The Sorcerer King. The absolute ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick and the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown. A being who ruled the 41 Supreme Beings, and the last of them who had remained in Nazarick. At this moment, that entity who should have been enjoying the attentions of his subordinates was curled up on a soft bed, reading a book.
Said bed had been moved from the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick to this place ― to the private chambers of the former ruler of E-Rantel, Mayor Panasolei, which had been partially remodelled and converted into Ainz's own chambers. Ever since it had been moved here, he could no longer detect the fragrance which it used to emanate when it had still been located in Nazarick.
Perhaps it's because the bed here doesn't have perfume sprayed on it, Ainz thought as he leaned his weight onto the bed in question.
Of course, sleep was completely unnecessary for an undead being like Ainz.
Indeed, it was only the remnants of his humanity telling his mind that he should be tired. That was why Ainz occasionally did this sort of thing, lying down on a bed to cool down his overheated head and heart. However, that was only a temporary solution. Thus, lying down like this for a long time, like a human being would do, was actually quite meaningless.
Of course, there were always a few exceptions to the rule.
For instance ― yes. While he was reading for instance. In particular, when he was mindful of the way others were looking at him.
It should be daytime soon... oh!
A weak ray of sunlight filtered in through the gap in the curtains, giving Ainz a rough idea of the time. With that, he stuffed the book he had been reading until now back under his pillow.
Then, he inclined his skull to look over to a corner of the room.
He saw a maid there.
She was one of Nazarick's regular maids, and she was attending to Ainz today ― to be precise, she had attended to him since yesterday. Currently, she was elegantly seated on a chair with her back ramrod straight. However, that posture had not changed since last night. From what Ainz knew, none of the maids had failed to hold that position.
Her line of sight was constantly fixed on Ainz, barring several momentary distractions.
It was a truly indescribable burden.
Of course, she had certainly not intended to exert this pressure. It was simply because paying close attention to him would allow her to respond immediately to any situation that might arise. However, it made an everyman like Suzuki Satoru want to cry and beg "spare me, please".
Nobody would feel comfortable if they were constantly stared at like this, especially if it was a member of the opposite sex doing it. Even if nothing happened, it made him feel like he had left something undone somewhere.
The most important thing was the way she silently responded to Ainz if he made any movement at all.
Simply put ― it was a miserable experience.
Of course, Ainz was an absolute ruler. If he forbade her to do so, she would stop. However, when he thought of the look on the maid's face if he said so, he could not bring himself to speak the words waiting in his mouth.
After coming to this world, Ainz had quickly sprung into action in the guise of Momon. That was the first time the maids had surrounded him like this. Even now, they continued to render their service to him with awe-inspiring loyalty. It was because he knew this that Ainz could not bring himself to make them obey him by force.
Besides, they will get tired of it after a while.
It had been a month since he had thought that.
The idea that this state of affairs might continue forever filled Ainz with some degree of unease. Because the maids took 41 days to complete a single shift rotation, he had decided to leave that matter for the future, but that line of thinking had merely kicked the can down the road until now.
Is this what they call the burden of leadership... administering Nazarick, planning for the group's future, responding to my subordinates' wishes... people who stand at the top really are great. No wonder they have such high salaries...
The people on top do so little and yet collect so much pay. Now that he understood what they were going through, Ainz laughed at his past foolishness. Then, he slowly rose from the bed.
At this moment, the maid silently rose from her seat as well. It made him feel as though there was a string connecting them.
How could her movements be so graceful after staying awake through the night?
"―I'm up."
"Yes. Then, your servant shall take her leave. After this, today's maid will come to take over for me."
Ainz did not say anything along the lines of "I'll leave it to you", but simply grunted "Umu" and waved his hand to indicate that she should carry on.
Perhaps I'm being too arrogant, Ainz thought.
Still, it might be better like this.
He had sent Hamsuke to ask around, and the maids' first response seemed to be, "It feels like he's dominating us, Ainz-sama is the best" or something like that. It would seem they were all masochists, and while it troubled Ainz when he first heard it, after calmly considering the matter, he realized that a ruler needed to act and dress the part. It was what his subjects would wish for.
Using a company as an example, a boss had to look and act like a boss.
When he thought about it in that way, Ainz felt that what he had done was what the Sorcerer King should have done. The fact was, when he had been spying on the ruler of the Empire, Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix, in his spare time, he noticed that the man conducted himself in pretty much the same manner.
Still, Suzuki Satoru had been a working man, and he felt a little uneasy about not saying something along the lines of, "Thanks for your hard work".
"...Then, you should go have a good rest yourself."
"Ah! ― Please allow your servant to offer her deepest thanks for your generosity, Ainz-sama!"
The maid bowed deeply as she expressed her gratitude.
"However, it is thanks to this item that you so graciously lent me that your servant could stay by your side to attend you without having to rest, Ainz-sama."
No, that's not what I meant, Ainz muttered in his heart.
It was true that once one put on a Ring of Sustenance, one could go all day and night without any sleep. Still, sitting on a chair and watching Ainz all night should have been nothing short of hellish. Although he was very pleased by their dedication, there was no need for them to go that far.
At least they should cancel the night shift... the part where they watch me sleep, right?
As maids, it was only natural for them to faithfully serve their master with their hearts and souls.
He did not know exactly which of the maids had said it, but he remembered hearing it from one of them.
Faithfully serve their master, huh. What would you say if I wanted to live as an equal to you?
Unlike how he felt when he first came to this new world, Ainz was now confident that all his subordinates were absolutely loyal to him. As long as Ainz paid attention to his actions and did not do anything which would disappoint them, there was no chance of their betrayal ― barring outside interference. In that case, perhaps he should change the relationship between them, and put himself on equal footing with the NPCs. That might be a good choice to make, at some point.
If that happened, Ainz would be free from this life of being a ruler, of having having to rack his brains all day long. In addition ―
―it would be like before, indeed, just like during the guild days. I wonder if I could go back to that sort of life again.
Whenever he spoke to the NPCs, he kept imagining his former friends superimposed over them. Because of that, Ainz hoped that he would not have to relate to them in the capacity of a master to a servant, but rather, the way they had in the past ―
―No, Ainz thought as he mentally shook his head.
While he did not know what might plant the seeds of disappointment in his subjects, such a dramatic change in circumstances could not possibly be a wise decision. In addition, since he knew that they desired a master-servant relationship with him, it was his responsibility as their master to continue in that capacity. At the same time, as the last person who remained here, he had to do everything he could for the NPCs (the children).
The maid excused herself to Ainz, and left the room.
In that moment, Ainz sprang into action. First, he replaced the book under the pillow with another book. The book he substituted in had a very complex title ― just looking at it would make anyone lose the will to continue reading. Then, the book he was reading last night went into his personal pocket dimension ― his inventory.
After placing the book where it would not be easily stolen, Ainz breathed a sigh of relief.
That too, was part of his responsibilities as their master.
He certainly did not want to read those difficult books which made his head hurt all night. If possible, he wanted to read some popular books instead. However, being spotted reading such books would damage Ainz's dignity as a ruler. Therefore, Ainz was forced to take such troublesome measures.
Incidentally, he had already taken into consideration the fact that the maids would move the book under the pillow to another location.
Now that he had finished everything he could do on the bed, Ainz pushed aside the thin gauze canopy which shrouded the bed and rose to his feet.
Just then, several knocks came from the door. Shortly after that, the maid who was due to take over the next shift opened the door and entered the room.
As she saw Ainz getting off the bed, she smiled and approached him. It looked like she was the maid assigned to accompany Ainz today.
"Good morning, Fifth."
A blindingly radiant smile dawned on the maid's face.
"Good morning, Ainz-sama! I'll be in your care today!"
If Fifth had a tail, she would probably be wagging it with all her might. Suddenly, he thought of Pestonya wagging her tail in the past.
Her maid uniform was the same as the one worn by the previous maid, Fourth. Unlike the battle maids, the regular maids all wore the same uniform. However, their exact appearance varied between each maid ― probably because each maid wearing them was different.
Ainz recalled something that one of his friends had said so often that it seemed to have taken up residence in his ear: "Simple maid outfits are good, but decorated maid outfits are the best". There was also a follow-up to that: "In other words, maid uniforms are the best, no matter how they look. Maid uniforms are the greatest invention in human history. Viva maid uniforms~"
Although Ainz did not know what he meant by "viva", it was probably some sort of exclamation. It might have also been some personally-invented term of his. In this way, Ainz recalled the memories of his past companions, bit by bit.
Ainz smiled bitterly ― though his facial expression did not change, of course ― and silently looked at the maid.
"Ai-Ainz-sama, is, is there some way I can serve you?"
Fifth blushed as her hands tightly gripped the apron of her uniform. It was then that Ainz realized his carelessness.
"Forgive me. It seems I was... yes , it seems I was somewhat entranced by you."
"―!"
"Then, let's go."
"―Hieh? Ah, yes. Understood!"
The maid froze for a moment, but still managed an energetic reply as she fell into step behind him and they left the room.
Ainz passed through several other rooms. What he saw there could not possibly compare to the scenery in the 9th Floor of the Tomb. Thus, when Ainz had decided to stay here, the Guardians voiced their objections one after the other.
Point. This place is lacking in taste as a residence for a Supreme Being.
Point. The defensive capability of this place is lacking and it has inadequate protection against spies.
Point. Point. Point―
However, Ainz shrugged all these objections aside and selected this place as his home.
This was his responsibility as a King ― after all, Jircniv too lived in the Imperial Palace of the Imperial Capital. Or at least, that was what he wanted people to think. The fact was, this place was luxurious enough for Ainz, no, for Suzuki Satoru. His old home was even less worthy of comparison. In addition, his room on the 9th Floor had always been too flashy and too large.
He did not mind it when it was still a game. However, now that he actually had to live there, he was acutely aware that there was no place for him within its walls. All Ainz wanted to do was to burrow into a corner of the room.
Ainz led Fifth and the Eight Edge Assassin that dropped down from the ceiling to the dressing room.
Several regular maids were already there waiting for Ainz. They executed respectful bows to him in unison. Fifth swiftly joined their ranks as well.
"Ainz-sama, what would you like to wear today?" Fifth asked in a voice that was bursting with energy.
...Oh, there's a sparkle in Fifth's eyes. Come to think of it, didn't everyone who had this job have the same sparkle in their eyes as well? They do say that ladies like clothing... is that how they express it? Or do they just like coordinating clothes and accessories?
A steady sensation of fatigue crept over him, but he could not show it. Instead, he went "Umu" in a conceited way ― or at least, that was how it felt when he practiced beforehand.
Frankly speaking, Ainz did not need to change his clothes.
His magic robes would not get wrinkled even if he spent all night rolling around on the bed. His body did not excrete any waste products. The dust floating in the air could settle on him, but all he had to do was brush it off. In addition, any place where Ainz went would have already been thoroughly cleaned by the maids. Furthermore, he did not need to eat or drink, and thus he would not get dirty from those activities.
Wearing the same set of clothes would not pose a problem to him.
However, none of his subordinates could permit that. Yet it was only to be expected; having their absolute ruler wear the same thing everyday would ruin his image.
That said, Ainz was not confident in his ability to coordinate his outfit.
Now, if he was preparing his equipment for battle, after considering his opponents' abilities and skills and planning out his tactics, he would be quite confident in his ability to select the appropriate loadout to best combat the foe he was facing. However ―
Well, to some extent, the experience gained by Suzuki Satoru allowed him to comment on whether this necktie would work with that suit. It did not let him say anything about whether this purple robe with silver filigree matched a silver necklace socketed with four diamonds and so on. In addition, he had to select clothes to match a skeletal body.
However, if he wore a mismatched outfit, people might doubt his sense of style as a leader. That would be like betraying his loyal subordinates. Therefore, Ainz had to give his utmost even in the matter of dressing himself.
Therein lay a fatal problem.
Would any of his subordinates comment even if Ainz wore something unsuitable? It was a similar situation to a toupee slipping off the head of the CEO of some large company; nobody would dare say anything.
That being the case, there was only one alternative left to him.
"―Fifth, I'll leave it to you. Prepare a set of clothing that best suits me."
"Understood! Leave it to me, Ainz-sama! Your servant will take the greatest care in her choices!"
You don't have to get so worked up over this ― well, Ainz thought that, but he had never actually said so to the maids before.
"I ― I think red suits you well, Ainz-sama! Therefore, I was thinking of using red as a base color for coordinating your attire. What do you think?"
"...I just said that I would leave that matter to you. That being the case, there's no need to confirm your choices with me."
"Yes! Understood!"
If he had no confidence in himself, then all he needed to do was hand the task to someone else ― like how he had allowed the maid to pick for him.
Ainz was very troubled by the crimson robe she had selected, however. The red color was so bright that it almost hurt his eyes, and it was further adorned by many huge button-like gemstones. It might have been acceptable if they were all the same color, but the many gemstones reflected half a dozen different colors of light. In addition, the garment was edged with strange characters embroidered with gold thread.
―Is this really normal clothing? Can it be considered clothing in the normal sense of the word?
He felt like a sandwich-board man illuminated by neon lights. He would never have picked this clothing of his own accord. Or rather, Ainz began to wonder why he had ever bought this in the first place. Since he had no recollection of his guild members forcing it upon him, by process of elimination, he himself must have obtained it somewhere.
Was it a gift? Did I win it in a lottery or some kind of an event? ... Still, well, it can't be helped, huh.
Even recalling how he had obtained it would not make the crimson robe before him vanish.
While it would be easy to simply refuse, it would turn the "I'll leave it to you" that he had told Fifth into a lie. More to the point, Ainz might be the only one who found it embarrassing while everyone else liked it. Or rather, that was quite likely to be the case.
And, to put it more bluntly, since Fifth had selected this robe, he could blame her if anyone commented on it.
I really am a terrible boss.
Ainz knew that this was not something of which he could be proud, and he felt guilty about it.
Pushing the blame to someone else was not laudable conduct for a boss ― for a superior.
He had to protect himself by sacrificing his subordinates. It could not be helped.
"―Sorry about that."
"Ah, my sincerest apologies!"
"It's fine... I was just talking to myself. Pay it no heed. Come to think of it..."
Ainz decided to choose his words carefully as he asked his question.
"There's something I'd like to ask. Do you think this robe is a bit too gaudy for me?"
"Certainly not! After all, just about anything looks good on you, Ainz-sama! Although I feel that black as a base with dark brown as a secondary color would look good too, wearing such colors all the time would not show off your other virtues, Ainz-sama! All this is to imprint your powerful image into the eyes of everyone who―"
Ainz interrupted the gushing flow of her words.
"―It's fine. As long as it's suitable, it's fine. Then, could you dress me?"
"Understood!"
Fifth and the other maids got to work.
As Ainz remained standing, the maids silently removed Ainz's clothing. The act of having his clothes changed by women, even if his body was nothing more than a skeleton, filled him with a burning shame.
But of course, such a gesture was a natural act for an absolute ruler.
At least, it was that way for Jircniv. Ainz had also read the same thing in one of his books.
Ainz remained still and allowed the maids to work, while he silently looked into the dressing mirror.
Soon, a red-robed Ainz appeared in the mirror. As expected, it was gaudy. It was nothing but gaudy.
...No. This world has a pretty divergent sense of aesthetics. For all I know... these clothes might be quite suitable for a ruler to wear.
He recalled Hamsuke as an example, and quashed his unease.
"Then, let's go."
Those thoughts went through his head as he strode forth, accompanied by Fifth. How he wished he had the time to sigh.
-x-X-x-
The swaying, gaudy red robe advanced toward his office. As Ainz neared the door, Fifth swiftly darted forward and courteously opened it for him.
Sometimes, he thought of saying, It's just a door, let me open it. However, as he watched the look on the maids' faces which said, "Whoa, look at me, I'm working!", Ainz could do nothing but accept this as a form of automatically-opening door.
Ainz led Fifth and the Eight Edge Assassin into the office.
The desk in the center of the room was like the one Ainz had in his own room, and it radiated an air of gravitas.
It had been brought here from Nazarick, along with his bed. A flag hung in the depths of the room ― the flag of Ainz Ooal Gown ― of the Sorcerous Kingdom.
Ainz passed through the room, and approached the balcony.
There was a glass box on the balcony. It was not very large and contained a jungle environment. Ainz inserted his bony finger into the box, which seemed devoid of life, and lifted up a leaf. Hidden beneath was a creature that hid in the darkness to avoid the sunlight.
Its brightly-colored body was coated with sticky yet slippery secretions, and the front part of its body resembled a pair of human lips.
Ainz carefully studied the Lip Bug before his eyes.
"―That's a good color. You look quite lively."
He remembered what he had been once told, which was that color was very important. He also recalled having several Lip Bugs placed in front of him, and being taught to tell when they were most energetic by their color. And indeed; the Lip Bug before him seemed much livelier than the others at that time.
Ainz picked out a fresh cabbage leaf from a nearby plate.
"Come, Nurunuru-kun. It's time to eat~"
He brought the leaf close to the Lip Bug, which latched onto it with a nom. After he let go of the leaf, the Lip Bug frantically took large mouthfuls out of it.
Ainz brought out two more leaves, which the Lip Bug readily devoured as well.
He decided to stop there, because Entoma had told him that overfeeding it was not good,.
Ainz gently returned the fed and happy Lip Bug to its shaded home in the glass box ― to the place it loved the most .
"It seemed a little gross at first, but after taking care of it for a while, it's grown to be quite cute."
He was not speaking to anyone in particular, just talking to himself. Ainz had a cheerful smile on his face as he closed the thin box lid. The box was not very sturdy, and the Lip Bug could escape if it really wanted to. The reason Ainz used it was to prove his confidence in being able to take good care of its occupant. That said, it was a mercenary monster spawned with gold, so the question of whether or not it would escape still had no answer.
Ainz gently cleaned his hand with a nearby cloth, and after finishing all his tasks for the morning, he took a seat in his chair. He leaned his weight onto its back and let his body sink in deeply.
...Ah, work. There's no official working hours, but my heart still sinks around this time. I guess old habits die hard.
The desk did not have so much as a speck of dust on it, to say nothing of documents.
It was completely unlike Suzuki Satoru's desk.
All this was because he did not need to work through the night. Ainz's job was to make the big decisions, not worrying about the fine details. After he decided the overall direction, his subordinates went into action.
...Still, this is why it's so difficult. For the first time, I realise that the difficulty of a job is determined by how much responsibility it places on oneself. It's more mentally than physically tiring... and it's certainly more stressful. Ah, is it time to start work?
There was no need to look at a watch.
At that precise moment, a knock came from the door. Fifth ― who was standing at attention by the door ― verified the identity of the caller.
"Ainz-sama, it is Albedo-sama and the Elder Liches."
There was respect in Fifth's voice, because these Elder Liches were Ainz's personal creations.
"I see. They may enter."
Fifth stepped away from the door to make way for the visitors. Albedo entered the room at the head of six Elder Liches.
"Good morning, Ainz-sama."
After Albedo's greeting, the Elder Liches bowed their heads deeply.
"Umu, good morning, Albedo. It seems today's weather is quite fine."
"Indeed it is. I have reports that it will be sunny all day ― of course, if it is your wish as the ultimate ruler of this world, we can produce any kind of weather you desire. Shall we proceed, Ainz-sama?"
This was just using an irrelevant topic to begin a conversation, but he did not expect her to start off with a suggestion like that.
"That will not be necessary. I like changes in the weather. Sunny days are fine, the roaring of thunder on rainy days is to be savored, and the gentle falling of snow is quite intriguing. One could say that one could draw a day's entertainment just from watching the natural changes of the weather."
Ainz did not dislike this world's changing climate. In this unspoiled world, he found that he understood his former comrade Blue Planet's words: "The rain was originally Nature's blessing."
It was best to let nature remain natural.
"Yes, understood... Of course, I sensed that you had no desire to alter the weather, but I had to ask to be sure, Ainz-sama. After all, you are not the sort of leader who would directly order us around to satisfy your desires."
"...Is that so? It doesn't feel like that to me..."
Ainz thought about it, but he could not come up with anything he particularly wanted. When he was still Suzuki Satoru, his mind was filled with thoughts of YGGDRASIL. After his body had become like this, it had only gotten worse. Although he was not sure if that was a side effect of becoming an undead creature, the chance of always having been this way was quite high. If he had to speak of a desire for anything, it would be a desire for collecting rare items. And also―
Ainz smiled in loneliness, and gently shook his head.
"No, it might be just as you say. However, that is simply because there is nothing I truly want. If I develop any desires, I will naturally give the appropriate orders at that time."
"When the time comes, I hope you will allow me, as the Guardian Overseer, to select the people who will immediately respond to your desires," Albedo replied as she lowered her head. When it came back up, her face appeared somewhat flushed. "However, your clothes today are quite spectacular. They are extraordinarily radiant. No, they shine this brightly because you are wearing them, Ainz-sama."
Albedo continued lavishing her praise on him.
The radiance of which she spoke of was probably the gemstones which seemed to substitute for buttons, since his skull did not reflect the light. Ainz nodded as he thought about this.
"Is that so, then I must thank you for that, Albedo."
"You are too kind. I was simply stating the obvious. Ainz-sama, you are truly―"
Ainz raised his hand to interrupt Albedo as she excitedly prepared to continue. He had the feeling that letting her go on would drag the conversation out for a long time.
"Let's leave that matter aside for now. Then, what of the documents you and the others were handling yesterday, Albedo?"
"Yes."
Albedo puffed up her cheeks in an adorable manner, and the Elder Liches followed her directions and placed their documents on the table.
The pile of documents stacked one on top of the other came to a sizable thickness. The files themselves did not contain much in the way of proposals, but they had a lot of supporting documents attached to them. Much like how he needed data from many fields in his old job, it would seem that this was all in preparation to deal with a complicated problem.
He had prepared his heart for this. Ainz had spent all morning psyching himself up and stiffening his resolve for this moment.
Suzuki Satoru was a mere employee, and he was not the sort who interacted with the company's operations. If asked whether someone like that could manage an entire country, Ainz would have confidently answered "no". Or rather, even an operations manager would find it very difficult to run a country.
What made it worse was that Ainz was an absolute ruler. Even if there were any mistakes in the words he spoke, his subordinates would rally together to turn them into reality.
Was there anything scarier than that? A single word from Ainz might lead to a mass suicide.
That being the case, what should he do?
The answer was very simple. Much like his clothes, he had to hand that responsibility to capable people.
Being able to skilfully allocate one's subordinates according to their strengths was also an essential quality in a boss.
That said, there were also problems with completely delegating everything to others. Indeed, he could rest assured if everything was left to Albedo's care. However, he was a king, not a mere figurehead. As someone in a high position, being a superior accordingly entailed bearing a superior's responsibilities.
There were some tasks which could not be escaped by saying "I know nothing."
As such, Ainz began carefully reading the stack of documents from top to bottom, placing the royal seal on each one.
After rhythmically stamping several documents, Ainz paused, having selected one of them as the day's target. He opened it to peruse its contents. And then―
...I don't get it, after all. Does this have something to do with material resources? Is this very important? Do the Elder Liches really understand? ...Well, they were all made by me... how can this difference in ability be explained ― although, reading all this is really tiresome, it's just like reading legal documents...
Because there were cross-references to other pages, there were many repetitions of these few words which required repeatedly flipping back and forth between pages. The final point was based on the previous conclusion in order to arrive at a negative judgment. Moreover, because many negative statements appeared in the text, interpreting the content was very difficult.
"―Albedo."
"Yes, Ainz-sama! Has something caught your attention?"
"No, it's unrelated to this, but I thought of something. How goes the enactment of laws?"
This country was called the Sorcerous Kingdom, but it had not passed any unique legislation, instead continuing the use of the Kingdom's old laws.
"Yes. This is simply a draft for now. If we pushed the new laws too aggressively it could lead to widespread discontent. Thus, we are unsure whether or not to do so."
These words sounded strange when they came from Albedo, who cared nothing for humanity. Still, Ainz could not help but pat his chest in relief.
"Although I've discussed it with Demiurge before... the laws of the Kingdom simply do not grant enough power to an absolute ruler such as yourself, Ainz-sama. We are currently considering simply retaining the first edict of the Kingdom's law and then pushing it through by force."
"While I am more confident in other areas..."
That was a bald-faced lie ― Ainz had no confidence in just about everything.
"I regret to say that I am not versed in the ways of the law. Do as you see fit. You have my complete trust."
"Yes! I understand."
Albedo had a look of delight on her face. If Ainz looked closely, he could see her wings quivering behind her. She ― and Demiurge, for some unknown reason ― seemed to consider Ainz to be a genius who was always one step ahead of them.
Thus, when Ainz said he did not know or something along those lines, he could keenly understand the joy which they ― who were made as highly intelligent beings ― felt at being able to validate their existence.
"Still, there's no need to lie about not understanding the law..."
"No, it's true. I'm not adept at dealing with matters of the law."
"I see... that must be how you see it, from the perspective of a supreme leader who has never been bound by any laws. I understand your meaning."
Ainz felt that he was being misunderstood, but he decided to ignore the matter. After all, he had no idea how to explain it to her. Instead, he simply smiled. This feeling was only vaguely familiar to him, but that might be how children felt when proudly showing off their talents to their parents.
"Is something wrong?"
Albedo's look of surprise only made Ainz that much more delighted. Still, it would be rude for the joy to be all his.
"Forgive me, but when I saw how happy you were, I was struck by how cute you looked... how shall I say this, umu, it's somewhat difficult to explain."
As he said that, there was a brief burst of movement from the Eight Edge Assassins on the roof, but then they stayed still.
"Ah~, how embarrassing."
Albedo pressed her hands to her cheeks. As Ainz saw how she blushed, he realised how uncomfortable he must have made her feel, and with a slight cough, he decided to study the documents before him instead.
It would seem that his way of treating the NPCs as the children of his friends made him say things which embarrassed them.
He felt a little guilty about his rudeness, but in the end, he stamped the final document instead. With that, one task was complete.
He handed the files to Albedo, who was covering her mouth with her hand. She in turn handed them to the Elder Liches.
"Then, let's begin the usual. These are the proposals we will screen through today."
Ainz opened his cabinet and took out a stack of papers. These were suggestions and opinions collected from everyone in Nazarick in order to aid in the development of the Sorcerous Kingdom.
After reading them, Ainz would copy these suggestions out and read them out for Albedo to hear around this time every morning.
"There's no need for you to waste your valuable time with petty tasks like writing them all down, Ainz-sama."
"No, because there might be some suggestions in there which are directed at me. In addition, my body does not require sleep. It would be a waste of time if I did nothing."
That too was a lie. Or rather, it was true that he would be left idle if he did nothing. However, he could spend that time on things like reading, bathing, practicing his acting skills and simulated combat. Even so, he still had to do this by hand because Ainz was sneaking in his own suggestions among the others.
Ainz had to do this because if he made those suggestions directly, his subordinates would force themselves to make them happen, even if they were impractical. That could lead to tragic consequences.
Therefore, by anonymously submitting his suggestions, he hoped that Albedo, as an impartial third party, would judge them by their merits alone. In addition, by not disclosing the names of the suggesters, Ainz's own abilities would not be called into question, which was like killing two birds with one stone.
Ainz began reading the uppermost suggestion out loud.
"Muu... 'I believe that we need child education services which can scout out talented individuals and cultivate them. This way, we might be able to strengthen Nazarick. Even if it does not work out, we can still use it to develop technologies for ourself, which can also be used as a foundation to strengthen Nazarick as well.' Something like that."
Ainz looked at Albedo, who was standing with her eyes facing forward.
"The benefits are clearly outlined, and it is an excellent suggestion. One can sense the suggester's excellence through it. It might be good to circulate this as a model for others to study."
After that round of praise, Ainz resumed his usual stern countenance ― though of course his face did not move. "Come to think of it, who do you think wrote that?"
"I believe that would be Yuri Alpha."
It was an instant answer. Ainz felt the same way as well.
"I agree. It should be Yuri's suggestion. Then, Albedo, what do you think of that suggestion?"
"It is utterly foolish. Swine should live like swine and die after giving everything they have for their breeders. There is no need for them to live in any other way. Since there is no meaning in allowing them to live differently, there is no point in allowing them to choose differently."
"Well, that was quite a harsh way of looking at it, but I do agree, to an extent. One needs basic education in order to serve as a cog to turn in society's wheels. This is how people should live, age and die. Allowing technology to spread would only threaten our power ― umu?"
"Ainz-sama, are you alright?"
"I recall having heard these words before. Someone said them to someone else, but who? Narberal and... ah, Lupusregina. When she was asking about the healing potions... I guess there is no need to tell you since you already know, Albedo. Oh, what a gaffe, please pay it no heed."
"Of, of course not, I believe that I need to understand your profound insights, Ainz-sama. Please, share them with me."
"Is, is that so.. Well, although it embarrasses me somewhat, I can't be the only one sharing my thoughts. If you are unhappy with anything you hear, please feel free to correct me."
There was nothing more embarrassing than acting like a know-it-all in front of someone he knew well. With the worry of being treated like an idiot in his heart, Ainz decided to share his thoughts on the matter.
Knowledge, education and information were the basic weapons of humanity ― which also included non-human beings in this world. As a nation's knowledge increased, so would its power, but on the flip side, so would resentment at knowing they could not have everything.
Thus, a ruler had to consider whether or not to arm the masses with the weapon called knowledge, because that weapon might someday be pointed at the ruler himself.
In the game called YGGDRASIL, Ainz had learned the importance of possessing information. This was why he had brought the two Bareare herbalists to Carne Village, where he could keep an eye on them, and had them make potions there. This was so that he could monopolize the fruits of their research and hoard any knowledge gained from it.
From Ainz's point of view, those who were ruled over ought to act the part, living and dying in their ignorance. However one needed to develop new technologies as a nation's power increased. In the end, the question was at whom would the spears of knowledge be pointed.
"In short, we should only share our new technologies with those who are absolutely loyal to the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. We will give the common folk outdated technology which poses no threat to us. The "Fruit of Knowledge" only has value when we alone possess it."
After he got to that part, he sneaked a peek at Albedo, to make sure she did not doubt or distrust him.
"And now, this is what I'm really getting at. Albedo, in contrast to what I just said, I think we should accept this suggestion."
Albedo's eyes went wide for a moment.
"May I know what led you to that conclusion?"
"Sentimentality. In addition, I feel Yuri has a point."
"Still, I feel there are too many demerits to that suggestion... or are you saying that you intend to test it out in the outskirts? Once you seal off all information leaks and then commence education through brainwashing, the merits do start to appear."
"We will not do that. Though this might deviate somewhat from Yuri's suggestion, we shall found an orphanage in this city."
While Ainz had been living here as Momon, he had heard of the orphanages run by the temples. He had immediately hit on the idea of founding an orphanage in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown.
"In any event, we should consider the possibility of Nazarick's technology leaking into the outside world. It should be fine if we run a regular orphanage and limit the knowledge we teach there to those close to us. If we find talented individuals there, we can then consider what to do with them."
"...I see. That arrangement should not pose any problems."
"Then, I intend to use widows for the orphanage staff."
"The women who lost their husbands in the battle where you demonstrated a fraction of your almighty power. It serves as financial aid of sorts for those women who are struggling below the poverty line. And indeed, such aid will only improve the popular opinion of yourself... as expected of you, Ainz-sama."
"Umu, though if we only act after Momon tells us of the widows' plight, then only his reputation will improve, and not mine. Thus, we must take action swiftly, before anyone can come to him for help. In order to accomplish this... I order Pestonya and Nigredo to be released from their confinement."
Ainz sensed a faint glint in Albedo's eyes.
"Forgive my directness... but if you grant amnesty to those who have been judged guilty of disobeying your command and forgive them, I fear it might disrupt the order in Nazarick."
"Did we not place them in confinement for that?"
"That is far too mild a punishment. Your will is everything to us, Ainz-sama. The crime of disobeying your command is utterly unforgivable. Your servant submits that they should be relieved of their heads as a warning to others."
"If it's for those―"
Ainz wanted to say that it was a petty matter, but the women were all motivated by their reverence for Ainz ― one of the 41 Supreme Beings. If would be quite tragic to deny their loyalty.
Still, that was why he had to forgive the two of them. Their personalities were created by Ainz's past friends. Thus, Pestonya and Nigredo's actions could be said to speak for his friends.
Ainz knew that if he gave Albedo an order, she would obey it without question. However, that was a last resort for him. First, he had to try to persuade her with words.
"―The fact is that allowing those orders to leak out to the outside world would be problematic. Anyone would be able to connect the dots and trace the incident in the Royal Capital back to Nazarick, hiding in the shadows. That was why even the young children had to be eliminated.
However, the two of them were only trying to defend those infants who had no memories of the incident, which meant that there was no need to eliminate them. One could also say that they accurately understood my intentions."
"They were simply twisting the facts for their own convenience. Their actions are unforgivable."
"Albedo―"
He understood Albedo's feelings as the Guardian Overseer. That was why he had to think as hard as he could to convince her.
Ainz smiled; a troubled, bitter smile. Of course, his expression did not change.
"Ainz-sama, that look of yours is too unfair..." Albedo muttered, with somewhat pink cheeks. Ainz patted his face, as if to check.
"Oh, really now?"
"Mm, that is..."
Albedo sighed powerlessly, and let her head droop down. Haa~, she went as she exhaled deeply.
When she lifted her head up again, she had returned to normal.
"I understand. Nothing is more important than your wishes, Ainz-sama. They are everything to me. Please direct me as you see fit."
"I do not want you to obey me because of your feelings. I want you to obey me because it is the sensible thing to do."
"That will not be a problem. In all likelihood, nobody in Nazarick will object to freeing those two other than my previous self."
"Is that so... then that's good. Put the two of them in charge of running the orphanage."
"I understand. I shall convey your instructions to them."
"I'll leave that to you. Then ― the next suggestion."
Ainz murmured to himself. The next suggestion was one he had written.
"...Ahem. Well, this isn't a terribly good suggestion... eh, it can't be helped."
Ainz snuck a peek at Albedo's expression and continued to speak.
"Let us make a uniform for athletic activities (gym clothes) to strengthen the unity of Nazarick. What do you think?"
Just as he finished speaking, Albedo furrowed her brows in anger.
"...If there was a lower limit to the definition of the word 'inferior', that idea has certainly managed to break through it. Who made that suggestion, anyway?"
Ainz made a supreme effort to check his impulse to go, "I'm sorry" and instead took on a troubled expression.
"Er, that ― I'm not quite sure. I disposed of the original sheet of paper."
"I cannot imagine how put upon you must have been. How could anyone waste your precious time with such an utterly idiotic suggestion, Ainz-sama? Let us immediately launch an investigation to root out this person and determine the appropriate punishment."
"...No! There's no need for that! Listen, Albedo! You must not do that, no matter what!"
Though he was going "awawawa" in his heart, Ainz managed to thrust out his chest:
"I have told everyone in Nazarick that in order to encourage feedback from many angles, I will not censure them for any kind of suggestion made to me. If you rebuke them for it, that would turn my words into lies. That would also mean that everything I say in future would also be a lie.
In addition, it is difficult for frightened people to give their opinions... therefore, I hope that once you leave this room, you will forget that suggestion."
"Yes, I shall. It is as you say, Ainz-sama."
"Good, good. You must do that."
Ainz was deeply grateful for the fact that his body could not sweat. If that was not the case, the floor would have probably been drenched by now. However, despite the marvelous constitution of his body and mind, the word "inferior" stuck deep in his heart, leaving a wound that would not heal for a long time.
"...Ainz-sama, I have a proposition. In the future, please allow me to select the suggestions. That way, you will not be troubled by such foolish suggestions a second time."
"Guh... no, there's no need to trouble you with that. Besides, if you selected all of them, then my role would merely be to sign off on your choices. Our discussions here would then become meaningless."
"Ah, yes, that's right, Ainz-sama. We must work closely together and do it."
Albedo's wings flapped, and the Eight Edge Assassins overhead squirmed once more.
"All, all right. Since you understand, let's move on to the next one, Albedo."
Personally, he did not think that suggestion was unworkable, but the mood in the air was not one which would allow him to bring that up, nor did he feel confident enough to mention another similar topic.
"Then, next―"
Just as Ainz was about to continue reading, a knocking sound came from the door.
Both of them looked at Fifth. She bowed slightly, and then went to see who the visitors were.
A lively child's voice came through the gap in the door, along with an almost inaudible voice that lacked any confidence.
...Isn't this the first time those two have come here at this hour of the day? Did something happen? If that's the case, then it's probably good that Albedo is here too.
Since Ainz already knew who the visitors were, he could have immediately allowed them entry. However, Fifth seemed quite happy to be performing her duties, and granting them permission to enter before she could report their names would mean having to interrupt her.
Going over her head might make her lose the motivation to work. It was important for people on top to understand and take these matters into account.
I guess Jircniv does this too. After all, he leaves a lot of things to his maids, Ainz thought, as he commented on the role model as a king whom he had been constantly studying.
At some point, I should have a relaxed chat with him about the burdens of rulership.
"Ainz-sama, they are Aura-sama and Mare-sama."
Now that she had completed her orders, Ainz indicated that the two of them were permitted to enter his office.
The door opened, and a pair of petite dark elves stepped in. Their beaming smiles did not seem to imply that anything troublesome had happened, and Ainz was relieved.
"Morning! Ainz-sama!"
"G-g-good morning, Ainz-sama."
"Ah, good morning. The two of you look quite lively today."
The two of them greeted Albedo as well. Aura went around the table and stationed herself next to Ainz.
Once she was very close to him, she stuck out both hands, making two V-for-Victory signs.
"Hm."
She did not say anything to the baffled Ainz, merely raised her hands and made the signs.
Her sparkly eyes, so full of anticipation, trained themselves on him, and then she began hopping from foot to foot.
After realising what she wanted, Ainz pulled his chair back, grabbed Aura under the armpits, and picked her up.
"What, what are you doing, Ainz-sama―"
Ainz paid no head to Albedo's strangled cry of surprise. Instead, he turned Aura a full 180 degrees, facing her back to him, and then he sat her down onto his right thighbone.
Unlike a normal thigh, bones were hard, so Ainz had to place her parallel to it, allowing Aura's soft rump to cushion her.
"Ehehe~"
It was a somewhat bashful, yet thoroughly delighted laugh from Aura, and Ainz returned it with a smile. Then, he turned and beckoned to the nervous-looking Mare.
He picked up Mare as he approached, and placed him on his left thighbone.
"Ah, um, Ai-Ainz-sama, what, what about me?"
As Ainz wondered whether he should get them a cushion of some sort, it was Albedo's turn to speak nervously. However, it was too embarrassing to let a grown woman sit on his thigh ― his thighbone.
"No, that... I can't."
"But, but, the two of them..."
"...Albedo, these two are just children. You're an adult, are you not?"
For a moment, he thought he saw something behind Albedo ― a flash of light that was the physical manifestation of the blow she had just suffered. Although he felt a little sorry for her, embarrassment was still embarrassment. Besides, if he actually followed through with the act, it would be sexual harassment.
"Then, you two. What's going on?"
The fortress in the Great Forest of Tob ― the fake Nazarick, or perhaps a resource depot ― had been completed for now.
Aura's next task was to conceal the fortress and strengthen its defenses.
The original plan was to flee there if enemies showed up and conceal the real Nazarick, but Jircniv now knew the location of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.
That being the case, it would now serve as a bunker and a resource depot.
Mare, on the other hand, had been tasked to dig an underground tomb on the outskirts of E-Rantel.
There were no plans to utilize that facility right away. It was simply because he had the manpower to spare but nowhere to use it.
The use of humans for such work would incur labor costs, but golems and the undead did not have that problem. In addition, they could use Mare's magic to produce simple stonework.
Incidentally, among the other Guardians, Shalltear was assigned to [Gate]-related teleportation duties and the security of Nazarick. Cocytus was in charge of the Lizardman village and its nearby lake. Demiurge, on the other hand, was on an assignment to the Holy Kingdom.
In other words, all the Guardians in E-Rantel were now in this room.
Since their tasks had already been allocated, what were the two of them doing here?
Aura cheerfully answered Ainz's question:
"We came here to see you, Ainz-sama!"
Her innocent words brought a beaming smile to Ainz's face.
"I see. Well, I am very delighted to see the two of you as well."
Ainz patted Aura's head. Aura seemed to find it very comfortable, and nuzzled back into Ainz's hand. It was kind of like playing with an adorable puppy.
"Then, then. Ainz-sama, w-what are you doing? I, I hope we aren't causing you trouble..."
"Yes―"
"Certainly not. How could meeting you be any trouble to me?" Ainz gently replied to Mare.
Ainz then turned to Albedo.
"Forgive me, Albedo. I got sidetracked just as we were about to start on a new topic. Ah, that's right, I feel the same way about meeting you as well."
"Y-yes," Albedo said, her face turned as red as an apple as she pouted and tried to look serious.
"Ainz-sama!"
What is it? Ainz thought as his eyes went wide.
"Ogyaa!"
Ainz wondered if he had misheard something. What did she just say?
As though to inform Ainz that his hearing was fine, Albedo went "Ogyaa!!" again, in a terribly shy voice.
...She's probably trying to act like a baby. No, the scary thing would be if she tried to act like anything else. Still, why is she doing this? Is she tired from working too hard? Ah! This might have something to do with Nigredo and releasing her from confinement.
Confusion overwhelmed Ainz, despite his undead body, and at the same time, Mare began shifting uneasily in his seat.
"That, um, it, it's fine for me, so, um, I should let Albedo-sama..."
Those words were like a revelation to him.
Just now, I said that it was fine because they were kids, so as an adult, you ought to be able to bear with it. Is that why she's pretending to be a kid now?
Still, why a baby? And besides, letting Albedo sit on my thigh is too...
That said, she's gone to such embarrassing lengths to put herself forward. I can't just overlook that, both as a superior being and as a man. In addition, Albedo is one of the children, like Aura and Mare. I must be fair to her.
"Forgive me, Mare," Ainz said. Having resolved himself, he let Mare alight from his leg and beckoned Albedo.
"Come here, Albedo."
"Yes!"
Albedo's shyness from earlier vanished like mist in the morning sun, replaced by a look of anticipation which a puppy might have just before going for a walk. In an instant, Albedo moved to Ainz's side.
Albedo made the V-signs as well.
It was somewhat difficult for Ainz to do while seated, but he nevertheless placed his hands under her armpits and lifted her up.
"...Um, sorry about this. Would you mind just sitting down as you are?"
"Of course! Understood!"
Albedo took Mare's place on Ainz's left thigh, and shifted herself in a coquettish manner.
The first thing Ainz felt was her softness. Unlike the children, it was the softness of a mature body. Then, her warmth flowed into him, which made him itch a little.
Even so, she's still really soft!
She was a level 100 warrior, but he had no idea where her muscles had gone. One could phrase it in a less polite way and wonder if she was a mollusc.
"Kufufufu~"
He heard Albedo's quiet laughter.
A fragrance wafted over from Albedo's long hair. It tickled Ainz's nose.
"―Mm?"
In this moment, something sparked inside Ainz's nonexistent brain.
This scent is familiar; where have I smelled it before? Albedo's clothes? No, her perfume?
Ainz was quite sure he had encountered the scent Albedo was currently emitting in the past. However, he had no idea where he had first picked it up, and he could not remember the details.
"Mmm... Albedo. Are you using some kind of perfume?"
"Yes, I do use perfume. Does it displease you?"
"No, of course not, it smells nice."
Albedo hurriedly turned her face towards Ainz. Her bulging eyes frightened Ainz a little.
"Really, Ainz-sama! If you'd like, how about sniffing me? An hour would be fine, a whole day would be fine too!"
"No, besides, an hour would be too..."
Still, no matter what he said, it was a fact that he was quite interested. Besides, if he sniffed her, he might be able to recall more details about that scent.
"Then, may I sniff a little?"
Ainz carefully brought his skull close to Albedo and inhaled her aroma. Since he was closer to her than just now, he could smell that pleasing scent more clearly. As he thought, it was familiar, but he still could not place where he had encountered it before. Just as Ainz was racking his brains to solve the mystery in his head, a cold voice reached his ears.
"...Ainz-sama."
Although he had no idea who it was for a moment, that voice clearly belonged to Aura. Ainz nervously turned to look at her, and saw that Aura was pouting with her cheeks puffed with.
"That looks kind of perverted."
"Ah, sorry..."
She did have a point...
Ainz cursed himself for doing something like this in front of the children. This would have a bad effect on their sexual education.This was why she had addressed him in the same tone that his old friend did when she was angry at her little brother.
"Th-then, Albedo, Aura. Please get up. Oh, Albedo, let's continue discussing that matter from just now."
However, there was no movement.
Both of them remained still. They were waiting for the other side to get off first.
"Good grief..."
Ainz picked up Aura and placed her on the ground next to him. A quiet laugh of "Kufufufu~" came from Albedo's side.
"...Aura was the one who sat down first. Albedo, you'd best get down as well."
"But, but... Aura's been sitting for 3 minutes and 41 seconds. I've only been sitting for 57 seconds. Though it may sound foolish, I believe I should be allowed to sit for another three minutes."
"Haven't you spent more time meeting with Ainz-sama already?"
"It can't be helped, that was work."
"Oh, work, is it? You just came to meet him for work? I came all the way here just to see Ainz-sama, you know."
"!!"
Albedo wiggled her rump on Ainz's thigh, adjusting her position to stare Aura in the eye.
Ainz thought, I can guess why Albedo wanted to sit on my thigh, but why did Aura want to do that? It's not like she loves me like Albedo does.
He could not remember what he had done to make a girl like Aura love him. The feeling called love should have been a mystery to Aura. And then ― Ainz finally found the answer.
"I see. So she was being possessive."
In addition, she might long for a father's love. Aura and Mare were designed as children, and they were still at an age where their parents would care for them. Perhaps they were unconsciously looking at Ainz to fill that gap in their hearts.
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If there was a country of Dark Elves, he had considered the possibility of sending them over to make friends. However, Suzuki Satoru had not experienced a father's love himself, so he felt it might be a bit late for that.
I wonder if there are books for children's sex education in the library?
It had been fine when they were just data. However, he had been thinking up till now, and noticed that there were still some things missing in order for Aura and Mare's healthy mental growth.
As I thought, they really need to make Dark Elf friends! Let's make that a priority. That being the case―
"Aura. There is something I'd like to ask; what happened to the three Elves I left with you and Mare?"
"You mean the Elves who set foot in Nazarick but who were pardoned by your mercy, Ainz-sama?"
Ainz nodded.
When he had drawn those workers in, he handed the Elven slaves following them to Aura and Mare. Normally, anyone who entered Nazarick without invitation would not be allowed to leave with their lives. However, they probably had not been there of their own will, and they had no intention of taking the treasures of Nazarick for their own. That being the case, it was not unreasonable to show them some measure of kindness.
In addition, if they were Wood Elves, they would probably have a beneficial effect on Aura and Mare's development.
"Yes. For the moment, we've put them all on our Floor."
"Where are they?
"Yes. How shall I say this... they have nothing to do, but keep trying to take care of us. It's kind of annoying how they keep hanging around us."
"That, that's right. Like, our, our clothes and so on. I, I can dress myself, but they keep coming over to help me..."
"You need to pull yourself together. They keep trying to dress you because you keep acting like that. Look at me, I don't have that problem, no?"
I see, so they wish to do something. Just like the maids around me. I feel your pain, Mare. Still, that means the three people I rescued aren't completely useless, after all. Would it be bad for former slaves to teach sex education? Hm~"
"Well, we did save their lives. Don't kill them on impulse, even if you're mad. If you feel they're truly troublesome, tell me and I'll send them somewhere else."
"Got it! I'll let you know when the time comes."
Ainz glanced at Mare, who had his head lowered, and muttered "What," to himself. Then, he shifted a somewhat icy look to Albedo.
"Albedo, it's about time to get off. It's been over three minutes now."
Albedo looked disappointed for a moment, but she still obediently dismounted from Ainz's thigh without saying anything.
"Come to think of it, what were you two doing, Ainz-sama?"
"Hm? Ahhh. I gathered suggestions from people in Nazarick on how to make this country great. Ah, that's right. You two as well. If you've got any good ideas, why not give it a try. I'll listen to anything, you know?"
Aura's face lit up.
"If you say so, Ainz-sama! I have a great idea!"
"Hohoh ― And what would that be, Aura? Come, tell me."
"Yes! I think boys should dress like girls, and girls should dress like boys!"
...Bukubukuchagama―!
Ainz screamed the name of one of his old friends internally.
For a moment, Ainz even saw the phantom image of a Pink Slime going "Sor~ry!" in an adorable voice that was completely at odds with its appearance.
"I see. So that was Bukubukuchagama-sama's idea. It is certainly an excellent proposal. Moreover, in this country, any decision of the Supreme Beings will surely be the correct one."
Correct? Ainz wanted to make fun of Albedo, but he could not do it.
In any case, this idea could not be allowed to happen. However, there was a problem with that.
The two of them only dressed like that because Bukubukuchagama designed them that way. If Ainz denied Aura's idea, he would then have to explain the exact reason why to the others.
Ainz could not immediately think of such an explanation.
"Ainz-sama. Shall we implement Aura's suggestion immediately?"
Why are you making the decision so quickly?!
He was out of time.
If he agreed to this suggestion, it would be declaring to all parties inside and outside the country that the Sorcerous Kingdom of Nazarick was a nation that valued cross-dressing. That would be incredibly bad. Perhaps only Bukubukuchagama would be interested in that. No, if Bukubukuchagama was in this world, Ainz felt she would definitely not want to make a country like that.
If they knew the NPCs had developed their own egos, some people would be intrigued and want to meet them, while others would want to avoid them. Bukubukuchagama would probably fall into the latter group. Yamaiko and Ankoro Mochimochi would probably want to meet them. Why is it they're so different despite them all being girls...
As he reminisced about them, Ainz slowly rose and looked out the window. Of course, that action had no special significance. He was simply trying to buy himself time. Once he had a rough idea of what he was going to say, Ainz turned to look at the three of them.
"I cannot possibly allow that idea."
"Why, why is that?"
Of course they'd ask that, right? ...I mean, giving single men masks on Christmas would still be a better law than that...
Ainz sighed. Of course, that action had no special significance. He was simply trying to buy himself time.
"There are many complex reasons for that, Albedo. Do you need me to explain each and every one of them?"
"Y-yes. P-please, if you don't mind."
Ainz was planning to say that to Albedo, but Mare was the one who intercepted it instead. He's normally such an honest boy; why's he being so wicked now, Ainz thought sadly. If it was Albedo, she would have definitely said, "There's no need for that. Allow me to explain to the two of you on Ainz-sama's behalf". But under these circumstances, Ainz had to do it himself.
"...Is that so. Then, I shall enlighten you. But where shall I start from to make it easy to understand...?"
Umu, Ainz went as he supported his chin with his hand. Needless to say, that too was to buy himself time. Ainz desperately forced himself to think, so hard that he thought his brain would start sweating, and then an idea struck him.
"―Firstly, ah yes, that should be it. The two of you must feel that because you're dressed that way, the entire country must dress like you as well, am I right? After all, you must feel that such was Bukubukuchagama-san's will. However, that would be incorrect. ―Yes, the two of you are special."
"We're special?!"
"Indeed you are. The two of you are special to Bukubukuchagama-san. That is why you have been permitted to dress in that way... so do you intend to grant that specialness to many people that you do not know?"
"How could we?!"
The person who had retorted so loudly was ― surprisingly enough ― Mare.
"Never! I'll never let anyone but Nee-chan have Bukubukuchagama-sama's specialness!"
"That, that's right. That's how it is. Do you understand, Aura?"
"Yes! I was so stupid that I didn't think about how Bukubukuchagama-sama felt!"
"Also..."
Aura and Mare had already accepted that reasoning. It should be fine to slowly exit the topic now. However, there was one more thing that worried Ainz.
Ainz muttered something about there being several other reasons, and he peeked at Albedo as he murmured.
Someone as extraordinary as her would probably have thought further ahead than Ainz. Would she find it strange if he terminated the topic now? That was what made Ainz uneasy.
As their eyes met, Albedo smiled, and then inclined her neck.
Not knowing what that response meant, Ainz averted his eyes. And then, there just happened to be an Elder Lich in front of him. Ainz nonchalantly eyed the files he was holding.
"―Ahhh. So you were thinking about that too, Ainz-sama. After all, you were looking at that document the most. It should be alright to tell the two of them as well, right?"
Ainz turned to Albedo again as she suddenly spoke.
"―Umu. So you thought of it too, Albedo."
"Yes, I did. I was wondering if you were going to mention that idea as well, Ainz-sama. I believe what you are thinking about is whether or not to explain to the two of them, am I right?"
"As expected of you, Albedo. You know my thoughts without the need for me to speak them."
"You are too kind,"
Albedo smiled and lowered her head. On the other hand, Aura puffed up her cheeks in annoyance.
"Still, I cannot believe I did not think of Bukubukuchagama's will, though it should have been the most important thing to consider. As expected of our creator, our Overlord. I will never be able to equal your wise decisions, made by considering countless points of view."
"No, don't say that, Albedo. I'm certain you will display talents that will exceed mine someday."
The fact was, she had already exceeded him by far. Ainz felt ashamed of himself as he thought about that, but Albedo simply nodded, her face full of conviction.
"Yes! I shall!"
"―Then, what other reasons are there?"
"Really now, Aura. Albedo, explain to the two of them. Make it easy enough to understand that even a child could get it. Yes, it must be easy to understand,"
After Ainz said this, he fell silent and and then looked out the window once more. However, all the nerves of his body were concentrated on listening, because he did not want to miss a single word Albedo said.
"Indeed. Actually, I wanted to bring this up with Ainz-sama afterwards. The fact is, a small problem has cropped up."
"Ehhh? Did someone cause you trouble? Want us to go over there and wipe him out for you?"
"No, it's not like that. The truth is, we've discovered that our resource stockpiles might not be sufficient for the future. So if we ordered everyone to change their clothes right now, we would only be able to take troublesome measures like exchanging old clothes and so on."
Eh, really? Of course, Ainz could not say that. All he could do was desperately try to recall the contents of the file he had just seen.
Indeed, it contained something about resources, but the amount seemed quite adequate. However, if Albedo said so, then it must be true.
In other word, this is a pretty bad situation, no? Still, if that's the case, can't we just purchase more from the Kingdom or the Empire? A city like this should carry enough capital for that, right?
Albedo had an answer to Ainz's justified doubts:
"This city was an excellent storehouse for resources, and it functioned as a trade city. However, since Ainz-sama has taken control, the traders from the other three countries rarely visit this place. Thus, we are in a situation where our remaining resources are ebbing away."
"If we don't have them, then let's grab them from elsewhere. How about from the Empire or the Kingdom?"
"Onee-chan, we, we can't do that. Ah, A-Ainz-sama said we were forbidden to use force on those three countries, right?"
Indeed. Though he did not know about the future, he had placed a blanket ban on the use of military force until he had fully assumed control of this city. Of course, if the other side attacked first, that was a different matter entirely.
"Then, what should we do?"
"Er, erm, we shouldn't need to worry. A-after all, A-Ainz-sama will settle it."
Are you going to dump all this on me now? Ainz wanted to refute Mare with that, but he forced himself not to. After Aura replied to Mare with, "I see!" he could not bring himself to betray the trust those two kids placed in him.
However, an ordinary employee like Ainz could not possibly think of a proper financial policy. Because of that, Ainz decided to play one of his two trump cards.
Ainz slowly turned, and confidently said:
"―Albedo. You're taking care of this, aren't you?"
In other words, he would dump it all on another talented person (Albedo) and be done with it.
"Yes. Recently, the seeds Demiurge has been sowing should be ready to be harvested."
"Just so. The two of you have nothing to worry about."
Their sparkly-eyed looks of respect and adoration made Ainz feel a twinge of guilt. At the same time, the fear of seeing the looks of disappointment in their eyes when they found out all this was fake took root in his heart.
Still, that Demiurge. I don't know what seeds he planted, but he's really amazing.
Ainz wanted to ask about the harvest, but he could not.
This was because Ainz Ooal Gown should have been a luminary who knew everything.
I know I should have studied economics, but I could only skim through those complicated books... like, they should have made the ones on Keynesian economics and so on easier to understand. Or could it be that I've become set in my ways because of my age?
Ainz was thoroughly versed in the game mechanics of YGGDRASIL. This was not an idle boast; he had learned over 700 spells and had memorized the details of each one, a feat which shocked his friends. Even those spells he had not learned could still become a weapon to read his opponents' strengths, once he knew of them. This was why Ainz had done his best to memorize all those spells. He was easily in the top five amongst his guildmates when it came to magical knowledge.
Still, while he could do that, he was completely clueless about academics.
Eh? Could it be that I can't remember more things because I don't have a brain?
Ainz knew that he had learned many things since coming to this world, so he also knew that was impossible. Still, he trembled a little at that frightening theory.
"And then, I have a matter which requires Ainz-sama's approval..."
"―What? Did you say approval?"
Ainz did not feel any suggestion Albedo made would require his approval. After all, she was a clever girl, and would surely make choices that were better than his own. However, if that was the case, the organization would not be able to function properly. After all, the people on top had to bear responsibility for their subordinates' actions. Because of that, it would seem that superiors had to grant seals of approval in this fashion.
"Someone must visit the Royal Capital to stir up those humans. Would you permit your servant to go?"
"What?!"
Ainz was taken completely by surprise, and exclaimed louder than normal.
Sending Albedo out while Demiurge was not around made Ainz feel very uneasy. Besides, his control over this city was not perfect.
More than anything else, the reason why this was so shocking was because this was the first time Albedo spoke of something like this.
"...If I send you out... I would be quite troubled..."
"My," Albedo smiled in delight. "It will be fine, Ainz-sama. I shall immediately settle matters and return to your side."
"Is that so... well, if it's just for a while it should be fine. Who will be given control of Nazarick and this city?"
Aura and Mare looked quite surprised, so it was obviously not them. Not me, I hope, Ainz hoped.
"I plan to entrust them to Pandora's Actor."
Aura and Mare said something along the lines of "It'll be fine if it's him."
"...Him, you say."
"He is an excellent individual created by you, Ainz-sama. As they say, like father, like son ― ah, I apologize. To think we who were merely created would dare claim to be the children of the Supreme Beings. I pray you will forgive my rudeness."
Albedo's sudden apology stunned Ainz ― even the red points of light in his eyes faded.
"There's no need to apologize. That is, well, my child... sorry. I do not dislike him, that, hm. foolish child... no, that's not his fault either... Well, how shall I put it. He's like a child. Umu."
Before he knew it, everyone had gone quiet. Ainz knew that the conversation would dry up if this went on, so he steeled himself and asked:
"If we let Pandora's Actor manage this, what about Momon, who he is portraying? Should I do it?"
"No, how could we have you do that sort of thing, Ainz-sama? I was planning to have Momon accept a request and be sent abroad for reconnaissance."
Mm, Ainz nodded. Although he thought about relaxing by taking the guise of Momon, things were now vastly different from when he was playing the role of an adventurer.
There would be many troublesome things, or things which had to be carefully handled. That being the case, sending Momon out on a scouting mission might be the best choice.
"Ah, a-about that... if you send Mo-Momon-sama out, will the people in this city behave?"
"It will be fine. This single move by Ainz-sama has had a great impact here. Because we have not trivialized humans ― although there was hardly any intention to do so ― Momon has become deeply trusted. Thus, all we need to do is have Momon tell the local leaders to obey us before he leaves and all should be fine. Still, come to think of it, they have no idea that they are puppets dancing on strings, ruled by Ainz-sama... As I thought, only he could have anticipated this turn of events right after being transported here and made the appropriate preparations."
"Mm ― it's kind of strange, how they trust Momon-sama, but not Ainz-sama."
"Indeed. Still, this is an important part in completely controlling this city in the name of peace. All we need to do is gradually remove Momon and instil loyalty to Ainz-sama in his place. This might take several years, but it can't be helped."
"Good. Then, Albedo, hand it to Pandora's Actor. After you have prepared yourself and handed over your tasks, go and reap the harvest. Is there anything else you need?"
"Understood. Then, I plan to conduct some negotiations when I go to see the humans' king. Could you spare some of your valuable time to go over a draft with me?"
"Umu. Bring it to me later."
Besides, all he would be doing was something simple like putting his seal on Albedo's draft.
"In addition, though it shames me to ask, I would be delighted if you could give me several sets of clothing. I was simply thinking that it would be necessary to change clothes there."
"Is that so. Then I shall give you several sets of my clothes. Come look for me later. Speaking of which, Demiurge ― no, there's no need. It's fine. Then, let's continue... hm, since you've come all the way here, I'd like to hear from the two of you as well."
-x-X-x-
After their business was concluded, the three of them left the room with the Elder Liches, leaving Ainz and Fifth. And, of course, the Eight Edge Assassins on the ceiling.
Frankly speaking, this was the end of Ainz's work for the day. The rest was all free time. While there were some matters which were best settled earlier on, once they were finished, he found himself quite free. As he mused on what to do with his time, Ainz suddenly thought of something and rose to his feet.
"I will be seeing Pandora's Actor next."
With that order, Ainz strode forth. Fifth followed in silence. Naturally, so did the Eight Edge Assassins.
Once he left his home, he found that the outdoors was still quite cool, as befitting the season. The wind had a hint of chill in it, but Ainz was completely immune to the cold. After glancing at Fifth to make sure she was all right, he continued walking.
This district contained three kinds of buildings: Ainz's own residence, all manner of government structures, as well as guest houses. Pandora's Actor ― no, Momon lived in one of those guest houses.
Normally, he would have summoned Momon before him as befitting his status as a ruler, but what he did now was because he had changed his mind.
"―Hm? What's this?" Ainz muttered as he neared the guest house. He was looking at the stables which adjoined the guest house in question. The word "stables" implied that it would be used to quarter horses, but now the only one in there was Hamsuke. Or rather, that was how it should have been.
Somewhat confused, Ainz drew near to the stables, and heard a quiet hyu~hyu~ of snoring. Sleep was a privilege of living creatures, so Hamsuke should be inside.
The sun was already quite high in the sky, but Hamsuke was still asleep.
Hamsuke could see in the dark like a cat, but according to Hamsuke, she was neither diurnal nor nocturnal. She ate her fill and then slept until she was hungry. That was her way of life.
When Ainz first heard of this, he wondered, "What part of this sounds like a Wise King of the Forest". He felt like a fool for expecting her to behave like an intelligent being.
"She hasn't noticed us even though we're so close. Did she lose her feral instincts? Really... what a degenerate fellow. No, perhaps it worked all night last night."
"That is not the case. Hamsuke-sama was here the whole of yesterday as well."
"...I see."
Ainz wanted to speak to Hamsuke despite Fifth's merciless words, but he could not think of anything to say.
Well, she was just a pet anyway. I shouldn't have expected anything from her. Doesn't matter if she allowed herself to fall to that level... still, I'm busy with all sorts of things, but she's here taking it easy. It really pisses me off... although I know I'm just taking my anger out on her.
He peeked his head into the stables, and the giant hamster was sleeping on the ground in an unguarded manner. All she needed now was a giant bubble from her nose and it would be the very picture of a sleepyhead.
However, there was something else which drew Ainz's attention, apart from the way Hamsuke was sleeping like a middle-aged uncle (although her body should not have allowed for it).
There was a Death Knight that had Hamsuke's tail wrapped around its waist. That undead creature must have been what drew Ainz's attention to this stable in the first place.
Since it was an undead creature which he had made, there was a bond between them and so he could judge its approximate location. However, there were too many undead in E-Rantel, so that particular sense had grown confused.
In all honesty, it was very difficult for him to finely discern the location of the undead he had made. Even so, Ainz did not recall stationing one in the stables, hence his confusion at picking up an undead reaction here.
"Wake up, Hamsuke."
"Muuu, yes...."
Her eyes blinked like those of a human being as her big face moved, and then she caught sight of Ainz.
"Ohhhh! I was wondering who it was, but as it turns out, it is milord!"
"It doesn't matter who I am. Normally you should be calling me Ainz-sama, right? After all, you are Momon's steed, not mine."
"Of course I am, milord!"
"Is that so... well, as long as you understand..."
That said, Hamsuke's reaction made Ainz think, Do you really understand?
In addition, magical beasts were not particularly resistant to mind control. Hence, Ainz lent an item to Hamsuke which made her impervious to mind control, but he was still uneasy that someone might try to manipulate her through means other than magic.
"Well, since you haven't made any mistakes to date, I shall trust you. Then, onto the main topic. What's with that Death Knight?"
"Ohhh! He is a friend who trains with this one, milord!"
It was then that Ainz remembered.
He had conducted an experiment in learning martial arts while Hamsuke was training to be a warrior. In other words, he used this Death Knight to see if it could continue gaining levels as a warrior.
He had equipped the Death Knight with artifacts that increased XP gain but that would greatly weaken it. However, in the end the Death Knight did not gain any levels. Ainz had anticipated that outcome, so he was not angry. Still, for some reason, Hamsuke had been going on and on about the Death Knight, so in the end, he took back the artifacts and left the Death Knight with her.
So that's the one... Come to think of it, the spikes on its armor look rounded down... I didn't loan it out to be a hug pillow, but because I wanted it to become a warrior, or perhaps master something... Well, it doesn't matter. There's enough Death Knights to go around. Giving it one won't matter.
In fact, there were more than enough Death Knights, so much so that Ainz no longer made Death Knights when he created undead every day.
"Is that so. I understand. Still, no matter what, you used to be a wild magical beast. It's quite problematic that you let someone get so close without noticing. We're not as stealthy as Aura, are we? Shouldn't you be taking this a bit more seriously?"
Hamsuke looked depressed, and her whiskers drooped down.
"This one sincerely apologizes. This one used to be the strongest creature in that forest. This one never needed to be on alert because this one was never ambushed before."
"You should have had a childhood... period... or something, right? But before that, wasn't there the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West?"
"Who are they? These gentlemen... East? West? Of whom do you speak?"
A question mark appeared over Ainz's head.
"...They were beings who laid claim to the forest, just like you."
"Hoho~ I did not even know such people existed in that forest! As expected of you, milord! Your insight is indeed keen. This one knew little outside of this one's territory."
"You... you call yourself the Wise King of the Forest and you still..."
"In the past, a human warrior who trespassed in the territory of this one addressed this one in such a way. Speaking of which, this one spared that warrior and that warrior alone because this one thought the name sounded quite impressive. Ah, how nostalgic―"
Ainz felt that he had finally solved the mystery.
After that warrior returned alive, he must have greatly exaggerated the tales of his enemy, Hamsuke. It was probably some way of justifying his own survival when all his comrades had perished.
That too was not hard to understand. The fact was that Hamsuke was very strong. Of all the human warriors Ainz had met, perhaps only Clementine and Gazef could have beaten Hamsuke.
Ainz suddenly recalled Gazef.
"Ohh? Is something the matter, milord?"
"No... it's nothing. Just... yes... it's just that you don't qualify as a Wise King of the Forest, just a Hamster of the Forest."
"Hamsters, you say ― indeed, you have spoken of those creatures before, milord! So is this one truly a hamster?"
"Umu. You are a Giant Hamster."
"Ohhh! So this one was actually a Giant Hamster! Then, do you know where to find other members of this one's species, milord?"
"That, I do not know."
After that curt reply, Hamsuke fell into despair once more. Was I too harsh? Ainz thought and tried to comfort her by saying:
"I have guaranteed all who serve Nazarick that they will be rewarded appropriately for their service. As long as you continue working for Nazarick, I shall someday find fellow members of your species for you."
"Ohhhh!"
Hamsuke's whiskers bounced as they stood up.
"Although this one was already loyal to milord, this one shall serve milord even more loyally from this day forth!"
"Umu umu. Then, Hamsuke, is Momon ― no, is Pandora's Actor within the guest house?"
"Milord's double? This one is not too confident in that regard. After all, he often rides the coaches and wagons which the humans of this city prepare for him, and he does not always take this one with him."
"Ah, I seem to recall that he takes such transport to share information."
Kuku, Ainz chuckled evilly.