Battle of Carne Village
Part 1
The dressing room adjoining Momonga's suite was a chaotic mess of items, with hardly any place to put one's feet. There were items like capes, with which Momonga could equip himself, and suits of full plate armor, which he could not use at all. In addition to armor and other protectives, there were weapons ranging from magic staves to greatswords. This was truly an assortment of gear.
Players could produce a nearly infinite variety of original magic items in YGGDRASIL. Defeated monsters dropped data crystals, which formed a magic item when they were set into an item skin.
Therefore, people would immediately buy item skins that they liked.
That was the reason for this room's state.
Momonga picked out a greatsword from the weapons in the room. Freed from its sheath, the silvery blade sparkled in the light. The runes carved into the blade's body sparkled as well, etching themselves into any onlookers' eyes.
Momonga swung the greatsword around. It was as light as a feather.
Of course, this was not because the blade was light, but because Momonga was very strong.
Momonga was a mage and his spellcasting stats were very high, but his physical stats were lower in comparison. Still, the strength he had gained from reaching level one hundred was not an inconsiderable figure. If he encountered weak monsters, he could easily pulverize them with his staff.
Momonga slowly took a fighting stance, and then a loud sound of metallic clanging ran through the room. The sword he had been holding a moment ago was now on the ground.
The maid standing by in the room immediately picked up the greatsword and handed it to Momonga. However, Momonga did not pick it up, but looked at his empty hands.
That was it.
That was what confused Momonga.
Although the realistic NPCs made him think he was no longer in a game, the annoying sensation that bound his body made him feel otherwise.
In YGGDRASIL, Momonga had no levels in warrior classes, and so he should not have been able to use a greatsword. However, if this new world was reality, it only made sense that he should have been able to wield it.
Momonga shook his head and decided not to think about it. After all, he would not be able to find the answer no matter how much he pondered.
"Tidy this up."
After Momonga directed the maid to clean up, he turned to look at the mirror that almost covered the entire wall. What he saw was a clothed skeleton.
He should have been afraid after seeing what his body had become, but Momonga was unmoved. Indeed, it even felt natural to be that way.
There was another reason for this, besides being used to this look from his time in YGGDRASIL.
That reason was that his mind had been changed, along with his body.
The first sign of that was the fact that whenever he felt an intense surge in his emotions, he would immediately calm down, as though something was suppressing it. Another thing was that he could not feel thirst, hunger, or fatigue. There might have been something resembling lust, but he had felt no excitement even when he was caressing Albedo's soft breasts.
A terrible sense of loss filled Momonga, and he instinctively glanced down to his waist.
"Could it be… it vanished because I never used it?"
However, his small voice and the sense of loss vanished as he spoke.
Therefore, Momonga concluded that these changes, in particular the mental changes, were part of the undead immunity to mind-affecting effects.
Right now, he possessed an undead body and mind, but there were some remnants of his humanity left. Therefore, even when he experienced emotions, if they surged to a peak, they would be immediately suppressed. If he continued on like this, he might end up losing all his emotions in the future.
Of course, even if that happened, it would hardly be a big deal, because no matter how this world turned out or what happened to his body, his will was still his own.
In addition, the NPCs like Shalltear and so on would be by his side. Perhaps worrying about becoming undead was premature.
"「Create Greater Item」!"
Once Momonga cast the spell, his body was sheathed in a suit of engraved full plate armor. It glowed darkly, and its surface was covered in gold and silver patterns. It looked very expensive.
He moved around in it to see how it felt. Although it was somewhat restrictive, he was not immobilized. In addition, the armor fit his body very well, which was quite unexpected considering the gaps between his bare-boned body and the armor.
It would seem that he could use magic-generated items, just like in YGGDRASIL.
As Momonga silently applauded the wonders of magic, he peeked at himself in the mirror from between the gaps of his closed helm. A dashing warrior looked back at him, nothing at all like a magician. Momonga nodded in satisfaction, and gulped in his nonexistent throat. Right now, he understood how a child felt when he angered his parents.
"I will be stepping out for a while."
"The guards are ready for you," the maid reflexively replied. However—
The truth was, he disliked them.
On the first day when the guards followed him around, he felt pressurized; on the second he was used to it, and then he felt like showing them off. And on the third day—
Momonga suppressed the urge to sigh.
It was all too stiff and formal for him. The guards followed him everywhere he went, and whenever he met someone, they bowed to him.
Maybe, if he could have walked around nonchalantly with his guards in tow, it would have been tolerable. But he could not do that, because he had to maintain the gravitas of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick at all times. He could not allow a moment of laxity to ruin his image, so his nerves were constantly on edge. This caused a lot of stress to the formerly human Momonga.
Even though his strong emotions were promptly suppressed, his mind felt like it was sizzling in a low flame all the time.
And then there were the unbelievably beautiful women who plastered themselves to his side at all times, taking care of him in all ways. As a man, he was delighted by the attention, but the invasion of his personal space and his life was wearing him out as well.
That stress was another relic of his humanity.
In any case, it was not a good sign that he, the master of Nazarick, was being subjected to this emotional distress amidst these strange circumstances. It might lead to him making a poor decision in times of emergency.
He needed to refresh himself.
Momonga's eyes went wide as he came to that decision. His expression did not change, of course, but the lights in his eyes burned brighter.
"No… there is no need for the guards to accompany me. I simply wish to walk by myself."
"Pl-Please wait and reconsider, if something happens to Momonga-sama, we must become your shields. We cannot allow any harm to come to your person."
The maids and the other vassals wanted nothing more than to protect their master even at the cost of their own lives. In that sense, Momonga's request to go walking by himself — which completely disregarded their feelings — was a cruel one.
However, it had been over three days since this abnormality occurred, roughly seventy three hours. In this time, Momonga had been desperately trying to maintain the stern facade of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but now he needed a rest.
Therefore, even though he felt bad for them, Momonga thought of an excuse and said:
"…I have to do something in secret, and I will not allow anyone to follow me."
A brief silence followed.
Just as Momonga was starting to feel that it was dragging on, the maid finally replied:
"Understood. Then, please be safe, Momonga-sama."
Momonga's heart ached briefly as the maid ate it up hook, line, and sinker, but he brushed it aside.
There should not be anything wrong with taking a short break and going outside to check out the surrounding scenery. Indeed, it was very important that he saw for himself whether they had indeed been transported to another world.
The excuses were welling up because Momonga was starting to feel that he had been too selfish.
Momonga waved away the guilt in his heart, and activated the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.
♦ ♦ ♦
His destination was a large hall. There were rows of narrow mortuary slabs on both sides of him, but there were no corpses on them now. The floor was polished limestone. Behind Momonga was a flight of stairs leading down, and at their end was a set of double doors, through which one could access the First Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The sconces in the walls had no torches; the only light came from the bluish-white moonlight streaming in from the outside.
This was the closest location to the surface that the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown could take him, the central mausoleum on the surface of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.
All he needed to do was take a few steps to reach the outside world. But despite the vast space before him, Momonga could not take those steps.
That was because of the thoroughly unexpected encounter before him.
The silhouettes of heteromorphic beings loomed before him. There were three monsters in total.
One of them looked like a fearsome demon. Fangs protruded from its mouth and its body was covered in scales. It had stout arms and sharp claws, as well as flaming wings and a snake-like tail.
Another was a feminine-looking monster with a crow's head, dressed in a tight-fitting bondage outfit.
The final one wore full plate armor that was open at the chest, proudly revealing its abdominal muscles. If not for the black bat wings and the two horns protruding from its temples, it might have been mistaken for a beautiful young man. However, its eyes held a desire that knew no limit.
They were the Evil Lords of Wrath, Jealousy(Lust), and Greed, respectively.
All the Evil Lords turned their attention to Momonga, but they did not move, only watching with their unwavering gazes. The grim atmosphere weighed down on everyone present.
They were all monsters around level eighty or so, and they should have been assigned to sentry duty around the Infernal Shrine where Demiurge lived, near the gate to the Eighth Floor. Shalltear's undead minions should have been stationed in the upper floors to stand guard. So what were Demiurge's subordinates, his elite guards, doing in here?
Behind them was one more figure. Momonga had not noticed him until now, but it had been watching Momonga from the beginning. Once he revealed himself, everything became clear.
"Demiurge…"
A surprised look appeared on the demon who had been addressed by name (Demiurge). That look seemed to be saying "why would his master be here," or "why would there be a mysterious monster here."
Momonga decided to place his bet on a slim possibility, and advanced. If he stopped now, it would be a miracle if his true identity was not uncovered. In any event, his plan was to slowly move forward while staying near the wall, ignoring the monsters and walking past them.
He was fully aware that their eyes were on him. However, Momonga suppressed his feelings of weakness with sheer willpower, held his chest high, and continued moving forward.
Once they had gotten close enough to each other, all the demons simultaneously genuflected, bowing their heads to him. The one at their head was, of course, Demiurge. His neat movements were slick and elegant, as though he were a nobleman.
"Momonga-sama. May I ask why you have come here, without your escort, and dressed like this?"
The cat was out of the bag.
Demiurge could be said to be the wisest being in The Great Tomb of Nazarick, so being seen through was inevitable. However, Momonga felt that the reason he had been seen through was because of the teleportation.
Only one person in Nazarick possessed the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown that permitted its bearer to teleport freely through its halls — Momonga.
"Ah… it's complicated. Demiurge, you should know why I am wearing this."
Demiurge's elegant face twisted in consternation. He took several breaths before answering:
"My deepest apologies for being unable to divine your fathomless intentions, Momonga-sama—"
"Call me Dark Warrior."
"Pardon me, Dark Warrior-sama…?"
Demiurge seemed to have something to say, but Momonga tried his best to ignore it. Although it was a pretty embarrassing name, it made sense when one considered the names of other monsters in the game.
The reason behind having Demiurge address him by a different name was quite simple. Although only Demiurge and his vassals were here at the moment, this place was an exit, and many underlings would be passing through here. Momonga simply did not want them to call him "Momonga-sama, Momonga-sama," wherever he went.
How much did Demiurge understand without knowing Momonga's thoughts? Just then, a look of enlightenment filled Demiurge's face.
"I see… so that's what's going."
Eh? What's going on?
Momonga stopped himself from speaking the words in his heart.
As a mortal man, Momonga had no idea what conclusion that Demiurge, intelligent and cunning beyond measure, had come to after his ruminations. All he could do was hope that Demiurge realised his true intentions as his head was covered in nonexistent cold sweat under his helmet.
"I believe I have some grasp on your profound schemes, Mo… no, Dark Warrior-sama. Truly, they are considerations that only the ruler of this domain would have taken into account. However, I cannot allow your noble self to proceed unaccompanied. I am aware that it may inconvenience you, but I hope that in your boundless mercy, you will permit one of us to escort you."
"…It can't be helped. Very well, I will allow one person to travel with me."
Demiurge smiled elegantly.
"My deepest thanks for humoring my selfish request, Dark Warrior-sama."
"…Just call me Dark Warrior, you can dispense with the honorifics."
"How could I!? To do so would be unforgivable. Of course, I can obey such an order while acting as a spy or performing special missions, but within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, how could anyone not show the respect due to yourself, Momonga-sama… no, Dark Warrior-sama!"
Demiurge's passionate monologue moved Momonga a little, and he could not help but nod in approval. He mused that being called Dark Warrior would lead people to mock him for having such a lame name, and he lamented picking that alias so casually.
"Forgive me for wasting your valuable time, Mo-Dark Warrior-sama. Then, you lot will wait here for orders, and explain to the others that I am on the move."
"Understood, Demiurge-sama."
"Well, it seems your subordinates approve as well. Then, Demiurge, let us be off."
Momonga walked past the bowing Demiurge, who raised his head and followed his master.
♦ ♦ ♦
"Why was Mo… cough, why was Dark Warrior-sama dressed like that?"
"I don't know, but there should be some reason for it."
The remaining Evil Lords muttered to each other in confusion.
After all, they had not seen through Momonga's disguise because he teleported here.
Momonga had no idea of knowing this, but the denizens of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, or rather, all of Ainz Ooal Gown's servants radiated a certain aura that the servants could sense in order to determine whether a stranger was friend or foe. Within the guild, the aura of the Forty One Supreme Beings that ruled Nazarick — now reduced to Momonga alone — was enough to tell them that the one before them was their absolute ruler. They could sense his mighty presence from a distance and they could not have mistaken Momonga for anyone else, even through his full plate armor. They would have seen through Momonga's disguise immediately, regardless of how he arrived.
It was easy to differentiate his aura from the others in Nazarick.
The doors to the first floor swung wide, and someone climbed the stairs.
Judging by the aura that came from the stairs, the newcomer was a Guardian.
The Evil Lords saw the beautiful face of the Guardian Overseer, Albedo, rising from the steps. They went to one knee as they realised that they were in the presence of someone who was the equal of their master, Demiurge.
To Albedo, the vassals kneeling before her was merely natural, and she paid them no heed as she looked around.
Only after Albedo failed to find the person she was looking for did she turn back to the Evil Lords. She spoke without addressing anyone in particular:
"…I don't see Demiurge around. Where is he?"
"He… a Dark Warrior-sama passed through just now, so Demiurge-sama decided to accompany him outside."
"Dark Warrior…sama? I don't recall a name like that among the servants… Which servant did Demiurge accompany? A Floor Guardian following a lowly servant? How strange…"
The Evil Lords did not know how to respond, and looked at each other.
Albedo smiled gently to the Evil Lords:
"Could it be that mere servants like you dare to deceive me?"
Her tender, final warning made the Evil Lords shiver, and they realized that they could not keep hiding things from her.
"When Dark Warrior-sama came here, Demiurge-sama concluded that he was a person worthy of our respect."
"…Momonga-sama came here!"
Albedo's voice seemed to crack a little, and so the Evil Lords calmly replied:
"…His name was Dark Warrior-sama."
"…And his guards? Did Demiurge receive some notification from Momonga-sama? But I already arranged to meet him, so does this mean Demiurge did not know Momonga-sama was coming? Ah, forget it, I need to change and bathe!"
Albedo touched her clothing.
Her clothes were dirty from her work. Her hair was tangled at the ends, as were her wings.
However, such petty imperfections could not begin to diminish the appeal of a world-class beauty like Albedo. It was insignificant, like the loss of a point or two out of a hundred million. However, to Albedo, even the slightest blemish on her appearance was a mark of failure. She could not show this filthy self of hers to the man she loved so dearly.
"The nearest bath… the one at Shalltear's place? …But then she might get suspicious… although I'll just have to bear with it. You lot, go to my room and get my clothes! Quickly!"
Just then, one of the Evil Lords called out to Albedo, who was pacing around. She was the Demon General of Jealousy.
"…Albedo-sama, though this might be rude, would your present attire not be better?"
"…What do you mean?" Albedo angrily retorted as she stopped in her tracks. She thought the other woman wanted Momonga to see her in this unkempt state.
"…No, I simply meant that a beautiful woman like yourself would be best served by showing the signs of your hard work. In the end, you will still benefit, will you not, Albedo-sama?"
The other Evil Lords added their suggestions, "By the time you could bathe and prepare herself to meet Momonga-sama… Dark Warrior-sama, much time would have been wasted. It would be a shame to miss a good opportunity because of that."
"I see—" Albedo mused.
They had a point.
"That makes sense… it seems I panicked because I have not seen Momonga-sama for such a long time. I can only meet Momonga-sama after eighteen hours, don't you think eighteen hours is too long?"
"Yes, it is."
"If only I could finish laying out the administrative framework and return to Momonga-sama's side… then I'd better not waste time griping and find Momonga-sama. Where is Momonga-sama now?"
"He just stepped out."
"I see."
Although Albedo's reply seemed curt, there was a distant smile on her face as she imagined being with Momonga, and she flapped her wings in an adorable way. She walked past the Evil Lords with hurried steps.
The footsteps suddenly halted, and Albedo asked the Evil Lords again:
"For the last time, do you really think Momonga-sama will approve of seeing me dirtied like this?"
♦ ♦ ♦
After leaving the mausoleum, Momonga was greeted by a beautiful sight. The surface area of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was two hundred meters square, protected by six meter thick walls, with an entrance and an exit at the front and back.
The Tomb's grass was trimmed short and felt refreshing. On the other hand, the Tomb's trees had leafy branches that shrouded much of the grounds in shade, and the extensive shadows gave the place a gloomy air. There were also alabaster tombstones scattered about.
The juxtaposition of the neat grass and the messy tombstones was quite incongruous. In addition, there were exquisite carvings of angels and goddesses all over the place, each of which was easily a work of art, but the chaotic tomb design was frustrating, to say the least.
Apart from the large central mausoleum, there were four smaller mausoleums in the north, south, east, and west, each defended by statues of armored warriors, each six meters tall.
The central mausoleum was the gateway to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and it was from this place that Momonga had emerged into the outside world.
Momonga stood at the top of the stairs and quietly surveyed the landscape before him.
The Great Tomb of Nazarick had originally been located in the icy world of Helheim, which was perpetually shrouded in darkness. The atmosphere was grim and dark, and the sky was constantly overcast. Yet, what he saw now was vastly different from that.
He was looking at a beautiful night sky.
Momonga looked to the heavens and he could not help but sigh. He shook his head, as though unable to believe his eyes.
"Amazing… to think they could include such detail in a virtual world… the air here is so fresh that it must never have been polluted. People born in this world wouldn't need artificial lungs to breathe…"
He had never seen such a clear night sky in his life.
Momonga wanted to cast a spell, but he was hampered by his armor. There was a certain mage class that allowed for the casting of spells in armor, but Momonga did not have that class. As a result, his full plate armor kept him from using magic. Even armor created by magic would not allow its wearer to cast spells while wearing it. Currently, there were only five spells he could use in his armored state, but sadly, the flight magic Momonga wanted to use was not part of them.
Momonga reached his hand into his pocket dimension and withdrew an item. It was a necklace with a pendant shaped like a bird's wing.
He put on the necklace and focused on it. The power buried within the necklace took effect.
"「Fly」."
Freed from the shackles of gravity, Momonga floated lightly into the sky. He rose upward in a straight line, gaining speed as he did.
Although Demiurge was frantically trying to catch up, Momonga paid him no heed and ascended steadily. Before he knew it, he was several hundred meters in the air.
Only then did Momonga's body slow down. He forcefully cast aside his helmet, and said nothing — no, as he looked down at this world, he could not say anything.
The blue-white light of the moon and stars chased away the darkness of the land. The grasslands, ruffled by a gentle wind, seemed to be glowing. The countless stars and the moon gave off their own radiance as well, shining brilliantly against the light coming from the earth.
Momonga could not help but sigh:
"This is beautiful… no, beautiful would not begin to describe this… what would Blue Planet-san say if he were here?"
What would he do if he saw this world whose air, land, and water had not been polluted?
Momonga recalled his comrade from the past, the man who had showed up for the guild's offline meetings, whose stony face had broken into a delicate smile when he was praised as a romantic — that gentle man who loved the night sky.
No, he loved nature, which had been polluted and almost completely destroyed. He played YGGDRASIL because he appreciated those scenes which no longer existed in reality. He had built the Sixth Floor with his sweat, blood, and tears. Its night sky was his personal design, and it was a reproduction of the idealized world in his heart.
That man who loved nature was always particularly excited when the topic came up. Some might even call it an obsession.
How excited would he be if he could see this world? How passionately would he declaim its glories in his baritone voice?
Momonga suddenly realized that he missed his old friend very dearly. Hoping to hear him expounding his wide knowledge again, he looked to the side.
There was nobody there. There could not be anybody there.
The somewhat hurt Momonga heard the flapping of wings, and the transformed Demiurge appeared before him.
This was Demiurge's half-demon form, with a pair of large black leathery wings growing from his back and the face of a frog.
Certain heteromorphic creatures had multiple forms. In Nazarick, Sebas and Albedo had other forms as well.
Although it was troublesome to train up levels in heteromorphic racial classes, they were very popular because they had different forms like final bosses in a game. In particular, people were fond of how these heteromorphic beings were weaker in their human and demihuman forms, but more powerful in their fully monstrous forms.
Momonga turned away from Demiurge, who was partially transformed into a demon, and looked to the sparkling stars in the sky once more. He spoke softly, as though to his absent friends:
"…To think one could see so far just by the light of the moon and the stars… it's hard to believe that this world is real. Blue Planet-san… this world is like a chest of jewels."
"Perhaps it is. I believe the beauty of this world exists to adorn you, Mo— Dark Warrior-san," Demiurge said in a reverent voice.
The sudden statement sounded like it was finding fault with his memories of his comrades, and it upset Momonga. However, the anger faded as he gazed upon the beautiful sight before him.
In addition, the act of overlooking this world, which seemed so tiny before him, made him feel that perhaps it was not a bad idea to play the role of an evil overlord.
"Indeed, it is beautiful. You say these stars exist to adorn me… perhaps that is so. Perhaps the reason that I have come here is to claim this chest of jewels which belongs to nobody else."
Momonga clenched his fist before him, and it looked as though he was taking the stars into his grasp. Of course, that was simply because his hand was covering the stars up. He shrugged at his childish behavior and said to Demiurge:
"…No, this is not something I can claim for myself. Perhaps these jewels are meant to adorn the Great Tomb of Nazarick; myself, and my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown."
"…What a moving statement. If is your wish, then by your command, I shall lead Nazarick's forces to claim this chest of jewels. I, Demiurge would like nothing more than to present this chest of jewels to my lord and master, Momonga-sama."
Those cheesy lines made Momonga chuckle. He wondered if Demiurge had been intoxicated by the atmosphere as well.
"As long as we do not know anything about the beings which live in this world, I can only say that your idea is foolish. For all we know, we might be minuscule weaklings in this world. However, conquering this world might be quite interesting."
Conquering the world was something that only the villains in children's shows would say.
The fact was that conquering the world was not easy. And then there was the matter of ruling the world after conquering it, preventing insurgency and maintaining public order, as well as all the other problems that came with ruling a host of nations. When one thought about these things, one would realise that there was hardly any point in conquering the world.
Momonga knew all of this, but he still spoke of conquering this world, because seeing its beauty awoke that juvenile desire within him. In addition, as he was getting into the mindset of being the leader of the dreaded guild Ainz Ooal Gown, those words accidentally fell from his mouth.
And there was one more reason.
"…Ulbert-san, Luci★Fer-san, Variable Talisman-san, Bellriver-san…"
It was because he remembered what his former guildmates had once said, "Let's conquer one of the worlds in YGGDRASIL."
He knew that Demiurge, the wisest mind in Nazarick, would understand that taking over the world was just a child's joke.
If Momonga had seen the smile that had spread across Demiurge's frog face, he would surely not have left matters at that.
But Momonga did not look at Demiurge, instead turning his gaze to the horizon, where the infinite expanse of the earth and sky met.
"…This is an unknown world. But am I the only one who made it here? Did the other members of the guild come here too?"
Although one could not play multiple characters in YGGDRASIL, his comrades who left might have made new characters on the last day of the game. Also, given that he had been online so close to the forced logoff time, Herohero-san might have come here too.
The fact was, Momonga's presence here was an anomaly. The unknown circumstances that had brought him here might have brought his comrades who no longer played the game here with him.
He could not contact them with a 「Message」, but there might be many reasons for that. They might be on a different continent, or something had changed in the spell's effect, and so on.
"…I see… then as long as the whole world knows the name of Ainz Ooal Gown…"
If his comrades were here, then the name of the guild would reach their ears. Once they found out, they would come over. Momonga was that confident in the strength of their friendship.
Deep in thought, Momonga looked over to Nazarick, and saw a curious sight.
A wave over a hundred meters across was moving along the land as though it were the sea. Little ripples rose from the surface of the plains, slowly heading in the same direction as they fused together, finally becoming small hillocks as they approached Nazarick.
The gigantic pile of dirt shattered against the sturdy walls of Nazarick, like waves crashing against the shore.
"…「Earth Surge」. He used his skills to enlarge the effective area, as well as his other class skills…" Momonga muttered in respect.
In all of Nazarick, only one person could use this magic.
"That's Mare for you. It seems camouflaging the walls is an easy task for him."
"Indeed. Mare has also recruited several golems and undead — who are tireless — to help. However, their progress is slow and hardly ideal. In addition, some gaps will be left after moving the earth, which will need to be filled with plants. That will only increase his workload further."
"…Concealing the walls of Nazarick was a time-consuming task to begin with. The only question is whether he will be discovered as he works. How is our perimeter security?"
"Our early-warning net has already been constructed. We will know of the intrusion of any intelligent beings within five kilometers, and we will be able to observe them without their knowledge."
"Well done. However… this net is manned by the underlings, right?"
Demiurge replied in the positive, and Momonga suggested it might be good to erect another security net, just in case.
"…I have a plan for the security net. Put it into motion."
"Understood. I will discuss this with Albedo and then combine her suggestions with your orders. Also, Dark Warrior-sama—"
"—It's fine, Demiurge. You can call me Momonga."
"Understood… may I ask about what you plan to do next, Momonga-sama?"
"Since Mare has carried out his task splendidly, I intend to check in on him. I also plan to give him a suitable reward in person…"
A smile appeared on Demiurge's face. It was a gentle look that seemed completely out of place on a devil's face.
"I believe your thanks will be the finest reward he can receive, Momonga-sama… my deepest apologies, I suddenly remembered something I have to do. As for Mare…"
"It's fine. Go, Demiurge."
"Thank you very much, Momonga-sama."
As Demiurge spread his wings to fly off, Momonga aimed for a point on the ground and landed, donning his helmet along the way. The Dark Elf near Momonga's destination seemed to notice his descent and looked up, surprise written all over his face as he saw Momonga.
Mare ran over with a tatata sound as Momonga landed upon the ground. The hem of Mare's skirt fluttered around his thighs as his legs pumped up and down.
For a moment, something peeked out from below, then vanished again… no, Momonga was not interested in looking under Mare's skirt. He was just curious about what he wore underneath it.
"Mo-Momonga-sama, w-welcome ."
"Mm… Mare, there is no need to be nervous. Take your time and go slowly. If you're not used to it, you can also dispense with the polite language… though only when we're in private, of course."
"I, I can't do that, how could I not speak respectfully to a Supreme Being… actually, Nee-chan shouldn't be doing that too. It, it's terribly rude…"
Although he disliked children being so formal around him, Momonga said:
"I see, Mare. Well, if you insist, then I am fine with it. However, I want you to know that I will not force you to do so."
"Y-Yes! …Al-Although, may I ask why you came here, Momonga-sama? Did I make a mistake…?"
"Of course not, Mare. In fact, I came here to praise you."
The expression on Mare's face went from fear that he might be scolded to surprise.
"Mare, your work is very important. Even with our security net in place, the inhabitants of this world may be over level one hundred. If we are faced with opponents like that, concealing the Great Tomb of Nazarick will be our top priority.."
Mare nodded furiously in agreement.
"Which is why, Mare, I wanted to let you know how satisfied I am that you have carried out your task. In addition, I want to tell you how relieved I am that you were the one handling this matter."
One of the ironclad rules of society that Momonga believed in was that a good boss should compliment the good work of his subordinates.
The Guardians thought highly of him; conversely, in order to have them continue to be loyal to him, Momonga had to act in a way that was worthy of their praise.
Allowing these NPCs that his guild members had made together to feel disappointment or betrayal because of his actions would shatter his golden record as a guild master. It would be like a mark of failure branded on Momonga. Because of that, Momonga had to be careful to maintain the air of authority befitting a ruler when he spoke to the NPCs.
"…You understand what I'm thinking, don't you, Mare?"
"Yes! Momonga-sama!"
Mare might have been dressed like a girl, but the fact that he was a boy was evident from his panicked face.
"Very good. Then, for your hard work, I shall give you a reward."
"How, how could I accept such a thing? I was simply doing my duty!"
"…You deserve a reward for your good performance. It's only natural."
"It, it's not like that! We exist to give our all for the Supreme Beings, so working hard is only to be expected!"
This back and forth went on for a while, and the two of them could not meet in the middle. Momonga decided to cut this sequence of events short.
"Then, how about this. In exchange for this reward, continue your loyal service to me. That should do it."
"Is, is that really all right?"
To cut him short, Momonga produced the reward in question — a ring.
"Mo-Momonga-sama… you've taken the wrong thing out!"
"No I—"
"—It can't be right! That's the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, a treasure which only the Supreme Beings possess! I can't accept a reward like that."
Momonga was shocked at how the unexpected reward was making Mare tremble.
He was correct in that this ring was intended for the guild members. Only one hundred of them had been made, so that meant that there were only fifty nine rings without owners — no, fifty eight. As a result, they were quite precious, but the reason for this gift was not just as a reward, but the hope that it would be put to good use.
In order to put Mare's rampant imagination at ease, Momonga sternly said, "Calm down, Mare."
"I, I can't! How could I accept a valuable ring that only the Supreme Beings should possess—"
"—Calm down, Mare. Teleportation is blocked in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and that generates all kinds of inconveniences."
After hearing this, Mare slowly regained his composure.
"My hope is that during an enemy attack, the Guardians will command their respective Floor's forces. At the same time it would be quite sad if a Guardian was unable to move around freely due to the teleportation block. Therefore, I give this ring to you."
Momonga raised the ring on his finger high. It glittered brilliantly in the moonlight.
"Mare, I am pleased with your loyalty. At the same time, I understand your reluctance as an NPC to accept this ring which symbolizes us. However, if you truly understand my intentions, you will accept my orders and this ring with them."
"But, but, why me… shouldn't everyone else have gotten one too…?"
"I had intended to give the others these rings; however you are the first. This is because I am pleased with your work. If I gave this to someone who did no work, then this ring would have no meaning. Or do you intend to devalue this ring?"
"No, no, of course not!"
"Then take it, Mare. After accepting this ring, continue working hard for Nazarick and myself."
Mare nervously reached out his hand and slowly accepted the ring.
Momonga felt somewhat guilty as he watched Mare. The truth was that he had an ulterior motive for giving him the ring.
That was because once Mare had the ring, it would be more difficult for people to tell that Momonga was teleporting around.
As Mare put on the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, it immediately changed its dimensions to fit Mare's slender fingers. He could not help but stare at the ring on his finger, sighing in relief. Then he turned to Momonga and bowed deeply.
"Momonga-sama, th-thank you for this great gift… I promise that from today onward I will work harder so I do not disappoint you!"
"Then, I'll trust you with it, Mare."
"Yes!"
A determined look appeared on Mare's face as he gave his immediate answer.
Why had Bukubukuchagama-san, who had designed Mare, dressed him like this?
Was it to dress him differently from Aura, or was there another reason?
Just as Momonga was pondering this question, Mare asked a question of his own.
"Ah, excuse me, Momonga-sama… but why are you dressed like that?"
"…Ah, about that…"
Because I wanted to get away — obviously he could not say that.
Mare's eyes sparkled as he looked up to the troubled Momonga. How should he bluff his way through this? If he failed here, all the acting he had done to appear like a commanding superior would have gone to waste. No subordinate would respect a superior who was trying to flee.
Momonga desperately tried to calm himself down, and then help came from an unexpected source.
"That's simple, Mare."
Momonga looked back, and his eyes were instantly drawn to the person he was looking at.
A woman who seemed to be the embodiment of all feminine beauty stood beneath the moonlight. The bluish-white radiance played across her body, which sparkled in response. It was as though a goddess had descended from the heavens to grace the earth. Her black wings flapped, creating a gust of wind.
It was Albedo.
Although Demiurge was behind her, such was Albedo's beauty that Momonga's eyes did not even register Demiurge's form.
"Momonga-sama wore this armor and concealed his identity because he did not wish to disturb the others at work."
"When Momonga-sama approaches, it is only natural for everyone to stop whatever they are doing and bow to him. However, Momonga-sama did not wish to interrupt anyone. Thus he disguised himself as Dark Warrior-sama so the others would not cease in their labors to pay him his due respect. Am I correct, Momonga-sama?"
After hearing Albedo's question, Momonga nodded repeatedly.
"As, as expected of you Albedo, you understood my true intentions."
"It is only natural, as the Guardian Overseer. No, even if I were not the Guardian Overseer, I am confident that I could read your heart, Momonga-sama."
As Albedo smiled and bowed deeply, there was a bizarre expression of Demiurge's face as he stood behind her.
Although it weighed on his mind, he could not object to the people assisting him.
"So, so that's why…" Mare said, with a look of realization on his face.
As he looked toward Mare, Momonga saw a sight he could hardly believe was real. Albedo's eyes had suddenly gone wide open, to the point where it seemed like her eyeballs might fall out. She was pointing at Mare in a strange way.
Just as Momonga was thinking about this, Albedo's face returned to its usual beautiful state, so quickly that Momonga thought it had all been an illusion.
"…What's wrong?"
"Ah, no, nothing… all right, Mare, sorry for disturbing you. Take a break, and continue the camouflage work afterwards."
"Y-Yes! Then, Momonga-sama, I'll be on my way."
As Momonga nodded to him, Mare rubbed the ring on his finger and left.
"Speaking of which, why did you come here, Albedo?"
"I heard Demiurge say you would be here, so I wished to greet you, Momonga-sama. However, I apologize for making you see me in this filthy state."
Momonga looked at Albedo again as he heard the words "filthy." However, he did not feel that the words were fitting. Granted, there was dust on her clothes, but it did not lessen her beauty at all.
"Certainly not, Albedo. Your radiance could never be diminished by something as insignificant as dirt. That said, I feel a little uncomfortable about making a beautiful maiden like yourself run around. However, since this is an emergency, I must ask you to continue working for Nazarick for the time being. I apologize for that."
"I can endure any hardship as long as it's for your sake, Momonga-sama!"
"I am grateful for your loyalty. Ah, yes… Albedo, I have something to give you."
"…What might that something be?"
As Albedo lowered her head and calmly replied, Momonga brought out a ring. Naturally, it was a Ring of Ainz of Ooal Gown.
"You will need this item in your position as the Guardian Overseer."
"…Thank you very much."
Her reaction was so different from Mare's that Momonga was somewhat disappointed. However, he immediately realised that he was mistaken.
The corner of Albedo's mouth was twitching and she was desperately trying not to let her expression change. Her wings were shuddering because she was trying her best not to spread them. The hand which took the ring had clenched up (when had she done that?) and then it opened up, trembling mightily. Even an idiot could see her excitement.
"Continue your loyal service, As for Demiurge… some other time."
"I understand, Momonga-sama. I shall continue working hard in future to prove myself worthy of such a mighty ring."
"Is that so? Then, I have abandoned the tasks that I must take care of. I'd best return to the Ninth Floor before I get scolded."
After seeing Albedo and Demiurge lower their heads in response, Momonga activated the teleportation effect of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.
In the instant before the scenery changed, Momonga thought he heard a woman shouting "ALL RIGHT!" However, he felt he must have been mistaken, because there was no way Albedo could have made such a crude sound.
Part 2
They were close to the outskirts of the village.
Enri heard the sound of clanking metal from behind her as she ran. It was a rhythmic sound.
She looked behind with a prayer in her heart — as expected, it was the worst-case scenario. A knight was chasing the Emmot sisters.
Just a little further.
Enri took a deep breath and forced herself to soldier on. She had no energy to waste on anything else.
Her breathing was rapid, her heart beating hard enough that she felt it would burst, and her legs were shaking mightily. Soon enough, she would be completely exhausted, and she would collapse and not get up.
If she were alone, perhaps she might have lost the strength to run and given up.
However, she was holding her little sister's hand. It gave her the energy to run away.
The truth was that the powerful desire to save her sister had kept Enri going until now.
As she ran, she glanced behind again.
The distance between herself and her pursuer had not changed. Even in armor, the man's speed had not decreased. This was the difference between a trained warrior and a village girl.
Sweat ran down Enri's back as her body went cold. If this kept up… she would not be able to escape with her sister.
—Let her go.
Those words echoed through her head.
—Perhaps you could escape by yourself.
—Do you want to die here?
—It might be safer if you split up.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
Enri shouted at herself for those thoughts through her clenched teeth.
She was the worst sister imaginable.
Why was her little sister holding her tears back?
It was because she believed in her big sister. She believed her big sister would save her.
As she gripped the hand of her little sister — that hand which gave her the strength to flee and fight on — Enri steeled herself and hardened her resolve.
She would never abandon her sister.
"Ah!"
Enri's younger sister was as tired as Enri herself. Therefore, she suddenly stumbled, yelped, and almost fell.
The reason why the two of them had not fallen was because they were holding tightly onto each other's hands. However, Nemu's near-fall caused Enri to falter herself.
"Faster!"
"Ah, yes!"
Although she wanted to run on, her little sister was starting to cramp up, and she could not move fast. Enri wanted to pick up Nemu and run, but the sounds of metal drawing up beside her filled Enri with fear.
The knight beside her held a bloodstained sword. In addition, his armor and helm were covered in traces of spattered blood.
Enri pushed Nemu behind herself and glared angrily at the knight.
"It's pointless to struggle."
There was no compassion in those words. Instead, there was only mockery. Those words implied that running would only end in death anyway.
The anger in Enri's heart boiled over, and she thought, What was he saying?
The knight raised his sword to Enri, who had stopped moving. However, just before he could swing it down on them—
"Don't look down on me!"
"Guwaargh!"
—Enri forcefully punched the knight's metal helmet. That strike carried the anger that filled her and the desire to protect her little sister. She did not care that she was striking metal with her bare hand. She hit him with every ounce of her strength.
There was the sound of something like bones cracking, and soon pain spread throughout Enri's body. The knight wobbled under the force of the mighty blow.
"Hurry!"
"Yes!"
Enri bit back the pain and made to flee again — and suddenly a line of scorching heat bloomed on her back.
"—Ggk!"
"Damn you!"
The village girl punching the knight in the face had shamed him, hence his anger.
He was swinging his sword wildly, having lost his cool. As a result, his first blow did not cause a mortal wound. However, that was the end of her luck. Enri was hurt, and the knight was filled with rage. The next blow would certainly take her life.