Momonga — Ainz raised his head as the sound of the horn reached him from the direction of the village.
The area around him was covered with the corpses of the knights who had been standing guard here. The stink of blood hung heavy in the air, but Ainz paid it no heed as he ran his experiments. Just then, he chided himself for getting his priorities wrong.
Ainz cast down the sword in his hand. The sword which had originally belonged to a knight fell to the ground, its gleaming, razor-sharp edge now stained with dirt.
"...Well, I've said it before, but this physical damage reduction is quite something."
"Ainz Ooal Gown-sama."
"...Ainz will do, Albedo."
Ainz's request to be called by a truncated version of his name threw Albedo into confusion.
"Ku, kufu! Am, am I really allowed to do that? Would it not be disrespectful to shorten the name of the leader of the Forty One Supreme Beings, especially if it is also the name of Nazarick's rulers!?"
Ainz did not think that it was a big deal. However, her words meant that she respected the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, which pleased Ainz. Therefore, his reply was phrased in a gentle tone:
"It's fine, Albedo. Until my former comrades arrive, that is my name. I permit you to shorten it."
"I understand… no, but please let me address you with the appropriate respect. Then, then… my master, Ai-Ainz-sama… kukuku… yes, that's right..."
Albedo twisted her body shyly.
However, since she was in full body armor, Ainz could not see her beautiful face. To him, she was just acting strangely.
"Could, could it be… kukuku… could it be that I'm the only one who's allowed to address you in such a way?"
"No. Having someone address me by such a long name all the time would be annoying, so I would like to have everyone do the same thing."
"...Is that so… ah, that's right. Yes, that's what I thought—"
Albedo's mood turned gloomy all of a sudden. In an uneasy voice, Ainz asked:
"...Albedo, what do you think of the name I chose?"
"I think that name suits you very well. It fits my beloved — cough, cough — it fits you, in your capacity as the one who united the Supreme Beings."
"...This name was intended to represent the forty one of us, and this includes your maker, Tabula Smaragdina-san. However, I ignored the feelings of your master and the others, and took that name for myself on a whim. How do you think they would feel about that?"
"...Although I fear to anger you… I pray you will allow me to speak. If my words displease you, then I will gladly take my own life if you command it. I feel that some of the Supreme Beings who abandoned us might object to that name being used by the one who stayed with us until now, Momonga-sama. However, they are not here, so if you wish to use that name, all I feel is happiness, Momonga-sama ."
Albedo lowered her head after she finished speaking, and Ainz remained silent.
The phrase "abandoned us" swirled in his mind like a vortex.
His past companions had left him for their own reasons. YGGDRASIL was just a game, and they could not abandon their real lives for a game. Momonga felt the same way too. Yet could it really be said that he — who had been fixated on Ainz Ooal Gown and the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick — had not been suppressing his anger toward his former comrades?
They abandoned me.
"...That might be so, but it might not be. Human emotions are a complicated matter, and there is no right answer. Raise your head, Albedo. I understand your feelings. All right, it's decided… this shall be my name. Until my comrades object, I shall be Ainz Ooal Gown."
"Understood. The thought that our most exalted master… and the man I love most would bear this glorious name fills me with joy."
The man I love most… ah.
The uneasy Ainz decided not to worry about this for now.
"...Is that so? I'm glad to hear that."
"Then, Ainz-sama, would you like to spend some time here? Although I would be happy to stand by Ainz-sama's side, I… right, a stroll through the woods would be fine too."
He could not do that. Ainz had come to save this village.
The parents that his sisters had asked him to save were already dead.
As he thought of their corpses, he scratched his head.
The sight of their bodies reminded him of a dead insect by the roadside. There was no pity, no sadness, no anger.
"Hm, well, a stroll might be all right. After all, there is nothing of importance to do. The Death Knight seems quite happy to do his job."
"As expected of an undead being that Ainz-sama made. His marvellous execution of his duties is truly praiseworthy."