon this one will surely be able to learn a super move!”

 

“Ho . Well now, it would be perfect if you could learn martial arts . Also, how about your fellow disciple? Do you think he’ll be able to use martial arts?”

 

“You mean him? He never speaks so this one does not know . However, this one feels he cannot use them yet . ”

 

Indeed, Ainz thought . There was no way that one would enjoy speaking, and Ainz felt that the chances of it being able to learn martial arts were slim . It was little more than an experiment . That said, if it ─ a Death Knight created by Ainz ─ could actually learn warrior techniques, their future plans would have to be greatly altered . That was because if he could strengthen monsters by training them, then it would most likely become a top priority .

 

“The undead do not need to sleep, and neither do they tire . They can perform combat training forever . So in theory, he ought to have learned martial arts before Hamsuke . The fact that he has not probably indicates that it’s not possible . ”

 

“A moment please! He strives hard in his own way! Even after this one returns to this one’s abode, he continues training without a single word of complaint… I pray thee spare his life!”

 

“ . . . No, I did not intend to kill him, you know? What exactly did you take me for?”

 

“Indeed, there is nobody more merciful in all this world than Ainz-sama . Ainz-sama even took pity on a pathetic little creature like you and spared your life . ”

 

Those frigid words came from Narberal, who was riding behind them, and they made Hamsuke shudder .

 

“─Nabe, we’re coming up on E-Rantel . Address me as Momon from now on . ”

 

“Understood . ”

 

“Also, Hamsuke is a being with an important part to play in the plan to strengthen Nazarick… you must take the appropriate attitude with those who work for Nazarick’s sake . I am not simply referring to Hamsuke, so keep that in mind . ”

 

“Yes! My deepest apologies . ”

 

Also, stop calling humans ticks or lice or whatever, Ainz wanted to say, but no matter how he ordered her, Narberal would not listen, so recently he had decided not to bother . That was because if Narberal Gamma had been designed to unconsciously refer to human beings in such a manner, forcing her to correct herself would essentially be trampling the wishes of his friend who had designed her that way .

 

“Alright, let’s go . ”

 

“Yes, milord . ”

 

Ainz rode forth on Hamsuke .

 

He could see several people lined up in front of the gate . It was only to be expected that immigration would be more strictly vetted than emigration, and all items they carried would be carefully inspected . Therefore, if travelling merchants or peddlers wanted to enter E-Rantel, they might have to spend a long time queuing up for an inspection .

 

“I hope it won’t take too long…”

 

“Should you not have priority in going in, Momon sa─n?” Narberal asked while they were lined up behind several travellers ─ including a group in adventurer’s garb .

 

She was right . When Ainz had first come here, he too had been subjected to extremely troublesome checks, but as his adventuring record grew, the inspection process had grown simpler, and now he practically had a free pass to walk right past them . In addition to that, sometimes he received permission for preferential entry to the city .

 

This privilege was not unique to Darkness; just about all mithril-ranked adventurers and above received such special treatment . Perhaps it was because the city did not want to displease their trump cards .

 

In that case, why not just do away with the entry toll as well . . .

 

The tolls were inexpensive compared to the payments adventurers received, but Ainz was the top outside earner for Nazarick and having to pay displeased him . That said, he could not bypass the walls with flight magic either .

 

Momon was a hero . Therefore─

 

“We can’t cut in line… unless there’s an emergency, or we have to enter the city with all due haste .

 

He saw Narberal bow from the corner of his eye, and Ainz looked ahead of him from where he was mounted on Hamsuke’s back .

 

“Still, they’re not moving at all…”

 

The queue was just like a highway choked up by a traffic jam; nobody was moving .

 

“What’s this…? It looks like they’re inspecting a cargo wagon… and doing a pretty good job of it too . No, they’re just surrounding it . Did they find some contraband? Excuse me . ”

 

Ainz called out to an unsophisticated-looking man in front of him .

 

“Ah, yes . What is it?”

 

“Don’t worry, I just noticed that the line wasn’t moving, so I was wondering if you knew what was going on . ”

“I’m not too clear about what’s going on, just that they took a village girl to the duty station . And then─”

 

After listening to the man, Ainz still had no idea what was going on . He stuck his neck out towards the duty station . He tilted his head to listen in, and heard the sound of an argument .

 

Suddenly, something piqued Ainz’s curiosity .

 

When he had first come to this city, they had asked him a whole pile of questions at the main gate, but he had not expected to be let past so easily . He had been surprised at the time, and thought that this world was surprisingly kind to rootless people like mercenaries, adventurers or travellers, but the truth had not been what he had expected . In that case, what were they asking this village girl?

 

Currently, Ainz’s status as an adamantite-ranked adventurer meant that very few cities would refuse him entry .

 

That was why Ainz wanted to know exactly what sort of questions were being asked . In the future, he might have to infiltrate a city in future outside the guise of Momon the adamantite-ranked adventurer . He had to learn more so there would be no difficulties when the time came .

 

“You two wait here for a while . I’ll go see what’s going on . ”

 

“Please allow me to accompany you . ”

 

“There’s no need for that . I’m just taking a look . ”

 

He dismounted from Hamsuke’s back, and walked towards the duty station .

 

All the soldiers exclaimed in surprise as they saw Ainz . There was nobody here who did not know the adventurer Momon in E-Rantel .

 

Ainz took care to look as cool as possible as he approached the duty station . He saw an excited-looking magic caster, a soldier, and a seated village girl .

 

“We wish to enter the city, but… what’s going on?”

 

“Uooooh!”

 

The two men exclaimed in the same surprise as the soldiers outside . The village girl was stunned when she saw it .

 

“If… if it isn’t Momon-sama himself! Forgive us!”

 

“Now, what’s going on here… hm? This girl is…”

 

She seemed familiar . Ainz felt that he knew her, and he searched his hippocampus ─ though he did not possess such an organ ─ for information confirming her .

 

“Yes! We were investigating a suspicious girl, which took some time . We sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you, Momon-sama─”

 

Ainz was beginning to find the man’s chatter intolerable . Then, inspiration struck, and he recalled the village girl’s name .

 

“─Enri , right . You must be Enri Emmot, am I correct?”

 

“Er, ah, who’re you… er, no, I am . Ah, you were the one who came with Nfirea that time, right? I don’t remember speaking to you… DId Nfirea tell you my name?”

 

At that moment, Ainz instinctively pressed his hand over his mouth .

 

He had met Enri when he was the masked magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown . Now, he was the adamantite-ranked adventurer in jet-black armor, Momon .

 

Crap! I spoke in my normal voice! This is terrible . I need to leave here right away . But still, what’s that village girl doing here? Won’t it be troublesome if she finds me ─ no, finds Ainz Ooal Gown here? I need to clarify the details with her .

 

She did not seem to have divined his true identity from the conversation just now, but he could not rule out the possibility that he had been exposed . Granted, he did not think she would have matched his voice from several months ago to a few words spoken through a layer of armor, but it was best to be prudent .

 

Ainz beckoned the magic caster over . He felt that the man ought to know more than the soldiers .

 

He led the magic caster out of the duty station, and they went some distance away to avoid being overheard by the sentries .

 

“It’s like this… that girl’s a friend of a friend . Can you tell me what happened with her?”

 

He was not lying, since Nfirea was indeed a friend of Ainz and Momon .

 

The magic caster’s eyes went wide . He appeared to be shocked, but that was not the case . It was more like connecting points of data to form a beautiful line . It was as though a mystery in his heart had been solved .

 

“I see… as I thought…”

 

Could you please hurry up the process of accepting the facts? Ainz very much wanted to say that, but he bore with it and waited for the man to speak .

 

“She said she was just a village girl, but she was carrying a powerful horn-shaped magic item . I wasn’t sure why she had such a powerful item, and I had other questions of my own, so I wanted to clarify things . ”

 

“What sort of horn was it? What effects did it have?”

 

“Its effects were─”

 

After listening to the whole explanation, Ainz could not help looking up to the sky .

 

That was because he was trying to run away from the knowledge that it was an item which he had given her .

 

At that time, Ainz had not known that such an item was beyond the comprehension of this world . He had given her the horn simply for her to protect herself . Who could have imagined that it would have created so much trouble for her? Ainz could probably have come up with an excuse along the lines of “I did nothing wrong”, but ignoring her plight was not good either .

 

I’ll help her out a little . I didn’t do anything wrong, but I did give her the item, after all, so the responsibility lies with me… if I abandon her and it falls into someone else’s hands, it’ll end up being more troublesome for me . Besides, if she gets locked up─

 

Nfirea knew that Momon and Ainz Ooal Gown were one and the same . Given these circumstances, if Enri told him about this, he would surely think that Ainz had left her to her fate .

 

It’ll definitely leave a bad aftertaste between us… I don’t care about causing difficulties with worthless humans, but he’s a very valuable being . As the saying goes, I ought to turn this danger into an opportunity . If I lend her a hand, Nfirea ought to be grateful to me . If I do this, I can chain his heart closer to me with more obligations .

 

Ainz spoke, in a tone which he believed combined calmness and dignity:

 

“There is no need for you to worry . I am very familiar with her character . She will not go around causing trouble, so could I impose upon you to let her pass? ─Could you?”

 

“But of course . If she is a friend of Momon from ‘Darkness’, and you are vouching for her, then we would allow her in, no matter how vicious a criminal she was . ”

 

“Really now, my apologies, then . In that case, I’ll leave that to you . Also, I apologize for this, but could you allow us ─ Darkness ─ to enter the city first?”

 

After receiving permission, Ainz returned to Narberal and Hamsuke .

 

“We’ve been allowed in . Let’s enter the city . ”

 

He mounted up on Hamsuke’s back and bypassed the line of people . The queuing people all looked at him, but once they saw his black armor, his greatswords, Hamsuke and Narberal, they all averted their eyes . They understood that Ainz’s status was far greater than theirs .

 

The gate sentries bowed deeply to them as they passed by, and then they entered E-Rantel .

 

“Now then, Nabe . I have something to ask of you . ”

 

“Understood . Please command me as you see fit . ”

 

SInce they were both adventurers, it did not seem good for her to display such loyalty on the streets . However, Ainz had gradually realized that it was pointless to lecture her, and so he continued speaking:

 

“The girl driving the wagon from just now ─ Enri ─ will be entering the city soon . Go ask her why she came to E-Rantel . ”

 

After that, Ainz found a place to hide himself . This was because he wanted to avoid speaking with Enri too much .

 

He surveyed his surroundings and saw a stack of tall wooden crates he could probably hide behind, and so he commanded Hamsuke to make haste towards it . The soldiers working there panicked when they saw Ainz and Hamsuke approaching them .

 

“Gentlemen, are you free? I’d like to ask about these crates . ”

 

Once he was certain that he would not be spotted from the city gates, Ainz addressed one of the soldiers . Of course, he was not interested in the crates at all . He had simply made up a pretext to be there because he was worried others might chase him away for interfering with their work .

 

“Ah . . . alright . We’re very glad that you’d take an interest in our work, Momon-sama . The crates are filled with vegetables from the Grandel Province, known as Kinshu . These vegetables─”

 

As Ainz listened to the soldier’s earnest explanation, he mumbled replies like “I see” and “So that’s how it is” . The soldier did not seem to mind the half-hearted responses and continued his lecture . After learning how to cook the vegetables called Kinshu in exacting detail, he sensed Narberal approaching from behind him .

 

“─Forgive me for interrupting your explanation . I learned a lot, thank you . However, my companion has returned, and so I must leave . ”

 

After his one-sided farewell to the soldier, Ainz ordered Hamsuke forward .

 

“How did it go?”

 

“Firstly, she wanted me to thank you, Momon-san . After that, she said that she had three aims, namely selling off the herbs she had collected, checking the temples for people who might want to move to the village, and finally, travelling to the Adventurer’s Guild . ”

 

“The Adventurer’s Guild? What kind of request is she putting in?”

 

“Forgive me, but I did not ask about that . Shall I capture her and force her to talk?”

 

“There’s no need for that . Besides, we’ll be heading to the Adventurer’s Guild too, so we can just ask the Guild when we get there . ”

 

Surely she did not intend to directly thank Ainz Ooal Gown . If it was for that objective, she could simply leave a message with Lupusregina, whom he occasionally sent to the village .

 

“Oh yes, Nabe . Have you received any special reports from Lupusregina?”

Narberal shook her head, and Ainz furrowed his ─ naturally, they were nonexistent ─ brows .

 

He had originally planned to station a Shadow Demon in the village, but he had instead sent Lupusregina over in order to forge friendly relations . He had ordered Lupusregina to report anything that happened in the village to him immediately . However, no information had made its way to Ainz up till this point .

 

Therefore, he had believed that Carne VIllage was fine . Was that not the case?

 

While there was no need to tell him about trivia such as “Enri went to E-Rantel by herself”, uneasiness still shrouded Ainz’s heart like a cloud .

 

“I’ve always thought Lupusregina was a hard worker . Nabe, what do you think?”

 

“It is as you say, Ainz-sama . While her tone makes her seem very casual, that is only an act . She is cruel and cunning; an excellent maid . ”

 

There was no way cruelty and slyness could be taken as compliments . Ainz glanced at Narberal’s face, wondering if she thought ill of Lupusregina, but her cool expression only contained her respect for a colleague .

 

“Then milord, shall we proceed presently to the Adventurer’s Guild as you said earlier?”

 

“Yes, do you know its location? Narberal, you sit behind me . Since you’ve already put away the Statue of Animal: Warhorse, there’s no need to go to the trouble of taking it out again . ”

 

Ainz grabbed Narberal’s hand and sat her behind him . Hamsuke seemed eager to move off and picked up the pace . He was no longer embarrassed to ride Hamsuke through the streets . In addition, Hamsuke could understand language and take orders, which pleased him . It felt just like riding a cab .

 

Soon, the Adventurer’s Guild appeared before his eyes . At the same time, he saw the wagon from earlier, and Enri’s back as she entered the Guild .

 

“ . . . There’s nothing else to be done . Hamsuke, we’ll go in through the back door . Circle round the back . ”

 

“Understood, milord!”

 

Usually, adventurers were not allowed to enter the Guild through the back door . However, anything was possible for adamantite-ranked adventurers . Incidentally, it was also Ainz’s first time doing this . He might be of a privileged class, but abusing his privileges would damage his reputation .

 

After entering the Guild through the back door, he asked the first Guild employee he saw to take him to the Guildmaster’s room . Fortunately, the Guildmaster was in .

 

“Oh, if it isn’t Momon-kun! Welcome!”

 

The Guildmaster ─ Ainzach ─ opened his arms wide to welcome Ainz, and then he warmly embraced Ainz . While he thought nothing of it because he was wearing his armor and a helmet, there were many reasons which would have chosen made him avoid that ardent embrace if he were in a thin layer of clothing . He patted Ainz intimately on the back before slowly releasing him .

 

“I’ve been so lonely because you haven’t come around lately . Come, come, have a seat . Let’s chat a bit before the others show up . ”

 

The Guildmaster looked like he was welcoming a friend he had not seen for a long time as he happily indicated the sofa .

 

“Thank you . ”

 

After Ainz took a seat, the Guildmaster sat down beside him .

 

The two of them were very close . Their knees were touching, and it was stifling .

 

“Momon-kun, we’ve known each other for so long; surely we can speak more freely around each other, hm?”

 

“No, there must be politeness even as there’s familiarity . This is very important; it’s what my seniors taught me . ”

 

Granted, if he were a salaryman, he would have spoken with more closeness ─ sometimes, he even spoke to customers in a normal tone . However, he did not wish to get so close to the Guildmaster . He felt that maintaining a business-like attitude was the right answer .

 

Getting too close to the group will only become a burden . I don’t want to be too closely tied to the Adventurer’s Guild of a single city . Should I leave for greener pastures soon? Besides─

 

Ainz glanced at the Guildmaster through the eyeslits of his helmet .

 

Besides, why the heck is he sitting so close to me? Normally, you’d let Narberal sit beside me, and you’d sit opposite me, right?

 

Their proximity made him feel uncomfortable; it was no wonder Ainz began to suspect if the Guildmaster was gay .

 

I heard the Magician’s Guildmaster say he had a wife… or is his wife just a beard? I thought he was just trying to get me on his side… but it’s having the opposite effect . Or does he think I’m gay?

 

That final mental image made Ainz shudder .

 

Ainz was heterosexual . No, to be precise, he used to be . Incidentally, Suzuki Satoru preferred larger breasts . That point had (probably) not changed, even after gaining this body . That was because he preferred Albedo slightly more to, say, Cocytus .

 

Ainz adjusted his sitting position, moving slightly away from the Guildmaster, and then he turned to face him .

 

“Forgive my rudeness, but I came here with a question . It’s like this ─ one of my friends should have come to the Adventurer’s Guild by now, and I’d like to know what sort of request she put in . ”

 

“Well, the rules make it somewhat difficult to tell you about this . ”

 

“Thus, I seek your understanding in the matter . I do understand I’m imposing, and I understand the need to obey the Guild’s rules . However, I hope you will lend me your help in this . ”

 

Ainz bowed his head, to which the Guildmaster responded by folding his arms and staring at the ceiling, a stern look on his face . However, he only held that pose for a short while .

 

“I understand,” he smiled to Ainz . “Since it’s you asking, Momon-kun, I can’t exactly reject it either . Then, could you tell me that person’s name?”

 

“She is Enri of Carne VIllage, no, Enri Emmot . ”

 

“Enri, is it? Then, could you give me a little time?”

 

 

Before long, the Guildmaster returned . He was followed by one of the receptionists which Ainz had seen before . She moved stiffly as she entered the room .

 

“Momon-sama! My apologies!”

 

This was the first time Ainz had ever seen someone walk while moving both the arms and legs on the same sides of their body at the same time . He thought, that’s quite something and there’s no need to be so tense, but in the end, he still nodded haughtily . Part of the challenge of being an adamantite-ranked adventurer that he could not appear too relaxed .

 

“This receptionist attended to Enri Emmot of Carne Village . It would be better for you to ask her directly . Ask her anything you wish to know . ”

 

“Is that so? Then ─ no, before that, perhaps she should have a seat, Guildmaster . But this is your room, and it is not up to me to─”

 

“No! There’s no need to bother you! I’m fine with standing!”

 

Perhaps Suzuki Satoru might have felt that it was very wrong to be seated while his opposite number was standing . However, in the process of being Ainz Ooal Gown ─ of being the leader of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ─ he had gradually lost such feelings . He was slowly becoming used to the difference between a leader and a follower . Perhaps this was an indication that his actions as a master (roleplaying) were not a waste of effort,

of effort, but he had indeed accumulated experience points .

 

. . . How much more until I level up… Oops .

 

“I see . Then, let’ get down to business . I would like you to tell me about her request, in as much detail and possible . This is a very important matter, so can you tell me everything about it?”

 

“Y-yes!”

 

The receptionist’s forehead was beaded in cold sweat .

 

“What is it? Is there a problem?”

 

“No, I mean . . . :”

 

The receptionist’s eyes were flickering from side to side .

 

“Am I asking the wrong questions? . . . Perhaps, so let’s try this . Was she looking for someone in particular to help with her request?”

 

“No… it’s not, it’s not like that . ”

 

“Ah, I see… then, what sort of request was it? Or was it not even a request?”

 

“ . . . Actually, she did not make a request right away, just said that she might make one in future . And then she mentioned something about monsters called the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, who were comparable to the Wise King of the Forest which you tamed, Momon-sama . That, er, that’s all . ”

 

Ainz was quite surprised by how tongue-tied she sounded, but he continued asking:

 

“So it’s a future request, then?”

 

“No… it’s not! I… I didn’t know she was a friend of yours, Momon-sama! If I’d known, I would have asked more carefully! Really!”

 

AInz was quite perturbed by the receptionist, who was wailing while on the verge of tears . Could someone as emotional as this really man a counter?

 

“─Guildmaster . ”

 

“ . . . My apologies . We did not oversee this adequately . ”

 

“Why’s it like that? Isn’t that how the guild’s rules work?!”

 

After listening to their conversation, Ainz realized how they had misinterpreted his intentions .

 

The receptionist and Guildmaster believed that Ainz and Enri were friends, and while he had intended to take her job for free, he had decided to give the Adventurer’s Guild their due deference and thus they hand arranged for him to accept her request through the Guild .

 

However, the receptionist had coldly chased away Enri by bringing up the manner of fees . Therefore, the two of them were arguing about who should be taking the responsibility for chasing away the friend of an adamantite-ranked adventurer .

 

No, if this was a rule of the organization, then wouldn’t she be right to have obeyed it?

 

Ainz stared at the Guildmaster as he rebuked the receptionist, and his opinion of the man took a sharp dive in his eyes .

 

If a subordinate makes a mistake, her superior ought to cover for her . Or is this some sort of high-level technique where he savagely scolds her in front of a customer to earn the customer’s sympathy and thus his forgiveness? I mean, look at how he’s laying into her .

 

Ainz felt that that the receptionist had handled this correctly, and the Guildmaster should have known that as well . However, just like how he had come in through the back door and leaned on the Guildmaster for a favor, adamantite-ranked adventurers could easily bend the rules . That was because they were valuable enough that the Guild wanted to keep them around, even if they flouted the rules . That was probably why the two of them were arguing now .

 

“I didn’t know!”

 

Ainz gently spoke to comfort the weeping receptionist .

 

“The fault is not yours . ”

 

The receptionist’s eyes went wide, and her tears flowed out from them and rolled down her cheeks .

 

“Obeying the organization’s rules is very important, even if they must be overlooked from time to time . I will not hold this incident against you . ”

 

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

 

“Then, I hope I can trouble you to go get the details from her . Please don’t say I’ll be taking it, only that I want to be ready to make a move at any time . ”

 

“I understand! I! I’ll go ask now! I’m very sorry!”

 

The receptionist turned and ran off like the passing of a typhoon .

 

“ . . . While I know you wanted to gain my sympathy, I would prefer if you did not falsely blame someone who was innocent . It displeases me . ”

 

“As I thought… I can’t pull the wool over your eyes, Momon-kun . ”

 

Those words sounded like they had been squeezed out of the depths of his soul, and Ainz knew that his guess had been correct .

 

So the techniques of the Japanese salaryman are universally applicable . However, the problem is─

 

The form of Lupusregina came to Ainz’s mind .

 

Why didn’t Lupusregina have any information about monsters that even a village girl like Enri was aware of? Was it a failure in the construction of the intelligence network? I need to make sure .

 

As Ainz waited for the receptionist to report to him, he mused that he would need to return to Nazarick and sort this out .

 

♦ ♦ ♦

 

16:41 Nazarick Time

 

A nervous-looking Lupusregina entered Ainz’s office . The panic and unease of being suddenly summoned was written all over her face . Inside the office were Lupusregina, the regular maid Sixth, the battle maid Narberal, Aura, who was the one most familiar with the forest, the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling, and the owner of the room, Ainz . Incidentally, Albedo was still in confinement .

 

Lupusregina was about to prostrate before Ainz when he interrupted her .

 

“Lupusregina, is there something you’ve kept from me?”

 

After seeing the confused look on her face, he wondered if she did not know about it after all . Ainz decided to repeat what he had heard about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West from the Adventurer’s Guild .

 

However, as he saw that Lupusregina seemed to have known about this long before, Ainz’s mood rapidly deteriorated . He exhaled long and loud .

 

“So you were aware of this, then?”

 

“Yes . About that—”

 

“You fool!”

 

Ruled by anger, Ainz’s wrath-filled shout echoed through the room .

 

As the others recoiled like they had been struck by lightning, Ainz felt something suppress his emotions, but even after the peak of rage was cut off, his anger surged up again, and there was no way he could fully rein in his ire .

 

“Why did you not report this to me? Were you trying to keep this from me?”

 

“N-no! Nothing like that!”

 

“Then why? Why did none of this reach me at all! What was the reason for that?”

 

“B-because I th-thought it wasn’t a big deal, s-so I didn’t report…”

 

For some reason, the sight of the frightened battle maid peeking up at him only incensed him further .

 

“Lupusregina Beta! I am thoroughly disappointed in you!!”

 

Lupusregina was not the only one who flinched at this . Nabe and Sixth were trembling too, and the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling seemed to have frozen up as well .

 

“I gave you discretion over handling the village, but that does not mean you can do as you please! You were told to report anything that happened in the village, anything at all, so what is the meaning of this!”

 

“That’s…”

 

Ainz’s face twisted as he looked down on Lupusregina, who was unable to answer him .

 

This was an unforgivable sin for a worker; no, for anyone .

 

These rules were obvious for anyone who did business, or rather, for anyone who worked in society at all: “Report, Communicate, Discuss” . It was an abbreviation of reporting what you had learned, communicating clearly with others and discussing issues as they came up . They were very important; the lifeblood of the giant that was working society .

 

If she can’t even do that, I don’t think I can forgive her from the perspective of a leader… no…

 

As he looked on the terrified Lupusregina, Ainz could not help but think that he was at least partially to blame . These mistakes would only result if a superior was unreliable and could not properly direct his subordinates .

 

A failure in the group’s communications is my fault . I couldn’t take proper control of this… maybe I should step back and let Demiurge or Albedo handle this sort of thing .

 

“…Lupusregina, are you aware of Carne Village’s value to Nazarick?”

 

“Hah? No… yes . Er, I heard you say that village is very valuable, Ainz-sama…”

 

“No, no, I mean, what do you, personally, feel is valuable about the village?”

 

“W-well, there’s a lot of toys there, and…”

 

“Ah, that’s how it is . Well then… I’m sorry . It was my mistake . I did not realize you thought like that…” Ainz laughed tiredly . He realized it had been his fault after all . “I take back what I said about you being a disappointment . I went too far . Please forgive me . ”

 

“W-what are you saying? It was my foolish mistake!”

 

“In that case, just be more careful next time . Now then, I’ll explain again, so pay close attention . That village is very valuable to us . Especially that boy, Nfirea, and his grandmother Lizzie . They are of great importance to Nazarick . ”

 

“Eeh? Is-is that so?”

 

“Indeed . I have handed the task of creating new potions to those two . ”

 

“Ah, that-that’s right! I have something to show you, Ainz-sama!”

 

Lupusregina suddenly shouted that last part as her face turned pale . She took out a vial of purple potion and Narberal, who was closest to her, took it and handed it to Ainz .

 

“This is…”

 

Ainz looked at the potion through the light .

 

“Y-yes! This is Nfirea’s new healing potion!”

 

Ainz’s anger flared again, and he tried his best to quash it .

 

“With this potion, the Bareare family’s importance has risen again . ”

 

Ainz laughed quietly as he saw Lupusregina’s clueless face .

 

This purple potion Nfirea made had been concocted using various items provided by Nazarick . The most important thing was that without possessing Yggdrasil’s potion creation skills, they had managed to use ingredients from Yggdrasil to create something other than this world’s “blue” potions or Yggdrasil’s “red” potions .

 

“For starters, the healing potions of this world are blue . But the healing potions I know of are red . Curious, don’t you think?” Ainz rambled .

 

The knowledge and powers of YGGDRASIL could be used in this world . From the angels he had first encountered, to the apparent existence of World-Class Items, there was a very high chance that players had been here in the past . In that case, why was it that the potions were not red like in YGGDRASIL?

 

There were three possibilities .

 

First, the downfall of a country might have resulted in the loss of those potion-making techniques . These techniques should have been quite widespread, and nothing short of an entire country’s destruction would be able to wipe them out .

The second reason might have been that Nfirea simply did not know these techniques since they had not spread to the nearby countries . Perhaps distant countries might be using red potions . After all, in Japan, the same noodle soup looked completely different when prepared on different sides of the country .

 

The third reason was optimization: making YGGDRASIL potions would require YGGDRASIL materials . Maybe those materials were difficult to find here, or they were not available at all, and that was why only blue potions were the best that could be made with this world’s materials .

 

“That is to say, except for the second possibility, this potion that Nfirea made—” Ainz swirled the purple potion in its vial . “This might be a once-in-century technological revolution, for all I know . Well, if it’s the third possibility, this might turn out to be a failed product after all . His hard work in the future will give me the answer . ”

 

Wat Ainz wanted from Nfirea was for him to make YGGDRASIL potions without using YGGDRASIL materials . Or he might come up with something else and end up making a third, completely different potion .

 

“In that case, would it not be more effective to let more people research the subject?”

 

Narberal’s question made Ainz frown .

 

“That is a foolish question . Narberal . Indeed, the work would proceed more quickly, but it would be very dangerous . Knowledge is power, and freely distributing it is a foolish action . ”

 

YGGDRASIL was also like that, so Ainz could confidently say that .

 

“For example, there is a possibility that his potion could be refined to the point where it could kill me with a single attack . Then, it would be safer to monopolize this knowledge than to spread it… It’s better for slaves to be a little ignorant, but one must always keep abreast of technological advancements . This is the same for Nfirea and his potions . Though I would like to lock him up in Nazarick and make him focus solely on research and development…”

 

This would both prevent the spread of the technique and the usage of the potion .

 

“Then, then why have you not done so?”

 

Narberal’s eyes seemed to say that she would do it immediately if ordered, and so AInz hurriedly squeezed out a reply .

 

“Rather than imprison him and force him to work, I will build his trust in us, as a long-term scheme that will bring better benefits to Nazarick . Demiurge analyzed the situation and concluded that it was better to shackle him to us with a debt of obligation— Hm? What’s wrong, Lupusregina?”

 

“There’s one thing I don’t understand, could you explain it to a fool like me? Why did you give the potion to someone like Brita, Ainz-sama?”

 

Ainz had no idea who Brita was, going by her name alone . While trying to maintain a look which said “all is within the palm of my hand” —which was to say, a carefully blank expression— he struggled frantically to think of a solution .

 

Could it be that potion?

 

Ainz recalled the first night he spent in E-Rantel .

 

As he remembered what he had said then, Ainz was grateful that his body could no longer sweat .

 

—What should I do? What should I say?

 

He could not keep silent forever .

 

Demiurge! Albedo! Why aren’t you here! No, Demiurge is currently abroad performing his tasks, and Albedo is in confinement! It’s too late to call her over!

“—Is that so? You really don’t understand?”

 

“Yes . I apologize for my lack of knowledge . Please enlighten me . ”

 

Just don’t ask! Ainz wanted to shout . However, he had no other options, so all he could do was roll the dice and hope for the best . Courage filled him as he decided on his course .

 

“Fufu… hahahaha . Indeed, it was a dangerous move that you, Lupusregina, have the right to be curious about . It could have resulted in a development that we would not be able to control . However, there was a motive for taking such risks . ”

 

“a motive? Wasn’t it just meant to compensate her for the loss of her potion?”

 

Narberal’s interruption made Ainz swallow the words he was about to say . His brain spun into high gear, and he struggled to recall that encounter in E-Rantel .

 

That’s right! At that time, I just did it so I wouldn’t get a bad rep! Damn!

 

Ainz maintained his calm demeanour . He would have to lie to cover up another lie . He struggled to muster up the vestiges of his rapidly-vanishing courage .

 

“…Is that all you thought I was doing, Narberal?”

 

“I am very sorry!”

 

“…No, this isn’t something you should apologize for . At the time, I wasn’t confident my plan would work out, so I chose a simpler explanation . ”

 

“Then… what was your real aim?”

 

In the face of Narberal’s questions, Ainz’s jaw hung open for a moment at a loss for words . But in that moment, inspiration struck . With that as the basis for his confidence, Ainz prepared to speak .

 

“…It was Nfirea…”

 

As Ainz slowly opened his mouth, he took in the subordinates around him . If Demiurge or Albedo were present, they would probably interrupt and say, “Ah, so that’s how it is . As expected of Ainz-sama . ”

 

Narberal, on the other hand, could only furiously furrow her brows .

 

“…Nfirea…?”

 

Ainz cupped his chin with a silent “Umu” . Fear began creeping over the faces of Narberal and the others, because they thought Ainz’s pose meant, “do you still not understand, even after I’ve said this much?” In truth, Ainz had made that gesture unconsciously, not knowing what to do with his hands .

 

In a short period of time, Ainz had been subjected to extreme tension and the emotion suppression that blanked it out . Between these two clashing forces, an epiphany came upon Ainz . Without knowing where he would end up, Ainz clung to that last straw and took a step into the darkness .

 

“…Mm . I managed to get the attention of the pharmacist known as Nfirea; was that enough of an answer . . . ? That’s right… Normally, what would you do if you got your hands on a potion that was completely different from any other potion that you had ever encountered?”

 

“…Discuss it with someone?”

 

“Exactly! Lupusregina, it is exactly as you said . As I predicted, Brita brought the potion to the pharmacist she trusted the most . That was how I came into contact with Nfirea . ”

 

He remembered that Nfirea had apparently said something similar when they met at Carne Village .

 

“Ah! So that’s how it is! That was your objective all along!”

 

“You seem to get it . That was the bait for my hook to catch a master alchemist . Although there was a chance it could have ended up in a strange place and caused problems, it was still worth a try . ”

 

A sense of understanding filled the air, and there were looks of admiration on their faces .

 

I managed to join the stories together…

 

Just as Ainz was about to mentally sigh in relief, a sudden, unexpected question came .

 

“Then… I understand I’m being very rude, but could I ask one more question…”

 

No . Stop . Please don’t ask any more questions . Ainz was crying inside, but his face remained impassive .

 

“What’s the matter, Lupusregina? If you have something you need to discuss, feel free to look me up . ”

 

“Yes,” Lupusregina swallowed, and with a serious expression on her face, she asked, “Do you always think two or three steps ahead when making plans, Ainz-sama?”

 

Most of the time, Ainz made things up on the spot . Of course, sometimes he tried to plan his next move, but more often than not, the results were completely different from what he intended . Of course, he could not say any of that .

 

Ainz laughed quietly . It was a practiced laugh .

 

“Of course . I am the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown, am I not?”

 

Quiet exclamations of “Ohhhh!” rose up from all around him, and Lupusregina’s eyes went wide .

 

“What’s wrong, Lupusregina?”

 

“A wise king…”

 

Lupusregina’s gasped words made Aura frown, and she took a step forward . However, Ainz stopped her .

 

“Pay it no heed . Is that all you have to ask?”

 

“Then, er, then, I’ve got another one . Wouldn’t it be better if we let the monsters attack the village, and then Ainz-sama would swoop in to save them, wouldn’t that be better? I mean, wouldn’t Nfirea and his grandmother feel extra grateful to Ainz-sama for plucking them out of the fire? That would make them more useful… right?”

 

“Well, that is a very good plan, and worth considering, However, if that happened, Nfirea might end up hating the monsters too much and then he would no longer be willing to cooperate with us… now, it would be a different matter if it was humans who did it . In that case, perhaps it would be more effective if we saved Enri Emmot as well, the better to chain his heart up further . ”

 

However, Carne Village was a village that had been saved by the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown . It had its uses, so burning it down was of questionable value .

 

“By the way, the most important people in that village are —in descending order— Nfirea, his crush Enri Emmot and finally his grandmother Lizzie . You must protect these three people no matter the cost . Everyone else is expendable . If need be, sacrifice your life to protect Nfirea . That’s it . Is that all, Lupusregina?”

 

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

 

“Now then, Lupusregina, I will forgive you for this lapse . Now that you know my objectives, you will not be forgiven next time . Do you understand?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“Very good . Then go . Complete your assigned tasks . ”

 

Lupusregina bowed and exited the room, followed closely by Narberal, who seemed more like a policeman escorting a criminal . After the two of them vanished out the door, Ainz turned to the Guardian beside him .

 

“Now then, Aura . Do you know anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West—”

 

Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the room .

 

“Seriously, Ainz-sama is amazing ~su! I can’t believe he thought so far ahead, and in such detail! He must be some kind of monster ~su!”

 

The voice that came through the thick door was not very loud, but it was enough to interrupt their conversation . Given that they could hear her words so clearly, how loudly was she yelling in the corridor, just outside?

 

“…Should we tell her how thin the doors are?”

 

“I think she’s just too excited, let me go pound some sense—”

 

There was a smashing sound from outside the door, and then the sound of something heavy being dragged into the distance .

 

“ . . . Aura, I don’t think you need to go any more . Back to the previous topic; let me know what you’ve found . ”

 

“Yes . Er, I’m very sorry, but I haven’t heard anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West . After we fought that tree monster called Zy’tl Q’ae, I did a quick sweep of the forest, aside from the underground caverns, which I didn’t investigate . I didn’t find any strong enemies…”

 

“Well, if they’re only as strong as Hamsuke, I understand why you wouldn’t have paid any attention to them . ”

 

Even a gardener could not be expected to know how many ants were crawling in his domain . Missing out on things due to the difference in strength was a problem .

 

“I am truly sorry . Then, Ainz-sama, will we be doing house-cleaning?”

 

“That sounds like a good idea . We’ll swat those pesky flies and put the forest under Nazarick’s complete control . ”

 

“Got it! Then, I’ll send some of my pets along!”

 

“Umu . It seems a little boring that way . I’d like to see what sort of monsters this Giant of the East and Serpent of the West are, who can rival Hamsuke . ”

 

“Then, shall I drag them here in chains?”

 

“No, I think I shall go visit them in person . Thanks to Hamsuke, I’ve found another way of appreciating the value of antiques as well . ”

 

Ainz laughed at the puzzled expression on Aura’s face .

 

“Well, of course that’s not all . I also want to see if I can arrange a test for Lupusregina…”

 

 

Nazarick Time 19:16

 

Fenrir crept leisurely through the night-time forest . Neither the branches which stuck out or the coiling vines hampered Fenrir’s movements or the two people on its back . In fact, they seemed to move like incorporeal wraiths, without even disturbing a twig .

 

This was the effect of one of Fenrir’s skills, [Landwalker] .

 

“According to my vassals’ reports, the Giant of the East’s lair seems to be just ahead . ”

 

There was no tension in Aura’s voice, even in this world of darkness, cut off from the starlight by the densely-packed trees . Ainz and the others were not like humans, who lacked special visual modes . They took in the darkened forest around them like it was broad daylight .

 

“Is that so . We would be very lucky if the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West were to gather in the same place . However, that’s probably being greedy . If the Serpent of the West is not here, then I’ll leave its disposal to you, Aura . ”

 

“Yes! I’ll do my best! But how shall I deal with these fools who dare make hostile moves on you, Ainz-sama?”

 

“Let’s try communication first . ”

 

Aura looked behind herself ─ at Ainz ─ with a puzzled look on her face .

 

“Eh? Weren’t we going to make them swear themselves to us?”

 

“That’s because the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West are unknown monsters . Starting with an attempt at rational communication ought to be better from just about every angle . If they’re monsters which don’t exist in YGGDRASIL, then I would like to keep them .

 

“You’re so kind, Ainz-sama . ”

 

There was no mockery within Aura’s tone .

 

“Is… is that so? I feel that only the worthy deserve my kindness ─ followed by those who belong to Nazarick… I’m doing this because they might have some value if they’re on Hamsuke’s level . I suppose you could call this seizing an opportunity?”

 

“You mentioned Hamsuke just now, but is it really that valuable?”

 

“Oh yes . It’s quite useful as a guinea pig . ”

 

Hamsuke was currently studying to be a warrior under Zaryusu of the Lizardmen . Incidentally, one of the Death Knights made by Ainz was also studying under him .

 

Training the two of them ─ a hamster and a monster ─ was intended to see if they could acquire warrior class levels . This was particularly true for the Death Knight . If he could gain warrior levels, that would greatly increase Nazarick’s combat power .

 

While he felt it was probably impossible, he still had to conduct the experiment to be sure .

 

“Are you having the blacksmith make armor for Hamsuke because it’s that important?”

 

“You’re quite well-informed . That’s also one of the reasons . If I have to ride it onto the battlefield in future, so enhancing its defense might be critical . ”

 

Hamsuke should have no problem wearing full plate armor once he had warrior class levels . Currently, putting it in armor greatly decreased its evasion and mobility rates due to its weight . Ainz felt that it needed training for that reason . However─

 

Armor hampers its movements since it doesn’t have warrior levels, that much is the same as the game… no, I can’t even wear metal armor at all due to the game’s restrictions . From that point of view, its restrictions are a lot more lax… if only there were a second Hamsuke, then I could study the differences between the two…”

 

These restrictions which resembled those of the game were still a mystery even now . If he let Demiurge and the others perform in-depth investigations, they might be able to find the right answer, but for some reason, Ainz did not want to do that .

 

This is a magical world, and it might run on physics that are vastly different from ours . Perhaps all I can do is force myself to accept that this is just one of the principles of such a world . Just assume that anything could happen . . .

 

“Ainz-sama, what’s wrong?”

 

“Hm? No, it’s nothing, what is it?”

 

“No, it just seemed like you were thinking, and I wanted to ask if something was the matter . ”

 

“Oh, indeed . I was just thinking about some things, it’s nothing much . ”

 

“I see . ”

 

Aura seemed relieved and faced forward once more . Ainz looked at the back of her head ─ which was covered in silky golden hair ─ and his eyes roved down . His eyes passed over her slender back, and then they focused on his hands ─ which were wrapped around her slender waist .

 

She’s so slim; are children’s waists all so thin?

 

Having never had children of his own, AInz was curious, and he could not resist the urge to pat her waist, like he was inspecting her . Then, Ainz raised his hand to lightly pat her back . However, he did not use much force because he was mounted on Fenrir .

 

However, Aura jumped up and suddenly jerked around .

 

“Uwaaaah! What… what is it, Ainz-sama?!”

 

Her face was very red .

 

In fact, it was so red that even someone without darkvision might be able to see how red it was .

 

“Ah, it’s nothing, I just thought your waist was very thin . Have you been eating well? You’re equipped with items that negate the need for eating and drinking but you can still eat, right?”

 

“I… I can . I won’t gain any magical enhancements from doing so, but I can still eat . ”

 

In games like YGGDRASIL, humanoids and demihumans had designated lifespans, and in turn they could grow; conversely, heteromorphs had no maximum lifespans and so they would stop aging after a certain period . If that character aspect had carried over to this world, then Aura and Mare would slowly grow older . Ainz did not want their growth to be affected because they had not received proper nutrition as children .

 

While his companions were not around, the growth of these kids was Ainz’s responsibility .

 

“You need to eat well, okay . ”

 

“Yes! I’ll eat well and make Shalltear regret it!”

Ainz had no idea why Shalltear had suddenly come up, but he did not inquire into it .

 

“ . . . Items that remove the need for eating and drinking might affect growth, so depending on the situation, perhaps you should swap them out for other items . Growing up… perhaps one day, you two will have lovers of your own…”

 

Aura and Mare were very cute children, and when they grew up, they would surely be very handsome and beautiful . Ainz imagined men and women of all sorts confessing their love to them ─ although, Ainz had never had experiences like those, so what he imagined had all come from TV shows .

 

Perhaps he had been influenced by the previous topic, but for some reason he imagined a huge pile of Hamsukes .

 

“─Hm?”

 

He visualized a young Aura and Mare being surrounded by vast amounts of Hamsukes . It seemed quite pleasing, but it was completely different from the plan which Ainz had in mind .

 

Hamsuke’s related to rodents, so Hamsuke ought to be capable of reproducing in vast quantities . Is it best to sterilize it? Although I’d like to let it breed a little more… I wonder if there are any males of its species?

 

“Eh? It’s still too early for that, Ainz-sama . I’m only 70 . ”

 

“I… I see, you’re right . You’re still young . Well, anyway, Aura, who do you like most in Nazarick? What’s your type?”

 

While Ainz had no experience in love, he still got a little jealous whenever he saw dashing lads and pretty girls being all lovey-dovey on the roadside . However, Ainz was sure that he could genuinely wish the NPCs well if it were them .

 

“I like you the most, Ainz-sama . ”

 

“Haha, well, that’s good to hear . ”

 

Ainz was quite happy to hear such flattery from a young child like Aura . He loved the children (NPCs) very much, and how could he not be pleased to hear that they liked him too?

 

“Then, who do you like the most, Ainz-sama? Who do you like the most between Albedo and Shalltear?”

 

“Haha . Well now, I have to say I like you very much, Aura . ”

 

“─Eh?”

 

Ainz caressed Aura’s head from behind . The soft strands of her hand fell from between his fingers .

 

“─Eh?!”

 

Should I start considering the problem of sex education? If there are Dark Elf schools, should I send Aura and Mare there to study so they can grow into good adults? What would Bukubukuchagamsan think if she were here? But still, schools… school love comedies… Peroroncino-san once raved about it before, and he said he wanted to make a Nazarick Gakuen with Suuraatan-san . Where did the data for that go?

(TL Note: スーラータン refers to https://en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Hot_and_sour_soup)

 

“─Eh─!”

 

“What is it? You’re being too loud, Aura . ”

 

“Ah! I… I’m sorry . The Giant of the East’s lair ought to be nearby, but…”

 

“It’s fine, there’s no need to apologize . Leaving that aside, about the future─”

 

“The… the future?”

 

“Y-yes . Is something the matter? You look flustered… did something happen?”

 

“No… not at all, it’s nothing . Yes . Um . You were talking about the future?”

 

“Oh, yes . I was thinking that if there was a kingdom of Dark Elves, it might be worth paying them a visit, and at that time, you ought to come along too . ”

 

“Eh? . . . Ah, yes… of course! So that was what you meant by the future . I get it! Please allow me to accompany you there . Also ─ we’re almost there, Ainz-sama . ”

 

In the darkness ahead of them, they could see a decidedly unnatural light source through the gaps in the forest .

 

“I see . Aura, forgive me, but could you station all the magical beasts you brought along around this region? I’ll be making some preparations on my end as well . ”

 

Ainz used one of his skills and summoned powerful undead creatures .

 

An sinister-looking knight appeared, mounted on a pale white horse . More appeared every time Ainz used his skill .

 

“All right, four ought to be plenty . Now then, Pale Riders . Stand by in the sky, and if anyone tries to flee, capture them . ”

 

The Pale Riders indicated their understanding without saying a word, and with a tug on their reins, the pale horses leapt up and galloped into the sky . The Pale Riders discorporated, passed through the tree branches, and flew into the air .

 

“Alright, we’ve set up an encirclement . Now all we have to do is appraise them . ”

 

“Yes! Ah, don’t we need to test their durability?”

 

“We’ll save that for a last resort . My aim is to settle this without any combat . I’ll try and discuss mutually beneficial topics first . ”

 

That was the truth . Ainz was not looking for a fight . While he was perfectly willing to be ruthless if there were benefits to it, that did not mean that he was a cruel person . Ainz would not step on the ants crawling around in his path . A rational dialogue would be best .

 

Fenrir approached the gap in the forest . It was called a gap in the forest, but the truth was that it was simply a place within the forest where trees did not grow .

 

This area was covered with withered trees, just like the mountainous region around the Evil Tree . There were some areas which ended up as withered forests for special reasons . There were many of those reasons, and in this case it was probably because of monsters .

 

The trees had been felled and scattered everywhere . It would seem someone had tried to build a large structure and failed, and had then thrown the logs around in a fit of rage .

 

“How laughable . Aura, they were probably trying to build a structure like yours . The work of fools is truly unsightly . They live in caves and don’t know how far out of their depth they are, resulting in this sort of thing . ”

 

“Indeed . Ainz-sama, their lair is over there . ”

 

There was a fissure in the scarred ground, which had been burnt barren .

 

“ . . . Nobody’s standing watch . How careless . Alright, it can’t be helped . We’ll knock next time . ”

 

With Aura by his side Ainz walked toward the entrance to the underground cave . He peered inside, and it looked like a gentle slope, and the interior seemed quite spacious . The ceiling was high, and it would seem even large creatures could live inside without problems .

 

. . . This reminds me of dungeon delves in YGGDRASIL . Back then, we used to get curious and excited every time we discovered mountain caves and the like .

 

If this were in the past, they would have let Tigris Euphrates and people like him lead the way, while Ainz ─ Momonga ─ would follow behind them . Then, they would summon monsters, and in Ainz’s case he would have the undead walk ahead of them, allowing them to trigger traps as they forged boldly ahead . This was known as a warrior’s disarm, or a summon disarm .

 

Those were the days . . .

 

The memories of the past lightened Ainz’s steps, but within a few seconds, his cheery mood vanished .

 

The stench from below made him wrinkle his nonexistent eyebrows . It was not poison gas, but rather, an odor of beast fat and decay which clouded up the air .

 

Is this a stinking gas cloud trap? I don’t think these cave dwellers could set such an elaborate trap… perhaps it formed naturally .

 

Ainz was undead and did not need to breathe . He was completely immune to gas-vector attacks . Aura was also protected by magic items, so if this stench was some sort of attack, it ought to be ineffective . That being the case, this was probably just an ordinary stink .

 

“It seems the Giant of the East is not a particularly clean person . I hope he’s at least a little intelligent and can speak with me . ”

 

“Yup . Although, that might be a little difficult . Going by the footprints, this cave seems to house several lifeforms of the same kind, but they’re all barefooted . The footprints are large, and going by their size, they all seem to be over two meters tall . ”

 

“I see… so he must be one of them . ”

 

Ainz and Aura had not stopped walking, and as they descended the slope, they saw two monsters at the base of the slope .

 

“Ainz-sama, those are… Ogres . ”

 

The two Ogres were tearing at something and shoving it into their mouths . A new reek wafted over to Ainz and Aura .

 

Ainz slowly extended his finger and smiled bitterly . If this were a simple dungeon hack, he would have killed the Ogres quietly, and then advanced forward without making a sound to wipe out all the other enemies; however, his objective this time was different .

 

“ . . . I’m not here to massacre everyone, so I need to communicate in a friendly manner ─ oi, you Ogres over there, sorry to interrupt your meal . ”

 

The two Ogres turned simultaneously to look at Ainz, and then they roared .

 

The echoes within the cave were intense, and there was no way to accurately judge position, but it would seem a similar howl had come from the depths of the cave .

 

“Well, this is quite a crude and noisy doorbell ─ stand back, Aura . ”

 

He glared as the Ogres ran over . “What a pain,” Ainz sighed . That was because he realized that they did not wish to communicate with him .

 

“Skelton! Skelton! Enuh-my!”

 

The Ogre screamed hoarsely as it came up to Ainz, and then swung its club at Ainz without a moment’s pause .

 

“I have─”

 

The Ogre’s club whistled through the air as it swept at him .

 

“-To apologize for barging─”

 

It struck Ainz with a thump, but a mere nonmagical club could not possibly hurt him .

 

“─Into your home─”

 

The Ogre raised its club again and hammered at Ainz .

 

Ainz’s field of vision wobbled slightly as the club struck his head . While it did not hurt in the least, it was still quite annoying . That said, if anyone set foot into Nazarick, Ainz would certainly be angry enough to want to kill them . WIth that in mind, it was only natural for them to want to attack him, so Ainz should probably take the blows .

 

Once an envoy of peace drew a weapon, there would be nothing left to say .

 

The other Ogre approached slightly later . It did not swing its club, but reached a hand out at Ainz . It had probably seen how the attacks of the other Ogre had proven ineffective, and wanted to grab him instead .

 

Ainz quirked his eyebrows . Of course, there was nothing on a skeletal face which could move .

 

Ainz was originally willing to let the Ogre grab him . However, his darkvision-capable eyes saw the blood staining the Ogre’s hand .

 

“Disgusting . ”

 

Ainz immediately produced a staff from thin air and swung it . While this staff did not possess any special magic powers, it was focused on inflicting bludgeoning damage, and with a single strike, the head of the Ogre who was reaching out for Ainz burst like a rotten grape . A mix of fresh blood and brain matter showered the Ogre beside it, which dropped its club and took a step back .

 

“You… you, no, skelly…”

 

“It is quite vexing for you to lump me in with other Skeletons . I’m here to see your boss, the Giant of the East . Could you go fetch him? Although, I’m fairly sure he’ll come even if you don’t shout . ”

 

Ainz waved to bid the Ogre get lost, and it promptly turned and fled into the cave .

 

“ . . . Good grief . If they had seen the discrepancy in our respective strengths from the start, we wouldn’t have to waste this time . ”

 

Ainz felt the area where the club had struck him as he finished descending the slope .

 

There were several Goblins ─ more of masticated corpses, really ─ where the Ogres had been just now . While their remains were little more than chunks of meat and it was impossible to tell how many there had been, there must have been more than just one or two .

 

Ainz and Aura detoured around that area as they continued downwards .

 

“What a gaffe . I was annoyed and used too much force . I’d originally planned to avoid killing before negotiations broke down, to proceed in as friendly a way as possible…”

 

“It couldn’t be helped! It’s the fault of those filthy Ogres who tried to touch you, Ainz-sama!”

 

“Hearing you say that pleases me . Punitto Moe-san once said, ‘punching them in the face is a good way to make the other party behave’ . . . or was it Warrior Takemikazuchi-san who said that?”

 

“Since the Supreme Beings said so, then it must be correct!

 

Ainz could not recall which of these two polar opposites had said that . Just then, a horde of monsters emerged from the depths of the cave . All of them were far taller than a human being .

 

“Well, if it isn’t a pack of Trolls . While calling them Giants smacks of false advertising to me, it’s not as though it’s a complete lie . ”

 

Trolls were giants with long ears and noses . They had very ugly faces and their muscular bodies were as revolting as that of any heteromorph . They wore what seemed to be tiger-skin clothes their heads emerged from their shoulders .

 

They were nearly three meters tall, stronger than Ogres, and possessed of powerful regenerative abilities . It was said that unless they were killed with fire or acid, they could come back from the dead even after being reduced to scraps of meat . There were six Trolls here, and 10 Ogres on top of that .

 

The one which caught Ainz’s eye was the Troll standing at the head of these monsters .

 

It was more muscular than the other Trolls, and its ugly face exuded confidence .

 

It was better equipped than the other Trolls too .

 

It wore leather armor which looked like it had been sewn together from several animal hides . Its mighty arms bore a greatsword which was larger than the ones which Ainz used in his Momon guise . The greatsword seemed to be magical, and the central fuller oozed a slippery liquid towards its edge .

 

“Is he on Hamsuke’s level?”

 

“Feels that way . ”

 

That being the case, this Troll ought to be the Giant of the East . That being the case, what sort of Troll was he? Ainz studied the Giant of the East carefully .

 

Trolls were highly adaptable monsters . They varied greatly according to their environment .

 

For instance, there were Volcano Trolls who lived in volcanoes and who were resistant to fire . There were Sea Trolls who were adept at swimming in the ocean and could breathe underwater . There were Mountain Trolls, who lived in the mountains and were especially strong . There were also Toll Trolls, rare trolls who lived under bridges . There was a never-ending variety of mutant species and subraces like those .

 

In that case, what was the Troll standing before Ainz specialized in?

 

Trolls adapted to cavern living were called Cave Trolls . But they looked different from this one .

 

This was a new species of Troll which he had encountered for the first time in this world ─ this unknown monster kindled Ainz’s collector spirit .

 

 

The Troll known as the Giant of the East had achieved a very rare form of evolution .

 

He was a Troll who had been born amidst countless battles, adapted to them, and specialized in fighting ability . If one had to name it, his species would be War Trolls, a particularly outstanding example among the many Troll subraces .

 

One could say that its combat prowess was unrivalled among others of the same age as him .

 

Granted, his body was smaller than that of a Mountain Troll . However, the muscles of his body ─ his physical abilities ─ far outstripped those of the latter species . In addition, he did not use a primitive club that could be easily swung with brute force, but instead used his inborn abilities to skillfully wield a sword ─ a weapon which was inferior even to a club if one did not know how to use one . One could say he was a Troll who had awakened his warrior abilities .

 

 

“You’re the Giant of the East, I take it?”

 

After hearing no denials, Ainz pointed slightly to the right of the Giant   

 

“Then, I believe that chap over there is the Serpent of the West . Am I correct?”

 

Someone with ordinary eyesight would surely think he was pointing at empty air . However, Ainz could clearly see the heteromorph hiding there, as though it were illuminated by the sun’s light .

 

“Perhaps you think you’ve hidden yourself with invisibility, but my eyes can see through it . Stop wasting your effort and answer me . ”

 

A monster appeared out of what had originally been thin air . It had probably dispelled its invisibility .

 

Indeed, it was a snake . No, to be precise, it had a snake’s body . It had an old man’s torso from the chest up, but it had a serpentine form below that . It was a heteromorphic monster .

 

Unlike the Giant of the East, Ainz had seen monsters like this in YGGDRASIL before, and so he could immediately state the name of his race .

 

“A Naga, then . While it wouldn’t be wrong to call you a Serpent, don’t you have a better name for yourself? No, there’s already the case of the Wise King of the Forest, so this was only to be expected, no?

 

“If thou couldst see through my invisibility, then thou art surely no ordinary─”

 

“─What are you doing here, skeleton?!”

 

The Naga was only halfway through his words when a thunderous voice filled the cave and drowned him out . The Giant of the East took a step forward .

 

Ainz turned to face his counterpart .

 

“First of all, let me get this straight; I am not a Skeleton . I wish to correct that mistake of yours . ”

 

“What are you, if not a Skeleton? The king of the eastern lands, Gu, permits you to state your name!”

 

“─Gu?”

 

Ainz had no idea what he was talking about for a moment . He thought that it was some kind of title, like a King or a Chief, and it was only after a while that he realized it was the Troll’s name .

 

“I see, so your name is Gu . Pardon my delayed introduction; my name is Ainz Ooal Gown . ”

 

At that moment, laughter filled the cavern .

 

“Fuafuafuafua! A coward’s name! A soft and weak name, unlike my strong and mighty name!”

 

The other Trolls laughed distastefully in response to those words .

 

“A cow─”

 

Ainz stopped Aura before she could take a step forward .

 

“It’s fine . Don’t get upset over a trifling matter like this . Remain calm . We’re here to talk, we’re ambassadors of peace . Oh yes, just for reference, why do you think I’m a coward?”

 

“Ah, his ilk takes long names to be a sign of timidity, O mysterious undead,”

 

The old man’s face of the Naga creased with a mocking smile as he spoke from the side .

 

“So he’s not an antique, but trash . Then, do you feel my name is that of a coward’s as well?”

 

“This one certainly would not think so, because this one bears a long name as well . Indeed, this one is the Serpent of the West of which thou speak’st ─ Ryurarius Spenia Ai Indarun, O invader Ainz Ooal Gown . This one has often hoped that his mind would be as developed as his body, but if that were the case, he would have dominated this forest long ago; truly a dilemma . ”

 

“ . . . You have just saved your own life . ”

 

A look of suspicion crossed Ryurarius’ face as Ainz let his innermost thoughts slip out . Unfortunately, just as he wanted to clarify, Gu and the Trolls stopped laughing .

 

“So what are you weaklings doing here?! Come to feed me? Bones are delicious and crunchy! I’ll eat you starting from your skull!”

 

“I am the one who ordered the undead and the Golems to build the fortress in the forest . You’ve heard of it, haven’t you?”

 

The mood changed in an instant . Gu and his band radiated vhostility, while Ryurarius was filled with caution .

 

“I know! You pest! If not for this damn snake making noise I’d have killed you long ago! This saves time! A coward and a black little runt!”

 

“Ah, so we can talk . In truth, I came to negotiate with you . ”

 

Ainz gestured to Gu to kneel before him .

 

“Swear yourself to me if you want to live . ”

 

“Are you retarded?! How could we serve a coward! I’ll eat you right here and now! Then I’ll eat that runt behind you!”

 

“Gu . He rules that fearsome structure . You underestimate him at your peril! And the Dark Elf behind him; this forest belonged to them before the Demon Tree chased them away . They might well be mighty foes ─ but he is not listening . ”

 

Ainz could not help laughing merrily .

 

“Hahahaha! You’re better at barking than a dog, meatball . How about this . I, whom you call a coward, challenge you, who bears a mighty name, to a one on one fight . I trust you won’t run in fear? If you’re afraid, then get on your hands and knees and beg me for mercy, and I could find it in myself to rear you as a slave . ”

 

“Very good! I can handle a mook like you by myself! I’ll chop you to bits and eat you all up!”

 

“Very well . Since you have made your choice, negotiations have broken down . Aura, stand back . I want to play with him by myself . “

 

Just as he finished saying that, the upraised sword hacked down on Ainz . This was the blow Gu had struck with the greatsword he held, which was over three meters long .

 

Ainz did not move, simply took the hit square on his body .

 

“─Huh?”

 

“What’s wrong? What’s so surprising?”

 

Ainz was untouched . Gu’s ugly face twisted in surprise, and this time he chose a sweeping slash . However, the result was the same as before; Ainz took the blow head-on .

 

“Muuu?”

 

Gu backed up several steps . He looked at his sword, and then at Ainz . He proudly turned his back on Ainz, then walked up to one of his minions .

 

In the next moment, the greatsword whirled and cut into one of this Troll minions . The sword cleaved into the troll’s neck and shoulder, effortlessly parting its flesh, and a geyser of fresh blood spewed forth .

 

The Troll screamed stupidly, at the top of its voice

 

Gu watched in satisfaction as his minion spun and fell to the ground, and he nodded . That was probably to verify that his weapon was working .

 

“I see, is that Trollish regeneration at work? Quite an impressive sight when you witness it with your own eyes . ”

 

The wound surface healed over swiftly . It was not so much turning back time as a fast-forward of the recovery process .

 

Gu must have known that the Troll would regenerate before testing his blade on him; but the evil look on his face as he looked down on his fallen minion suggested that he would have cut the creature up anyway, even if it could not regenerate .

 

“It is the privilege of the strong to kill or spare the weak . However ─ it deeply displeases me . ”

 

Ainz stepped forward . He was no longer in the mood to play around .

 

Gu gripped his greatsword tightly, waiting for Ainz to approach him, step by step .

 

“Gu! That Ainz Ooal Gown is no mundane individual! Let us band together to fight─”

 

“Shut up! You sit there and sit there and watch, coward! ─Ugooooooh!”

 

An explosive series of slashes rained down on Ainz . The combination attack was made using physical strength that far surpassed the capability of the human body, and it was among the most destructive assaults Ainz had ever faced from the inhabitants of this world .

 

However, his strikes could not blow away a castle wall, and neither could it scar the land . How could it possibly harm Ainz?

 

The greatsword’s edge sliced through the wind, and Ainz took it full on his body .

 

“Good grief . Could you not crumple my clothes?”

 

Ainz seemed to find it all uninteresting, and he turned away after tugging on his robes and straightening them out . Then, a thought apparently came to mind .

 

“Ah, are you satisfied yet?”

 

“Goooooooh!”

 

Gu decided that slashing attacks were ineffective, and so he took one hand off his greatsword and threw a punch . This blow struck like a huge maul . If it hit a human being, they would surely have been pulped by its power and sent flying .

 

Yet, Ainz took this blow ─ which was assuredly fatal for a human being ─ straight in the face . After that, he calmly dusted off the place where Gu had struck him, like he had been touched by dirty hands .

 

Gu ceased his attack . His ugly face contorted into an even uglier shape, and he glared at the unmoved Ainz .

 

“So, is that end of the attack you’re so proud, he of the brave name?”

 

“It’s only your defense ─ guwaaaargh!”

 

Ainz stepped forward to close the distance between them and swung his staff, which destroyed half of one of Gu’s legs . Unable to stand, Gu collapsed heavily to the ground . .

“Even with that acorn-sized brain of yours, you should be starting to realize that cowards aren’t necessarily weak, no?”

 

The Trolls and Ogres watching the fight shouted in shock as they saw their leader’s disgraceful state .

 

“Haaaah . ” Ainz was beginning to tire of this, and sighed . The fact that they did not understand the situation even at this point proved that these monsters were worthless . Of course, it would be a different matter if they were smart enough to try and flee .

 

“Aura, seize him . He is the only one who cannot be allowed to flee . ”

 

Aura immediately understood Ainz’s terse order, and sprang into action . In the blink of an eye, she had caught up to the Naga, who was trying to sneak away invisibly .

 

“Got him, Ainz-sama . What should I do with him?”

 

Ainz paid no heed to Gu and looked to Aura, who had the Naga by the neck . The way he treated Gu made one thing clear to everyone present .

 

─In other words: he could not be bothered to deal with the Gu fellow before him .

 

Gu growled from between his teeth at this utter humiliation, but Ainz did not care .

 

“Curse you, brat!” The Naga’s serpentine body started constricting, and it wrapped around Aura . “I’ll crush you to aiiiieeeee!”

 

A cold, calm voice came from the midst of the balled up Naga .

 

“You know, I can’t watch Ainz-sama like this . If you continue struggling, I’ll use more force and crush your throat . Don’t worry, you won’t die from it . ”

 

Her small fists were enough to make the Naga realize the difference in their respective strengths, and the Naga slowly loosened its coils with a strangled wail .

 

“Aura, while time is money, wastefulness is also foolishness . Please move a little further away so he doesn’t end up getting killed by accident . ”

 

“Understood!”

 

Aura leisurely dragged away the Naga ─ who weighed several times more than herself ─ as she left . Ainz shifted his gaze back to Gu, who had barely managed to stand up again after his regeneration caused his shattered leg to bulge up mightily as it repaired his ruined flesh

 

Ainz might not be as tall as his opponent, yet he towered over Gu .

 

“Oh, so you’re healed . Then let us continue . ”

 

Ainz rapped at his shoulders with his staff, then calmly took a fighting stance . His attitude said that he had no intention of defending himself .

 

“You… you, what… what did you do? What are you doing? Magic?”

 

Gu slowly backed away as he held his sword, while Ainz stepped forward like he was giving chase . Gu’s stride was shorter than Ainz’s . The distance between them was greater than when the battle had begun .

 

Ainz snorted .

 

“─Hm? Well, isn’t this strange? I, the one with the cowardly name, am advancing, while the bravely-named Gu-sama is backing off . I wonder why that is the case?”

 

Someone replied from behind in a deadpan voice:

 

“That’s because Ainz-sama’s name is the brave one, and that weird Gu name belongs to a coward! Isn’t that right, snake?”

 

“Y-yehh! Ainz Ooal Gown-shama ish the greatest!”

 

After hearing the sweet little girl’s voice and another voice which was on the verge of tears, Ainz nodded several times .

 

“I see, I understand now . Short names are the mark of a coward ─ the name of Ainz Ooal Gown belongs to a brave and wonderful person, am I correct?”

 

“─Why you!”

 

“Shut up, coward . ”

 

Gu’s anger overcame his fear, and he swung his blade at Ainz as though to hack him in two . Ainz did not parry or dodge; simply swung back with his staff . Ainz’s blow did not permit Gu to block with his sword or evade .

 

The staff shattered part of Gu’s body .

 

“Abbbahhhhhhhhh!”

 

Gu’s piteous wailing sparked fear in the hearts of his underlings as they watched the battle .

 

“Well, that’s a Troll for you; with their regeneration, they can even come back to life after being reduced to mincemeat . Still, pain does seem to hurt . That was the weakest attack you made so far . All you were thinking of was protecting yourself . You feared being hit by me . It was a coward’s swordsmanship . ”

 

Before Ainz was Gu, whose head was half its normal thickness . A normal creature would have died long ago, but his head was slowly returning to its normal shape .

 

Gu’s restored face was twisted into an especially disgusting shape . It was etched with terror . He was even more afraid than before; it was the reaction of one who had been broken by fear .

 

“You… what, what are you? Why couldn’t I do anything to you?”

Ainz tilted his head, and then slowly spread his arms .

 

“ . . . I am Death . I am he who brings death to you . ”

“You… you lot! Kill him!”

 

“Good grief… I expected nothing less of a coward, to renege on the terms of our duel… still, it does suit your name . So I will forgive you . ”

 

Ainz seemed very happy as he said this .

 

Gu’s minions were scared stiff by this mysterious monster, and so they remained still . That was because despite their stupidity, they could feel the sheer power of Ainz, and they had certainly witnessed enough of it . They were probably wrestling with themselves, unable to decide who was more fearsome . Nobody dared to move; they simply looked back and forth between Ainz and Gu .

 

“Hurry!”

 

But they still did not move . They could not move .

 

The same applied to Ainz . There was a delicate balance here, one which rooted everyone in place . If Ainz made a move, this balance would collapse, and they would all flee for their lives .

 

It would be troublesome if they escaped ─ just the thought of hunting down and killing each and every one of them felt tiresome .

 

“In that case, let’s do it this way . Playtime is over . ”

 

Ainz activated one of his abilities, which he had not had the chance to use, and was too powerful for this world .

 

[Despair Aura V (Instant Death) . ]

 

The surging aura billowed out from Ainz .

 

The Trolls, Ogres and Gu went limp and collapsed like puppets whose strings had been cut, slumping to the ground .

 

The fallen monsters did not move . It was clear that although their bodies were still warm, the flames of their life had been utterly extinguished .

 

An old man’s voice rang through the silent cave .

 

“What… what didst . . . thou do?”

 

The Naga was curled up into a ball, doing his best to stay away from Ainz . Ainz turned around and replied:

 

“I simply used a skill . Trolls can regenerate, but that does not immunize them to instant death attacks… honestly, you lot are worthless . I was simply thinking that rather than slaughtering you all outright, I should see what uses you might have, but since they refused to bend the knee, I decided to kill them all . ”

 

“This one gladly consents to be your subordinate! It is only natural for the weak to obey the strong! From now on, this one shall commit his entire strength to thee!”

 

Ainz calmly looked down upon the prostrated Naga, and then shrugged weakly .

 

“ . . . Eh, whatever, it’s fine . Besides, I came here to talk anyway . ”

 

“How… how fearsome . Thou think’st nothing of this one . Thou regard’st this one, who has long ruled the western forest, as little more than an animal-shaped pebble by the roadside . ”

 

“No, I am somewhat more interested in you than that . Didn’t you mention something about the Dark Elves . Tell me everything . ”

 

“But of course… of course I shall . This one shall gladly tell thee everything this one knows! Although, ah…” Ainz waved to bid the Naga continued, and he said: “Wilt thou spare this one’s life after this one tells his tale?”

 

“That I promise you . If you are loyal to me, if you serve me sincerely, I will reward you appropriately… but first, a question . Where are your minions? Or are you like Hamsuke… the beast who ruled the southern forest by herself?”

 

“No, this one has underlings . However, this one came for the sake of negotiations, so this one did not bring them along . That was because this one’s minions cannot make themselves invisible, so once negotiations broke down, they would have no way to flee . ”

 

“I see . Now, for my next question: do you have any Troll minions?”

 

“Only one . ”

 

“Excellent . In that case, can I have him take the place of the Giant of the East? No, that’s too… that might be a little troublesome . Very well . In a few days, I will bring my subordinates to ─ no, you will go to the structure that she built . Aura, release him . ”

 

“Is that really alright?”

 

“It’s fine . He’s already sworn his loyalty to me . If he betrays me, I’ll simply think of some other way to use him . ”

 

Aura’s slender hands released the Naga’s neck, leaving hand-shaped bruises on his flesh .

 

The Naga was still nervous, but he was much more relieved now . Ainz paid him no heed, but walked up to Gu’s corpse .

 

“I wonder what sort of data a Troll Zombie contains . ”

 

Ainz could create undead beings from corpses with a skill . While they were little more than Zombies or Skeletons, he could make stronger Zombies if the corpse of the base creature was powerful enough . A more famous example of those would be Dragon Zombies .

 

Ainz picked up the greatsword which had fallen to the ground . It was far longer than Ainz was tall, but thanks to the basic principle of magic arms and armor, it shrank down to a size which best fit Ainz .

 

If Ainz tried to swing a sword which he could not equip, he would be forcibly disarmed, but just picking it up did not pose any problems to him .

 

“Should I strengthen that village’s fighting power? In that case, perhaps this magic weapon might be the best choice . Besides, there’s no value in bringing it back to Nazarick . ”

 

“Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!”

 

Isn’t he done yet? Ainz tiredly turned to look at the Naga .

 

“This… this one will never betray thee . Only the fools who have never seen thy icy gaze that regards all before him as mere ants would dare betray thee . ”

 

“I did not think my eyes were as expressive as that… or is this a skill of yours too? Even Demiurge, that master of scrutiny, could not tell what I was truly thinking . ”

 

“It hardly qualifies as a skill, but this one can still sense whether someone is interested in this one . ”

 

Ainz thought, perhaps that’s a Naga racial ability .

 

“Really now… very well, I understand . Stop wasting time and gather your minions . This is my first order . ”

 

“Yes!”

 

Part 4

 

Nazarick Time 21:07

 

Demiurge’s elegant form appeared within Ainz’s office . First, he bowed deeply to the seated Ainz, and then nodded in deference to Mare and Cocytus, who were waiting within . He spared the maid assigned to this room a glance of acknowledgement .

 

Ainz answered with a look, and then spoke to Entoma via [Message] .

 

“Alright, Entoma, tell Lupusregina she has permission to set off . Those three must be protected no matter the cost . ”

 

『Understood . I will relay your orders to Lupusregina . 』

 

Demiurge walked to the center of the room, free of worries . His stylish stride made Ainz envious .

 

How shall I describe it, every move he makes overflows with confidence . Is it because his back is very straight?

 

Demiurge halted crisply, bringing Ainz back to his senses .

 

“It is good that you’ve come, Demiurge . ”

 

“Yes! I thank you for summoning me before you, Ainz-sama . Have you finished speaking with Entoma?”

 

“Everything is fine . She reported back to me, and discussed the matter with me . She has passed this test . ”

 

“Wonderful . In addition, I thank you for making time for me, Ainz-sama . ”

 

“Pay it no heed, Demiurge . It is only fitting that I should match myself to the man who has done the most for Nazarick . In addition, you are not late, so do not worry… now then, tell me what you think . ”

 

Ainz handed the piece of paper he was holding to Demiurge . Demiurge received it, and Ainz saw him quickly scan it from top to bottom before asking:

“As you can see, this is a menu, but what do you think of it? The meal is for a human male and female, and possibly a child . ”

 

“ . . . I think that any human being must consume whatever you deign to provide for them without complaint, Ainz-sama . However, I feel that is not the answer you seek, therefore ─ if there is a child, they might not enjoy foie gras . In addition… hm, lighter dishes might be more ideal . ”

 

“I see . That certainly bears consideration . I thank you . ”

 

“You honor me with your praise… Ainz-sama, do you intend to invite people to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ─ into the sanctuary of the Supreme Beings ─ as your guests?”

 

“Indeed . I intend to be hospitable . ”

 

Or rather, it was not so much hospitality as entertaining them . This was a form of coercion backed by wealth, intended to keep them on good terms with him .

 

“Is that wise?”

 

“Does it matter? Is there a problem?”

 

“No, none at all . After all, whatever you speak is correct, Ainz-sama . ”

 

In the past, when this had all been in the game world, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had played host to very few people other than the guild members . At the very most, they had invited the little sister of the guild member Yamaiko ─ whose player name was Akemi-chan ─ a few times . However, the guild did not forbid inviting anyone . It was simply that nobody had thought to do so .

 

Which is why my friends ought to have no issue with me inviting Nfirea and the others . Invaders are different from guests .

 

Ainz then turned to Demiurge ─ who was pondering something ─ and the other two Guardians who had been waiting in the room before he asked:

 

“Guardians; are you ready to enter the baths?”

 

“Forgive me; Mare and I were planning to borrow bathing equipment along the way . ”

 

“I see . Then, Cocytus ─ oh, you brought yours along . Then we shall meet in the baths . Increment, if anyone comes, have them wait for me here . ”

 

“Understood . ”

 

After hearing the maid’s reply, Ainz stood up and left his room . After ordering the vassals who usually trailed him around to remain where they were, he led the way to the baths, which were also on the 9th Floor .

 

Ainz very much wanted to chat with Cocytus as they walked side by side, but Cocytus was a very serious person and would never do such a thing . This made Ainz feel a little lonely . Cocytus probably had not read his heart, but he approached Ainz and asked:

 

“Ainz-sama . There . Seemed . To . Be . Fewer . Eight . Edge . Assassins . In . The . Room . Just . Now . Did . You . Send . Them . Somewhere?”

 

Ainz felt a little disappointed when he discovered that it was work-related, but he also comforted himself by thinking that this was what Cocytus considered casual conversation, and so he replied to Cocytus . He very nearly let the excitement creep into his voice, but in the end he decided that it would be better to keep it a secret .

 

“They are at the E-Rantel inn . Narberal is waiting there in case we have an unexpected visitor . They ought to be observing the situation from afar . ”

 

“Is . It . Not . Dangerous . To . Leave . Narberal . Alone . By . Herself?”

 

“Quite . If anyone plans to attack, they ought to do so now . ”

 

“I . See . So . She . Is . Live . Bait . Then?”

 

“Indeed . If the person who brainwashed Shalltear is observing our every movement, this bait will surely have them drooling . After Momon defeated the mighty Vampire Shalltear ─ granted, she was known by a different name ─ nobody attempted to approach him . That being the case, if Momon is not around, leaving the magic caster all by herself…”

 

“They . Will . Take . The . Bait?”

 

“I don’t know . But if they do, I will be a master baiter . ”

 

Ainz mimed the action of pulling up a fishing pole .

 

“Will . We . Mobilize . All . Our . Forces . Then?”

 

“As if . I won’t do that . First, we’ll feel out our opponent . If they’re as strong as us, or stronger, then we’ll have to be more humble . ”

 

Cocytus groaned . He understood the reasoning behind that decision, so he had no choice but to bear with it .

 

“The . Logical . Part . Of . Me . Knows . It . Is . Only . A . Temporary . Thing . But . Emotionally . I . Find . It . Hard . To . Keep . My . Cool . ”

 

“Bear with it until we’ve checked them out thoroughly and found our opposition’s weaknesses . Once that happens, I will have them taste the purest of pain . I will not forgive them for daring to brainwash Shalltear and forcing me to put her down . ”

 

Even if they were players, Ainz did not feel the slightest bit of empathy for them . The only people Ainz cared for were the NPCs or his old friends . If anyone aroused his ire, he would subject them to a fate worse than death in order to show them the foolishness of their ways .

 

“Repay good unto good and evil unto evil . Is that not to be expected?”

 

Ainz smiled coldly, as a surge of excitement welled up inside him . If the opposition really were players, then he could conduct far better experiments . The first of them would probably be the one he dared not perform with himself ─ that of death .

 

“An . Eye . For . An . Eye . And . A . Tooth . For . A . Tooth . Then?

 

“Correct . However, did you know? That phrase was originally meant to warn against excessive retribution, so I did not use it . That’s because I intend to pay them back with interest . ”

 

Punitto-san said that, Ainz added in his heart .

 

“Oh! I . Expected . No . Less . Of . You . Ainz-sama . Not . Only . Are . You . A . Supremely . Skilled . Warrior . But . Your . Intellect . Is . Beyond . Compare . Truly . I . Am . In . Awe . ”

 

Ainz did not need to look back to feel the wave of respect pressing down on him from behind .

 

“Then . Do . You . Plan . To . Spend . The . Entire . Day . In . Nazarick . Ainz-sama?”

 

“No, after I bathe with everyone, I’ll take care of some work here before going over there in the middle of the night, because there’s a lot of things which need to be settled over there as well . How about yourself?”

 

“I . Plan . To . Temporarily . Return . To . My . Position . Guarding . Nazarick . Since . The . Matters . Which . Require . My . Personal . Presence . At . The . Lakeside . Have . All . Been . Concluded . ”

 

“Once you return, the only ones working outside will be Demiurge, who has many tasks to complete, Sebas and Solution, who are gathering information in the Royal Capital, Aura, who is building a base in the forest, and then Narberal and myself . ”

 

“I . Find . It . Hard . To . Accept . The . Fact . That . A . Supreme . Being . Must . Personally . Handle . Work . We . Should Have . Taken . On─”

 

“Haha, forgive me, Cocytus . ”

 

“There . Is . No . Need . Ainz-sama . You . Rule . This . Place . And . So . Your . Every . Word . Is Law . What . I . Just . Said . Was . Mere . Foolishness . In . Addition─”

The mood in the air seemed to have changed, and Ainz found it odd . Looking back, he saw Cocytus looking somewhat gloomy ─ although he could not tell from his face .

 

“If . We . Were . As . Capable . As . Demiurge . You . Would . Not . Need . To . Exert . Yourself . In . The . End . It . Boils . Down . To . Our . Lack . Of . Ability─”

 

“That’s not true . When everyone made you, they sought to create the right person for the job . That being the case, the most important thing for you is to finish your assigned tasks . Frankly speaking, it doesn’t matter if you can’t do anything else . Although, the fact that Demiurge is somewhat more intelligent and more knowledgeable means he can tackle a wider range of problems . ”

 

Cocytus did not seem to be able to accept that, so Ainz continued:

 

“In that case, you should focus on slowly learning how to handle more things . For instance ─ you are now in charge of the Lizardman village, so you should have learned a lot from it . Ruling that village will surely aid you in the future . As long as you slowly proceed, step by step, someday you will come to be on par with Demiurge . ”

 

“Can . I . Really . Do . That?”

 

“I feel that you can’t say it’s impossible,” Ainz replied in a roundabout manner .

 

“Nobody can surpass Demiurge’s intellect . In order to equal him, you must walk an arduous road . But I believe your efforts will not be wasted . ”

 

The two of them continued silently along the corridor . Soon, Cocytus quietly said:

 

“Thank you, Ainz-sama . ”

 

“I don’t think I’ve said anything which deserves your thanks . Alright, Cocytus, we’re almost at the bath . Cheer up before Demiurge and Mare come . ”

 

“Yes!”

 

 

Spa Resort Nazarick was located on the 9th Floor of Nazarick . It was a comfortable place of leisure which boasted nine separate outdoor-themed baths and 17 indoor-themed baths for both men and women . The most impressive of them was the Cherenkov Bath . Its warm water radiated an actinic blue light, allowing bathers to enjoy a decadent atmosphere .

(TL Note: Cherenkov radiation is the blue glow typically associated with underwater nuclear reactors)

 

Ainz, who had reached the baths in Cocytus’ company, was utterly shocked when he saw an unexpected someone .

 

“Ainz-sama <3!”

 

It was Albedo, who seemed to be ending her sentences with hearts today . No, it was not just Albedo alone . Shalltear was behind her, along with a tired-looking Aura .

 

In contrast, Demiurge and Mare were nowhere to be seen . Perhaps they were waiting for Ainz and Cocytus in the changing room .

 

“Albedo, what are you doing here?’

 

“Hm? I simply came to bathe with everyone… you too, Ainz-sama?”

 

“Ah, erm ─ yes, I did . What a coincidence, Albedo . ”

 

“What a lovely coincidence indeed! … I hear that it’s best to engage in some light exercise before bathing in order to work up a sweat . Shall I sweat with you, Ainz-sama?”

 

A chill ran down Ainz’s spine .

 

“Well, table tennis is not a bad thing…”

 

“Aw, I didn’t mean that . Really, you should take a hint…”

 

She closed in on Ainz with the technique of a level 100 warrior ─ something which Ainz, as a magic caster, could not hope to evade ─ and reached out a finger to Ainz’s chest, which was covered only in a robe, in the hopes of tracing letters on it . However, her finger, as soft and delicate as a minnow, instead slipped into the space between Ainz’s ribs .

 

“Ah . ”

 

“Ah . ”

 

Both of them made the same sound in unison .

 

What a stupid scene . Ainz smiled bitterly, intending to address Albedo, and then his face froze up .

 

“I put my finger into Ainz-sama’s precious place…”

 

Albedo’s face was flushed red, her eyes dewy, and an overwhelming fragrance rolled out from her body . That scent was very similar to the odor he sometimes smelled on his bed .

 

“─Oi, I asked before, but has she always been this weird?”

 

Ainz tried his best to speak in a normal tone to Aura, who was trying to hold back a struggling Shalltear .

 

“ . . . Forgive me, Ainz-sama, a lot of things happened . Erm, please treat this as stress that she built up after working hard for Nazarick every day . Yes, please think of it that way . ”

 

“If… if that’s how it is, then it can’t be helped . Er… umu . Albedo, thank you for your hard work every day . ”

 

Ainz planned to swiftly retreat, but someone grabbed his robe . No, there was no need to look; he already knew who it was .

 

“Albedo, what are you doing? Has something driven you to abandon all restraint?”

 

“What you said to me just now… it lit a fire in my heart, and it made my belly twitch . So, Ainz-sama…”

 

“Er, no, hang on, wait a minute, calm down, Albedo! Co-Cocytus!”

 

“Understood!”

 

A gust of chilling air filled the passage . The sudden temperature change seemed to have brought Albedo to her senses, and the light of reason returned to her eyes .

“I . Cannot . Sit . Idly . By . As . Someone . Disrespects . Ainz-sama . Even . If . It . Is . The . Guardian . Overseer . Herself . ”

Cocytus cut between Ainz and Albedo . He had his platinum halberd in hand, a wordless threat that he would gladly use if if Albedo tried anything funny .

“─I apologize, Ainz-sama . I seem to have forgotten myself . ”

“I accept your apology, Albedo . ”

 

After hearing his master’s judgement, Cocytus stepped aside . However, he did not put away his halberd .

 

“I understand your duties are weighty, and that there are times where you wish to cast everything aside and relieve your frustrations . In any case, go take a bath and let go of your stress . Thank you, Cocytus . ”

 

Saying so, Ainz sought to scurry into the male bath, but the footsteps from behind him made him halt .

 

“ . . . Albedo, why are you following me? Perhaps you do not know, so I will tell you, but this is the men’s bath . You should be going to the ladies’ bath . ”

 

“I was hoping to wash your back, Ainz-sama?”

 

“ . . . Denied . Besides, I’m not bathing alone . The male Guardians will be with me . Do you wish to appear naked before them?”

 

Just as Ainz thought, she might actually say it’s okay because she’s a Succubus, Albedo promptly replied;

 

“In that case, there are family baths elsewhere─”

 

“Family baths are not meant to be used that way!”

 

“But Ainz-sama, I feel it’s unfair how you’re only spoiling the men . ”

 

“That’s right, that’s right,” Shalltear whined as she covered Aura’s mouth . However, Aura ─ who had been forcibly dragged along ─ had dull, blank eyes that simply hung open . Behind them was Cocytus, who seemed quite unhappy .

 

We’re just bathing together, what does she mean by spoiling them… the same thing happened last time; is something wrong with Albedo? Could it be she’s gone a little mad ever since then?

 

“Albedo, permit me to say something . I prefer women to men . I am purely heterosexual . ”

 

Albedo seemed to want to say something, but Ainz raised his hand to interrupt her .

 

“It is certainly possible that such a relationship might take place someday . However, I have not even figured out our place in this world, and so, as the leader of this organization, it is inappropriate for me to pursue such a relationship with you all . ”

 

“Uuuu…” Albedo knit her brows .

“Besides… you are all like the daughters of my friends ─ I am conflicted about that . ”

“I was wondering what was happening at the entrance . It would seem you are all inconveniencing Ainz-sama . ”

“O . . . onee-chan… she… she’s dead . ”

 

“I’m not dead,” a weak girl’s voice replied .

 

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you two . ”

 

“Forgive our tardiness . However… the Guardian Overseer should probably learn how to rein her emotions in . ”

 

Demiurge’s typically narrowed eyes were cracked open just a little, allowing the hostility within to seep through . The air around him turned dangerous, highlighting how scary a typically gentle man could be . Seemingly affected by this, Cocytus appeared ready to do battle with Albedo .

 

The smile remained on Albedo’s face . No, it had grown wider .

 

“─You fools!!!”

 

Ainz could not hold back his anger and shouted at them .

 

“I forbid you Guardians to quarrel in front of me! You idiots!”

 

All the Guardians trembled, and fell to their knees in unison .

 

“Please forgive us, Ainz-sama!”

 

“ . . . Alright . Get up, all of you . ”

 

After seeing that everyone had risen, Ainz used a gentle tone, like he was chiding children, to admonish them .

 

“Do not squabble over such petty matters . That will only disappoint me . Do you understand?”

As he heard them simultaneously reply that they understood, Ainz let his anger vanish .

“Alright, let’s go bathe and clear the air . The men will come with me . Also, Aura, I order you to keep an eye on the ladies . Keep an eye on the two behind you and do not let them mess around . ”

 

“Understood!”

 

Aura’s eyes blazed furiously . She probably felt that this was a chance for a counterattack . Such was the scorching heat rolling out from her that Albedo and Shalltear were visibly shaken .

 

Ainz entered the door hung with the “Men” curtain, and deliberately ignored the racket coming from behind him .

 

He shed his clothes in the locker room . If he were normally equipped, he would have to remove many items and it would be very troublesome, but he had prepared before coming here, and so he shed his clothes swiftly .

 

After quickly disrobing, he went on into the baths .

 

Every time I strip off, I always wonder how exactly I can move . . .

 

He was a fleshless skeleton, and the fact that he could actually move was a mystery to Suzuki Satoru . That said, moving skeletons were a common sight in this world, so all he could do was take it for granted . Even so, he had his doubts from time to time .

 

“I’ll be heading in first . ”

 

“Please… please wait for me!”

 

A naked Mare scampered up behind him .

 

He might have been a trap, but looking at him like this, he was most certainly a boy .

 

His body was that of a child’s, with virtually no muscle mass . The fact that his body, which felt so soft, could exert so much force was probably due to some unknown natural law of this world, much like Ainz’s own .

 

As he gazed upon Mare’s nude body and pondered that question, Ainz chided him:

 

“Don’t run around in here . The floor is wet, and it’s dangerous . ”

 

It was impossible for a Guardian to die from falling and hitting their head . However, after seeing Mare’s child-like body, he could not help but worry for him .

 

“Er, yes . I’m very sorry . ”

 

Do you have to apologize for that, Ainz thought .

 

“Forgive the delay, Ainz-sama . ”

 

After that, Cocytus and Demiurge showed up .

 

Demiurge’s body was sheathed in firm, wiry muscle, and he gave off the impression of being toned . One could not design the body under one’s clothes when making a character, so perhaps Ulbert had written his physique into his backstory . .

 

“Cocytus, you look the same as always . ”

 

“Well, he’s typically naked . ”

 

“Could . You . Please . Not . Phrase . It . In . Such . A . Perverted . Way?”

 

“Forgive me . Cocytus uses an exoskeleton, so his usual appearance can’t be helped . ”

 

Exoskeletons were a kind of natural weaponry, much like Shalltear’s nails and teeth . Such equipment gained in hardness and durability as their users levelled up, as well as increased data crystal capacity .

 

Their merits were that they did not need to be changed often, and could be used for long periods . Even if they were destroyed by weapon-sundering attacks or skills, they could be restored along with their users’ HP through the use of curative magic . In addition, they would not be dropped upon death, among many other advantages .

 

Conversely, they were inferior to the primary gear most players of an equivalent level used, be it in terms of hardness, durability and data crystal capacity . Even at level 100, almost no natural weapons and armor could match up to a divine-class item . Perhaps one might be able to do so if one possessed job classes which strengthened such bodily armaments, but even Ainz did not know if it was possible .

 

Natural weapons and armor were not very advantageous for players, but they were quite useful for NPCs . This was because one did not need to gather up a big stack of armor and weapons for them ─ in other words, the player making the NPC could save himself the trouble of equipping them .

 

“Thank you, Ainz-sama . ”

Cocytus bowed in thanks, but Ainz had not spoken in his defense . Still─

 

Could it be that everyone uses that to tease him ─ to make fun of him ─ to the point where he has to thank me for stepping in? Should I try to subtly tell the others to lay off?

 

Was it like this for teachers with bullies in their classes? He did not know how Yamaiko-san had handled this sort of thing in the past . As he pondered the topic, he spoke to the male bathers:

 

“Alright let’s go in . ”

 

The group entered the baths, led by Ainz .

 

There were 12 areas in this large bathing facility .

 

The first was the standard bath area, then the jungle bath (which was the largest), the ancient Roman thermae (which were very atmospheric), the pomelo baths (where pomelos floated in the water), the sulphur baths, the jet baths, the electric baths (which had a mild electric current to numb the skin), the cold baths (with charcoal floating in them), the Cherenkov baths which glowed with a mysterious blue light, as well as the open-air (granted, the outside scenery was all fake) mixed baths .

 

There were also the sauna and rock bath areas, and finally the rest room .

 

“So, which would you like to try? Share your views with me . ”

 

“I . Feel . The . Cold . Baths . Are . The . Best . I . Would . Like . Ainz-sama . To . Experience . The Virtues . Of . The . Cold . Baths . ”

 

Ainz was resistant to cold damage, and even entering the chilly cold baths was not a hardship for him . However, something felt wrong about suggesting someone take a cold bath right after entering the bathing area .

 

“Cocytus-san… we came to bathe, so…”

 

After hearing Mare speak, Cocytus seemed to have realized that he had made a mistake somewhere . Just then, someone proceeded to mount a follow-up attack .

 

“We came here to bathe, so perhaps you should have recommended a hot bath to promote circulation… oh, that’s right, I should ask you a question . Can you bathe in hot water? You won’t look like a cooked lobster, I trust?”

 

“It’s . Fine . This . Exoskeleton . Of . Mine . Is . Fire . Resistant . Even . If . You . Consider . It . A . Naked . Body . ” Cocytus said proudly .

 

“Ah… ah, then I think perhaps we should go for a normal bath . . . ”

 

“Cold . Baths . Are . The . Best . Taking . A . Cold . Bath . While . Clinging . To . A . Chunk . Of . Ice . Is . Very . Comfortable . ”

 

“I won’t say only you would like that sort of thing, but I doubt many people would share your tastes…”

 

“All… alright, it would be quite boring if we went and bathed on our own, so let’s take turns using them all . We’ll start with the jungle bath ─ my friends put a lot of effort into making it . ”

 

After his subordinates replied, “we’re all looking forward to it” ─ including a somewhat dejected Cocytus ─ Ainz led them to the jungle bath .

 

There were fake trees and fake grass here, and it was made up to look like a forest . Even though they knew it was fake, it was realistic enough that everyone half-expected monsters to emerge from the woods .

 

“This bath was modelled after the Amazon River of the past . Its creator was Bellriver-san, with the assistance of Blue Planet-san . ”

 

Ainz turned his back on the impressed Guardians, then he took his basin and bath stool to the washing area .

 

Why are all the basins in this spa yellow? When I asked about it in the past, he said it was tradition… are the water basins in all spas supposed to be yellow?

 

“Needless to say, you need to clean yourself before getting into the bath . However, the way in which I bathe is quite messy, so you should probably stay away from me . ”

 

With that terse message, Ainz dumped the basin full of hot water on himself . The water went straight through him and splashed onto the ground . Due to the many gaps in his body, it was very hard for him to rinse his entire body in just one round of pouring . After repeating this several times, and making sure that he was wet, he took out a brush .

 

Ainz loaded the brush with liquid soap and began to scrub himself . Just like before, the many gaps in his body meant that scrubbing himself was like scrubbing a colander, and so foam and bubbles sprayed everywhere .

 

Umu… maybe I should have brought my cute little bathing assistant, Miyoshi-kun with me .

 

Ainz felt that it would be unsightly to let his subordinate see him all covered in slime, so he had not brought it out . However, he had not bathed himself in a while, and it was quite troublesome

 

As Ainz frantically scrubbed himself, Mare approached him with a yellow stool in hand . He was clearly nervous, but he smiled to Ainz, his face flushed from the heat of the baths .

 

“Ainz-sama! Please… please let me help you wash your back!”

 

“Hm? Oh, I see . So you want to help me bathe? Although, I have to say that my body is quite tedious to wash, so you should use this brush . Cleaning it with a towel is very tiring . ”

 

Ainz turned his back to Mare, and Mare began slowly scrubbing his back with the brush he had received .

 

“You’re doing a good job . ”

 

“Thank you very much!”

 

Honestly speaking, Ainz could not tell if it was a good or a bad job . However, he had said so to Mare because he was grateful .

 

Ainz looked at the other two . They seemed to be saying, “Then, I’ll help you wash your back,” and “Thank . You . Kindly . ” Ainz could not keep the smile from his face ─ although skeletal faces had no facial expressions .

 

─The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick really is the best place around .

 

Behind him, a boy’s voice said, “I think I washed this place before, right?” and it only broadened Ainz’s smile .

 

“Thank you, Mare . Now it is my turn to help you . Don’t be shy . ”

 

Ainz grabbed the boy’s shoulders and turned him around, then applied bathing foam to Mare’s towel and lathered it up .

 

He gently scrubbed Mare’s body, taking care not to hurt him . He thought about the strength he used to wash himself, and tried to use less force than that .

 

“Does that hurt?”

 

“No… not at all!”

 

After helping Mare ─ who had gone all stiff for some reason ─ wash his back, Ainz returned him his towel .

 

“You can do the front yourself, right?”

 

“Of… of course!”

 

Ainz picked up the brush and scrubbed his ribs . Mare was rubbing himself beside him, so Ainz took care not to spray him with his foam .

 

“Then, I shall head over first . ”

 

After Demiurge finished rinsing himself off, he headed for the tub, swishing his tail behind him . He was followed by Cocytus, who probably had as hard a time bathing himself as Ainz did, but who could effectively use all four of his arms to save time . Naturally, Mare was next . Ainz finally finished washing up several minutes after everyone was done .

 

The tub was quite broad, and a skilfully-carved lion statue disgorged hot water from its mouth into the steaming tub . Ainz walked through the water vapor and noticed that Cocytus was especially distant from the others . The other two were enjoying the hot water, at a distance from him .

 

“Ah~ the hot water feels nice . ”

 

Ainz thought that as a child, Mare would swim around in the tub, but instead he simply folded his towel and put it on his head, a relaxed look on his face . That attitude was less fitting of a child than an overworked adult . As Ainz saw it, he felt surprise, and then he wondered, is the job of a Guardian of Nazarick really that tiring?

 

“Oh yes . I feel the fatigue flowing out of my body . ”

 

Demiurge had removed his glasses . He splashed some hot water into his face and went “Ah~”, looking just like a middle-aged uncle .

 

“So . Hot . ”

 

“That… that’s strange, er, didn’t you say you were resistant to this?”

 

“I . Am . But . I . Do . Not . Usually . Soak . In . Hot . Water . So . I . Am . Not . Used . To . It . ”

 

“ . . . Still, that’s no reason to use your cold aura . I hope you will keep your distance; I prefer my hot water somewhat scalding . ”

 

Now he knew why Cocytus was so far away . The water around him was probably only warm now .

 

“You . Are . Fire . Resistant . So . It . Is . Fine . For . You . Why . Not . Try . A . Cold . Bath?”

 

“That does not interest me . Besides, I have not engaged my resistance; I am simply enjoying the hot water . Cocytus, do you find this much unbearable?”

 

“Demiurge . Coming . From . You . Such . Taunts . Are . Shallow . However . You . Are . On . ”

 

“Stop that . Baths should be enjoyable . If you want to test your endurance, please do so in the sauna . You don’t need to force yourself to bathe here . ”

 

“Huwahh~”

 

Mare exhaled hotly, his forehead beaded in sweat .

 

“Look, you need to enjoy the bath like Mare’s doing . Mare, don’t push yourself either . If you feel hot, you need to get out . ”

 

“It… it’s fine, Ainz-sama! If anything happens, I can use magic!”

 

Using magic isn’t quite right either, Ainz thought . However, he did not say anything, and simply looked at Cocytus .

 

“ . . . Is it right to use one’s resistances when bathing?”

 

“I think some people do bathe in that way, Ainz-sama . For instance, as one of the undead, you will not be dizzy no matter how long you soak . Is that not the same way?”

 

“ . . . Indeed . ”

 

He could feel the warmth slowly seep into his body, but it did not feel as good as it had when he was still human .

 

An undead body has its merits and flaws . . .

 

Just as Ainz was mourning his lost joys─

 

“Hm?”

 

─He raised his head clear of the steam rising up from the water, and looked around .

 

“Is something the matter?”

 

“I think someone was calling my name…”

 

“Could . It . Be . Coming . From . The . Other . Side?”

 

Cocytus pointed at the wall behind him .

 

“That’s ─ ah, I see . The ladies’ bath . ”

 

“I see . No, but… the walls should not be that thin, no?”

 

“Perhaps the echoes made their voices louder . ”

 

Ainz could not resist the urge to prick up his ears and listen . There was no ill intent in what he did; he was simply curious about what a group of ladies would talk about when there were no men around . Therefore, he did not place his ear to the wall; doing so would damage his dignity as the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . He even stepped away from the wall and turned to face it .

“─Albedo, you’re so bushy down there . ”

 

Ainz frowned as he concentrated and heard the conversation from the other side .

 

“─Aura, don’t describe it like that . Ah~ Ainz-sama ought to be behind this wall . I wonder if there are peepholes or anything . ”

 

Ainz carefully studied the entire wall, because he was worried that someone might actually have installed some sort of strange mechanism into it . There was a time when some of the guild members had been obsessed with making strange devices and gimmicks . The relics of those times might have remained until now .

 

“─Usually, they’d be the ones peeping, right?”

 

“─I doubt that’s the case . There’s no need to peep at us; if Ainz-sama commands it, we will let him look at us . Why peep?”

 

“─Oh, it’s rare to hear you make sense like that, Shalltear . ”

 

“─What do you mean by ‘rare’, how rude . By the way, is that a toothbrush? Could you please not brush… I mean wash your teeth in the bathroom?”

 

“─I can’t help it . Cleaning them is really tiring, so I have to do it in a big room like this . Otherwise it’ll be very troublesome . ”

 

Albedo’s voice came from a somewhat higher position, followed by the sound of loud scrubbing .

 

“─Hm… that does look quite tiring . Oh well, it can’t be helped, so I’ll let it slide . ”

 

“─Thank you . ”

 

“─Uwah, don’t shake your head and look at me, it’s really gross . Shalltear, not brushing?”

 

“─I brush on my own in my room, so I don’t need to . Still, will we really get cavities and so on?”

 

“─Even if we don’t, bad breath when kissing can cool off even an ages-old love . ”

 

The sound of brushing suddenly stopped, replaced by the sound of plodding footsteps .

 

“─Eh? Wait, don’t tell me you’re going to jump in like that? At least do something about your body…”

 

First, there was a loud plunk, followed by the sound of water splashing . She must have jumped forcefully into the tub .

 

“─Waaah! Koffkoff, koff, if I were a storybook Vampire, I’d have drowned by now!”

 

“─You’re not a kid any more, don’t just jump in!”

 

“─Fufufu . Ahh~ this feels great . I’ll come here to bathe from now on . ”

 

“─You ought to learn some bathing etiquette… huh?”

 

“─What happened? That’s weird, is that lion moving?”

 

“─The ill-mannered are forbidden from the bath! Exterminate!”

 

A male voice suddenly spoke, which made Ainz and the other men look at each other .

 

“Er, ah, that sounded like a man’s voice . ”

 

“I . Have . Not . Heard . It . Before . But . Could . It . Be . The . Area . Guardian . Of . The . Baths . However . Why . Would . There . Be . A . Man . In . The . Ladies . Bath?”

 

“No, I’ve heard that voice before… it’s Luci★Fer-san . ”

 

As he heard the voice of that troublesome man, Ainz recalled how several instances where that man had given him trouble . Honestly speaking, Ainz did not like him much .

 

“Is . That . The . Voice . Of . A . Supreme . Being?”

 

“─It’s so hard! This isn’t an ordinary Iron Golem!”

 

“─Die, you golemcraft bastard!”

 

There was a loud crash, and then the sound of something hitting the wall at high speeds . That hit even shook the walls of the men’s bath .

 

“ . . . Just in case, get your weapons ready and prepare to charge into the ladies’ bath if anything happens,” Ainz ordered the clearly demoralized Guardians .

 

If friendly fire was not in effect, perhaps it might end in laughter, but given the present circumstances, someone might actually get killed . Their fighting power was lowered without their gear, and depending on the circumstances, they might really need to be rescued .

“ . . . I’d like to be able to bathe in peace next time . ”

 

Ainz stepped out of the tub with a splashing of water and headed for the changing room . As they heard him speak, the other Guardians nodded in unison

 

 

Overlord Volume 8 Side 2 1 2 A day in Nazarick Translators Rockgollem Editing Skythewood, Namorax, TaintedDreams, Nigel, Ferro, NoirX, Zack Tan, SifaV6 Special thanks to Anon 5 14 Nazarick Time A droplet of water gathered at the end of the golden faucet, and it slowly swelled, until at last it was pulled down by gravity and splashed onto the floor of the bathroom . There were several bathing facilities within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and this was one of them . Someone soaked within a stone bathtub that was large enough to accommodate several people at once . Blue water dripped off a slippery white body . This blue color was not a literary allusion, but an actual blue color, as though it had been produced through a deliberate application of dye . A blue colored liquid licked at the porcelain like body, starting from its feet . Its slippery body defied the force of gravity and crawled upwards, unlike the water which flowed in all directions . . . . Fuaahhhh The bathroom was very echo friendly, and the thus words which had unconsciously slipped out were unexpectedly loud within its confines Perhaps it was ashamed by its own voice, but a slender hand suddenly emerged from the blue liquid . The expected sound of water droplets and ripples in the water s surface were nowhere to be found . That was because this liquid was abnormally viscous . The upraised hand caressed a face which many had praised for its beauty . Haa The person in question sighed softly, then let itself fall backwards into the liquid . However, that person s body did not sink into the water . Rather, the blue liquid slowly caught that person s slender frame . The softness resembled a waterbed . The liquid was clearly sapient . That point was promptly proven in the next moment . The blue liquid began to writhe, extruding several tentacles that were the thickness of one or two fingers each . These tentacles began to move, as though to embrace that person . Naturally, the same thing was happening within the blue liquid as well . It touched the face, the chest, the belly, the arms, the legs as well as the loins . After seizing its prey, the liquid began squirming, as though satisfied . In truth, it was a Sapphire Slime, a high level slime variant . The Sapphire Slime began moving the long, thin tentacles which wrapped the body . The tentacles infiltrated the tiny crevices of the groin . Ahhhhhh The cry rang out once more . While it was louder than before, that person did not think about lowering their voice this time, simply focused on the sensations of the slime working around and writhing within their body . The sound of someone talking to themselves echoed through the bathroom . Ah, this feels great . It s too good for words . The person within the bathtub Ainz muttered to himself as he took a slime bath . He scooped up a handful of slime and poured it onto his head . The slime which had been hard at work cleaning out the crevices of his pelvis seemed to sense where its master wanted it to clean next . Ainz felt the slime crawling around on his head . Huu, this is paradise . Ainz s undead body was composed entirely of bones . He had no metabolism, so his body would not stink or become dirty from bodily wastes . However, this did not mean he did not need to bathe . After all, dust and soot still accumulated on him, and sometimes he would be splashed by his enemies blood . In the end, he would still get dirty . Besides, as a Japanese person, he felt very uncomfortable about not bathing . I could only take steam baths over there in my original world . So once I knew I could bathe here, I wanted to soak my entire body into the tub perhaps bathing is a deeply ingrained practice for Japanese people . He went through the motions of exhaling while he sank further into the slime . The slippery sensation received and accepted his body . It would not feel strange if he treated it as a viscous liquid . Normal bathing is very troublesome . Ainz lowered his head to look at the most troublesome part of his body . The rows of his ribs came into view . Cleaning each rib one by one was very troublesome . Ainz recalled his struggle from when he had done it before, and sighed despite the fact that he did not need to breathe . That was not the only troublesome thing . His spine was the same way . The protrusions snagged his towel, and he could not clean them off easily in one quick go . He had to slowly clean each individual vertebra . At the beginning, Ainz had taken great care in bathing himself . However, Ainz soon began to find it tiresome, despite his supposed mental resilience . It took at least half an hour to bathe, and he could not help but think Are you kidding me After that, he decided to soak into soapy water and turn around inside it like a washing machine . That was a pretty good idea . The problem was that he did not feel clean . If he did not scrub himself, it did not feel like he had gotten all the dirt off him . Following that, he used a handled brush to scrub himself . That was quite effective . Granted, the soap and foam went everywhere, but it was not as though Ainz was the one cleaning it anyway . Cleaning was the maids job, and they were delighted at the chance to show their stuff . It was truly a win win situation . However, even this good idea was flawed . That flaw was not knowing if he had really scrubbed himself clean . It was just like getting a cavity despite carefully brushing one s teeth though he thought he had scrubbed himself from head to toe, he was still worried that he had missed scrubbing some part of himself . In the end, Ainz hit on this solution, which was to let a slime engulf him . This technique as I thought, it s truly revolutionary and unique, a perfect technique that can t be faulted, he muttered to himself as he looked at the blue slime crawling all over himself . Ainz nodded happily, satisfied by the method he had invented for easy bathing . For all he knew, this might have been the best thing he had thought up since he came to this world . Well done, me As Ainz praised himself once more, he looked to the slime which industriously oozed all over him . How cute . . . Monsters like these were extremely vicious they could dissolve their enemies with acid and they were strong enough to bend iron bars with ease . Yet to Ainz, they were his bathhouse attendants, who helped get him clean . To some extent, they felt like pets . Still, while slime baths are good I d like to take a regular bath sometime . There were all sorts of facilities on the 9th Floor of Nazarick . One of them was a large bath . It was a complex of various bathing sub facilities themed after a spa resort . Maybe I ll go bathe there and see what it s like That said, bathing by himself was too boring . That being the case Alright I ll get the Guardians to go with me . It d be good if there s a time when everyone s free . Ainz smiled at his good idea . 7 14 Nazarick Time There were two types of maids in Nazarick . One group was the combat maids, as represented by Yuri Alpha, and the other was the regular maids who had no combat abilities . The latter were homunculi, with a combined racial and job level of 1, and they were responsible for various jobs in the 10th and 9th floor of Nazarick . In particular, cleaning the various Supreme Beings rooms was a task of utmost importance to them . One of these regular maids, known as Sixth, moved rapidly along the corridor, for she was in a rush . This was a simple maid technique not a special skill or anything and it carried her to the cafeteria . There was only one reason to go to the cafeteria at this time . When she arrived, almost all her colleagues had already gathered for breakfast and started eating . The cafeteria was predominantly white in color, with sparse decoration . The echo of the girls cheerful chatter echoed off the walls like ripples in water . It would not have been much of a problem if there was only one person, but since there were many people speaking, their voices blended into one incomprehensible noise . On top of that, the sound of clinking tableware added to the din . The maids in the cafeteria could be separated into four main groups . The first three groups were sorted according to their creators . There were 41 regular maids in total, but it was not because each Supreme Being had created their own maid . Rather, the regular maids were created by the trirumvirate of Whitebrim, Herohero, and Coup De Gr ce . Strictly speaking, the last group was not a proper group by itself . It was composed of those maids who had detached themselves from the first three groups in order to eat in silence, to eat while reading or to talk to maids who had been made by other Supreme Beings . Sixth, who had arrived late at the cafeteria, belonged to the last group . She waved to the maids made by the same Supreme Being as herself they were her sisters, in a sense and then headed to her usual place . Good morning have you eaten Good morning . And yes, we ve already eaten . Breakfast was so good so creamy and fluffy and tasty The person delivering that deadpan reply was called Foire . She was bad at lying, but lied anyway . She had short hair and her maid skirt was similarly shortened to match her energetic appearance . Contrasting her was Lumiere, who had a neat look about her . There was a mysterious gleam in her blonde hair, which sparkled like there were stars in it . Good morning . Foire, since you shouldn 39 t need seconds, you can wait here for us . I haven 39 t had breakfast yet, so I 39 m going to get some . Come, Sixth, let 39 s go . Lumiere stood, trailed closely by Foire, who was frantically saying, I was just kidding, really After concluding their usual dialogue, the three of them went over to the self service buffet counter . Naturally, they had the maid called Increment, who was quietly reading a book beside them, watch over their seats . The first thing Sixth took at the buffet bar was a serving of crispy bacon . As a member of the faction which believed that soft bacon is the devil , she always went for that first . Next, she helped herself to some soup . Of the three flavours today soup of the day, corn and onion she selected the last . After that were sausages, french fries and danishes . Her other plate was piled high with onion salad, almost to the point of spilling . Finally, Sixth placed an order with a masked manservant . Um, I 39 ll have triple cheese, double onions, and extra mushrooms . The manservant nodded, and began making the omelette . Sixth returned to her seat to put down her dishes, and then poured herself a glass of milk before returning to where the manservant was waiting with her freshly prepared omelette . Thank you very much . The flawless omelette was perfectly prepared, without a single singe mark on it, and she returned to her place just as her friends did . Then, let 39 s eat Let 39 s eat Let 39 s eat . The three of them had their breakfast in silence . Slowly but steadily, they transferred the mountains of food far in excess of what a normal girl would consume from their plates into their bellies . It was because they all possessed increased appetites, as a racial penalty . Because of that, even though they were among friends, they never talked while eating . Foire chewed while her cheeks were bulging with food, Lumiere ate elegantly, but her fork moved at a ferocious speed, and Sixth ate at a rate in between the two . Soon, their plates had emptied with startling swiftness, and the three of them downed their glasses after that . Huuu The three of them exhaled, the scent of milk heavy on their breath, and then looked at each other . Seconds Sounds good, but let 39 s take a break first . I approve Feeling kinda stuffed now, anyway . Say, Sixth, isn 39 t it your turn to serve Ainz sama today You seem more determined than usual today . Foire smiled mischievously, and so did Sixth . Lucky you, how much longer will it be until it 39 s my turn Lumiere counted off the days on her fingers . The rooms of Nazarick s supreme rulers were massive in scale, so much so that one person would need half a day or more to clean one of them carefully . While the maids had the raw numbers to clean them all on a daily basis, even with Albedo 39 s spare room factored in, that would require a lot of people to work all day without any rest . However, this was not a problem to the maids . They had been created by the rulers of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown it was only fitting that they should work their fingers to the bone for them, because it was an act of venerating their gods . And then, these fanatical workers had been told to stop by the god like being, Ainz Ooal Gown . Ainz knew the hardships of working under unethical companies, and he could not bear to let these girls, who were like his friends daughters, suffer like that . He had told them, Don 39 t clean the unused rooms so frequently , and then You will work and rest ion shifts . Thus, the regular maids of Nazarick were organized into two shifts the day shift and the night shift . The former had 30 people and the latter had 10, while the one remaining person got the day off . After calculating the working days for the maids, the announcement that they would have a break every 41 days was met with complaints . It was not that there were too few days off, but the opposite . They requested that the day off be cancelled . Ultimately, working for the Supreme Beings was the reason for their existence . Telling them that they did not have to work damaged their sense of self worth and made them feel like they were no longer needed . As such, the maids decided to discuss the matter with Ainz . They said, Please don 39 t take our jobs , We want to do it all day and night , and so on . Ainz shot the suggestion down on the spot . The concept of fatigue existed in YGGDRASIL and while it could be easily remedied with magic, there was no guarantee that fatigue would be healed as easily in this world . Even with magic, he was worried that it would steadily degrade their ability to function, like a cogwheel losing its teeth . Yet, the maids adamantly refused to back down . Faced with their tears, Ainz gave in and proposed a new type of work for them . They would have to personally serve Ainz . That task entailed staying by Ainz 39 s side to attend to his every need and whim, and the maids would take turns filling that role . This offer was as tempting as sugar sprinkled with honey to the maids, whose greatest joy in life was to serve the Supreme Beings . They accepted the suggestion without a second thought, along with the order that you need to take care of yourselves and rest well the day before, so you can serve with all your strength when it 39 s your turn . We need our nutrients so we can work hard, you know . Plus, depending on the circumstances, you might need to skip a meal too . Of course, when you serve Ainz sama, your brain needs all the nutrients it can get . I want something sweet The three girls nodded in unison . Incidentally, all the maids carried several meals 39 worth of candy and other such treats on them . They would snack on them whenever they had free time while serving Ainz . However, be it fortunate or not, they simply could not find that free time . As such, the morning meal was very important to them . Have you heard They say they 39 re going to cook using ingredients from the outside world and have a food tasting . The other two gasped at Sixth 39 s statement . I expected as much, Sixth thought . Few of the maids thought well of the outside world the world that lay beyond Nazarick . Some of them felt that the outside world was inferior to Nazarick, but most of them were afraid of it, because the floor right above their home, the 8th floor, had once been invaded by people from the outside . Will all the maids be attending the tasting Or will only a few of us be allowed to go Just as Sixth was about to answer Foire 39 s question, the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed . The air itself seemed to heat up . As the newcomer came into the maids sight, they squealed in delight . Shizu chan It 39 s Shizu chan The person who had just entered the cafeteria was one of the Pleiades, CZ . The battle maids were like idols to the regular maids, and CZ was the most popular of them all . There were frequent struggles to sit next to her . Ah, the penguin s here too . CZ held a penguin under her arm, and a worried looking manservant was trailing behind her . It was the Assistant Butler, Eclair . He flapped his wings with all his strength, but there was no way he could escape with the strength of a level 1 Birdman . His desperate struggles quickly lost their vigor as the maids looked on . In the end, the penguin ran out of strength and went limp, like a real stuffed doll . Shizu chan Over here, over here Come eat with us No, come over here Shizu chaaaan Just throw that butler away Over there would be fine Send that useless bird to the head chef, at least he 39 ll contribute to Nazarick that way There was a marked difference in the reception that the Assistant Butler and CZ received from the maids, but that could not be helped . He was disliked because he loudly proclaimed that he wanted to take over Nazarick, despite being a mere assistant butler . Even if he had been created that way by the Supreme Beings, his frequent announcements of those wild words made him quite unbearable . CZ peered through the commotion around her, as though she was searching for someone . The adorable way in which she did so, like she were a child who did not know where to sit, made many of the maids 39 hearts beat faster . Even that bird looks cute when Shizu chan holds him, how strange . I want a Shizu chan hug pillow . Albedo sama seems to know how to make those, I wonder if she 39 ll teach me Albedo sama is very kind, I 39 m sure she 39 ll agree . Why don 39 t you try asking her next time The sound of a book closing with an audible thud came from the next table over, and when Sixth turned to look, her eyes met Increment 39 s . This place is getting noisy, so I 39 m going back . Since you 39 re attending to Ainz sama today, you should probably finish breakfast quickly and head over to him . Any mistakes you make will reflect on all of us . Having said her piece, Increment turned and left without waiting for a reply . As she watched her fellow maid leave, Sixth took out her pocket watch . Fortunately, she still had some time . After freshening up, she should be just in time . All right, I 39 ll go grab some more stuff to eat while everyone 39 s focused on Shizu chan Foire and Lumiere nodded at Sixth 39 s idea . Oh that 39 s a nice idea su The sudden answer from the side made the three maids gasp . Lu Lupusregina san With hands clasped over her lurching heart, Sixth turned to face the source of the voice . There had been nobody there just a moment ago, but Lupusregina had appeared out of nowhere while everyone was distracted by Shizu and looking away . She sat sideways on a chair with her legs up on the table and even had a share of her own food . Please don 39 t scare us like that, honestly Foire was still clinging tightly to Lumiere, her eyebrows pressed into a shape . My heart almost jumped out of my mouth Lumiere barely paid any attention to Foire, who was clinging to her . She spoke quietly, like she had been scared out of her wits . The three of them directed reproachful voices at Lupusregina, yet they were actually just a little happy inside . That was because Lupusregina was the only one of the battle maids who treated them like friends, although her actions were hard to predict . She spent her time moving between the different maid groups, so being approached by her was a sign of good fortune . The best proof was how some of the others were looking at Sixth and her group with envious eyes . Nishishi, seems my experiments in the village didn t go to waste, you three gave me some pretty amusing reactions The way Lupusregina supported her face with her arm on the table, while having an evil grin on her face, made her look a little like a cat out of the storybooks . Although her smile was nothing but mischievous, it was still surprisingly charming . Sixth watched the battle maid smile for a while, utterly fascinated by her . The other two seemed to feel the same way, but the first to recover was Foire . The village Foire tilted her head, which made her short bob hair brush against Lumiere s face . Lumiere resisted the urge to sneeze and shoved Foire away, and then she rearranged herself so she was looking Lupusregina straight in the face . Lupusregina san, you work outside, right Yup, in the human village su . Humans, huh it must be tough . Lumiere looked at Lupusregina with sympathetic eyes . Nah, it s nothing like that Since Ainz sama ordered it, it s worth doing Although, I have to say, it s kind of boring . How should I put this it would be so much more fun to squish them beneath my feet . Sixth had no particular opinion about that statement . Humans and their villages and whatnot were unimportant to her . Whether they prospered or were destroyed, the only thing that mattered was if they were useful to Nazarick . Come to think of it, Ainz sama said that village was very valuable, but I don t see it su Given Ainz sama s personality, he must have said so because he pitied the miserable little humans there . . No, no, Ainz sama s like a hurricane of death . I m sure he s just waiting for the right moment to kill them all, right What are you saying Don t you know Ainz sama is a genius All this must be part of his plan . Ara, I can t pretend I didn t hear that . Isn t Ainz sama s power the best part of him su The four beautiful girls stared at each other, none of them willing to back down . Ainz sama is a beautiful, compassionate person . Ainz sama is Death, come for this world . Ainz sama is an incomparable hero . Oh, looks like everyone has a different impression of Ainz sama . Then, let s have a competition . We ll see who can pick out the most suitable title for Ainz sama . In an instant, everyone went silent . Lupusregina was wearing her usual smile, but she had a certain understanding of her liege s qualities and was unwilling to admit defeat . However, Sixth and her two friends felt the same way . The regular maids were weak beings, but their respect and adoration of their master was no less than that of anyone else s . Then, the three of you may start off su . In that case Lumiere was the first to speak . Then, as I said earlier, I wish to praise Ainz sama s beauty . So how about A figure of beautiful porcelain, shining and flawless, the gentle lord of mercy . Next was Foire . Well, if we re going to praise Ainz sama, then we should praise his awesome power, right As a ruler of death, what could be more fitting than Memento Mori The third was Sixth . Ainz sama was the one who coordinated the Supreme Beings, so his management skills would be excellent . So he is a wise king . Although everyone s names fitted their master well, in the end they all thought that their own choices was the best . Lupusregina coughed gently as Sixth, Foire and Lumiere looked at her . With a proud look on her face, she said, In the end, we shiuld call him the absolutely strongest and most There you are . The source of the calm voice was CZ . The assistant butler Eclair she had been holding under her arm had vanished to parts unknown . Stop using invisibility all the time . Soz it s a habit su And you started eating . A sun hot anger burned under CZ s emotionless face . Sixth had the feeling that she should not be here any longer . Ah, I I have to go to Ainz sama Then, I ll go too . I ll send you along Sixth and the others quietly vacated their seats, though they did feel a little bad ignoring Lupusregina s pleading looks toward them . In the end, they did not manage to get seconds . It was a bit of a shame, but she had to pull herself together now . Sixth paid no heed to the danger in the air behind them . Instead, she lightly slapped her cheeks to focus herself . Her face had the stern, brave expression of a soldier heading off to a war, but her footsteps were light and fast . 9 20 Nazarick Time This was the 6th Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . The undead which roamed the tomb were nowhere in sight, but magical beasts such as the controlled by Aura defended this location in place of POP monsters . This area known as the most expansive in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick was largely covered by dense forest, to the point where it could be described as a sea of trees . That said, the past members of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown were very meticulous about details They certainly would not paint this area green and be done with it . There was a Colosseum here, a giant tree, traces of a village which had been swallowed up by the jungle, a lake, a venomous cave, a twisted grove, a mangrove forest and a bottomless swamp, all of which added variety to the Sea of Trees . Recently, they had even built a small village to receive new residents . In the center of this sea of trees was a big lake that said, it was still smaller than the underground lake area on the 4th Floor which was surrounded not by forest, but by grassland . While the grassland and lake were fairly small when compared to the entirety of the 6th Floor, it was still large enough for their purposes . Their the first of them was the Floor Guardian Aura . She rode easily atop a gigantic wolf with jet black fur, and just a glance was enough to tell that she was an old hand at this . However, that was only to be expected . After all, when she patrolled this large area, she preferred to do so while riding the magical beasts under her dominion, although running would have been easy enough, given her preternatural physical abilities . There were two other people . One of them was the Guardian Overseer, Albedo . She was not wearing her usual, beautiful white dress, but the black full plate armor which she donned for combat . However, she was not carrying her weapon or shield . The other was Shalltear . She looked the same as always, and her eyes had a strange look which was less of interest than enjoyment . Then, let s begin come, my mount . The skill Albedo used was called Summon Mount . A magical beast slowly emerged out of nowhere, as black as the armor she wore . This beast had a white mane and tail, and it resembled a horse . It was clad in a suit of full plate barding, and it was fitted with reins and a saddle . It was slightly smaller than a horse . However, its presence was far more oppressive than that of an ordinary horse . The most defining difference could be found on its head . There, one would find two horns that protruded straight outwards . The first response to the magical beast which had suddenly appeared came from Aura, who knew the most about such creatures . Oh It s not like an ordinary Bicorn Its horns are strong and it looks really beefy too . Fufu, Albedo laughed . That s right . This Bicorn has been strengthened by my abilities into a War Bicorn Lord well, it s actually a level 100 Bicorn . Can it fly No, it can t . It s fundamentally the same as a regular Bicorn it doesn t have any special abilities, just improved stamina, strength and dexterity . Looks like you can t really strengthen your mount without rider type skills in that case, since its special abilities are too weak, it might get in the way if it took part in our level 100 battles Indeed . However, I can make up for that by using my skills to protect this boy, so it can fight for longer periods . But doesn t that mean you ll be wasting your resources on it It ll be a big hassle in combat, right Why not power it up by changing its gear I hear mount type monsters can be equipped with barding and horseshoes and so on . Indeed . You can change the equipment of mounts summoned through skills . It s related to the question asked just now, Aura for instance, I could equip it with horseshoes that grant flight, and it would be able to fly . However, I ve already given it magic items to boost its speed it really is a tough decision . Albedo lightly patted the flank of the magical beast . Perhaps she had used too much force, but the Bicorn shuddered . There was no way a magical beast she had summoned would be thrown off balance by just that much . Just as Albedo frowned while wondering if it was making a fool of her, Aura asked a question . Say, does it have a name It s a Bicorn, right Didn t you just say so yourself No, I don t mean the name of its species, I mean its name as an individual . Does it need one She looked to Shalltear for her reaction . The Vampire said nothing, simply shrugged . Surely it needs one, right Isn t it your pet, Albedo Well, it s not really a pet besides, do I really summon the same one each time As she heard Albedo s question, Shalltear came up with a great idea, which she decided to share . How about asking Kyouhukou He excels at summoning his comrades, so he ought to know a lot about this sort of thing . . . . Give me a break . He s a fellow member of Nazarick, and I shouldn t hate him, but Ah indeed . They don t mean ill, but they crawl into your clothes all the same . However, Entoma seems to visit him from time to time . That s gross stop talking about things that make me feel all itchy that place really is a house of horrors . I might be in charge of that Floor, but I honestly do not wish to go in there . . . . Shalltear, did you know Entoma calls that place the snack room . Ugeeeh Seriously Seriously Uwah I don t want to go near Entoma ever again . Albedo felt the same way . She did not wish to approach anyone who could call that sort of thing a snack . Just as the mood started to turn queer, Aura decided to raise her voice and clear the air Anyway, why don t you name it Indeed . If you think naming it is better, then I shall . Albedo muttered to herself as she fell into contemplation . Since she was going to name her mount, then obviously she had to give it a name that would not embarrass her . She thought of various words and phrases, and then a flash of inspiration struck her as a song played in her head . What are you mumbling about Ah, my apologies, Albedo said, as though she had just woken from a dream . Well . If Ainz sama permits, I would like to give it a name that represents how I feel Top of the World . Hmm that s a good name . By Top of the World, you mean Ainz sama, right Albedo smiled, but did not answer . Shalltear s eyebrows quirked up at a dangerous angle . As the tension built in the air, it was Aura who had to break them up, as usual . Well, it s not like anything will happen . Anyway, since you ve called out your Bicorn, let s perform the next experiment Mm, I understand . Having been treated as a child throwing a tantrum, Shalltear narrowed her eyes and glared at Albedo as she turned to the bicorn and put a greaved foot on the stirrups . Albedo mounted up on it with a grace that did not seem like it had come from someone wearing armor . The moment she touched the saddle, she could feel the Bicorn s body quivering through the point of contact . What s wrong Albedo could not help exclaiming . She could not think of any reason why this level 100 Bicorn would be unsteady on its feet . Suddenly, she recalled what had happened when she had patted the Bicorn . Could it be that some problem had occurred then If that were the case, then what was the cause Aura Shalltear Something strange is going on with my Bicorn . Could you help me take a look Just then, the Bicorn began to wobble . It looked like it could no longer stand up . The two of them looked at it and realized that there was something abnormal going on here . In in any case, you should get off first, Albedo Al alright . After hearing Aura say so, Albedo finally responded by jumping off the creature . The wobbling Bicorn promptly collapsed . It was panting heavily and its coat was covered in a fine sheen of sweat . . . . Albedo, did you get fat Shalltear was not saying that to make fun of her . Any observer would have thought the same thing . How rude I m always watching my weight because I ve got more muscle than most Then, could it be that its muscles wasted away because you haven t been riding it regularly By the way, I raise all my kids free range, and I often take them patrolling around the 6th Floor . Eh How could that be speaking of which, Summon Mount isn t it just like a normal summoned monster There s no way it could get weaker . Would you like me to ride it I m sorry, but it won t work . This is my mount, and nobody else can ride it . If anyone tries, it ll automatically unsummon itself . Then how about asking the mount itself Hey, Bicorn, what s wrong Aura asked it a question . It was not that Aura could speak with horses, but magical beasts like Bicorns ought to have pretty high intelligence, so Aura hoped that it would understand human speech . Of course, the Bicorn could not speak, so all it could do was neigh like a horse . It can t speak don t tell me it can t write either The Bicorn whinnied in the affirmative . The three of them looked at each other . Aura, can you use your skills to do something amazing I can t . Besides, what do you mean by amazing Didn t you ask me what abilities I had when we had our one on one chat a long time ago Don t tell me you forgot that too, Guardian Overseer dono Ara how do you usually communicate with Fenrir, then I just tell him to do this and that . So you speak to him, right So if you try, you should be able to communicate with this Bicorn, am I correct Just because I can communicate with the beasts I control doesn t mean I can speak to all beasts . And besides, I already tried . The Lizardmen have a pet called Rororo, right I don t know why, but I just can t get through to him . The three of them looked at each other once more . . . . If we re stuck, the only one we can turn to is Demiurge, after all . Unfortunately, Demiurge is now working abroad on Ainz sama s orders . He hasn t spent much time in Nazarick recently . I can contact him, but frankly speaking, I don t really want to consult to him if it s not related to work . A look of jealousy appeared in Shalltear and Aura s eyes . Demiurge who ran around working for their master was the object of the Guardians envy . Ah I really do envy him . I know that the defense of Nazarick is an important job, but if nobody invades, then we won t have a chance to show our stuff, and it makes me wonder if I m actually useful . I want to go outside and accomplish something so I can work hard for Ainz sama . All I ve done recently is make mistakes Don t worry, Shalltear . I think that you ll have the chance to work for Ainz sama soon no, I m sure you ll have the chance to do so . But you need to be a bit smarter, otherwise that might be a bit tricky . Don t you think that s a little harsh Ahhh, the fact is, you did mess up . You need to produce results worthy of a Guardian . Shalltear grit her teeth, and then suddenly her face brightened up, as though a light bulb had just switched itself on above her head . Ku, ku, ku, now why are you all talking bad about me What I wanted to say was that if Demiurge wasn t around and we couldn t ask him, then I would lend you a helping hand instead . Well, since it can t be helped, I ll look it up for you Shalltear took out a book . It appeared thick and heavy, like it had a thousand pages at the very least . However, to Shalltear who looked like a girl on the outside but who was anything but on the inside its weight was nothing much . Ohhh Don t tell me, don t tell me that s Hnnng, a treasure bestowed upon you by Ainz sama It was not just Aura even Albedo looked upon Shalltear with jealousy in her eyes . Indeed This is the Encyclopedia Peroroncino sama It s my reward for completing Ainz sama s orders While this was more of a consolation prize cum appreciation award, to Shalltear it was instead the best form of praise, and she smiled in satisfaction . No, that was only natural . An item from her creator was more valuable than any form of encouragement . This book was called the Encyclopedia . It was an item every player received after starting the game, and it could not be stolen or lost unless its owner chose to dispose of it . In addition, it was unique . YGGDRASIL was a game of enjoying the unknown, and this item could be said to be a physical expression of the developers desire for players to transform the unknown into the known . This was because the Encyclopedia recorded the visual data of all the monsters a player had ever encountered . However, it did not display statistics the monsters ability scores but only its typical appearance and name . If it was a monster from mythology, it would also display the relevant contents from the myth in question and other relevant information . In order to make effective use of this book shaped item, one would need to personally enter the information which one had gathered into the book . Such information included a monster s special abilities or its weaknesses and so on . The Encyclopedia that Shalltear possessed had once belonged to the man called Peroroncino, and he was the one who entered the data within that book . Ainz remembered that he had left this item in the Treasury when he had quit the game, and so he handed it to Shalltear . However, a lot of the content which Peroroncino added had been erased . It was as though Peroroncino were afraid of leaving it behind and deleted it . As a result, the item was not very useful, but Shalltear did not mind . This was an item that her creator had once used . That was the important thing . B Bi Bicorn, Shalltear muttered as she flipped through the pages . Aura and Albedo leaned in to take a look, but Shalltear used her body to cover up the book and then backed up, before fixing the two of them in place with a sharp glare . Hmph that s fine . I too have a bracelet gifted to me by Ainz sama . Aura gently caressed her silver wristband . Similarly, Albedo stroked the ring on her left index finger . However, she had not been the only one to receive that ring . I want a special reward for me and me alone . I want a special item from Ainz sama Just as Albedo began caressing her abdomen, Shalltear exclaimed . It would seem she had found the page she was looking for . Bicorn Got it, let me see Shalltear suddenly froze and looked up in shock, then stared at Albedo . Wh what is it Is something wrong Albedo nervously questioned Shalltear as she looked at the book again and read the entry . . . . a mutant species of Unicorn . Just as Unicorns are supposed to be associated with purity, Bicorns are associated with impurity . Unicorns will only allow pure maidens to ride them, but conversely, Bicorns will never allow pure maidenss to ride them haaah As Shalltear read that part, Aura s eyes went so wide it seemed as though they would fall out of their sockets . No way don t tell me Albedo s a What do you mean no way What do you take me for Eh, but aren t you a Succubus, Albedo S Su Succ Succubus Shalltear seemed to be confused and she began searching for the Succubus entry . That s right, I m a Succubus But I don t have any experience with men, sorry about that But what can I do about it I m the Guardian Overseer, so I m always stuck in the Throne Room I hardly ever get to meet anyone else Besides, Ainz sama has never called me to his bed and I don t want to do anything like that with men who aren t Ainz sama Albedo hung her head, and then she suddenly jerked it up again . Since you put it that way Albedo glanced at Aura, then shook her head . If Aura was not like that, there would be a huge problem . How about you, Shalltear . . . I don t have any experience with men . Now, women are a different matter Aura did not understand for a moment and tilted her head . Then, she seemed to get it, because she wrinkled her brow and went Uwah as her face seized up and wordlessly said no, thank you . Ahhh It s because there aren t any good men around I like the dead, but rotting corpses are just right Right Don t look to me for approval, Shalltear . Your fetishes are just too weird and I can t understand them . The three of them looked at each other, then simultaneously averted their eyes . They had silently agreed to end this topic here . . . . Alright, so at least we know why I can t ride a Bicorn now I can t believe that was the reason . Albedo s face twisted in unhappiness . The Bicorn thought it had been scolded and curled up into a ball . Hm this is like sealing off part of Albedo s strength . Still, it s not like you re really good at mounted combat anyway . It s just one ability you can t use, right If you can t ride your Bicorn, then how about one of Aura s beasts Maybe a Unicorn might be good . Hm I don t have a Unicorn . Though I want one . Isn t there a better way It ll be fine if Ainz sama helps me ride the Bicorn, right Albedo s smile seemed to tell the other two that there was no better way than that . That s sly Hmph Albedo hmphed at Shalltear . How rude, Shalltear . This is necessary in order for me to make full use of my powers as Guardian Overseer of Nazarick for Ainz sama . Fufufu . Hmph So you can t get Ainz sama s love without using your official duties as an excuse That s just too sad for a woman . It means you can t win it with your charm alone . Haaaah Both of them glared at each other . Aura could not bear them any more and said I say, you two seem to have wandered off into a weird topic would you mind leaving it at that Stop talking about these pointless things . Besides, it s not like it s going to cause a problem right away . Can t you summon other mounts I have a magic item which can summon me a steed . Then isn t that enough There s no problem at all . Using a magic item to summon a mount needs me to change my gear or take out the item, so it s more effort than just summoning a mount with a skill . And this Bicorn has much better fighting power Then have the Bicorn take your enemy s attacks and use the opening to summon a mount That s a basic tactic for a beast tamer . It seems that s the only way it can be used . That would mean you ve become weaker, Albedo . Could you not speak like you re laughing at others misfortune Don t you delight in my suffering too, Albedo Do not . Do too . Both sides went back and forth . Honestly, I ve had it with the two of you eh, stop glaring at each other already . How about going elsewhere Ainz sama granted us time off, after all . That s right . Albedo went with that, and Shalltear who had been arguing with her nodded as well . However . . . He asked us to take time off, but what should we do We were made to protect the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and work for the various Supreme Beings . Working is our life Even so, when Ainz sama wants us to rest, we have to rest . The three of them had gathered here because their master had told them, You all work hard every day . Since free time like this is hard to come by, you female Guardians should arrange to go out and have fun together . We ve had fun, so does this mean we re going to disperse Does this really count as fun I have my doubts about that . Granted, we had some fun, but I still have my doubts . That s right, what do you usually do I patrol between the 1st to the 3rd Floor . Then I collect feedback from the Area Guardians, or I check on the readiness of the entire floor . If I have time, I take a bath, or get a facial I m surprised that you re so hardworking . What do you mean by surprised Bathing how about you, Aura Hm When Mare stays in the Colosseum, I patrol the forest . A bunch of newcomers arrived recently, after all . Then I go home and sleep that s all, I guess . That s it Aura and Shalltear s faces were filled with surprise . That s it, that s it . The newcomers you mentioned ought to be the residents of the village which was just built on this Floor, right I haven t been there yet . Let s go together . Eh Really Shalltear, you ve been there before, right I have . Really As she saw the puzzled look on Albedo s face, Aura explained Actually, the other guardians have all been here too . First was Cocytus, for the Lizardmen . Demiurge came round too, to check on the situation . The others also drop by from time to time . Hm then let s go take a look . Besides, it s not all that far away . 9 38 Nazarick Time The village built in the 6th Floor of Nazarick was little more than a row of ten odd log houses . It barely qualified as a settlement . There was a crop field on the right side of the village, and on the left was an orchard that was several times larger than the crop field . Naturally, it was surrounded by forest, and when one looked down from above, it might resemble a hole in the forest or a Green Hole . The trees here had been felled and then dug up by the roots, so by right the ground ought to have been uneven . However, the ground in the village was unnaturally level . That was the effect of Mare s magic . Many people could be seen working hard in the orchard . The first person they saw was a human looking female, whose skin was as lustrous as tree bark . Beside her was a creature which could only be described as a walking tree . The former was a Dryad, while the latter was a monster known as a Treant . The Treant placed the Dryad on its branch like hands and raised her to the upper reaches of a fruit tree . There s also ten or so Lizardmen living here . Sometimes they go to the north to the lake where we just visited to have fun . It s not like they live in the water anyway . How strange . The village is bigger than the last time I came . There seem to be more residents too . That s right . That s because we found a few species who were allowed to enter Nazarick after we conquered the Great Forest of Tob . Species who were allowed to enter Nazarick I recall the conditions were they have to be heteromorphs, they must not need food, and they have to be good natured, right Mm, that s what Ainz sama told us . Although, the must not need food condition is more of must be self sufficient . . . the Dryads and Treants absorb nutrients from the earth, so they don t need to eat in particular . Although, it ll be bad if the earth s nutrients run out, or if it doesn t rain . Ohh does Mare make rain with magic Or is it an item That s basically Mare s job . Same with restoring the earth s nutrients . Some spells allow for big harvests, and I heard those spells can fully restore the earth s nutrients . The Dryads and Treants all say it s so delicious that they ll get fat but I don t know about the taste . As Shalltear chatted with Aura, Albedo slowly surveyed the village with a cold, clinical gaze reserved for examining experimental test subjects . Then, a hint of emotion crept into her eyes for the first time . Ara That ought to be Sous Chef in the fields, right What s he doing They looked along her line of sight, and there, within a patch of fenced off land seemingly hiding behind a large stalk with red fruits growing all over it was a mushroom like monster squirming around . At a closer look, he was wearing clothes which he did not mind getting dirty as he picked the red fruits . It s just like what you saw . They sometimes come here to gather ingredients, and they grow their own plants . Let s go take a look . Albedo and Shalltear looked at each other . After verifying that neither of them were against it, and that it would be fine as long as they did not interfere with their colleagues work, they went over to take a look . Hi Working up a sweat as always, I see As he heard Aura s cheerful voice, Sous Chef raised its head to look at the three of them . Well, my body doesn t really sweat . Sous Chef grunted like an old man as he stood up and straightened his back . Although he was hunched over in a posture of working the fields, the fact that he had no waist his body was the same thickness from top to bottom, so there was no part of him that was quickly identifiable as a waist meant that they could not tell if his back really ached or if he had done so to change his mood . After that, Sous Chef rotated his neck, like someone with shoulder aches . His head was like a toadstool s cap, coated with some kind of purplish red liquid which looked like it might drip off at any time, but the fact was that it was as solid and mysteriously stretchy as dried glue, so there was no way it would drip off or splash around . Say, are those tomatoes Albedo seemed interested in what Sous Chef was holding, and so she asked him . He brought the fruits before his eyes, then wiggled his head in bafflement . Indeed, they are tomatoes . They are tomatoes as everyone knows them . They are not the type which explode after absorbing sunlight, attack people, or radiate golden light when you cut them open they are ordinary tomatoes . In other words, they re edible, commonly available and ordinary tomatoes, right Indeed . I do not have the special skills needed to grow vegetables that can produce special effects . Given your interest in these tomatoes, does that mean you are interested in tomato dishes Unfortunately, I can only make drinks . No, I was simply asking out of curiosity . I believe Shalltear s the one who wants to eat tomato dishes . . . . Why does everyone think Vampires like tomato juice Even if the undead eat something, they won t gain any buffs from it . A lot of people in Nazarick don t need to eat . Thanks to certain items, most of the NPCs no longer needed to eat or drink . There s nothing to be done about it . Food and drink only add to the expenses of sustaining Nazarick . We d have to spend a lot of money if everyone ate as much as your magical beasts . Ah, wouldn t it be better for me to go outside to make some money There s no need for that . That s because Ainz sama and the other Supreme Beings made careful calculations when building this tomb in order to balance income and spending . Oh, so that s why he decreed that only self sufficient species could enter here . That way, no matter how many came in, the income balance would remain intact . Indeed eh, didn t you know about this Albedo looked to each of the three others present . How vexing . Not understanding the very place you were protect is a very big problem . I ll make some time in future and explain everything to you in detail . Albedo sighed, then casually regarded the fields . It was then that she noticed that she had seen the leaves of a row of certain plants before . Those are carrots no, are they magic carrots No, they are not . Have you not heard of them before, Overseer dono What do you mean Sous Chef s eyes turned to Aura . Ah, she did not I see, she did not tell you about them . Then, what shall we do, Aura sama Will you call them, Aura sama Surely you must have trained them by now I already filed a report on it Aura smiled wickedly . Then, she took a deep breath, then bellowed Long live Ainz Ooal Gown Suddenly, the row of leaves reacted to her words and began moving . They wiggled vigorously from side to side, then pulled themselves out of the earth, and their carrot like roots popped up onto the surface . They resembled Asian ginsengs, but they were distinctly different from those . They had four discrete limbs, and they moved deliberately and not through reflex . The uppermost parts of the roots near the stem bore cavities and shadows which resembled eyes and mouths . Shalltear s eyes went wide and she spoke the name of these monsters . Could those be Mandrakes We shouldn t have anything like that in Nazarick Ah That s it I saw the report, but this is the first time I ve personally seen one . The Mandrakes chorused Long live Ainz Ooal Gown , Long Live Ainz Ooal Gown as they formed up into ranks . They aren t too smart really . Their relatives such as the Galgenm nnlein, Alrunas and Alraunes ought to be smarter but I didn t find any of those when I did a quick search of that forest . However, the forest is big, so maybe I just haven t found them yet . Also, there s a huge underground cave that leads into the mountains . There seems to be a Myconid settlement there, but I haven t made a move on them yet . Still, teaching them to speak like that must have been difficult . I m very impressed, Sous Chef explained as he picked up one of the Mandrakes who were lined up in a row . The Mandrake struggled apparently having its stem grabbed was painful . Long live Ainz Ooal Gown Long live Ainz Ooal Gown The Mandrakes broke their ranks to encircle Sous Chef, as though to protest the mistreatment of their friend . During this time, they said the same thing as before . Forgive my rudeness . Aura sama, can you ask them to return Okay Right Go back Sous Chef gently placed the Mandrake back on the ground, and the others followed it as they crawled back into the holes they had occupied just now . In just a few seconds, the Mandrakes were back underground, as though they were hibernating for winter . I see, it s like an animal s call . You could say that . They simply cry it out like a parrot imitating speech they don t really know what they re saying . Apparently, there s a minimum level of intelligence, below which you can t understand speech . However, that s still under investigation . Although, all that is from Demiurge sama I am simply repeating what I have heard, Sous Chef said . Hm that s right, Albedo, can I ask you a question As the Guardian Overseer, isn t it bad that you don t know about the newcomers What if a spy came in with them Before Albedo could answer, somebody else voiced an objection . Ahahaha, that s funny, Shalltear . It s true that the 6th Floor is very large, so it s only natural that you might think that capturing and slaughtering intruders would be difficult . Certainly, it would be troublesome if they managed to escape from the Colosseum and ran around like little spiders . Her laughter was hollow, and her eyes were as cold as ice . But don t you think you re looking down on me This place is my hunting ground . Even if they dispersed, I could swiftly hunt down and kill every last one of them . Honestly, even if those people somehow managed to escape the 6th Floor and tried to harm Ainz sama, they would have to pass through the blazing world of the 7th Floor, and then there s the inviolable 8th Floor to worry about . Even if they wanted to escape, they would have to pass through the frozen hell of the 5th Floor, the dark waters of the 4th Floor, and then your levels do you think that s possible Shalltear shook her head . Not at all . And that s how it is . Therefore, there s no need to worry no matter how many newcomers there are on this Floor . Aura took the words out of my mouth . Mm, in any case, there s a plan going on now to gather all kinds of creatures here . Huh isn t it just plant type monsters As she heard Aura s surprised question, Albedo smiled and answered That was the plan in the beginning, but after some observation, we found that no problems came up thanks to Aura and Mare s hard work, so the plan was amended and expanded . That said, this is only at a draft stage, and there s no guarantee that it ll be put into practice . Therefore, even a Floor Guardian like yourself has not been informed yet . Albedo told them to keep it a secret, and then she described the plan The name of the plan is Project Utopia . It is a large scale project beginning with the secret base that Aura built, and its end stage is to gather monsters who can get along with humanity and have them live here . Why is getting along with humanity in particular a condition Albedo smiled, as though implying I knew you d say . That smile looked terribly evil . That is the key to the entire plan, the focus of Project Utopia . Permit me to be blunt, but I find it hard to understand . This Nazarick is a haven for the Supreme Beings, and we labor for its sake . Why has it been named that way This is in order to let the outside world believe that we can coexist with other races . I see so that was the aim . No way, Shalltear actually understood it Shalltear s face filled with an expression that could shatter a million year old love, and she glared angrily at Aura . Do you take me for a retard . . . Wait hang on, Shalltear . Might I trouble you to reflect on what you usually say and do before asking me that Please, just think about it for just a bit . And indeed, for just a moment, Shalltear thought back on everything she had said and done until now, and her pupils widened like that of a dead creature . After that, her eyes roved all over, like they were being tossed in stormy waves . After seeing her utterly pathetic state, Albedo graciously steered the conversation back on track . Er, in any case, Ainz sama came up with this plan . When we discussed the 6th Floor, Ainz sama once mentioned that he would like to collect various monsters . Surely someone with a limited understanding of the world would never have been able to come up with an idea like that . In the past, I discussed Ainz sama s wisdom with Demiurge, and the conclusion we reached was that Ainz sama is a true genius . Anyone would know that Ainz sama is a genius, though I hear great men tend to speak little . Did Demiurge say that Honestly Ainz sama never simply states his thoughts, and sometimes he does mysterious things . Still, as the saying goes, true courage seems cowardly, while great wisdom appears foolish . That s the sort of person Ainz sama is . Albedo s eyes were moist, and she shook her head . I did not even expect Ainz sama to create the persona of the adventurer Momon . Truly, he is an awesome man I did not expect everything that took place until now to be in the palm of Ainz sama s hand Momon is Ainz sama posing as an adventurer, right What s it for Soon you will understand the Momon persona will become the bedrock of Ainz sama s rule . Ainz sama is far too amazing perhaps it was his hidden hand at work behind Demiurge s suggestion What are you mumbling about over there It s kind of scary . Shalltear s voice called Albedo back to her senses, and after coughing lightly, she regarded the faces of the other three . Er, where was I Right right right Everything Ainz sama says and does contains great meaning . Therefore, even if you can t reach his level, you need to try your best to Ainz sama s true intentions from his words . That ll be hard . Ainz sama s just too smart ah, it s a Spear Needle . Two balls of white fluff, each over two meters tall, appeared from inside the village and slowly made their way to Aura s side . They were magical beasts who looked like Angora rabbits . They re cute . Shalltear stroked one of the furballs standing beside Aura . They re so soft, I want to raise one . They feel comfortable, don t they However, when they encounter enemies, they become as sharp as needles, you know Spear Needles were level 67 monsters . Once they entered combat mode, they would become a ball of extremely dense spines . If the Spear Needles were killed in this state, their fur would not return to their original soft state . Therefore, when hunting them, one would have to take them unawares and instantly kill them . That was why the players who hunted them were often much higher level than they were . Ehh Really That s scary Shalltear might have said that, but she was still caressing them nonstop . However, if I don t give the order, they won t go into a combat state . Now, if there were enemies nearby it would be a different matter, but no hostile invaders would be able to make it all the way in here . At the very least, the other Floors would send a report . That s true . It s only to be expected . The top three floors are filled with vassals that have excellent detection abilities . It would be very difficult for someone to sneak in here without being noticed by them . Just then, Aura froze, and she turned to the Colosseum . What s wrong, Aura san The teleport gate to the 7th Floor just activated . From below Demiurge ought to be outside now, so could it be one of your subordinates Is it alright to not take a look Hm Mare s around, so there s no need to worry . If anything happens, he ll contact me . Aura tapped the earring around her neck . Besides, it s hardly a rare thing . You need to take teleport gates at specific locations and go up level by level if you want to go from a lower Floor to an upper Floor . Oh yeah, didn t somebody use magic because they didn t want to run Ahem Nazarick is an impregnable fortress . Indeed . Not even that super tier spell Sword of Damocles or my World Class Item could destroy an entire Floor at once . That s why we must not let the Ring which allows for at will teleportation to be taken . All eyes went to the ring on Albedo s left ring finger . Mare apparently hands the ring to someone else for safekeeping when he heads out . From that, you can tell how important the rings are ah, Mare contacted me . Aura moved away from the others and grabbed at her earring, and then she began a conversation with the absent Mare . The three of them looked at Aura, whose face was slowly turning serious, and by the time they had finished talking, she looked very unhappy . I m sorry . Mare apparently needs to head out for something, so just in case, I ll be going back . I see . Then why don t we head back ourselves, Shalltear I don t mind . I d like to do something in the fields first before I go . Also, I d like to chat with the Dryads and the Treants . Then we ll each go our own ways . Thank you for coming, everyone . Thanks to you, I know how to spend my vacation time . If we re free some other day yes, next time, we should all bathe together . Part 2 9 28 Nazarick Time Mare looked up from the book he was reading, slowly shifting his eyes to peek at the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor . Sensing a faint wave of power, he put his bookmark between the open pages and quietly laid it on the chair beside him . He then picked up the staff beside him, the divine class item known as Shadow of YGGDRASIL . Mare brought his empty hand to the magical item dangling before his chest, but then it stopped halfway . There was no need to contact his sister . He had not received any reports of an intrusion, so the person who came must have been a friend . He moved his legs and jogged over to the teleport gate directly below him . His big sister enjoyed jumping down directly from the spectator seats, but Mare did not like to do that . He felt that since there were stairs installed in the arena, he ought to take them on the way down . That was how one showed their faithfulness to the Supreme Beings . The stairs were meant to be used, after all . But I don t dare tell onee chan that she ll look at me in a scary way . . . Mare decided that at the very least, he would not waste the Supreme Beings efforts, and so he ran down the steps, and then he ran past the resting area . It was then that he saw someone standing before a huge round mirror that flashed with all the colors of the rainbow . For forgive me for keeping you waiting . Oh If it isn t the Floor Guardian, Mare sama Thank you for coming all the way here . I am utterly delighted . The clown before him was dressed in pure white and wore a mask that resembled a crow s beak . He bowed, and Mare nodded in response . Hello, Pulcinella . What happened today Oh yes, as you know, Mare sama, I am currently working under Demiurge sama, and today I have come as an envoy from Demiurge sama . Please, take this . The clown swiftly handed over the folder he was carrying . If Demiurge san wants me to have this, does this mean it s a circular Precisely . Ah, I m so glad it was you who came, Mare sama . How fortunate . If Aura sama had come, I would have to ask her to fetch you . Why Is is that so The circular notice system had been invented by the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown . While it was little more than writing down non urgent news and other miscellaneous matters on a piece of paper and letting the various Floor Guardians circulate and read it among themselves, something like this had never been practically used before . Therefore, Mare stared in bafflement at the folder he had just received, muttering So this is to himself . H huh W why can t you give it to onee chan Aura and Mare were both Floor Guardians, so there was no reason not to give it to her . In addition, she was actually quite careful about these things, and she would not simply toss the circular away . I am unclear about that myself . All I know is that Demiurge sama instructed me to hand it directly to you, Mare sama, and not to Aura sama . Is that so ah then, how about Demiurge san It was a somewhat vague question, but Pulcinella seemed to understand what he was asking . . . . Well, I do not quite understand his intentions . But I feel the answer or reason may lie within that folder . I see er, then, yes, that s right, Demiurge san, what what is he doing now Conducting breeding experiments . Humanoids can breed among themselves, but demihumans cannot breed with humanoids what a tragic state of affairs . A loving couple is denied the chance to bear the fruition of their love just because of the differences in their race . Demiurge sama is working hard in order to save these poor souls . He will create possibilities between humanoids and demihumans The clown practically sang his reply, spreading his arms and looking up to the sky . Pulcinella s sudden change in mood made Mare roll his eyes . Ah, how rude of me . I could not help but be excited by Demiurge sama s kindness as he works to make people smile . Please forgive me . Er, okay, I don t mind . Demiurge sama has even said that he would allow himself and the others the demons to be sacrifices so as not to make others hate themselves . What a noble spirit of self sacrifice I, Pulcinella, am moved to tears by it . Pulcinella rubbed at his eyes through its mask . Of course, he was not crying . Even his voice sounded the same as always . He did not sound sad at all . . . . Why do people hate him I do not understand either . Why would the kind Demiurge sama incur the hatred of others But Demiurge sama said so himself . Yes, yes, please listen to this, of how kind Demiurge sama really is . Last time, Demiurge sama said that it would be a shame to let the livestock starve, and so he roasted up the children of both sides whole, and served them up to each other . Surely a cruel and merciless person would not have swapped them first, but served them up directly, no R really But of course . And in order to allow the parents of both sides to bid their children farewell, Demiurge sama even invited them to the dinner table Demiurge sama specially allowed them to say goodbye with a smile I am sure that nobody other than the Supreme Beings could be as compassionate a person as he is . As he watched Pulcinella prattle on, Mare went oh in an uninterested tone . Those people were not entities of Nazarick, so it did not matter what happened to them . His feelings about Demiurge s livestock vanished from his heart after a couple of seconds . And when one is hungry, the gut may be unable to digest food even when the brain desires it . Demiurge sama even considered that point as he warned them to eat well . His kindness is truly beyond compare Mare felt that this was go on forever, and so he hurriedly cut in Ah, then, how how about Guren san I thought he would be the one sending it, but what s he doing now . . . Is it him, or perhaps her I believe Guren sama has no gender, but when I saw him a couple of days ago, he was waiting in ambush near the 7th Floor s teleport gate while Demiurge sama was gone . I I see . Mare thought of Guren s appearance . Guren an Area Guardian who hid his massive body within flowing lava and dragged careless foes into a battlefield where he had the advantage and fought them . Though he was only level 90, he was optimized for combat, and so by sheer fighting prowess alone, he was among the top few combatants of Nazarick, and could even hold his own against some of the Floor Guardians . Thus, there was no better guardian for the 7th Floor in Demiurge s absence . Ah, I seem to have spoken too much . Now that I have delivered the circular to your hands, Mare sama, I must now go spread more smiles to others . Thank thank you . Mare bowed, and Pulcinella gently replied There is no need for thanks . I am satisfied by being able to see your smile, Mare sama . The clown shrugged in a joking manner . Well then, till we meet again . He waved, and then vanished into the teleport gate which led to the 7th Floor . After Mare watched him leave, he opened the circular . The fact that it was meant for his eyes and not those of his sister filled him with a mix of emotions superiority and guilt and after he quickly scanned the contents, he blinked a few times . This isn t so much a circular as a message Ainz sama wanted to send to the Guardians . It read, To all male Guardians and contained appreciation and praise for their daily work . In summary, this was an invitation to bathe together and relieve fatigue . There was a list of participants, reading Ainz, Demiurge, Mare and Cocytus from top to bottom, each with a Going Not Going option beside them . The top two entries already had Going circled . Sebas name should have been in there too, but he was currently under orders to gather information with Solution in a human city . Er, the date is . . . The circular stated that the date was not fixed, and that it would be held when it was most convenient for the participants, which was why he could circle Going without any hesitation . While the circular stated that he could refuse, there was no way Mare could refuse the invitation of his generous and compassionate master . No, nobody in Nazarick would do so . He picked up the pencil in the folder and circled the Going beside his name . . . . Ehehehe, he giggled as he looked at the circled Going . However, before long, clouds shrouded his heart . Ah, but how am I going to get this to Cocytus The circular repeatedly emphasised not to inform the female Guardians about this, so it was clear that his master wanted to keep this a secret between men . In that case, the best way was to bring it over himself . It s not good to keep things from onee chan right Because while I m receiving his er, should I call it affection, I ll need onee chan to guard the Floor by herself . It was one thing to leave when under orders, but when they had to visit the other Guardians for fun or do other things, Mare and Aura would always tell each other where they were headed . That was because Aura and Mare were assigned to guard this Floor by order of the Supreme Beings, so doing that much was only to be expected . Mare grabbed the magic item hanging around his neck . O oneechan Can you hear me He received an immediate reply . I can hear you . What s up, Mare Ah, that s great . Er, um, it s like this . Ah, I need to visit Cocytus for a while . I ll be back soon . Visit Cocytus Mm, I need to get there in a hurry . What happened Mare s shoulders quivered in fright . He almost squeaked instead of speaking, and he barely managed to squeeze out a normal voice . N nothing It s nothing, just I feel I have to go there . Oh . . . Aura clearly sounded suspicious, and Mare s palms grew clammy with sweat as he heard it . But, um, it can t be helped . Ainz sama ordered it . Other than the words of Aura and Mare s creator Bukubukuchagama, Ainz s words were the most highly placed of all the Supreme Beings . It was only natural to place what he said as his topmost priority . Well, I guess that s fine . Go, then . However, the 5th Floor is very cold, so don t forget to protect yourself against the cold oh yeah, you should be fine there, Mare . Mm, um . I can handle it with magic . Don t worry . I ll go there and come right back . If he continued talking, he might end up saying something strange . Therefore, Mare hurriedly released the magic item . It would seem his sister wanted to say something else right at the end, but whether it was good or ill fortune, he did not hear it . All all right I need to move quickly Mare activated the power of the Ring which his master had given him . After teleporting, chunks of a white substance flew right at Mare and stuck to his face . This was snow, carried by the wind . The cloud of white breath that Mare exhaled instantly flowed behind him . That was because of the supercooled wind shear . The snow driven by the blizzard went in all directions, obscuring all vision and covering up footprints . This was to waylay any intruders, but under normal circumstances the weather on the 5th Floor was not so bad . The clouds which covered the sky would only dispense scattered snowflakes, and while the mood was gloomy, visibility was excellent . . . . Hm . Mare looked around . Since he had teleported via the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, he must be close to his destination . Once he found the place where he had to go, Mare advanced with light steps . He left no footprints on the snow where he had trod . His feet did not sink into the snow, as though he were walking on solid ground . In this lonely world of white, the sound of falling snow seemed to carry directly into Mare s ears . Of course, Mare s always on extrasensory perception spell let him know that this place was not truly deserted . The ambushers knew he was the 6th Floor s Guardian, and so they did not show themselves . Mare arrived at his destination in silence . Before him was a large white sphere, which looked like an inverted hornet s nest . Six gigantic crystals surrounded the white sphere, their sharp tips pointing to the heavens . The crystals were transparent, and there were people visible inside . Mare took a step, and a distasteful sound which made him uneasy issued from beneath his feet . Looking down, he saw that the ground below was different from the snowdrift just now it was a shiny layer of ice . It looked thick enough, but there was nothing but inky blackness beneath the ice layer . It was clearly a big hole . Mare stepped onto the ice . He walked without any hesitation, as though he was certain that the ice below him would not crack . He trod on the ice, which made a trembling, creaking noise, and arrived at the vicinity of the white sphere . Ah um, is Cocytus san in Mare was not addressing the huge white sphere, but the crystals around it . Monsters which resembled human females emerged from the crystals in response to his voice . There were as many monsters as there were crystals, and they were dressed all in white . Their skin was pale, and their long hair was black . They were Frost Virgins level 82 ice type monsters, responsible for defending Snowball Earth, which was Cocytus home . They were something like a bodyguard team . Welcome, Mare sama . We are pleased that you came to visit in person . Ah um, where is Cocytus san Cocytus sama is currently outside the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . He is visiting the Lizardman village . Is is that so The Frost Virgin bowed her head as an affirmative . May I take a message for you Mare hesitated . Since he had come all this way, he could probably leave the circular in Cocytus room and then let the Frost Virgins inform him . However, after thinking about the contents of the circular, handing it directly to him might be the best way to carry out his master s intentions . But how could he go outside to find Cocytus There was no rule preventing them from leaving Nazarick . However, there was a requirement that had to be met in order to step outside . This was because their master had strictly forbidden anyone from moving around alone outside Nazarick . After analyzing the data they had collected so far, the level 100 Guardians of Nazarick were unimaginably powerful compared to the outside world, comparable to walking disasters . Thus, as one of those walking disasters, Mare would not be in danger when moving around alone outside . On the other hand, it was the world that ought to be afraid of him . However, anyone with such a reckless mindset must surely have forgotten something . That was the fact that Shalltear had been brainwashed by an enemy who in all likelihood possessed a World Class Item . And there were also traces of players existence throughout the world . They did not know how powerful and how broad in reach these people were,so they had to be extra careful . Er hm what should I do Anyone going outside had to be escorted by five vassals of level 75 and above, as a bare minimum . Mare had two Dragons who were directly assigned to him as vassals, but bringing them around with him would be too conspicuous . The fastest way would be to ask his sister, but when he thought about what had happened when he came here, he could not muster up the courage to do so . Just then, a revelation flashed across his mind . Their numbers and levels were just right . Ah, could I ask you to come and look for him with me I I am very sorry . Cocytus sama has ordered us to defend this place . Unless Ainz sama himself orders it, we cannot disobey Cocytus sama s orders we beg your forgiveness Ah, no, not at all . It s fine . That could not be helped or rather, he would have realized it if he had thought of it . After that, he hit on a second good idea, which was to borrow the Evil Lords from the 7th Floor . However, if he simply asked them normally, his request would probably be denied like this . Still, he could only count on Demiurge for aid . That was because he wanted to do his best to avoid asking Guardians whose names were not written on the circular for help . In addition, most of the vassals who were above level 80 were the direct subordinates of a Guardian, and very few were independent . Due to these two reasons, he would need to contact Demiurge in order to borrow his Evil Lords . But how will I contact him In order to reach Demiurge, who was outside, he would need to dispatch a vassal or use magic . Then, there s Mare thought of the book he had just read . He has subordinates of level 75 and above too, right But he s not a Guardian hm well, he s male, so it should be alright . I ll just have to swear him to secrecy . . . Ah ah, thank you all . Er, I think I ll figure something out myself . Really Understood . Mare activated the power of the ring . His destination was the massive library on the 10th Floor of Nazarick Ashurbanipal . 9 54 Nazarick Time After teleporting, the scenery before Mare s eyes changed from a snowfield to an expansive room . The basic color of the room s furnishings was an ebony brown, and it appeared quite dignified as it was illuminated by warm lighting . The ceiling was a gentle dome and there were a pair of double doors opposite him . These massive doors were big enough to rival the ones which opened to the Throne Room, and they were flanked by a pair of Golems which were each almost three meters tall . Both Golems resembled warriors and had been built from rare metals by a Supreme Being, so they were more powerful than regular Golems . Ah, please help me open the door . In response to Mare s words, the golem on each side placed their hands on the door and slowly pushed it open . There was a weighty sound as the the doors opened to the point where several people could walk through them side by side, and Mare stepped through them . The scene which unfolded before him did not resemble a library so much as a view from a similar institute yes, it looked like an art gallery . The floor and bookshelves were elaborately decorated, and the neat rows of books on them looked like ornaments as well . The shining, spotless floor was an intricately patterned parquet mosaic . Above was a towering ceiling, and there was a mezzanine balcony on the second floor . Beyond that was a room girdled by countless bookshelves . Every inch of the hemispherical ceiling was covered in magnificent frescoes . There were glass showcases scattered throughout the room, each displaying several books . While there were countless light sources, they did not produce strong illumination . A human being would surely frown in resentment at the dimness of the room . . One could not take the entire room in with a single look . The bookshelves blocked one s view . The doors slowly closed behind Mare amidst this library appropriate silence . Without the light from the outside, the room s interior seemed even darker . That, combined with the profound silence, filled the room with a creepy atmosphere . Of course, Mare could see in the dark like it was broad daylight, and so he did not feel creeped out at all . Mare walked inside, somewhat quickening his pace . He was currently in the Hall of Reason . This library was divided into the Hall of Knowledge, the Hall of Reason, the Hall of Magic, and various other smaller rooms with their own specific purposes such as the individual rooms for each of the staff . With that in mind, his destination seemed quite a ways off . Countless books filled the neat rows of bookshelves which lined the passage on either side . There were roughly five kinds of books in YGGDRASIL . The first kind was monster data, which could be used to summon mercenary monsters . There were three types of monsters in Nazarick the first were the NPCs, who were made just like the players were the second were the automatically spawning monsters of level 30 and below, and the last ones were the summoned monsters who could serve as mercenaries . These mercenary monsters had to be summoned via a ritual which used a book and then expending an appropriate amount of currency according to their level . Therefore, one could not summon them without a book . The second kind were magic items . Certain data crystals could only be imbued into book type items . For the most part, book type items were one use magic items . The difference between them and scrolls were that one needed to be of a spellcasting job class to use a scroll, while book type items could be used by anybody . The third kind were event items . It was not uncommon for the items required for changing to a specific job class to take the form of books . When Ainz had gone from a Skeleton Mage to an Elder Lich, he had needed the item known as the Book of the Dead . There were also things like the Martial Arts Monograph and the Tales of the Four Great Elementals . Apart from these job change items, there were also items which allowed one to learn new spells when used . The fourth kind was visual data . In other words, they were books which contained visual data for swords, shields, armor and the like . Anyone with specific blacksmithing skills could use these books with the required raw materials to produce an item skin . The fifth kind were novels distributed in book form . The most commonly seen examples were pieces of classic literature whose copyright had expired, followed by background material from the development team, and then original stories created by YGGDRASIL s players . There were also a few secondary creations set in YGGDRASIL s universe, or diary style walkthroughs for the game . Within the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, the vast majority of the books within its library belonged to the first kind books gathered in order to summon mercenary monsters . Of course, there was no need to collect that many books . In truth, even if one dumped the guild s coffers into the task, one could not summon even a tenth of the monsters from the books which filled this place . Then why did they have so many books That was because the summoning books were not particularly expensive, so the guild members decided to mess around and made a huge stack of copies . This also served the purpose of hiding important items . Mare looked at the books on either side as he walked . Suddenly, a ghostly form appeared from between the bookshelves, as though to block his path . The ghost wore a black robe, and it seemed to meld into the darkness of the library . There was a jewelled wand on its waist, and several jewels tied to its belt . There was a waxy, corpse like face beneath the robe s hood . Its hands were skin and bones . Every time it moved, the faint darkness surrounding it shifted as well . It was an especially famous monster among the undead magic casters known as Elder Liches . In YGGDRASIL, they were nicknamed White Counterfeiters . Monsters like these were level 30 and were ranked second among the Elder Lich family . There were other, palette swapped monsters like these in YGGDRASIL, colloquially known as the Red Counterfeiters and the Black Counterfeiters . However, he differed from the average Elder Lich in that he had an armband on his left arm . The armband read Librarian J . Welcome, Mare sama . The Elder Lich spoke in a hoarse, garbled voice, then bowed in deference, slowly but deeply, with one hand clasped to its chest in a prim and proper movement . Ah ah, I came to look for the Head Librarian . Er, is he in The Elder Lich struck a thinker s pose, and then replied The Head Librarian is currently making scrolls, so he is in the workroom . Thank you . Allow me to show you the way . Please, follow me . How could I impose on you like that I can t keep you from your work . Think nothing of it . Aiding users of the library is my duty . Since he had already said as much, continuing to refuse would be rude . I understand, then I ll have to trouble you . A smile appeared on the Elder Lich s ghastly face, and then it led the way forward . As Mare followed him, he glanced at the other Elder Liches and caster type undead they passed along the way . Oh yes, would you like me to put that book back for you Ah, please do . The Elder Lich took the book from Mare and looked at the title . The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, hm . Did you enjoy it Mm, it was very interesting I m thinking about what I should read next . Then allow me to recommend you a book . This one is very funny, it concerns a murder ah, we have arrived . Thank you very much . Mare opened the door which the Elder Lich had guided him to . What was supposed to have been a spacious room felt oppressive and cramped, thanks to the large shelves on all sides . The shelves were filled with countless reagents ores, precious metals, element imbued rocks, various powders, organs from several animals all arranged in neat rows . There was also several stacks of parchment some were rolled up, while some were simply laid there . All these were the materials needed to make scrolls . Of course these were not all the resources which the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick possessed . There were several hundred times this amount stored within the Treasury . Only those supplies which would be promptly used were stored in this room . There was an extra large drawing table in the center of the room, with a piece of parchment opened upon it . Before the table stood a skeleton which looked like a fusion of human and animal bones . It was not very tall . It was around 150 cm in height . Two demonic looking horns protruded from its head, and it had four fingered hands . Below its ankles were cloven feet . This bizarre creature was wrapped in a saffron himation . Apart from that, a hood of similar material lightly shrouded its head without being pierced by the horns, and there was another piece of cloth around its waist . TL Note A himation is an ancient Greek garment worn over the shoulder In addition, it wore a silver bracelet with a multi colored jewel set into it, while there was a golden ankh around its neck, and it had several complex looking and strange rings on its bony fingers, which looked like they were twined around the digits . There were jewels attached to the himation which took the place of a sash . Each of them was a fairly potent magic item . It wore several scrolls at its belt, like they were swords . While it had a unique outfit, it was actually a Skeleton Mage . It was one of the basic undead species, and the stage before the Elder Lich . However, this Skeleton Mage was the Head Librarian of this massive library Titus Annaeus Secundus . This being had not been created by the Supreme Beings to focus on combat power, but production ability . In fact, its total level was higher than that of the Elder Lich just now . You have come just in time, Guardian Mare . I bid you welcome . Ah, nice to meet you, Titus san . I came to ask a favor of you . I see . Then tell me what business you have here . Ah yes . Um . I d like to borrow your vassals here who are above level 75 . I understand . You intend an excursion, I believe Eh Y yes, that s right . How did you know . . . I have never forgotten the words of my ruler, Ainz sama . After that, I considered your situation and I guessed it immediately very well . He spent only a moment in contemplation . I shall lend you the Overlords within this library Cocceius, Ulpius, Aelius, Fulvius and Aurelius . TL Note These are all the second names of various Roman Emperors Eh Really But of course . In all honesty, their battle potential is somewhat excessive for the library . Rather than have them do dusting all day, far better to have them be your escorts . I am sure it would make them very happy . Ah ah, er, thank you very much That said, some recompense is due . I would have you assist me with a task, the creation of scrolls . Ah, certainly What should I do Fret not . Once I say now , kindly cast a 4th tier spell upon this scroll . That is all . What what sort of spell should I cast The choice is yours . Mare looked puzzled . Being told to decide for himself was quite difficult . He did not know if he should just use an ordinary spell . There was a small desk beside the drawing table with the parchment . Titus reached a bony hand out at the desk and touched a pile of glittering gold YGGDRASIL gold coins . Suddenly, the gold YGGDRASIL coins melted below his bony palm, and they flowed along the parchment like they were sentient . The golden serpent crawled along the parchment, and then dispersed, as though it had already decided where to go . In the time between breaths, a golden magic circle covered the parchment . The mystic tracery was both complex and delicate . Now . Mare who was nervously awaiting his cue cast his spell like he had been startled . Mare felt his spell being sucked up by the magic circle . Normally, that would have completed the scroll . That was what Mare had thought . Until that moment There was a bright red blaze . Something impossible happened upon the drawing table . Mare looked in shock as the parchment burned like it had been soaked in alcohol, but within a couple of moments, the fire had gone out . The events just now felt like an illusion . There was no trace of a fire within the room . Not even the smell of burning lingered . However, there was evidence on the table which proved what had just happened was no illusion . That was the remains of the parchment its ashes . Titus seemed to have anticipated this, and he calmly picked up the ashes to examine them . So you can t imbue them with 4th tier spells . I seem to have confirmed that it has nothing to do with the caster s power . Titus muttered, ten years old was a failure and made notes . Er, what what just happened What did I do wrong Pay it no heed . I attempted to use the materials of this world to make scrolls in order to save on parchment costs, but their quality is simply atrocious . The tier of a spell limited the materials that could be used to make a scroll which contained it . For example, scrolls made from average parchment could hold a 2nd tier spell at the very most, but not spells of a higher tier . If one used the highest grade of parchment that made of dragonhide one could scribe a 10th tier spell into it . Naturally, dragonhide was a special material, which required one to slay a Dragon . For that reason, the guild Ainz Ooal Gown s members had banded together to farm Dragons, but that was from the YGGDRASIL days . Until they could verify that this world contained Dragons as well as other beasts Ainz had sensibly imposed a restriction on the use of dragonhide . He could not do something foolish like expend a non renewable resource . After all, there was no telling when he might need to use it . You can t use my Dragons But of course . I will not do such a thing . Beginning with your Dragons, all these specially summoned beings are the will of the Supreme Beings made manifest . Harming them is strictly forbidden . Mare breathed a sigh of relief . Titus looked at him with interest in his eyes, then swept the ashes into a bin . Er, then, does that mean this world s parchment isn t suitable for making scrolls Mare s eyes looked toward the remains . That is quite possible . No, I do not know yet . It might be that my manufacturing methods are unorthodox in this world . For instance, they seem to produce potions in a markedly different way . But is that really so If it s just one failure, couldn t it be the parchment s fault Just one, you say I have already used the parchment from the outside for various experiments, but whenever I attempt to imbue a spell above the 3rd tier into them, I receive the same result each time destruction . It is quite likely that the parchment burns because the magical power cannot be infused into it . . . . But the magic casters in this world all use that sort of parchment, right No, what I just disposed of is probably not a typical piece of parchment used by the magic casters of this world . Of course, after considering that there are various nations in this world, I cannot guarantee that nobody has used a parchment like this one . When I used the parchments of the nations near Nazarick Titus produced a stack of parchment which seemed different from the piece just now . The experimental results were even worse they were limited to 1st tier spells . So that means the humans know how to make good use of poorer materials No . I believe it might be a technological difference . While it pains me to admit it, their technique is, to some extent, more refined than ours . I would love to acquire this new technology and improve my skills . That s amazing Mare felt nothing but respect for the Head Librarian s spirit of self improvement . All this is for the Supreme One s sake . Then, Guardian Mare, as we agreed, I shall lend you the Overlords . Come with me . 10 28 Nazarick Time He handed his ring to someone else along the way and then reached the surface . There, Mare and company performed a mass teleport and arrived in the middle of a room within a stone structure in the Lizardman village . This building was constructed of sturdy, heavy stone . Iit could only be built in a place with sufficiently firm ground, thus requiring construction techniques the Lizardmen did not possess . Needless to say, the people who had built this place were a third party a group from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . The reason to have people come all the way from Nazarick to build this structure stood behind Mare s back . The object which stood within the depths of this building explained everything . Mare bowed deeply to the object in question . The Overlords travelling with him bowed as well . A stone statue made in the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, stood upon an elevated platform . It was so lifelike that it seemed as though the original had been turned to stone . The way it raised its staff radiated the dignity and gravitas of a ruler . All manner of offerings adorned the altar before the statue . Naturally, those offerings were worthless in Mare s eyes, meager tributes of flowers and fish and the like . However, Mare was not displeased . That was because the ones who had made those offerings were filled with genuine respect and reverence . For instance, fresh flowers did not grow in the swampland, but in the forests which were very dangerous to the Lizardmen they must have risked their lives to pick them . The fish were the Lizardmen s staple diet, but the offerings were much bigger than the average fish . Mare understood that they had only chosen the most impressive specimens to offer up . Mm, Mare nodded in satisfaction . Seeing common riffraff express their respect for his great master made him very happy . Well done . He spoke to reassure the Lizardmen who were peeking fearfully at him . They were the personnel responsible for cleaning this sanctuary . They possessed druidic abilities, which were rare among the Lizardmen, and they wore badges with the guild emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown around their neck . There was a vast difference between their stations and that of Mare, between that of the conquered and their conquerors, so there was no need to thank them for their hard work . However, for the reasons mentioned earlier, Mare had been so satisfied with their labors that he had decided to thank them for it . Mare left the Lizardmen bowing nonstop behind him, and led the five Overlords out of the sanctuary . Before him was a patch of swamp, the Lizardman settlement . It seemed more developed than before . Indeed, they had lost many people during that war . However, the five tribes were now one, and in the end they had formed a stronger, larger village . The boundary fence encompassed a wide area . At some point, watchtowers had been built in the muddy swamp, and upon each of them stood a skeleton probably a Nazarick Old Guarder scanning the surroundings with an arrow nocked to its bow . Several Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen walking around in the swamp presumably, they were conducting reconnaissance in case of enemy attack . Ah, where s Cocytus san Cocytus stood out in many ways . If he were in the village, then he ought to be instantly visible from here if he were inside a building, there ought to be vassals like the ones Mare brought along waiting outside . With that in mind, he looked around the entire village, but could not find him . Could one of you please ask where Cocytus san is Certainly . A moment, please . One of the Overlords Aurelius headed back into the sanctuary . Mare looked out at the swamp at the Lizardmen s peaceful and quiet village . Nobody here was wary of the Nazarick Old Guarders . Even the Lizardman children were the same way . Both sides seemed to be coexisting like it was the natural thing to do . Though they were attacked and conquered by the undead, they don t seem to bear any resentment for them . Was this because of Cocytus san policy of friendliness Or is this the nature of the Lizardmen As he idly pondered the matter, Aurelius soon returned . Forgive the delay, Mare sama . The people in the sanctuary do not know the whereabouts of Cocytus sama . However, they say that Shasuryu Shasha the leader of the tribal alliance might know . Ah, then, um, let s go visit him and take a look . Mare s entourage proceeded under Aurelius leadership . They did not cross over the swamp to go to the Lizardman village, but followed the edge of the lake, walking a short distance through the forest . The forms of Nazarick Old Guarders could be seen in the distance . Once the group exited the forest, they saw a large scale construction project under way on the other side of the swamp . The flow of water here had been dammed, and roughly ten Stone Golems were excavating the soil . The sand and mud they dug up were carried away by Lizardmen with pushcarts on the shore . As Mare watched what they were doing, a strapping Lizardman ran over in a hurry . This Lizardman was covered in old wounds . His physique was imposing and he was distinctly different from the average Lizardman . The medal around his neck swung wildly due to his haste in running over . The medal was a symbol of loyalty, and also a mark of protection . It was not magical in itself, but by wearing it, they could prove that they were Ainz s property . Therefore, nobody from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick who revered the Supreme Beings as gods could harm the Lizardmen intentionally . Of course, it would be a different matter if they deserved death, but fortunately, the Lizardmen were not that stupid . They knew their place and acknowledged the strong as their masters . I welcome you, Mare sama . My name is You re Shasuryu Shasha san, right Indeed, I am . I am honored that you know my name . Ah, I I heard it from Cocytus san ah, do you know where Cocytus san is now Shasuryu waxed thoughtful for a bit . I recall Cocytus sama brought several of his subordinates and several dozen trainee Lizardmen on his expedition to subjugate the Toadmen . Toadmen They are the demihumans who live in the northeastern reaches of the lake . They look like frogs, and we do not get along too well with them . They possess the ability to control large monsters and magical beasts, so they are very tricky opponents for us . I hear that there was a war once during my grandfather s time . We were soundly defeated and one of our tribes was dissolved as a result . As as expected of the northern species, they re quite strong . This lake was shaped like two smaller lakes joined together, or an inverted gourd . The smaller lake on the south where the Lizardmen dwelled was half swamp and half lake, and due to the shallow water there were few large monsters there . In comparison, the water in the larger northern lake was deeper, so many large monsters lived there, and they were stronger than the monsters of the south . Of course, it made little difference to Mare . That s right, when you mentioned Toadmen, were you talking about a species called the Tuvegs Mare was referring to the monsters who lived in the poison swamp around Nazarick in the past . He knew his sister had several of those monsters as servitors . Well, I am not too sure about that . Perhaps you could ask Cocytus sama after he comes back He will probably return soon . I understand . Then, I ll ask about something else, about about that . You seem to be building something big here, but what is it It s quite a distance from the village, but it doesn t look like a fence or some other kind of defense Yes . In truth, we are building our fourth fish preserve here . As he heard Shasuryu s words, enlightenment dawned on Mare . It was good that the Lizardman tribes could be united . But once their population grew, food shortages would naturally result . While many people had died during the war, they could not hunt or trap enough to feed their people . Of course, they could solve that problem by returning to their former villages to fish, but Cocytus, the new ruler of the Lizardmen, did not agree . It was one thing for the entire village to move as one to another part of the swamp, but if only a few people moved by themselves, there was a high chance they would be attacked by monsters . The Lizardmen s numbers were already greatly decreased . Cocytus did not want to lose more of them . In order to ensure the prosperity of the Lizardmen, Cocytus took action to solve this problem the food problem . First, he imported rations from Nazarick with Ainz s permission, naturally and distributed it to the Lizardmen . After that, he began studying methods to ensure a sustainable food supply . It went without saying that the solution he had discovered was the fish farms built by Zaryusu . After that, he discussed the matter with Demiurge, and began to build superior fish farms . They had worked at a fever pitch and built three gigantic fish farms, and this was the fourth one . But the fries haven t been raised yet, am I right Yes . What we no, what my brother learned was not raising them from fries, but breeding already grown fish . However, thanks to Demiurge sama s guidance, we have made preparations to farm fish fries . If all goes according to plan, we should be able to support twice the present population of Lizardmen through the produce of the fish farms . I I see . In a few years time, you won t need to take fish from Nazarick . Ah, of course, if an emergency crops up, I imagine you are always welcome to take fish . Every member of our tribe is deeply grateful to Ainz sama s merciful kindness in giving us so much fish although, the fish Ainz sama gave us lack internal organs, so how do they live Are they like certain monsters who do not need to eat No, they do not even have bones what sort of lifeforms are they They are the food which was made by the power of Ainz sama and the other Supreme Beings . The food Cocytus had given them was made with a magic item called Dagda s Cauldron . What Ainz sama could actually make enough fish to feed us all Shasuryu shook his head . When Zaryusu and the others visited the fortress of the Supreme Ones and came back with tales of what they had seen, it sounded like they were dreaming . They said the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick contained many smaller worlds within it, a true land of the gods . Is Ainz Ooal Gown sama truly a god But of course . Why was this Lizardman stating the obvious Mare could not understand him and tilted his head in confusion . Ainz Ooal Gown was the greatest of the gods . He was their creator . I see . So all this was bestowed upon us by Ainz sama . My thanks to Ainz sama . Mm . I ll let Ainz sama know that . Part 3 10 30 Nazarick Time You re making too much noise . Quiet down . Ainz motioned with his left hand, and held that pose . He took a step back and returned to his original position . You re making too much noise . Quiet down . Once again, he motioned with his left hand and froze mid pose . He checked the reflection of himself in the mirror and slightly adjusted the position of his left hand . Good Is this the spot No Would it be cooler if I extended my hand a bit more to the left He returned to his initial position . You re making too much noise . Quiet down . Finally satisfied with the pose, Ainz grabbed the memo pad on the table beside him . Since I ve finished the pose I should practice the lines while I have extra time . He circled the phrase he was practicing earlier with a pen, and then turned a page . The majority of the sentences written on there were variations on the phrase I shall consider it . The phrases that were too dull or too over the top and thus too lame were all crossed out . For Ainz, who used to be an average person, acting like a leader was difficult . Thus, he repeatedly practiced playing that role just in case a situation called for it . Of course, the entire memo pad was filled with phrases Ainz came up with . Even though an hour had passed since Ainz started practicing, he did not require any rest . Ainz was the supreme overlord, but in reality, he barely did anything . Unless there were important decisions or emergency situation that required his leadership, there was nothing to do . Albedo took care of all the details and all Ainz had to do was skim through the reports . Since there was never anything in the reports that required his attention, he really just skimmed through them all . It was a little dangerous for a ruler, but as long as Albedo was around, and there was no emergency, there would be no problem . All proper organizations should be like this anyways . It s not good for someone who stands above others to work on the frontlines . It was a foolish move for the supreme commander of an army to participate in the fighting on the frontlines unless he was there to raise morale . If he did, it would be very dangerous . I should give up this adventurer business and gather knowledge to deal with emergency situations I know I have to train my mind as well, but what should I do Who s going to teach me How can I not ruin the image of Ainz Ooal Gown that everybody believes in Everyone inside Nazarick respected Ainz as an absolute ruler and knelt before him . That was right . Ainz received respect from his subordinates which his had former comrades created, who were, in some ways, their children . Just like how a father could not the respect his children placed in him, he could not betray them as well . That was why he practiced acting, in the hope that he could at least appear to play the part . Of ciue0rse, Ainz was fully aware that it was embarrassing . Otherwise, why would he lock the door and forbid the maids and the Eight Edge Assassins that guarded him from entering Sometimes, he would even plant his face in the pillow and scream Arrrgghhh when he could not stand it anymore . Something fitting the supreme overlord of Nazarick A form that one can respect Ainz felt like he would cough up blood as he flipped through the pages . There were still many more lines which he had come up with in his spare time, and the finish line seemed nowhere in sight . Ainz Ooal Gown was undead and emotions over a certain threshold were suppressed . But I need a break The remnant of Suzuki Satoru was weary from mental fatigue, and he wailed . I m sick of this, he cried . However Ainz silenced that cry with a grinding of his teeth, What am I doing I need to work harder . After rebuking himself for trying to run away, AInz s eyes filled with strength, and he looked himself in the mirror again . Suddenly, a digital pipipipipi noise rang out . The sound coming from the bracelet on his left arm was like music to Ainz s ears . He turned off the sudden beeping and sighed deeply . If time s up, then it can t be helped . Yes, time s up . Ainz returned the memo pad to a box . When he closed the lid, he could hear the sound of several locks engaging . If someone tried to forcefully open the box, it would trigger an extensive array of attack spells, all of which would be centered on the box to destroy it . The defenses on the box were formidable enough that nobody but a level 90 rogue type character or a level 80 specialized rogue character could breach them . After securely locking the item, he returned it to his pocket dimension . There were many other rare items in there as well . Still, a high level thief could steal items from a place like that as well . That said, a thief could not just immobilize his opponents and rob them blind . They were limited to one or two items at the most . Still, the prospect of being robbed just once or twice made Ainz who should have known no fear as one of the undead shudder in terror . In addition, unknown powers such as Talents existed as well . . That was why he placed the box among other rare items, so thieves would steal them instead of the box . After he put it away, he checked it again to make sure . It was as though he were a housewife checking that the main door was locked before heading on a trip . After he did so, he finally breathed a sigh of relief . Only after doing all that did Ainz finally leave his bedroom . The place he was headed to was the room he regularly used as the study . The ones who bowed deeply to him there were the regular maid, Albedo, and Mare . The first two were hardly a rare sight, but the boy did not come here often, and it surprised Ainz . He cut across the room, circle around his ebony table and sat down, in a way which he had practiced over 30 times before . Sitting in this way meant not stepping on his robe or making noise when pushing his chair out of the way . After that, he had to be careful about how he leaned back in the chair . It would not look good if his movements were too rushed or if he put too much weight into the back of his chair . Kings had a kingly way maybe of sitting down . But I don t know how kings take a seat I should go observe how a king sits down It was recommended for company men to lightly sit in the middle of the chair without leaning on the backrest . But Ainz Ooal Gown was no longer a company man . Therefore, all Ainz could do was realize the image of an ideal king within his mind . Raise your heads . It was only than that the three of them looked up . Ainz was annoyed by the fact that they would not raise their heads without an explicit command, and he felt that it was a waste of time . Still, he could not disregard the loyalty they showed their master . Therefore, Ainz bore with it every time and replied in the same way . Then I shall begin with a question . Mare . What business do you have Ah, yes Perhaps Mare was nervous, but his voice cracked a little . Ainz smiled . Of course, there was no way his fleshless face could twist itself, but he still did his best to exude an air of kindness . Perhaps Mare had sensed it, but he breathed a sigh of relief . He seemed less stiff now . Ah that, this, er, I brought it . Ainz was not a cruel superior who would go, what did you bring . Since Mare had brought it, Ainz ought to receive it from him . For all he knew, it might have been an order he had given and forgotten about . Really now no, that s fine . Ainz reached out a hand to stop the day s duty maid as she sought to take the item from Mare . Mare, hand it to me in person . Yes Mare held his chest high as he walked up to Ainz and gave him the folder he was holding . AInz magnanimously accepted the folder and opened it . This is the circular I sent out . All three Guardians had circled Going to Ainz s invitation . By right, Cocytus should have sent a minion to deliver this to me . Thank you for going to all this trouble, Mare . N not at all, it s nothing, nothing of the sort Cocytus san was busy, so I insisted on helping him . And besides Mare lovingly caressed the ring on his left ring finger . . . . That s the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown . No, I m glad he values it so highly, but putting it on that finger means More to the point, why is that boy looking at me with dewy eyes . . . Ainz shivered, and then he glanced aside to Albedo . She was smiling kindly, as always . Ainz line of sight shifted to Albedo s left ring finger . As expected, she had worn her Ring there, just like Mare . It seemed as though it was the right place to wear the ring . Where did that practice come from It was from ancient Greece, right He recalled what Yamaiko had once told him about the meaning of wearing a ring on different fingers . Apparently, the ancient Greeks believed there was a blood vessel which ran from the left ring finger to the heart, and so if the left ring finger touched something harmful to the body, it would send a signal to the heart, which was why they dispensed medicine with their left ring fingers Does Sous Chef do the same thing too Ah, this is bad he s gazing at me again . Ainz meshed his fingers on the table . What is it, Mare Did you see something Has something gotten onto my face He chose his words carefully, making sure his reply did not sound like mockery . No not at all . I simply thought you looked very handsome, Ainz sama . I am handsome Ainz unconsciously stroked his bony face . Fuhaha You re quite the flatterer, Mare . It s not flattery The loudness of that voice did not sound like it could have come from Mare . F forgive me, Ainz sama . But, I really do think you look handsome . Even just now, the way you sat down looked just like how the supreme ruler of Nazarick ought to be Ainz looked questioningly at the duty maid . The homunculus sensed her master s intentions and nodded silently and vigorously, as if to say, precisely . Ainz did not look at Albedo, yet she was also nodding vigorously, and there was a patapata sound as her wings flapped . Really now . That is good to hear . After that brief reply, Ainz rose from his seat and walked before Mare, then gently patted the head of the boy who had tensed up in anticipation of a scolding . It was a casual act, yet one filled with kindness . Ai Ainz sama Thank you, Mare . Your words have always pleased me . It was incredibly embarrassing to say that, but he did not display any of these Suzuki Satoru like emotions . I have always been thinking this I ought to thank my friends . Do you mean the Supreme Beings Ainz knelt, so his eyes were level with Mare s . Precisely . I want to thank them for making the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, and for making you and everyone else . You and by this I mean Albedo and Sixth as well Albedo s wings stood fully erect . The maid who had just been suddenly addressed was in a panic . She was typically calm, so after seeing this rare side of her, Ainz laughed cheerfully . You are all my treasures . Ainz scooped up Mare . I can hardly bear to let Bukubukuchagama san have you . Thank you, Ainz sama . Tears of joys streamed down Sixth s cheeks as she answered on behalf of Mare . When all the Supreme Beings left this place, only you remained here until the end, and everyone in Nazarick is grateful for that . Perhaps we have failed to meet your expectations and perhaps we have often upset you . I understand that speaking in this way to our creator is deeply rude, but I pray you will allow that you will permit us to pledge our undying loyalty to you . I permit this . I recall that in the past, Albedo and Demiurge said something similar to me, so hear this I am the master of Nazarick I am your master, Ainz Ooal Gown . Ainz had never rehearsed these lines before, so he was quite surprised by how smoothly he could recite them . However, when he thought about it, that was only to be expected . Since he was speaking from the heart, it made sense that he could do so in such a natural manner . Mare hugged Ainz and buried his face in Ainz s shoulder . Good thing I m not wearing my usual gear, the calm part of Ainz s mind said . He felt a wet sensation spreading through the shoulder of his robe, but Ainz left Mare where he was . As the sound of Mare s sniffling gradually died down . Ainz gently caressed his head . Ainz produced a handkerchief from his pocket . He had never wiped someone else s face before, so perhaps his movements were a bit rough, but Mare allowed Ainz to wipe him . Come now, Mare . Go wash your face . Ah what about you, Ainz sama Ah, I ll be heading over to E Rantel afterwards . I need to meet the Guildmaster . I ve been putting it off because it s annoying, but I can t delay it any longer . Now then Ainz glanced at Albedo, who had been remaining silent all this while . Her long hair covered her face, and he could not see her expression . However, the non stop quivering of her body was enough to strike terror into Ainz s heart . The image of a volcano simmering with anger, on the verge of eruption, flashed through his mind . What s wrong, Albedo And in that moment Gu guwaargh Ainz s field of vision shifted just as he felt an impact on his back . Naturally, it did not hurt . Ainz s body could only be harmed by magical means . He did not feel pain from the light impacts which resulted from bumping into things . However, the remnants of his humanity made him shut his eyes in reflex . This sudden development left him unable to think . The mental makeup of the undead meant that they did not panic or the like, so this confusion must have been Suzuki Satoru s . Nh, ngghhh He opened his eyes, and saw the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling . In other words, he was on his back . When he realized this, Ainz immediately tried to stand up, but a strangely soft object pinned his entire body down, and thanks to that, it was hard to move . Impossible . My items grant me immunity to mobility impediments such as pinning . I should have been liberated the moment I was completely immobilized in other words, someone s using a very powerful binding technique on me Ainz checked to see what was the soft lifeform pinning him down, and as expected it was Albedo . Ainz samaaa Albedo was straddling Ainz in a full mount and pushed him back down as he tried to rise . What what s this What s happening I I can t take it any more Albedo s suddenly opened her eyes . Her flaring golden pupils sent a chill down Ainz s spine . You what are you saying Albedo ignored Ainz s panicked question and instead brought her hands to the front of her dress . With a hng of effort, she tried to pull it off, but she could not budge it . Magical clothing is so annoying . You need a skill to destroy it or take it off normally . Calm yourself, Albedo Get off me Ainz thought to push her off with sheer brute force, but Albedo was a level 100 warrior . Also, whenever Ainz tried to push her away, his hands made contact with something soft and squishy, so he could not use his full strength . Albedo s hands moved, seeking to remove Ainz s robe . Don t take my clothes off Stop wiggling your hips Wai Ah, awawawawa It s your fault, Ainz sama I ve been bearing with it for so long, but then you said that and I couldn t take it any more It s all your fault, Ainz sama I just need a little bit Just a bit Just a little bit A little bit of your love Just count the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling and it ll be over before you re done If Albedo had chosen this moment to scold Ainz for changing her backstory, perhaps he would have lost the will to resist . However, Albedo looked like she was going to swallow him whole, and so he did not feel guilt, but the terror of one who was about to be devoured . That instead caused him to struggle even more desperately . It was only then that his subordinates, who had been stunned by the sudden development, finally went into action . Albedo sama has gone mad Albedo sama has gone mad The Eight Edge Assassins descended as one from the ceiling . Pull her off Ainz sama No, don t try to immobilize her, she ll slip free right away Just pull her away with brute force No good What s with this strength I d expect nothing less of the Guardian Overseer Mare sama, we request your aid Awawa O okay In the end, Ainz was finally freed, and after smoothing out his rumpled robes, he looked to Albedo, who was seized hand and foot by the Eight Edge Assassins, and said Albedo shall be confined for three days . The Eight Edge Assassins dragged Albedo from the room . Ah Ainz sama are you alright I m perfectly fine has Albedo always been that strange Did she eat something funny Granted, demons don t need to eat or drink, but it s not like they can t . As Ainz asked that question, Mare averted his eyes . I see no, well, hm . She must have a lot going on . For all I know, it could be pent up stress from work . Ainz rose to his feet and called out to the maid . He regained his dignity which had been previously scattered to the winds and spoke in a commanding tone . . . . Summon Narberal and Hamsuke . It is time for me to leave for E Rantel . 13 35 Nazarick Time Ainz pulled on the reins from where he was mounted on Hamsuke s back, bringing Hamsuke to a halt . He silently regarded E Rantel s city gates . Ainz quite liked these thick and sturdy gates, which looked like they could repel an army . While there were many gates in YGGDRASIL which were bigger and cooler looking than this one, this gate was not a mass of data, but made by the hands of mankind although they might have had magical assistance . As he stood before these gigantic steel gates, an indescribable feeling welled up inside him . There were guilds in YGGDRASIL who conquered cities too . In the past, I thought it was troublesome to use a location that was so difficult to defend as a guild base, but I think I can understand those guilds now . Ruling a big city might be a male ambition . In YGGDRASIL, there were frequent city battles between guilds . Many of Ainz Ooal Gown s members simply watched coldly from the side, unable to understand them, but there had been those who said they wanted to take part . Were they battle maniacs . . . In the past, Ainz had not like those words much, but when he thought about it now, they were good memories . Is something the matter, milord Not at all, don t worry about it . Hamsuke had been curious and asked its question because its master had bade it stop, and yet had not done anything . Ainz s flat reply had shut down that topic . He felt embarrassed about letting Hamsuke know that he was reminiscing about the past . Now then, to the Adventurer s Guild, where we ll show our faces for the meeting and then immediately take on a monster extermination quest . He could have stayed in an E Rantel inn, but he did not have the luxury of making such pointless expenditures . The reason why Ainz who did not eat or drink had to book a room in the highest end inns was purely to highlight his status as the most highly placed of adventurers . After that, it was a matter of making connections . However, he had already met all the influential people in this city, and he was assured that they would receive him warmly if he sought them out . Therefore, Ainz had no need to book a room at an inn . Besides, whenever AInz checked into an inn, he would immediately teleport back to Nazarick, where he would produce undead and work on other things . That being the case, it would be wiser to take a monster extermination mission and leave the city as soon as possible . Frankly speaking, he did not feel that there was further merit in staying around E Rantel . Is that so Verily, milord does enjoy battle . It s not like I enjoy it or anything . Besides, when I wipe out monsters, I take them out right away and spend most of the time in Nazarick . Ainz lightly rapped Hamsuke s large head . I intend to give you all sorts of training so you can use weapons and armor . This one has always been working hard This one has asked the Lizardmen to teach this one all manner of tricks, and soon this one will surely be able to learn a super move Ho . Well now, it would be perfect if you could learn martial arts . Also, how about your fellow disciple Do you think he ll be able to use martial arts You mean him He never speaks so this one does not know . However, this one feels he cannot use them yet . Indeed, Ainz thought . There was no way that one would enjoy speaking, and Ainz felt that the chances of it being able to learn martial arts were slim . It was little more than an experiment . That said, if it a Death Knight created by Ainz could actually learn warrior techniques, their future plans would have to be greatly altered . That was because if he could strengthen monsters by training them, then it would most likely become a top priority . The undead do not need to sleep, and neither do they tire . They can perform combat training forever . So in theory, he ought to have learned martial arts before Hamsuke . The fact that he has not probably indicates that it s not possible . A moment please He strives hard in his own way Even after this one returns to this one s abode, he continues training without a single word of complaint I pray thee spare his life . . . No, I did not intend to kill him, you know What exactly did you take me for Indeed, there is nobody more merciful in all this world than Ainz sama . Ainz sama even took pity on a pathetic little creature like you and spared your life . Those frigid words came from Narberal, who was riding behind them, and they made Hamsuke shudder . Nabe, we re coming up on E Rantel . Address me as Momon from now on . Understood . Also, Hamsuke is a being with an important part to play in the plan to strengthen Nazarick you must take the appropriate attitude with those who work for Nazarick s sake . I am not simply referring to Hamsuke, so keep that in mind . Yes My deepest apologies . Also, stop calling humans ticks or lice or whatever, Ainz wanted to say, but no matter how he ordered her, Narberal would not listen, so recently he had decided not to bother . That was because if Narberal Gamma had been designed to unconsciously refer to human beings in such a manner, forcing her to correct herself would essentially be trampling the wishes of his friend who had designed her that way . Alright, let s go . Yes, milord . Ainz rode forth on Hamsuke . He could see several people lined up in front of the gate . It was only to be expected that immigration would be more strictly vetted than emigration, and all items they carried would be carefully inspected . Therefore, if travelling merchants or peddlers wanted to enter E Rantel, they might have to spend a long time queuing up for an inspection . I hope it won t take too long Should you not have priority in going in, Momon sa n Narberal asked while they were lined up behind several travellers including a group in adventurer s garb . She was right . When Ainz had first come here, he too had been subjected to extremely troublesome checks, but as his adventuring record grew, the inspection process had grown simpler, and now he practically had a free pass to walk right past them . In addition to that, sometimes he received permission for preferential entry to the city . This privilege was not unique to Darkness just about all mithril ranked adventurers and above received such special treatment . Perhaps it was because the city did not want to displease their trump cards . In that case, why not just do away with the entry toll as well . . . The tolls were inexpensive compared to the payments adventurers received, but Ainz was the top outside earner for Nazarick and having to pay displeased him . That said, he could not bypass the walls with flight magic either . Momon was a hero . Therefore We can t cut in line unless there s an emergency, or we have to enter the city with all due haste . He saw Narberal bow from the corner of his eye, and Ainz looked ahead of him from where he was mounted on Hamsuke s back . Still, they re not moving at all The queue was just like a highway choked up by a traffic jam nobody was moving . What s this It looks like they re inspecting a cargo wagon and doing a pretty good job of it too . No, they re just surrounding it . Did they find some contraband Excuse me . Ainz called out to an unsophisticated looking man in front of him . Ah, yes . What is it Don t worry, I just noticed that the line wasn t moving, so I was wondering if you knew what was going on . I m not too clear about what s going on, just that they took a village girl to the duty station . And then After listening to the man, Ainz still had no idea what was going on . He stuck his neck out towards the duty station . He tilted his head to listen in, and heard the sound of an argument . Suddenly, something piqued Ainz s curiosity . When he had first come to this city, they had asked him a whole pile of questions at the main gate, but he had not expected to be let past so easily . He had been surprised at the time, and thought that this world was surprisingly kind to rootless people like mercenaries, adventurers or travellers, but the truth had not been what he had expected . In that case, what were they asking this village girl Currently, Ainz s status as an adamantite ranked adventurer meant that very few cities would refuse him entry . That was why Ainz wanted to know exactly what sort of questions were being asked . In the future, he might have to infiltrate a city in future outside the guise of Momon the adamantite ranked adventurer . He had to learn more so there would be no difficulties when the time came . You two wait here for a while . I ll go see what s going on . Please allow me to accompany you . There s no need for that . I m just taking a look . He dismounted from Hamsuke s back, and walked towards the duty station . All the soldiers exclaimed in surprise as they saw Ainz . There was nobody here who did not know the adventurer Momon in E Rantel . Ainz took care to look as cool as possible as he approached the duty station . He saw an excited looking magic caster, a soldier, and a seated village girl . We wish to enter the city, but what s going on Uooooh The two men exclaimed in the same surprise as the soldiers outside . The village girl was stunned when she saw it . If if it isn t Momon sama himself Forgive us Now, what s going on here hm This girl is She seemed familiar . Ainz felt that he knew her, and he searched his hippocampus though he did not possess such an organ for information confirming her . Yes We were investigating a suspicious girl, which took some time . We sincerely apologize for inconveniencing you, Momon sama Ainz was beginning to find the man s chatter intolerable . Then, inspiration struck, and he recalled the village girl s name . Enri , right . You must be Enri Emmot, am I correct Er, ah, who re you er, no, I am . Ah, you were the one who came with Nfirea that time, right I don t remember speaking to you DId Nfirea tell you my name At that moment, Ainz instinctively pressed his hand over his mouth . He had met Enri when he was the masked magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown . Now, he was the adamantite ranked adventurer in jet black armor, Momon . Crap I spoke in my normal voice This is terrible . I need to leave here right away . But still, what s that village girl doing here Won t it be troublesome if she finds me no, finds Ainz Ooal Gown here I need to clarify the details with her . She did not seem to have divined his true identity from the conversation just now, but he could not rule out the possibility that he had been exposed . Granted, he did not think she would have matched his voice from several months ago to a few words spoken through a layer of armor, but it was best to be prudent . Ainz beckoned the magic caster over . He felt that the man ought to know more than the soldiers . He led the magic caster out of the duty station, and they went some distance away to avoid being overheard by the sentries . It s like this that girl s a friend of a friend . Can you tell me what happened with her He was not lying, since Nfirea was indeed a friend of Ainz and Momon . The magic caster s eyes went wide . He appeared to be shocked, but that was not the case . It was more like connecting points of data to form a beautiful line . It was as though a mystery in his heart had been solved . I see as I thought Could you please hurry up the process of accepting the facts Ainz very much wanted to say that, but he bore with it and waited for the man to speak . She said she was just a village girl, but she was carrying a powerful horn shaped magic item . I wasn t sure why she had such a powerful item, and I had other questions of my own, so I wanted to clarify things . What sort of horn was it What effects did it have Its effects were After listening to the whole explanation, Ainz could not help looking up to the sky . That was because he was trying to run away from the knowledge that it was an item which he had given her . At that time, Ainz had not known that such an item was beyond the comprehension of this world . He had given her the horn simply for her to protect herself . Who could have imagined that it would have created so much trouble for her Ainz could probably have come up with an excuse along the lines of I did nothing wrong , but ignoring her plight was not good either . I ll help her out a little . I didn t do anything wrong, but I did give her the item, after all, so the responsibility lies with me if I abandon her and it falls into someone else s hands, it ll end up being more troublesome for me . Besides, if she gets locked up Nfirea knew that Momon and Ainz Ooal Gown were one and the same . Given these circumstances, if Enri told him about this, he would surely think that Ainz had left her to her fate . It ll definitely leave a bad aftertaste between us I don t care about causing difficulties with worthless humans, but he s a very valuable being . As the saying goes, I ought to turn this danger into an opportunity . If I lend her a hand, Nfirea ought to be grateful to me . If I do this, I can chain his heart closer to me with more obligations . Ainz spoke, in a tone which he believed combined calmness and dignity There is no need for you to worry . I am very familiar with her character . She will not go around causing trouble, so could I impose upon you to let her pass Could you But of course . If she is a friend of Momon from Darkness , and you are vouching for her, then we would allow her in, no matter how vicious a criminal she was . Really now, my apologies, then . In that case, I ll leave that to you . Also, I apologize for this, but could you allow us Darkness to enter the city first After receiving permission, Ainz returned to Narberal and Hamsuke . We ve been allowed in . Let s enter the city . He mounted up on Hamsuke s back and bypassed the line of people . The queuing people all looked at him, but once they saw his black armor, his greatswords, Hamsuke and Narberal, they all averted their eyes . They understood that Ainz s status was far greater than theirs . The gate sentries bowed deeply to them as they passed by, and then they entered E Rantel . Now then, Nabe . I have something to ask of you . Understood . Please command me as you see fit . SInce they were both adventurers, it did not seem good for her to display such loyalty on the streets . However, Ainz had gradually realized that it was pointless to lecture her, and so he continued speaking The girl driving the wagon from just now Enri will be entering the city soon . Go ask her why she came to E Rantel . After that, Ainz found a place to hide himself . This was because he wanted to avoid speaking with Enri too much . He surveyed his surroundings and saw a stack of tall wooden crates he could probably hide behind, and so he commanded Hamsuke to make haste towards it . The soldiers working there panicked when they saw Ainz and Hamsuke approaching them . Gentlemen, are you free I d like to ask about these crates . Once he was certain that he would not be spotted from the city gates, Ainz addressed one of the soldiers . Of course, he was not interested in the crates at all . He had simply made up a pretext to be there because he was worried others might chase him away for interfering with their work . Ah . . . alright . We re very glad that you d take an interest in our work, Momon sama . The crates are filled with vegetables from the Grandel Province, known as Kinshu . These vegetables As Ainz listened to the soldier s earnest explanation, he mumbled replies like I see and So that s how it is . The soldier did not seem to mind the half hearted responses and continued his lecture . After learning how to cook the vegetables called Kinshu in exacting detail, he sensed Narberal approaching from behind him . Forgive me for interrupting your explanation . I learned a lot, thank you . However, my companion has returned, and so I must leave . After his one sided farewell to the soldier, Ainz ordered Hamsuke forward . How did it go Firstly, she wanted me to thank you, Momon san . After that, she said that she had three aims, namely selling off the herbs she had collected, checking the temples for people who might want to move to the village, and finally, travelling to the Adventurer s Guild . The Adventurer s Guild What kind of request is she putting in Forgive me, but I did not ask about that . Shall I capture her and force her to talk There s no need for that . Besides, we ll be heading to the Adventurer s Guild too, so we can just ask the Guild when we get there . Surely she did not intend to directly thank Ainz Ooal Gown . If it was for that objective, she could simply leave a message with Lupusregina, whom he occasionally sent to the village . Oh yes, Nabe . Have you received any special reports from Lupusregina Narberal shook her head, and Ainz furrowed his naturally, they were nonexistent brows . He had originally planned to station a Shadow Demon in the village, but he had instead sent Lupusregina over in order to forge friendly relations . He had ordered Lupusregina to report anything that happened in the village to him immediately . However, no information had made its way to Ainz up till this point . Therefore, he had believed that Carne VIllage was fine . Was that not the case While there was no need to tell him about trivia such as Enri went to E Rantel by herself , uneasiness still shrouded Ainz s heart like a cloud . I ve always thought Lupusregina was a hard worker . Nabe, what do you think It is as you say, Ainz sama . While her tone makes her seem very casual, that is only an act . She is cruel and cunning an excellent maid . There was no way cruelty and slyness could be taken as compliments . Ainz glanced at Narberal s face, wondering if she thought ill of Lupusregina, but her cool expression only contained her respect for a colleague . Then milord, shall we proceed presently to the Adventurer s Guild as you said earlier Yes, do you know its location Narberal, you sit behind me . Since you ve already put away the Statue of Animal Warhorse, there s no need to go to the trouble of taking it out again . Ainz grabbed Narberal s hand and sat her behind him . Hamsuke seemed eager to move off and picked up the pace . He was no longer embarrassed to ride Hamsuke through the streets . In addition, Hamsuke could understand language and take orders, which pleased him . It felt just like riding a cab . Soon, the Adventurer s Guild appeared before his eyes . At the same time, he saw the wagon from earlier, and Enri s back as she entered the Guild . . . . There s nothing else to be done . Hamsuke, we ll go in through the back door . Circle round the back . Understood, milord Usually, adventurers were not allowed to enter the Guild through the back door . However, anything was possible for adamantite ranked adventurers . Incidentally, it was also Ainz s first time doing this . He might be of a privileged class, but abusing his privileges would damage his reputation . After entering the Guild through the back door, he asked the first Guild employee he saw to take him to the Guildmaster s room . Fortunately, the Guildmaster was in . Oh, if it isn t Momon kun Welcome The Guildmaster Ainzach opened his arms wide to welcome Ainz, and then he warmly embraced Ainz . While he thought nothing of it because he was wearing his armor and a helmet, there were many reasons which would have chosen made him avoid that ardent embrace if he were in a thin layer of clothing . He patted Ainz intimately on the back before slowly releasing him . I ve been so lonely because you haven t come around lately . Come, come, have a seat . Let s chat a bit before the others show up . The Guildmaster looked like he was welcoming a friend he had not seen for a long time as he happily indicated the sofa . Thank you . After Ainz took a seat, the Guildmaster sat down beside him . The two of them were very close . Their knees were touching, and it was stifling . Momon kun, we ve known each other for so long surely we can speak more freely around each other, hm No, there must be politeness even as there s familiarity . This is very important it s what my seniors taught me . Granted, if he were a salaryman, he would have spoken with more closeness sometimes, he even spoke to customers in a normal tone . However, he did not wish to get so close to the Guildmaster . He felt that maintaining a business like attitude was the right answer . Getting too close to the group will only become a burden . I don t want to be too closely tied to the Adventurer s Guild of a single city . Should I leave for greener pastures soon Besides Ainz glanced at the Guildmaster through the eyeslits of his helmet . Besides, why the heck is he sitting so close to me Normally, you d let Narberal sit beside me, and you d sit opposite me, right Their proximity made him feel uncomfortable it was no wonder Ainz began to suspect if the Guildmaster was gay . I heard the Magician s Guildmaster say he had a wife or is his wife just a beard I thought he was just trying to get me on his side but it s having the opposite effect . Or does he think I m gay That final mental image made Ainz shudder . Ainz was heterosexual . No, to be precise, he used to be . Incidentally, Suzuki Satoru preferred larger breasts . That point had probably not changed, even after gaining this body . That was because he preferred Albedo slightly more to, say, Cocytus . Ainz adjusted his sitting position, moving slightly away from the Guildmaster, and then he turned to face him . Forgive my rudeness, but I came here with a question . It s like this one of my friends should have come to the Adventurer s Guild by now, and I d like to know what sort of request she put in . Well, the rules make it somewhat difficult to tell you about this . Thus, I seek your understanding in the matter . I do understand I m imposing, and I understand the need to obey the Guild s rules . However, I hope you will lend me your help in this . Ainz bowed his head, to which the Guildmaster responded by folding his arms and staring at the ceiling, a stern look on his face . However, he only held that pose for a short while . I understand, he smiled to Ainz . Since it s you asking, Momon kun, I can t exactly reject it either . Then, could you tell me that person s name She is Enri of Carne VIllage, no, Enri Emmot . Enri, is it Then, could you give me a little time Before long, the Guildmaster returned . He was followed by one of the receptionists which Ainz had seen before . She moved stiffly as she entered the room . Momon sama My apologies This was the first time Ainz had ever seen someone walk while moving both the arms and legs on the same sides of their body at the same time . He thought, that s quite something and there s no need to be so tense, but in the end, he still nodded haughtily . Part of the challenge of being an adamantite ranked adventurer that he could not appear too relaxed . This receptionist attended to Enri Emmot of Carne Village . It would be better for you to ask her directly . Ask her anything you wish to know . Is that so Then no, before that, perhaps she should have a seat, Guildmaster . But this is your room, and it is not up to me to No There s no need to bother you I m fine with standing Perhaps Suzuki Satoru might have felt that it was very wrong to be seated while his opposite number was standing . However, in the process of being Ainz Ooal Gown of being the leader of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick he had gradually lost such feelings . He was slowly becoming used to the difference between a leader and a follower . Perhaps this was an indication that his actions as a master roleplaying were not a waste of effort, but he had indeed accumulated experience points . . . . How much more until I level up Oops . I see . Then, let get down to business . I would like you to tell me about her request, in as much detail and possible . This is a very important matter, so can you tell me everything about it Y yes The receptionist s forehead was beaded in cold sweat . What is it Is there a problem No, I mean . . . The receptionist s eyes were flickering from side to side . Am I asking the wrong questions . . . Perhaps, so let s try this . Was she looking for someone in particular to help with her request No it s not, it s not like that . Ah, I see then, what sort of request was it Or was it not even a request . . . Actually, she did not make a request right away, just said that she might make one in future . And then she mentioned something about monsters called the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West, who were comparable to the Wise King of the Forest which you tamed, Momon sama . That, er, that s all . Ainz was quite surprised by how tongue tied she sounded, but he continued asking So it s a future request, then No it s not I I didn t know she was a friend of yours, Momon sama If I d known, I would have asked more carefully Really AInz was quite perturbed by the receptionist, who was wailing while on the verge of tears . Could someone as emotional as this really man a counter Guildmaster . . . . My apologies . We did not oversee this adequately . Why s it like that Isn t that how the guild s rules work After listening to their conversation, Ainz realized how they had misinterpreted his intentions . The receptionist and Guildmaster believed that Ainz and Enri were friends, and while he had intended to take her job for free, he had decided to give the Adventurer s Guild their due deference and thus they hand arranged for him to accept her request through the Guild . However, the receptionist had coldly chased away Enri by bringing up the manner of fees . Therefore, the two of them were arguing about who should be taking the responsibility for chasing away the friend of an adamantite ranked adventurer . No, if this was a rule of the organization, then wouldn t she be right to have obeyed it Ainz stared at the Guildmaster as he rebuked the receptionist, and his opinion of the man took a sharp dive in his eyes . If a subordinate makes a mistake, her superior ought to cover for her . Or is this some sort of high level technique where he savagely scolds her in front of a customer to earn the customer s sympathy and thus his forgiveness I mean, look at how he s laying into her . Ainz felt that that the receptionist had handled this correctly, and the Guildmaster should have known that as well . However, just like how he had come in through the back door and leaned on the Guildmaster for a favor, adamantite ranked adventurers could easily bend the rules . That was because they were valuable enough that the Guild wanted to keep them around, even if they flouted the rules . That was probably why the two of them were arguing now . I didn t know Ainz gently spoke to comfort the weeping receptionist . The fault is not yours . The receptionist s eyes went wide, and her tears flowed out from them and rolled down her cheeks . Obeying the organization s rules is very important, even if they must be overlooked from time to time . I will not hold this incident against you . Thank you Thank you so much Then, I hope I can trouble you to go get the details from her . Please don t say I ll be taking it, only that I want to be ready to make a move at any time . I understand I I ll go ask now I m very sorry The receptionist turned and ran off like the passing of a typhoon . . . . While I know you wanted to gain my sympathy, I would prefer if you did not falsely blame someone who was innocent . It displeases me . As I thought I can t pull the wool over your eyes, Momon kun . Those words sounded like they had been squeezed out of the depths of his soul, and Ainz knew that his guess had been correct . So the techniques of the Japanese salaryman are universally applicable . However, the problem is The form of Lupusregina came to Ainz s mind . Why didn t Lupusregina have any information about monsters that even a village girl like Enri was aware of Was it a failure in the construction of the intelligence network I need to make sure . As Ainz waited for the receptionist to report to him, he mused that he would need to return to Nazarick and sort this out . 16 41 Nazarick Time A nervous looking Lupusregina entered Ainz s office . The panic and unease of being suddenly summoned was written all over her face . Inside the office were Lupusregina, the regular maid Sixth, the battle maid Narberal, Aura, who was the one most familiar with the forest, the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling, and the owner of the room, Ainz . Incidentally, Albedo was still in confinement . Lupusregina was about to prostrate before Ainz when he interrupted her . Lupusregina, is there something you ve kept from me After seeing the confused look on her face, he wondered if she did not know about it after all . Ainz decided to repeat what he had heard about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West from the Adventurer s Guild . However, as he saw that Lupusregina seemed to have known about this long before, Ainz s mood rapidly deteriorated . He exhaled long and loud . So you were aware of this, then Yes . About that You fool Ruled by anger, Ainz s wrath filled shout echoed through the room . As the others recoiled like they had been struck by lightning, Ainz felt something suppress his emotions, but even after the peak of rage was cut off, his anger surged up again, and there was no way he could fully rein in his ire . Why did you not report this to me Were you trying to keep this from me N no Nothing like that Then why Why did none of this reach me at all What was the reason for that B because I th thought it wasn t a big deal, s so I didn t report For some reason, the sight of the frightened battle maid peeking up at him only incensed him further . Lupusregina Beta I am thoroughly disappointed in you Lupusregina was not the only one who flinched at this . Nabe and Sixth were trembling too, and the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling seemed to have frozen up as well . I gave you discretion over handling the village, but that does not mean you can do as you please You were told to report anything that happened in the village, anything at all, so what is the meaning of this That s Ainz s face twisted as he looked down on Lupusregina, who was unable to answer him . This was an unforgivable sin for a worker no, for anyone . These rules were obvious for anyone who did business, or rather, for anyone who worked in society at all Report, Communicate, Discuss . It was an abbreviation of reporting what you had learned, communicating clearly with others and discussing issues as they came up . They were very important the lifeblood of the giant that was working society . If she can t even do that, I don t think I can forgive her from the perspective of a leader no As he looked on the terrified Lupusregina, Ainz could not help but think that he was at least partially to blame . These mistakes would only result if a superior was unreliable and could not properly direct his subordinates . A failure in the group s communications is my fault . I couldn t take proper control of this maybe I should step back and let Demiurge or Albedo handle this sort of thing . Lupusregina, are you aware of Carne Village s value to Nazarick Hah No yes . Er, I heard you say that village is very valuable, Ainz sama No, no, I mean, what do you, personally, feel is valuable about the village W well, there s a lot of toys there, and Ah, that s how it is . Well then I m sorry . It was my mistake . I did not realize you thought like that Ainz laughed tiredly . He realized it had been his fault after all . I take back what I said about you being a disappointment . I went too far . Please forgive me . W what are you saying It was my foolish mistake In that case, just be more careful next time . Now then, I ll explain again, so pay close attention . That village is very valuable to us . Especially that boy, Nfirea, and his grandmother Lizzie . They are of great importance to Nazarick . Eeh Is is that so Indeed . I have handed the task of creating new potions to those two . Ah, that that s right I have something to show you, Ainz sama Lupusregina suddenly shouted that last part as her face turned pale . She took out a vial of purple potion and Narberal, who was closest to her, took it and handed it to Ainz . This is Ainz looked at the potion through the light . Y yes This is Nfirea s new healing potion Ainz s anger flared again, and he tried his best to quash it . With this potion, the Bareare family s importance has risen again . Ainz laughed quietly as he saw Lupusregina s clueless face . This purple potion Nfirea made had been concocted using various items provided by Nazarick . The most important thing was that without possessing Yggdrasil s potion creation skills, they had managed to use ingredients from Yggdrasil to create something other than this world s blue potions or Yggdrasil s red potions . For starters, the healing potions of this world are blue . But the healing potions I know of are red . Curious, don t you think Ainz rambled . The knowledge and powers of YGGDRASIL could be used in this world . From the angels he had first encountered, to the apparent existence of World Class Items, there was a very high chance that players had been here in the past . In that case, why was it that the potions were not red like in YGGDRASIL There were three possibilities . First, the downfall of a country might have resulted in the loss of those potion making techniques . These techniques should have been quite widespread, and nothing short of an entire country s destruction would be able to wipe them out . The second reason might have been that Nfirea simply did not know these techniques since they had not spread to the nearby countries . Perhaps distant countries might be using red potions . After all, in Japan, the same noodle soup looked completely different when prepared on different sides of the country . The third reason was optimization making YGGDRASIL potions would require YGGDRASIL materials . Maybe those materials were difficult to find here, or they were not available at all, and that was why only blue potions were the best that could be made with this world s materials . That is to say, except for the second possibility, this potion that Nfirea made Ainz swirled the purple potion in its vial . This might be a once in a century technological revolution, for all I know . Well, if it s the third possibility, this might turn out to be a failed product after all . His hard work in the future will give me the answer . Wat Ainz wanted from Nfirea was for him to make YGGDRASIL potions without using YGGDRASIL materials . Or he might come up with something else and end up making a third, completely different potion . In that case, would it not be more effective to let more people research the subject Narberal s question made Ainz frown . That is a foolish question . Narberal . Indeed, the work would proceed more quickly, but it would be very dangerous . Knowledge is power, and freely distributing it is a foolish action . YGGDRASIL was also like that, so Ainz could confidently say that . For example, there is a possibility that his potion could be refined to the point where it could kill me with a single attack . Then, it would be safer to monopolize this knowledge than to spread it It s better for slaves to be a little ignorant, but one must always keep abreast of technological advancements . This is the same for Nfirea and his potions . Though I would like to lock him up in Nazarick and make him focus solely on research and development This would both prevent the spread of the technique and the usage of the potion . Then, then why have you not done so Narberal s eyes seemed to say that she would do it immediately if ordered, and so AInz hurriedly squeezed out a reply . Rather than imprison him and force him to work, I will build his trust in us, as a long term scheme that will bring better benefits to Nazarick . Demiurge analyzed the situation and concluded that it was better to shackle him to us with a debt of obligation Hm What s wrong, Lupusregina There s one thing I don t understand, could you explain it to a fool like me Why did you give the potion to someone like Brita, Ainz sama Ainz had no idea who Brita was, going by her name alone . While trying to maintain a look which said all is within the palm of my hand which was to say, a carefully blank expression he struggled frantically to think of a solution . Could it be that potion Ainz recalled the first night he spent in E Rantel . As he remembered what he had said then, Ainz was grateful that his body could no longer sweat . What should I do What should I say He could not keep silent forever . Demiurge Albedo Why aren t you here No, Demiurge is currently abroad performing his tasks, and Albedo is in confinement It s too late to call her over Is that so You really don t understand Yes . I apologize for my lack of knowledge . Please enlighten me . Just don t ask Ainz wanted to shout . However, he had no other options, so all he could do was roll the dice and hope for the best . Courage filled him as he decided on his course . Fufu hahahaha . Indeed, it was a dangerous move that you, Lupusregina, have the right to be curious about . It could have resulted in a development that we would not be able to control . However, there was a motive for taking such risks . A a motive Wasn t it just meant to compensate her for the loss of her potion Narberal s interruption made Ainz swallow the words he was about to say . His brain spun into high gear, and he struggled to recall that encounter in E Rantel . That s right At that time, I just did it so I wouldn t get a bad rep Damn Ainz maintained his calm demeanour . He would have to lie to cover up another lie . He struggled to muster up the vestiges of his rapidly vanishing courage . Is that all you thought I was doing, Narberal I am very sorry No, this isn t something you should apologize for . At the time, I wasn t confident my plan would work out, so I chose a simpler explanation . Then what was your real aim In the face of Narberal s questions, Ainz s jaw hung open for a moment at a loss for words . But in that moment, inspiration struck . With that as the basis for his confidence, Ainz prepared to speak . It was Nfirea As Ainz slowly opened his mouth, he took in the subordinates around him . If Demiurge or Albedo were present, they would probably interrupt and say, Ah, so that s how it is . As expected of Ainz sama . Narberal, on the other hand, could only furiously furrow her brows . Nfirea Ainz cupped his chin with a silent Umu . Fear began creeping over the faces of Narberal and the others, because they thought Ainz s pose meant, do you still not understand, even after I ve said this much In truth, Ainz had made that gesture unconsciously, not knowing what to do with his hands . In a short period of time, Ainz had been subjected to extreme tension and the emotion suppression that blanked it out . Between these two clashing forces, an epiphany came upon Ainz . Without knowing where he would end up, Ainz clung to that last straw and took a step into the darkness . Mm . I managed to get the attention of the pharmacist known as Nfirea was that enough of an answer . . . That s right Normally, what would you do if you got your hands on a potion that was completely different from any other potion that you had ever encountered Discuss it with someone Exactly Lupusregina, it is exactly as you said . As I predicted, Brita brought the potion to the pharmacist she trusted the most . That was how I came into contact with Nfirea . He remembered that Nfirea had apparently said something similar when they met at Carne Village . Ah So that s how it is That was your objective all along You seem to get it . That was the bait for my hook to catch a master alchemist . Although there was a chance it could have ended up in a strange place and caused problems, it was still worth a try . A sense of understanding filled the air, and there were looks of admiration on their faces . I managed to join the stories together Just as Ainz was about to mentally sigh in relief, a sudden, unexpected question came . Then I understand I m being very rude, but could I ask one more question No . Stop . Please don t ask any more questions . Ainz was crying inside, but his face remained impassive . What s the matter, Lupusregina If you have something you need to discuss, feel free to look me up . Yes, Lupusregina swallowed, and with a serious expression on her face, she asked, Do you always think two or three steps ahead when making plans, Ainz sama Most of the time, Ainz made things up on the spot . Of course, sometimes he tried to plan his next move, but more often than not, the results were completely different from what he intended . Of course, he could not say any of that . Ainz laughed quietly . It was a practiced laugh . Of course . I am the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown, am I not Quiet exclamations of Ohhhh rose up from all around him, and Lupusregina s eyes went wide . What s wrong, Lupusregina A wise king Lupusregina s gasped words made Aura frown, and she took a step forward . However, Ainz stopped her . Pay it no heed . Is that all you have to ask Then, er, then, I ve got another one . Wouldn t it be better if we let the monsters attack the village, and then Ainz sama would swoop in to save them, wouldn t that be better I mean, wouldn t Nfirea and his grandmother feel extra grateful to Ainz sama for plucking them out of the fire That would make them more useful right Well, that is a very good plan, and worth considering, However, if that happened, Nfirea might end up hating the monsters too much and then he would no longer be willing to cooperate with us now, it would be a different matter if it was humans who did it . In that case, perhaps it would be more effective if we saved Enri Emmot as well, the better to chain his heart up further . However, Carne Village was a village that had been saved by the magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown . It had its uses, so burning it down was of questionable value . By the way, the most important people in that village are in descending order Nfirea, his crush Enri Emmot and finally his grandmother Lizzie . You must protect these three people no matter the cost . Everyone else is expendable . If need be, sacrifice your life to protect Nfirea . That s it . Is that all, Lupusregina Yes Thank you very much Now then, Lupusregina, I will forgive you for this lapse . Now that you know my objectives, you will not be forgiven next time . Do you understand Of course Very good . Then go . Complete your assigned tasks . Lupusregina bowed and exited the room, followed closely by Narberal, who seemed more like a policeman escorting a criminal . After the two of them vanished out the door, Ainz turned to the Guardian beside him . Now then, Aura . Do you know anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West Suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the room . Seriously, Ainz sama is amazing su I can t believe he thought so far ahead, and in such detail He must be some kind of monster su The voice that came through the thick door was not very loud, but it was enough to interrupt their conversation . Given that they could hear her words so clearly, how loudly was she yelling in the corridor, just outside Should we tell her how thin the doors are I think she s just too excited, let me go pound some sense There was a smashing sound from outside the door, and then the sound of something heavy being dragged into the distance . . . . Aura, I don t think you need to go any more . Back to the previous topic let me know what you ve found . Yes . Er, I m very sorry, but I haven t heard anything about the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West . After we fought that tree monster called Zy tl Q ae, I did a quick sweep of the forest, aside from the underground caverns, which I didn t investigate . I didn t find any strong enemies Well, if they re only as strong as Hamsuke, I understand why you wouldn t have paid any attention to them . Even a gardener could not be expected to know how many ants were crawling in his domain . Missing out on things due to the difference in strength was a problem . I am truly sorry . Then, Ainz sama, will we be doing house cleaning That sounds like a good idea . We ll swat those pesky flies and put the forest under Nazarick s complete control . Got it Then, I ll send some of my pets along Umu . It seems a little boring that way . I d like to see what sort of monsters this Giant of the East and Serpent of the West are, who can rival Hamsuke . Then, shall I drag them here in chains No, I think I shall go visit them in person . Thanks to Hamsuke, I ve found another way of appreciating the value of antiques as well . Ainz laughed at the puzzled expression on Aura s face . Well, of course that s not all . I also want to see if I can arrange a test for Lupusregina Nazarick Time 19 16 Fenrir crept leisurely through the night time forest . Neither the branches which stuck out or the coiling vines hampered Fenrir s movements or the two people on its back . In fact, they seemed to move like incorporeal wraiths, without even disturbing a twig . This was the effect of one of Fenrir s skills, Landwalker . According to my vassals reports, the Giant of the East s lair seems to be just ahead . There was no tension in Aura s voice, even in this world of darkness, cut off from the starlight by the densely packed trees . Ainz and the others were not like humans, who lacked special visual modes . They took in the darkened forest around them like it was broad daylight . Is that so . We would be very lucky if the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West were to gather in the same place . However, that s probably being greedy . If the Serpent of the West is not here, then I ll leave its disposal to you, Aura . Yes I ll do my best But how shall I deal with these fools who dare make hostile moves on you, Ainz sama Let s try communication first . Aura looked behind herself at Ainz with a puzzled look on her face . Eh Weren t we going to make them swear themselves to us That s because the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West are unknown monsters . Starting with an attempt at rational communication ought to be better from just about every angle . If they re monsters which don t exist in YGGDRASIL, then I would like to keep them . You re so kind, Ainz sama . There was no mockery within Aura s tone . Is is that so I feel that only the worthy deserve my kindness followed by those who belong to Nazarick I m doing this because they might have some value if they re on Hamsuke s level . I suppose you could call this seizing an opportunity You mentioned Hamsuke just now, but is it really that valuable Oh yes . It s quite useful as a guinea pig . Hamsuke was currently studying to be a warrior under Zaryusu of the Lizardmen . Incidentally, one of the Death Knights made by Ainz was also studying under him . Training the two of them a hamster and a monster was intended to see if they could acquire warrior class levels . This was particularly true for the Death Knight . If he could gain warrior levels, that would greatly increase Nazarick s combat power . While he felt it was probably impossible, he still had to conduct the experiment to be sure . Are you having the blacksmith make armor for Hamsuke because it s that important You re quite well informed . That s also one of the reasons . If I have to ride it onto the battlefield in future, so enhancing its defense might be critical . Hamsuke should have no problem wearing full plate armor once he had warrior class levels . Currently, putting it in armor greatly decreased its evasion and mobility rates due to its weight . Ainz felt that it needed training for that reason . However Armor hampers its movements since it doesn t have warrior levels, that much is the same as the game no, I can t even wear metal armor at all due to the game s restrictions . From that point of view, its restrictions are a lot more lax if only there were a second Hamsuke, then I could study the differences between the two These restrictions which resembled those of the game were still a mystery even now . If he let Demiurge and the others perform in depth investigations, they might be able to find the right answer, but for some reason, Ainz did not want to do that . This is a magical world, and it might run on physics that are vastly different from ours . Perhaps all I can do is force myself to accept that this is just one of the principles of such a world . Just assume that anything could happen . . . Ainz sama, what s wrong Hm No, it s nothing, what is it No, it just seemed like you were thinking, and I wanted to ask if something was the matter . Oh, indeed . I was just thinking about some things, it s nothing much . I see . Aura seemed relieved and faced forward once more . Ainz looked at the back of her head which was covered in silky golden hair and his eyes roved down . His eyes passed over her slender back, and then they focused on his hands which were wrapped around her slender waist . She s so slim are children s waists all so thin Having never had children of his own, AInz was curious, and he could not resist the urge to pat her waist, like he was inspecting her . Then, Ainz raised his hand to lightly pat her back . However, he did not use much force because he was mounted on Fenrir . However, Aura jumped up and suddenly jerked around . Uwaaaah What what is it, Ainz sama Her face was very red . In fact, it was so red that even someone without darkvision might be able to see how red it was . Ah, it s nothing, I just thought your waist was very thin . Have you been eating well You re equipped with items that negate the need for eating and drinking but you can still eat, right I I can . I won t gain any magical enhancements from doing so, but I can still eat . In games like YGGDRASIL, humanoids and demihumans had designated lifespans, and in turn they could grow conversely, heteromorphs had no maximum lifespans and so they would stop aging after a certain period . If that character aspect had carried over to this world, then Aura and Mare would slowly grow older . Ainz did not want their growth to be affected because they had not received proper nutrition as children . While his companions were not around, the growth of these kids was Ainz s responsibility . You need to eat well, okay . Yes I ll eat well and make Shalltear regret it Ainz had no idea why Shalltear had suddenly come up, but he did not inquire into it . . . . Items that remove the need for eating and drinking might affect growth, so depending on the situation, perhaps you should swap them out for other items . Growing up perhaps one day, you two will have lovers of your own Aura and Mare were very cute children, and when they grew up, they would surely be very handsome and beautiful . Ainz imagined men and women of all sorts confessing their love to them although, Ainz had never had experiences like those, so what he imagined had all come from TV shows . Perhaps he had been influenced by the previous topic, but for some reason he imagined a huge pile of Hamsukes . Hm He visualized a young Aura and Mare being surrounded by vast amounts of Hamsukes . It seemed quite pleasing, but it was completely different from the plan which Ainz had in mind . Hamsuke s related to rodents, so Hamsuke ought to be capable of reproducing in vast quantities . Is it best to sterilize it Although I d like to let it breed a little more I wonder if there are any males of its species Eh It s still too early for that, Ainz sama . I m only 70 . I I see, you re right . You re still young . Well, anyway, Aura, who do you like most in Nazarick What s your type While Ainz had no experience in love, he still got a little jealous whenever he saw dashing lads and pretty girls being all lovey dovey on the roadside . However, Ainz was sure that he could genuinely wish the NPCs well if it were them . I like you the most, Ainz sama . Haha, well, that s good to hear . Ainz was quite happy to hear such flattery from a young child like Aura . He loved the children NPCs very much, and how could he not be pleased to hear that they liked him too Then, who do you like the most, Ainz sama Who do you like the most between Albedo and Shalltear Haha . Well now, I have to say I like you very much, Aura . Eh Ainz caressed Aura s head from behind . The soft strands of her hand fell from between his fingers . Eh Should I start considering the problem of sex education If there are Dark Elf schools, should I send Aura and Mare there to study so they can grow into good adults What would Bukubukuchagama san think if she were here But still, schools school love comedies Peroroncino san once raved about it before, and he said he wanted to make a Nazarick Gakuen with Suuraatan san . Where did the data for that go TL Note refers to https en . wikipedia . org wiki Hot and sour soup Eh What is it You re being too loud, Aura . Ah I I m sorry . The Giant of the East s lair ought to be nearby, but It s fine, there s no need to apologize . Leaving that aside, about the future The the future Y yes . Is something the matter You look flustered did something happen No not at all, it s nothing . Yes . Um . You were talking about the future Oh, yes . I was thinking that if there was a kingdom of Dark Elves, it might be worth paying them a visit, and at that time, you ought to come along too . Eh . . . Ah, yes of course So that was what you meant by the future . I get it Please allow me to accompany you there . Also we re almost there, Ainz sama . In the darkness ahead of them, they could see a decidedly unnatural light source through the gaps in the forest . I see . Aura, forgive me, but could you station all the magical beasts you brought along around this region I ll be making some preparations on my end as well . Ainz used one of his skills and summoned powerful undead creatures . An sinister looking knight appeared, mounted on a pale white horse . More appeared every time Ainz used his skill . All right, four ought to be plenty . Now then, Pale Riders . Stand by in the sky, and if anyone tries to flee, capture them . The Pale Riders indicated their understanding without saying a word, and with a tug on their reins, the pale horses leapt up and galloped into the sky . The Pale Riders discorporated, passed through the tree branches, and flew into the air . Alright, we ve set up an encirclement . Now all we have to do is appraise them . Yes Ah, don t we need to test their durability We ll save that for a last resort . My aim is to settle this without any combat . I ll try and discuss mutually beneficial topics first . That was the truth . Ainz was not looking for a fight . While he was perfectly willing to be ruthless if there were benefits to it, that did not mean that he was a cruel person . Ainz would not step on the ants crawling around in his path . A rational dialogue would be best . Fenrir approached the gap in the forest . It was called a gap in the forest, but the truth was that it was simply a place within the forest where trees did not grow . This area was covered with withered trees, just like the mountainous region around the Evil Tree . There were some areas which ended up as withered forests for special reasons . There were many of those reasons, and in this case it was probably because of monsters . The trees had been felled and scattered everywhere . It would seem someone had tried to build a large structure and failed, and had then thrown the logs around in a fit of rage . How laughable . Aura, they were probably trying to build a structure like yours . The work of fools is truly unsightly . They live in caves and don t know how far out of their depth they are, resulting in this sort of thing . Indeed . Ainz sama, their lair is over there . There was a fissure in the scarred ground, which had been burnt barren . . . . Nobody s standing watch . How careless . Alright, it can t be helped . We ll knock next time . With Aura by his side Ainz walked toward the entrance to the underground cave . He peered inside, and it looked like a gentle slope, and the interior seemed quite spacious . The ceiling was high, and it would seem even large creatures could live inside without problems . . . . This reminds me of dungeon delves in YGGDRASIL . Back then, we used to get curious and excited every time we discovered mountain caves and the like . If this were in the past, they would have let Tigris Euphrates and people like him lead the way, while Ainz Momonga would follow behind them . Then, they would summon monsters, and in Ainz s case he would have the undead walk ahead of them, allowing them to trigger traps as they forged boldly ahead . This was known as a warrior s disarm, or a summon disarm . Those were the days . . . The memories of the past lightened Ainz s steps, but within a few seconds, his cheery mood vanished . The stench from below made him wrinkle his nonexistent eyebrows . It was not poison gas, but rather, an odor of beast fat and decay which clouded up the air . Is this a stinking gas cloud trap I don t think these cave dwellers could set such an elaborate trap perhaps it formed naturally . Ainz was undead and did not need to breathe . He was completely immune to gas vector attacks . Aura was also protected by magic items, so if this stench was some sort of attack, it ought to be ineffective . That being the case, this was probably just an ordinary stink . It seems the Giant of the East is not a particularly clean person . I hope he s at least a little intelligent and can speak with me . Yup . Although, that might be a little difficult . Going by the footprints, this cave seems to house several lifeforms of the same kind, but they re all barefooted . The footprints are large, and going by their size, they all seem to be over two meters tall . I see so he must be one of them . Ainz and Aura had not stopped walking, and as they descended the slope, they saw two monsters at the base of the slope . Ainz sama, those are Ogres . The two Ogres were tearing at something and shoving it into their mouths . A new reek wafted over to Ainz and Aura . Ainz slowly extended his finger and smiled bitterly . If this were a simple dungeon hack, he would have killed the Ogres quietly, and then advanced forward without making a sound to wipe out all the other enemies however, his objective this time was different . . . . I m not here to massacre everyone, so I need to communicate in a friendly manner oi, you Ogres over there, sorry to interrupt your meal . The two Ogres turned simultaneously to look at Ainz, and then they roared . The echoes within the cave were intense, and there was no way to accurately judge position, but it would seem a similar howl had come from the depths of the cave . Well, this is quite a crude and noisy doorbell stand back, Aura . He glared as the Ogres ran over . What a pain, Ainz sighed . That was because he realized that they did not wish to communicate with him . Skelton Skelton Enuh my The Ogre screamed hoarsely as it came up to Ainz, and then swung its club at Ainz without a moment s pause . I have The Ogre s club whistled through the air as it swept at him . To apologize for barging It struck Ainz with a thump, but a mere nonmagical club could not possibly hurt him . Into your home The Ogre raised its club again and hammered at Ainz . Ainz s field of vision wobbled slightly as the club struck his head . While it did not hurt in the least, it was still quite annoying . That said, if anyone set foot into Nazarick, Ainz would certainly be angry enough to want to kill them . WIth that in mind, it was only natural for them to want to attack him, so Ainz should probably take the blows . Once an envoy of peace drew a weapon, there would be nothing left to say . The other Ogre approached slightly later . It did not swing its club, but reached a hand out at Ainz . It had probably seen how the attacks of the other Ogre had proven ineffective, and wanted to grab him instead . Ainz quirked his eyebrows . Of course, there was nothing on a skeletal face which could move . Ainz was originally willing to let the Ogre grab him . However, his darkvision capable eyes saw the blood staining the Ogre s hand . Disgusting . Ainz immediately produced a staff from thin air and swung it . While this staff did not possess any special magic powers, it was focused on inflicting bludgeoning damage, and with a single strike, the head of the Ogre who was reaching out for Ainz burst like a rotten grape . A mix of fresh blood and brain matter showered the Ogre beside it, which dropped its club and took a step back . You you, no, skelly It is quite vexing for you to lump me in with other Skeletons . I m here to see your boss, the Giant of the East . Could you go fetch him Although, I m fairly sure he ll come even if you don t shout . Ainz waved to bid the Ogre get lost, and it promptly turned and fled into the cave . . . . Good grief . If they had seen the discrepancy in our respective strengths from the start, we wouldn t have to waste this time . Ainz felt the area where the club had struck him as he finished descending the slope . There were several Goblins more of masticated corpses, really where the Ogres had been just now . While their remains were little more than chunks of meat and it was impossible to tell how many there had been, there must have been more than just one or two . Ainz and Aura detoured around that area as they continued downwards . What a gaffe . I was annoyed and used too much force . I d originally planned to avoid killing before negotiations broke down, to proceed in as friendly a way as possible It couldn t be helped It s the fault of those filthy Ogres who tried to touch you, Ainz sama Hearing you say that pleases me . Punitto Moe san once said, punching them in the face is a good way to make the other party behave . . . or was it Warrior Takemikazuchi san who said that Since the Supreme Beings said so, then it must be correct Ainz could not recall which of these two polar opposites had said that . Just then, a horde of monsters emerged from the depths of the cave . All of them were far taller than a human being . Well, if it isn t a pack of Trolls . While calling them Giants smacks of false advertising to me, it s not as though it s a complete lie . Trolls were giants with long ears and noses . They had very ugly faces and their muscular bodies were as revolting as that of any heteromorph . They wore what seemed to be tiger skin clothes their heads emerged from their shoulders . They were nearly three meters tall, stronger than Ogres, and possessed of powerful regenerative abilities . It was said that unless they were killed with fire or acid, they could come back from the dead even after being reduced to scraps of meat . There were six Trolls here, and 10 Ogres on top of that . The one which caught Ainz s eye was the Troll standing at the head of these monsters . It was more muscular than the other Trolls, and its ugly face exuded confidence . It was better equipped than the other Trolls too . It wore leather armor which looked like it had been sewn together from several animal hides . Its mighty arms bore a greatsword which was larger than the ones which Ainz used in his Momon guise . The greatsword seemed to be magical, and the central fuller oozed a slippery liquid towards its edge . Is he on Hamsuke s level Feels that way . That being the case, this Troll ought to be the Giant of the East . That being the case, what sort of Troll was he Ainz studied the Giant of the East carefully . Trolls were highly adaptable monsters . They varied greatly according to their environment . For instance, there were Volcano Trolls who lived in volcanoes and who were resistant to fire . There were Sea Trolls who were adept at swimming in the ocean and could breathe underwater . There were Mountain Trolls, who lived in the mountains and were especially strong . There were also Toll Trolls, rare trolls who lived under bridges . There was a never ending variety of mutant species and subraces like those . In that case, what was the Troll standing before Ainz specialized in Trolls adapted to cavern living were called Cave Trolls . But they looked different from this one . This was a new species of Troll which he had encountered for the first time in this world this unknown monster kindled Ainz s collector spirit . The Troll known as the Giant of the East had achieved a very rare form of evolution . He was a Troll who had been born amidst countless battles, adapted to them, and specialized in fighting ability . If one had to name it, his species would be War Trolls, a particularly outstanding example among the many Troll subraces . One could say that its combat prowess was unrivalled among others of the same age as him . Granted, his body was smaller than that of a Mountain Troll . However, the muscles of his body his physical abilities far outstripped those of the latter species . In addition, he did not use a primitive club that could be easily swung with brute force, but instead used his inborn abilities to skillfully wield a sword a weapon which was inferior even to a club if one did not know how to use one . One could say he was a Troll who had awakened his warrior abilities . You re the Giant of the East, I take it After hearing no denials, Ainz pointed slightly to the right of the Giant Then, I believe that chap over there is the Serpent of the West . Am I correct Someone with ordinary eyesight would surely think he was pointing at empty air . However, Ainz could clearly see the heteromorph hiding there, as though it were illuminated by the sun s light . Perhaps you think you ve hidden yourself with invisibility, but my eyes can see through it . Stop wasting your effort and answer me . A monster appeared out of what had originally been thin air . It had probably dispelled its invisibility . Indeed, it was a snake . No, to be precise, it had a snake s body . It had an old man s torso from the chest up, but it had a serpentine form below that . It was a heteromorphic monster . Unlike the Giant of the East, Ainz had seen monsters like this in YGGDRASIL before, and so he could immediately state the name of his race . A Naga, then . While it wouldn t be wrong to call you a Serpent, don t you have a better name for yourself No, there s already the case of the Wise King of the Forest, so this was only to be expected, no If thou couldst see through my invisibility, then thou art surely no ordinary What are you doing here, skeleton The Naga was only halfway through his words when a thunderous voice filled the cave and drowned him out . The Giant of the East took a step forward . Ainz turned to face his counterpart . First of all, let me get this straight I am not a Skeleton . I wish to correct that mistake of yours . What are you, if not a Skeleton The king of the eastern lands, Gu, permits you to state your name Gu Ainz had no idea what he was talking about for a moment . He thought that it was some kind of title, like a King or a Chief, and it was only after a while that he realized it was the Troll s name . I see, so your name is Gu . Pardon my delayed introduction my name is Ainz Ooal Gown . At that moment, laughter filled the cavern . Fuafuafuafua A coward s name A soft and weak name, unlike my strong and mighty name The other Trolls laughed distastefully in response to those words . A cow Ainz stopped Aura before she could take a step forward . It s fine . Don t get upset over a trifling matter like this . Remain calm . We re here to talk, we re ambassadors of peace . Oh yes, just for reference, why do you think I m a coward Ah, his ilk takes long names to be a sign of timidity, O mysterious undead, The old man s face of the Naga creased with a mocking smile as he spoke from the side . So he s not an antique, but trash . Then, do you feel my name is that of a coward s as well This one certainly would not think so, because this one bears a long name as well . Indeed, this one is the Serpent of the West of which thou speak st Ryurarius Spenia Ai Indarun, O invader Ainz Ooal Gown . This one has often hoped that his mind would be as developed as his body, but if that were the case, he would have dominated this forest long ago truly a dilemma . . . . You have just saved your own life . A look of suspicion crossed Ryurarius face as Ainz let his innermost thoughts slip out . Unfortunately, just as he wanted to clarify, Gu and the Trolls stopped laughing . So what are you weaklings doing here Come to feed me Bones are delicious and crunchy I ll eat you starting from your skull I am the one who ordered the undead and the Golems to build the fortress in the forest . You ve heard of it, haven t you The mood changed in an instant . Gu and his band radiated vhostility, while Ryurarius was filled with caution . I know You pest If not for this damn snake making noise I d have killed you long ago This saves time A coward and a black little runt Ah, so we can talk . In truth, I came to negotiate with you . Ainz gestured to Gu to kneel before him . Swear yourself to me if you want to live . Are you retarded How could we serve a coward I ll eat you right here and now Then I ll eat that runt behind you Gu . He rules that fearsome structure . You underestimate him at your peril And the Dark Elf behind him this forest belonged to them before the Demon Tree chased them away . They might well be mighty foes but he is not listening . Ainz could not help laughing merrily . Hahahaha You re better at barking than a dog, meatball . How about this . I, whom you call a coward, challenge you, who bears a mighty name, to a one on one fight . I trust you won t run in fear If you re afraid, then get on your hands and knees and beg me for mercy, and I could find it in myself to rear you as a slave . Very good I can handle a mook like you by myself I ll chop you to bits and eat you all up Very well . Since you have made your choice, negotiations have broken down . Aura, stand back . I want to play with him by myself . Just as he finished saying that, the upraised sword hacked down on Ainz . This was the blow Gu had struck with the greatsword he held, which was over three meters long . Ainz did not move, simply took the hit square on his body . Huh What s wrong What s so surprising Ainz was untouched . Gu s ugly face twisted in surprise, and this time he chose a sweeping slash . However, the result was the same as before Ainz took the blow head on . Muuu Gu backed up several steps . He looked at his sword, and then at Ainz . He proudly turned his back on Ainz, then walked up to one of his minions . In the next moment, the greatsword whirled and cut into one of this Troll minions . The sword cleaved into the troll s neck and shoulder, effortlessly parting its flesh, and a geyser of fresh blood spewed forth . The Troll screamed stupidly, at the top of its voice Gu watched in satisfaction as his minion spun and fell to the ground, and he nodded . That was probably to verify that his weapon was working . I see, is that Trollish regeneration at work Quite an impressive sight when you witness it with your own eyes . The wound surface healed over swiftly . It was not so much turning back time as a fast forward of the recovery process . Gu must have known that the Troll would regenerate before testing his blade on him but the evil look on his face as he looked down on his fallen minion suggested that he would have cut the creature up anyway, even if it could not regenerate . It is the privilege of the strong to kill or spare the weak . However it deeply displeases me . Ainz stepped forward . He was no longer in the mood to play around . Gu gripped his greatsword tightly, waiting for Ainz to approach him, step by step . Gu That Ainz Ooal Gown is no mundane individual Let us band together to fight Shut up You sit there and watch, coward Ugooooooh An explosive series of slashes rained down on Ainz . The combination attack was made using physical strength that far surpassed the capability of the human body, and it was among the most destructive assaults Ainz had ever faced from the inhabitants of this world . However, his strikes could not blow away a castle wall, and neither could it scar the land . How could it possibly harm Ainz The greatsword s edge sliced through the wind, and Ainz took it full on his body . Good grief . Could you not crumple my clothes Ainz seemed to find it all uninteresting, and he turned away after tugging on his robes and straightening them out . Then, a thought apparently came to mind . Ah, are you satisfied yet Goooooooh Gu decided that slashing attacks were ineffective, and so he took one hand off his greatsword and threw a punch . This blow struck like a huge maul . If it hit a human being, they would surely have been pulped by its power and sent flying . Yet, Ainz took this blow which was assuredly fatal for a human being straight in the face . After that, he calmly dusted off the place where Gu had struck him, like he had been touched by dirty hands . Gu ceased his attack . His ugly face contorted into an even uglier shape, and he glared at the unmoved Ainz . So, is that end of the attack you re so proud, he of the brave name It s only your defense guwaaaargh Ainz stepped forward to close the distance between them and swung his staff, which destroyed half of one of Gu s legs . Unable to stand, Gu collapsed heavily to the ground . . Even with that acorn sized brain of yours, you should be starting to realize that cowards aren t necessarily weak, no The Trolls and Ogres watching the fight shouted in shock as they saw their leader s disgraceful state . Haaaah . Ainz was beginning to tire of this, and sighed . The fact that they did not understand the situation even at this point proved that these monsters were worthless . Of course, it would be a different matter if they were smart enough to try and flee . Aura, seize him . He is the only one who cannot be allowed to flee . Aura immediately understood Ainz s terse order, and sprang into action . In the blink of an eye, she had caught up to the Naga, who was trying to sneak away invisibly . Got him, Ainz sama . What should I do with him Ainz paid no heed to Gu and looked to Aura, who had the Naga by the neck . The way he treated Gu made one thing clear to everyone present . In other words he could not be bothered to deal with the Gu fellow before him . Gu growled from between his teeth at this utter humiliation, but Ainz did not care . Curse you, brat The Naga s serpentine body started constricting, and it wrapped around Aura . I ll crush you to aiiiieeeee A cold, calm voice came from the midst of the balled up Naga . You know, I can t watch Ainz sama like this . If you continue struggling, I ll use more force and crush your throat . Don t worry, you won t die from it . Her small fists were enough to make the Naga realize the difference in their respective strengths, and the Naga slowly loosened its coils with a strangled wail . Aura, while time is money, wastefulness is also foolishness . Please move a little further away so he doesn t end up getting killed by accident . Understood Aura leisurely dragged away the Naga who weighed several times more than herself as she left . Ainz shifted his gaze back to Gu, who had barely managed to stand up again after his regeneration caused his shattered leg to bulge up mightily as it repaired his ruined flesh Ainz might not be as tall as his opponent, yet he towered over Gu . Oh, so you re healed . Then let us continue . Ainz rapped at his shoulders with his staff, then calmly took a fighting stance . His attitude said that he had no intention of defending himself . You you, what what did you do What are you doing Magic Gu slowly backed away as he held his sword, while Ainz stepped forward like he was giving chase . Gu s stride was shorter than Ainz s . The distance between them was greater than when the battle had begun . Ainz snorted . Hm Well, isn t this strange I, the one with the cowardly name, am advancing, while the bravely named Gu sama is backing off . I wonder why that is the case Someone replied from behind in a deadpan voice That s because Ainz sama s name is the brave one, and that weird Gu name belongs to a coward Isn t that right, snake Y yehh Ainz Ooal Gown shama ish the greatest After hearing the sweet little girl s voice and another voice which was on the verge of tears, Ainz nodded several times . I see, I understand now . Short names are the mark of a coward the name of Ainz Ooal Gown belongs to a brave and wonderful person, am I correct Why you Shut up, coward . Gu s anger overcame his fear, and he swung his blade at Ainz as though to hack him in two . Ainz did not parry or dodge simply swung back with his staff . Ainz s blow did not permit Gu to block with his sword or evade . The staff shattered part of Gu s body . Abbbahhhhhhhhh Gu s piteous wailing sparked fear in the hearts of his underlings as they watched the battle . Well, that s a Troll for you with their regeneration, they can even come back to life after being reduced to mincemeat . Still, pain does seem to hurt . That was the weakest attack you made so far . All you were thinking of was protecting yourself . You feared being hit by me . It was a coward s swordsmanship . Before Ainz was Gu, whose head was half its normal thickness . A normal creature would have died long ago, but his head was slowly returning to its normal shape . Gu s restored face was twisted into an especially disgusting shape . It was etched with terror . He was even more afraid than before it was the reaction of one who had been broken by fear . You what, what are you Why couldn t I do anything to you Ainz tilted his head, and then slowly spread his arms . . . . I am Death . I am he who brings death to you . You you lot Kill him Good grief I expected nothing less of a coward, to renege on the terms of our duel still, it does suit your name . So I will forgive you . Ainz seemed very happy as he said this . Gu s minions were scared stiff by this mysterious monster, and so they remained still . That was because despite their stupidity, they could feel the sheer power of Ainz, and they had certainly witnessed enough of it . They were probably wrestling with themselves, unable to decide who was more fearsome . Nobody dared to move they simply looked back and forth between Ainz and Gu . Hurry But they still did not move . They could not move . The same applied to Ainz . There was a delicate balance here, one which rooted everyone in place . If Ainz made a move, this balance would collapse, and they would all flee for their lives . It would be troublesome if they escaped just the thought of hunting down and killing each and every one of them felt tiresome . In that case, let s do it this way . Playtime is over . Ainz activated one of his abilities, which he had not had the chance to use, and was too powerful for this world . Despair Aura V Instant Death . The surging aura billowed out from Ainz . The Trolls, Ogres and Gu went limp and collapsed like puppets whose strings had been cut, slumping to the ground . The fallen monsters did not move . It was clear that although their bodies were still warm, the flames of their life had been utterly extinguished . An old man s voice rang through the silent cave . What what didst . . . thou do The Naga was curled up into a ball, doing his best to stay away from Ainz . Ainz turned around and replied I simply used a skill . Trolls can regenerate, but that does not immunize them to instant death attacks honestly, you lot are worthless . I was simply thinking that rather than slaughtering you all outright, I should see what uses you might have, but since they refused to bend the knee, I decided to kill them all . This one gladly consents to be your subordinate It is only natural for the weak to obey the strong From now on, this one shall commit his entire strength to thee Ainz calmly looked down upon the prostrated Naga, and then shrugged weakly . . . . Eh, whatever, it s fine . Besides, I came here to talk anyway . How how fearsome . Thou think st nothing of this one . Thou regard st this one, who has long ruled the western forest, as little more than an animal shaped pebble by the roadside . No, I am somewhat more interested in you than that . Didn t you mention something about the Dark Elves . Tell me everything . But of course of course I shall . This one shall gladly tell thee everything this one knows Although, ah Ainz waved to bid the Naga continued, and he said Wilt thou spare this one s life after this one tells his tale That I promise you . If you are loyal to me, if you serve me sincerely, I will reward you appropriately but first, a question . Where are your minions Or are you like Hamsuke the beast who ruled the southern forest by herself No, this one has underlings . However, this one came for the sake of negotiations, so this one did not bring them along . That was because this one s minions cannot make themselves invisible, so once negotiations broke down, they would have no way to flee . I see . Now, for my next question do you have any Troll minions Only one . Excellent . In that case, can I have him take the place of the Giant of the East No, that s too that might be a little troublesome . Very well . In a few days, I will bring my subordinates to no, you will go to the structure that she built . Aura, release him . Is that really alright It s fine . He s already sworn his loyalty to me . If he betrays me, I ll simply think of some other way to use him . Aura s slender hands released the Naga s neck, leaving hand shaped bruises on his flesh . The Naga was still nervous, but he was much more relieved now . Ainz paid him no heed, but walked up to Gu s corpse . I wonder what sort of data a Troll Zombie contains . Ainz could create undead beings from corpses with a skill . While they were little more than Zombies or Skeletons, he could make stronger Zombies if the corpse of the base creature was powerful enough . A more famous example of those would be Dragon Zombies . Ainz picked up the greatsword which had fallen to the ground . It was far longer than Ainz was tall, but thanks to the basic principle of magic arms and armor, it shrank down to a size which best fit Ainz . If Ainz tried to swing a sword which he could not equip, he would be forcibly disarmed, but just picking it up did not pose any problems to him . Should I strengthen that village s fighting power In that case, perhaps this magic weapon might be the best choice . Besides, there s no value in bringing it back to Nazarick . Ainz Ooal Gown sama Isn t he done yet Ainz tiredly turned to look at the Naga . This this one will never betray thee . Only the fools who have never seen thy icy gaze that regards all before him as mere ants would dare betray thee . I did not think my eyes were as expressive as that or is this a skill of yours too Even Demiurge, that master of scrutiny, could not tell what I was truly thinking . It hardly qualifies as a skill, but this one can still sense whether someone is interested in this one . Ainz thought, perhaps that s a Naga racial ability . Really now very well, I understand . Stop wasting time and gather your minions . This is my first order . Yes Part 4 Nazarick Time 21 07 Demiurge s elegant form appeared within Ainz s office . First, he bowed deeply to the seated Ainz, and then nodded in deference to Mare and Cocytus, who were waiting within . He spared the maid assigned to this room a glance of acknowledgement . Ainz answered with a look, and then spoke to Entoma via Message . Alright, Entoma, tell Lupusregina she has permission to set off . Those three must be protected no matter the cost . Understood . I will relay your orders to Lupusregina . Demiurge walked to the center of the room, free of worries . His stylish stride made Ainz envious . How shall I describe it, every move he makes overflows with confidence . Is it because his back is very straight Demiurge halted crisply, bringing Ainz back to his senses . It is good that you ve come, Demiurge . Yes I thank you for summoning me before you, Ainz sama . Have you finished speaking with Entoma Everything is fine . She reported back to me, and discussed the matter with me . She has passed this test . Wonderful . In addition, I thank you for making time for me, Ainz sama . Pay it no heed, Demiurge . It is only fitting that I should match myself to the man who has done the most for Nazarick . In addition, you are not late, so do not worry now then, tell me what you think . Ainz handed the piece of paper he was holding to Demiurge . Demiurge received it, and Ainz saw him quickly scan it from top to bottom before asking As you can see, this is a menu, but what do you think of it The meal is for a human male and female, and possibly a child . . . . I think that any human being must consume whatever you deign to provide for them without complaint, Ainz sama . However, I feel that is not the answer you seek, therefore if there is a child, they might not enjoy foie gras . In addition hm, lighter dishes might be more ideal . I see . That certainly bears consideration . I thank you . You honor me with your praise Ainz sama, do you intend to invite people to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick into the sanctuary of the Supreme Beings as your guests Indeed . I intend to be hospitable . Or rather, it was not so much hospitality as entertaining them . This was a form of coercion backed by wealth, intended to keep them on good terms with him . Is that wise Does it matter Is there a problem No, none at all . After all, whatever you speak is correct, Ainz sama . In the past, when this had all been in the game world, the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had played host to very few people other than the guild members . At the very most, they had invited the little sister of the guild member Yamaiko whose player name was Akemi chan a few times . However, the guild did not forbid inviting anyone . It was simply that nobody had thought to do so . Which is why my friends ought to have no issue with me inviting Nfirea and the others . Invaders are different from guests . Ainz then turned to Demiurge who was pondering something and the other two Guardians who had been waiting in the room before he asked Guardians are you ready to enter the baths Forgive me Mare and I were planning to borrow bathing equipment along the way . I see . Then, Cocytus oh, you brought yours along . Then we shall meet in the baths . Increment, if anyone comes, have them wait for me here . Understood . After hearing the maid s reply, Ainz stood up and left his room . After ordering the vassals who usually trailed him around to remain where they were, he led the way to the baths, which were also on the 9th Floor . Ainz very much wanted to chat with Cocytus as they walked side by side, but Cocytus was a very serious person and would never do such a thing . This made Ainz feel a little lonely . Cocytus probably had not read his heart, but he approached Ainz and asked Ainz sama . There . Seemed . To . Be . Fewer . Eight . Edge . Assassins . In . The . Room . Just . Now . Did . You . Send . Them . Somewhere Ainz felt a little disappointed when he discovered that it was work related, but he also comforted himself by thinking that this was what Cocytus considered casual conversation, and so he replied to Cocytus . He very nearly let the excitement creep into his voice, but in the end he decided that it would be better to keep it a secret . They are at the E Rantel inn . Narberal is waiting there in case we have an unexpected visitor . They ought to be observing the situation from afar . Is . It . Not . Dangerous . To . Leave . Narberal . Alone . By . Herself Quite . If anyone plans to attack, they ought to do so now . I . See . So . She . Is . Live . Bait . Then Indeed . If the person who brainwashed Shalltear is observing our every movement, this bait will surely have them drooling . After Momon defeated the mighty Vampire Shalltear granted, she was known by a different name nobody attempted to approach him . That being the case, if Momon is not around, leaving the magic caster all by herself They . Will . Take . The . Bait I don t know . But if they do, I will be a master baiter . Ainz mimed the action of pulling up a fishing pole . Will . We . Mobilize . All . Our . Forces . Then As if . I won t do that . First, we ll feel out our opponent . If they re as strong as us, or stronger, then we ll have to be more humble . Cocytus groaned . He understood the reasoning behind that decision, so he had no choice but to bear with it . The . Logical . Part . Of . Me . Knows . It . Is . Only . A . Temporary . Thing . But . Emotionally . I . Find . It . Hard . To . Keep . My . Cool . Bear with it until we ve checked them out thoroughly and found our opposition s weaknesses . Once that happens, I will have them taste the purest of pain . I will not forgive them for daring to brainwash Shalltear and forcing me to put her down . Even if they were players, Ainz did not feel the slightest bit of empathy for them . The only people Ainz cared for were the NPCs or his old friends . If anyone aroused his ire, he would subject them to a fate worse than death in order to show them the foolishness of their ways . Repay good unto good and evil unto evil . Is that not to be expected Ainz smiled coldly, as a surge of excitement welled up inside him . If the opposition really were players, then he could conduct far better experiments . The first of them would probably be the one he dared not perform with himself that of death . An . Eye . For . An . Eye . And . A . Tooth . For . A . Tooth . Then Correct . However, did you know That phrase was originally meant to warn against excessive retribution, so I did not use it . That s because I intend to pay them back with interest . Punitto san said that, Ainz added in his heart . Oh I . Expected . No . Less . Of . You . Ainz sama . Not . Only . Are . You . A . Supremely . Skilled . Warrior . But . Your . Intellect . Is . Beyond . Compare . Truly . I . Am . In . Awe . Ainz did not need to look back to feel the wave of respect pressing down on him from behind . Then . Do . You . Plan . To . Spend . The . Entire . Day . In . Nazarick . Ainz sama No, after I bathe with everyone, I ll take care of some work here before going over there in the middle of the night, because there s a lot of things which need to be settled over there as well . How about yourself I . Plan . To . Temporarily . Return . To . My . Position . Guarding . Nazarick . Since . The . Matters . Which . Require . My . Personal . Presence . At . The . Lakeside . Have . All . Been . Concluded . Once you return, the only ones working outside will be Demiurge, who has many tasks to complete, Sebas and Solution, who are gathering information in the Royal Capital, Aura, who is building a base in the forest, and then Narberal and myself . I . Find . It . Hard . To . Accept . The . Fact . That . A . Supreme . Being . Must . Personally . Handle . Work . We . Should Have . Taken . On Haha, forgive me, Cocytus . There . Is . No . Need . Ainz sama . You . Rule . This . Place . And . So . Your . Every . Word . Is Law . What . I . Just . Said . Was . Mere . Foolishness . In . Addition The mood in the air seemed to have changed, and Ainz found it odd . Looking back, he saw Cocytus looking somewhat gloomy although he could not tell from his face . If . We . Were . As . Capable . As . Demiurge . You . Would . Not . Need . To . Exert . Yourself . In . The . End . It . Boils . Down . To . Our . Lack . Of . Ability That s not true . When everyone made you, they sought to create the right person for the job . That being the case, the most important thing for you is to finish your assigned tasks . Frankly speaking, it doesn t matter if you can t do anything else . Although, the fact that Demiurge is somewhat more intelligent and more knowledgeable means he can tackle a wider range of problems . Cocytus did not seem to be able to accept that, so Ainz continued In that case, you should focus on slowly learning how to handle more things . For instance you are now in charge of the Lizardman village, so you should have learned a lot from it . Ruling that village will surely aid you in the future . As long as you slowly proceed, step by step, someday you will come to be on par with Demiurge . Can . I . Really . Do . That I feel that you can t say it s impossible, Ainz replied in a roundabout manner . Nobody can surpass Demiurge s intellect . In order to equal him, you must walk an arduous road . But I believe your efforts will not be wasted . The two of them continued silently along the corridor . Soon, Cocytus quietly said Thank you, Ainz sama . I don t think I ve said anything which deserves your thanks . Alright, Cocytus, we re almost at the bath . Cheer up before Demiurge and Mare come . Yes Spa Resort Nazarick was located on the 9th Floor of Nazarick . It was a comfortable place of leisure which boasted nine separate outdoor themed baths and 17 indoor themed baths for both men and women . The most impressive of them was the Cherenkov Bath . Its warm water radiated an actinic blue light, allowing bathers to enjoy a decadent atmosphere . TL Note Cherenkov radiation is the blue glow typically associated with underwater nuclear reactors Ainz, who had reached the baths in Cocytus company, was utterly shocked when he saw an unexpected someone . Ainz sama 3 It was Albedo, who seemed to be ending her sentences with hearts today . No, it was not just Albedo alone . Shalltear was behind her, along with a tired looking Aura . In contrast, Demiurge and Mare were nowhere to be seen . Perhaps they were waiting for Ainz and Cocytus in the changing room . A Albedo, what are you doing here Hm I simply came to bathe with everyone you too, Ainz sama Ah, erm yes, I did . What a coincidence, Albedo . What a lovely coincidence indeed I hear that it s best to engage in some light exercise before bathing in order to work up a sweat . Shall I sweat with you, Ainz sama A chill ran down Ainz s spine . Well, table tennis is not a bad thing Aw, I didn t mean that . Really, you should take a hint She closed in on Ainz with the technique of a level 100 warrior something which Ainz, as a magic caster, could not hope to evade and reached out a finger to Ainz s chest, which was covered only in a robe, in the hopes of tracing letters on it . However, her finger, as soft and delicate as a minnow, instead slipped into the space between Ainz s ribs . Ah . Ah . Both of them made the same sound in unison . What a stupid scene . Ainz smiled bitterly, intending to address Albedo, and then his face froze up . I put my finger into Ainz sama s precious place Albedo s face was flushed red, her eyes dewy, and an overwhelming fragrance rolled out from her body . That scent was very similar to the odor he sometimes smelled on his bed . Oi, I asked before, but has she always been this weird Ainz tried his best to speak in a normal tone to Aura, who was trying to hold back a struggling Shalltear . . . . Forgive me, Ainz sama, a lot of things happened . Erm, please treat this as stress that she built up after working hard for Nazarick every day . Yes, please think of it that way . If if that s how it is, then it can t be helped . Er umu . Albedo, thank you for your hard work every day . Ainz planned to swiftly retreat, but someone grabbed his robe . No, there was no need to look he already knew who it was . Albedo, what are you doing Has something driven you to abandon all restraint What you said to me just now it lit a fire in my heart, and it made my belly twitch . So, Ainz sama Er, no, hang on, wait a minute, calm down, Albedo Co Cocytus Understood A gust of chilling air filled the passage . The sudden temperature change seemed to have brought Albedo to her senses, and the light of reason returned to her eyes . I . Cannot . Sit . Idly . By . As . Someone . Disrespects . Ainz sama . Even . If . It . Is . The . Guardian . Overseer . Herself . Cocytus cut between Ainz and Albedo . He had his platinum halberd in hand, a wordless threat that he would gladly use if if Albedo tried anything funny . I apologize, Ainz sama . I seem to have forgotten myself . I accept your apology, Albedo . After hearing his master s judgement, Cocytus stepped aside . However, he did not put away his halberd . I understand your duties are weighty, and that there are times where you wish to cast everything aside and relieve your frustrations . In any case, go take a bath and let go of your stress . Thank you, Cocytus . Saying so, Ainz sought to scurry into the male bath, but the footsteps from behind him made him halt . . . . Albedo, why are you following me Perhaps you do not know, so I will tell you, but this is the men s bath . You should be going to the ladies bath . I was hoping to wash your back, Ainz sama . . . Denied . Besides, I m not bathing alone . The male Guardians will be with me . Do you wish to appear naked before them Just as Ainz thought, she might actually say it s okay because she s a Succubus, Albedo promptly replied In that case, there are family baths elsewhere Family baths are not meant to be used that way But Ainz sama, I feel it s unfair how you re only spoiling the men . That s right, that s right, Shalltear whined as she covered Aura s mouth . However, Aura who had been forcibly dragged along had dull, blank eyes that simply hung open . Behind them was Cocytus, who seemed quite unhappy . We re just bathing together, what does she mean by spoiling them the same thing happened last time is something wrong with Albedo Could it be she s gone a little mad ever since then Albedo, permit me to say something . I prefer women to men . I am purely heterosexual . Albedo seemed to want to say something, but Ainz raised his hand to interrupt her . It is certainly possible that such a relationship might take place someday . However, I have not even figured out our place in this world, and so, as the leader of this organization, it is inappropriate for me to pursue such a relationship with you all . Uuuu Albedo knit her brows . Besides you are all like the daughters of my friends I am conflicted about that . I was wondering what was happening at the entrance . It would seem you are all inconveniencing Ainz sama . O . . . onee chan she she s dead . I m not dead, a weak girl s voice replied . I ve been waiting a long time for you two . Forgive our tardiness . However the Guardian Overseer should probably learn how to rein her emotions in . Demiurge s typically narrowed eyes were cracked open just a little, allowing the hostility within to seep through . The air around him turned dangerous, highlighting how scary a typically gentle man could be . Seemingly affected by this, Cocytus appeared ready to do battle with Albedo . The smile remained on Albedo s face . No, it had grown wider . You fools Ainz could not hold back his anger and shouted at them . I forbid you Guardians to quarrel in front of me You idiots All the Guardians trembled, and fell to their knees in unison . Please forgive us, Ainz sama . . . Alright . Get up, all of you . After seeing that everyone had risen, Ainz used a gentle tone, like he was chiding children, to admonish them . Do not squabble over such petty matters . That will only disappoint me . Do you understand As he heard them simultaneously reply that they understood, Ainz let his anger vanish . Alright, let s go bathe and clear the air . The men will come with me . Also, Aura, I order you to keep an eye on the ladies . Keep an eye on the two behind you and do not let them mess around . Understood Aura s eyes blazed furiously . She probably felt that this was a chance for a counterattack . Such was the scorching heat rolling out from her that Albedo and Shalltear were visibly shaken . Ainz entered the door hung with the Men curtain, and deliberately ignored the racket coming from behind him . He shed his clothes in the locker room . If he were normally equipped, he would have to remove many items and it would be very troublesome, but he had prepared before coming here, and so he shed his clothes swiftly . After quickly disrobing, he went on into the baths . Every time I strip off, I always wonder how exactly I can move . . . He was a fleshless skeleton, and the fact that he could actually move was a mystery to Suzuki Satoru . That said, moving skeletons were a common sight in this world, so all he could do was take it for granted . Even so, he had his doubts from time to time . I ll be heading in first . Please please wait for me A naked Mare scampered up behind him . He might have been a trap, but looking at him like this, he was most certainly a boy . His body was that of a child s, with virtually no muscle mass . The fact that his body, which felt so soft, could exert so much force was probably due to some unknown natural law of this world, much like Ainz s own . As he gazed upon Mare s nude body and pondered that question, Ainz chided him Don t run around in here . The floor is wet, and it s dangerous . It was impossible for a Guardian to die from falling and hitting their head . However, after seeing Mare s child like body, he could not help but worry for him . Er, yes . I m very sorry . Do you have to apologize for that, Ainz thought . Forgive the delay, Ainz sama . After that, Cocytus and Demiurge showed up . Demiurge s body was sheathed in firm, wiry muscle, and he gave off the impression of being toned . One could not design the body under one s clothes when making a character, so perhaps Ulbert had written his physique into his backstory . . Cocytus, you look the same as always . Well, he s typically naked . Could . You . Please . Not . Phrase . It . In . Such . A . Perverted . Way Forgive me . Cocytus uses an exoskeleton, so his usual appearance can t be helped . Exoskeletons were a kind of natural weaponry, much like Shalltear s nails and teeth . Such equipment gained in hardness and durability as their users levelled up, as well as increased data crystal capacity . Their merits were that they did not need to be changed often, and could be used for long periods . Even if they were destroyed by weapon sundering attacks or skills, they could be restored along with their users HP through the use of curative magic . In addition, they would not be dropped upon death, among many other advantages . Conversely, they were inferior to the primary gear most players of an equivalent level used, be it in terms of hardness, durability and data crystal capacity . Even at level 100, almost no natural weapons and armor could match up to a divine class item . Perhaps one might be able to do so if one possessed job classes which strengthened such bodily armaments, but even Ainz did not know if it was possible . Natural weapons and armor were not very advantageous for players, but they were quite useful for NPCs . This was because one did not need to gather up a big stack of armor and weapons for them in other words, the player making the NPC could save himself the trouble of equipping them . Thank you, Ainz sama . Cocytus bowed in thanks, but Ainz had not spoken in his defense . Still Could it be that everyone uses that to tease him to make fun of him to the point where he has to thank me for stepping in Should I try to subtly tell the others to lay off Was it like this for teachers with bullies in their classes He did not know how Yamaiko san had handled this sort of thing in the past . As he pondered the topic, he spoke to the male bathers Alright let s go in . The group entered the baths, led by Ainz . There were 12 areas in this large bathing facility . The first was the standard bath area, then the jungle bath which was the largest , the ancient Roman thermae which were very atmospheric , the pomelo baths where pomelos floated in the water , the sulphur baths, the jet baths, the electric baths which had a mild electric current to numb the skin , the cold baths with charcoal floating in them , the Cherenkov baths which glowed with a mysterious blue light, as well as the open air granted, the outside scenery was all fake mixed baths . There were also the sauna and rock bath areas, and finally the rest room . So, which would you like to try Share your views with me . I . Feel . The . Cold . Baths . Are . The . Best . I . Would . Like . Ainz sama . To . Experience . The Virtues . Of . The . Cold . Baths . Ainz was resistant to cold damage, and even entering the chilly cold baths was not a hardship for him . However, something felt wrong about suggesting someone take a cold bath right after entering the bathing area . Cocytus san we came to bathe, so After hearing Mare speak, Cocytus seemed to have realized that he had made a mistake somewhere . Just then, someone proceeded to mount a follow up attack . We came here to bathe, so perhaps you should have recommended a hot bath to promote circulation oh, that s right, I should ask you a question . Can you bathe in hot water You won t look like a cooked lobster, I trust It s . Fine . This . Exoskeleton . Of . Mine . Is . Fire . Resistant . Even . If . You . Consider . It . A . Naked . Body . Cocytus said proudly . Ah ah, then I think perhaps we should go for a normal bath . . . Cold . Baths . Are . The . Best . Taking . A . Cold . Bath . While . Clinging . To . A . Chunk . Of . Ice . Is . Very . Comfortable . I won t say only you would like that sort of thing, but I doubt many people would share your tastes All alright, it would be quite boring if we went and bathed on our own, so let s take turns using them all . We ll start with the jungle bath my friends put a lot of effort into making it . After his subordinates replied, we re all looking forward to it including a somewhat dejected Cocytus Ainz led them to the jungle bath . There were fake trees and fake grass here, and it was made up to look like a forest . Even though they knew it was fake, it was realistic enough that everyone half expected monsters to emerge from the woods . This bath was modelled after the Amazon River of the past . Its creator was Bellriver san, with the assistance of Blue Planet san . Ainz turned his back on the impressed Guardians, then he took his basin and bath stool to the washing area . Why are all the basins in this spa yellow When I asked about it in the past, he said it was tradition are the water basins in all spas supposed to be yellow Needless to say, you need to clean yourself before getting into the bath . However, the way in which I bathe is quite messy, so you should probably stay away from me . With that terse message, Ainz dumped the basin full of hot water on himself . The water went straight through him and splashed onto the ground . Due to the many gaps in his body, it was very hard for him to rinse his entire body in just one round of pouring . After repeating this several times, and making sure that he was wet, he took out a brush . Ainz loaded the brush with liquid soap and began to scrub himself . Just like before, the many gaps in his body meant that scrubbing himself was like scrubbing a colander, and so foam and bubbles sprayed everywhere . Umu maybe I should have brought my cute little bathing assistant, Miyoshi kun with me . Ainz felt that it would be unsightly to let his subordinate see him all covered in slime, so he had not brought it out . However, he had not bathed himself in a while, and it was quite troublesome As Ainz frantically scrubbed himself, Mare approached him with a yellow stool in hand . He was clearly nervous, but he smiled to Ainz, his face flushed from the heat of the baths . A Ainz sama Please please let me help you wash your back Hm Oh, I see . So you want to help me bathe Although, I have to say that my body is quite tedious to wash, so you should use this brush . Cleaning it with a towel is very tiring . Ainz turned his back to Mare, and Mare began slowly scrubbing his back with the brush he had received . You re doing a good job . Thank you very much Honestly speaking, Ainz could not tell if it was a good or a bad job . However, he had said so to Mare because he was grateful . Ainz looked at the other two . They seemed to be saying, Then, I ll help you wash your back, and Thank . You . Kindly . Ainz could not keep the smile from his face although skeletal faces had no facial expressions . The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick really is the best place around . Behind him, a boy s voice said, I think I washed this place before, right and it only broadened Ainz s smile . Thank you, Mare . Now it is my turn to help you . Don t be shy . Ainz grabbed the boy s shoulders and turned him around, then applied bathing foam to Mare s towel and lathered it up . He gently scrubbed Mare s body, taking care not to hurt him . He thought about the strength he used to wash himself, and tried to use less force than that . Does that hurt No not at all After helping Mare who had gone all stiff for some reason wash his back, Ainz returned him his towel . You can do the front yourself, right Of of course Ainz picked up the brush and scrubbed his ribs . Mare was rubbing himself beside him, so Ainz took care not to spray him with his foam . Then, I shall head over first . After Demiurge finished rinsing himself off, he headed for the tub, swishing his tail behind him . He was followed by Cocytus, who probably had as hard a time bathing himself as Ainz did, but who could effectively use all four of his arms to save time . Naturally, Mare was next . Ainz finally finished washing up several minutes after everyone was done . The tub was quite broad, and a skilfully carved lion statue disgorged hot water from its mouth into the steaming tub . Ainz walked through the water vapor and noticed that Cocytus was especially distant from the others . The other two were enjoying the hot water, at a distance from him . Ah the hot water feels nice . Ainz thought that as a child, Mare would swim around in the tub, but instead he simply folded his towel and put it on his head, a relaxed look on his face . That attitude was less fitting of a child than an overworked adult . As Ainz saw it, he felt surprise, and then he wondered, is the job of a Guardian of Nazarick really that tiring Oh yes . I feel the fatigue flowing out of my body . Demiurge had removed his glasses . He splashed some hot water into his face and went Ah , looking just like a middle aged uncle . So . Hot . That that s strange, er, didn t you say you were resistant to this I . Am . But . I . Do . Not . Usually . Soak . In . Hot . Water . So . I . Am . Not . Used . To . It . . . . Still, that s no reason to use your cold aura . I hope you will keep your distance I prefer my hot water somewhat scalding . Now he knew why Cocytus was so far away . The water around him was probably only warm now . You . Are . Fire . Resistant . So . It . Is . Fine . For . You . Why . Not . Try . A . Cold . Bath That does not interest me . Besides, I have not engaged my resistance I am simply enjoying the hot water . Cocytus, do you find this much unbearable Demiurge . Coming . From . You . Such . Taunts . Are . Shallow . However . You . Are . On . Stop that . Baths should be enjoyable . If you want to test your endurance, please do so in the sauna . You don t need to force yourself to bathe here . Huwahh Mare exhaled hotly, his forehead beaded in sweat . Look, you need to enjoy the bath like Mare s doing . Mare, don t push yourself either . If you feel hot, you need to get out . It it s fine, Ainz sama If anything happens, I can use magic Using magic isn t quite right either, Ainz thought . However, he did not say anything, and simply looked at Cocytus . . . . Is it right to use one s resistances when bathing I think some people do bathe in that way, Ainz sama . For instance, as one of the undead, you will not be dizzy no matter how long you soak . Is that not the same way . . . Indeed . He could feel the warmth slowly seep into his body, but it did not feel as good as it had when he was still human . An undead body has its merits and flaws . . . Just as Ainz was mourning his lost joys Hm He raised his head clear of the steam rising up from the water, and looked around . Is something the matter I think someone was calling my name Could . It . Be . Coming . From . The . Other . Side Cocytus pointed at the wall behind him . That s ah, I see . The ladies bath . I see . No, but the walls should not be that thin, no Perhaps the echoes made their voices louder . Ainz could not resist the urge to prick up his ears and listen . There was no ill intent in what he did he was simply curious about what a group of ladies would talk about when there were no men around . Therefore, he did not place his ear to the wall doing so would damage his dignity as the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick . He even stepped away from the wall and turned to face it . Albedo, you re so bushy down there . Ainz frowned as he concentrated and heard the conversation from the other side . Aura, don t describe it like that . Ah Ainz sama ought to be behind this wall . I wonder if there are peepholes or anything . Ainz carefully studied the entire wall, because he was worried that someone might actually have installed some sort of strange mechanism into it . There was a time when some of the guild members had been obsessed with making strange devices and gimmicks . The relics of those times might have remained until now . Usually, they d be the ones peeping, right I doubt that s the case . There s no need to peep at us if Ainz sama commands it, we will let him look at us . Why peep Oh, it s rare to hear you make sense like that, Shalltear . What do you mean by rare , how rude . By the way, is that a toothbrush Could you please not brush I mean wash your teeth in the bathroom I can t help it . Cleaning them is really tiring, so I have to do it in a big room like this . Otherwise it ll be very troublesome . Albedo s voice came from a somewhat higher position, followed by the sound of loud scrubbing . Hm that does look quite tiring . Oh well, it can t be helped, so I ll let it slide . Thank you . Uwah, don t shake your head and look at me, it s really gross . Shalltear, not brushing I brush on my own in my room, so I don t need to . Still, will we really get cavities and so on Even if we don t, bad breath when kissing can cool off even an ages old love . The sound of brushing suddenly stopped, replaced by the sound of plodding footsteps . Eh Wait, don t tell me you re going to jump in like that At least do something about your body First, there was a loud plunk, followed by the sound of water splashing . She must have jumped forcefully into the tub . Waaah Koffkoff, koff, if I were a storybook Vampire, I d have drowned by now You re not a kid any more, don t just jump in Fufufu . Ahh this feels great . I ll come here to bathe from now on . You ought to learn some bathing etiquette huh What happened That s weird, is that lion moving The ill mannered are forbidden from the bath Exterminate A male voice suddenly spoke, which made Ainz and the other men look at each other . Er, ah, that sounded like a man s voice . I . Have . Not . Heard . It . Before . But . Could . It . Be . The . Area . Guardian . Of . The . Baths . However . Why . Would . There . Be . A . Man . In . The . Ladies . Bath No, I ve heard that voice before it s Luci Fer san . As he heard the voice of that troublesome man, Ainz recalled how several instances where that man had given him trouble . Honestly speaking, Ainz did not like him much . Is . That . The . Voice . Of . A . Supreme . Being It s so hard This isn t an ordinary Iron Golem Die, you golemcraft bastard There was a loud crash, and then the sound of something hitting the wall at high speeds . That hit even shook the walls of the men s bath . . . . Just in case, get your weapons ready and prepare to charge into the ladies bath if anything happens, Ainz ordered the clearly demoralized Guardians . If friendly fire was not in effect, perhaps it might end in laughter, but given the present circumstances, someone might actually get killed . Their fighting power was lowered without their gear, and depending on the circumstances, they might really need to be rescued . . . . I d like to be able to bathe in peace next time . Ainz stepped out of the tub with a splashing of water and headed for the changing room . As they heard him speak, the other Guardians nodded in unison

Chapter end