When one considered the height of the Dwarves, their Royal Palace was of a staggering size. It was because it was so large that the Dragons could live here, and it was a long distance from one end to the other.
Olasird'arc climbed and climbed, until he reached the door on the highest level.
Then, he shouted:
"It's me, open up."
He waited for a while, but there was no movement from the other side of the door.
It was impossible that he was not in. The son who lived in this room was a hikkikomori. He had not recalled him ever leaving his room. Even his meals were sent to him by his siblings.
It was deeply aggravating that he would dare pretend he was not in, in front of his own father, a Dragon Lord.
"I'll say it again. It's me. Open up."
Dragons had very keen senses. The way he was shouting, anyone inside should have heard it, and they would have woken up even if they were sleeping.
However — the door did not open.
The anger which blazed up turned into motion.
He lashed out at the door with his tail.
Struck by a tail that was the size of a log and sheathed with scales that were harder than steel, the door creaked as it twisted. The Dwarves who had built this door had probably not expected it to take a Dragon's tail slap.
There were signs of movement inside, but this was not enough to quell Olasird'arc's anger.
He slammed the door again, breaking it half down. Shattered and scattered stones flew inside like buckshot.
A distasteful "Hieeeeee" came from within.
"Get out of there, right now!"
In response to the angry shout, a Dragon sprang up.
Frost Dragons had slender bodies, but not this one. Simply put, it looked obese.
It had a pair of tiny glasses on its nose, and it regarded Olasird'arc from head to toe with a nervous look in its eyes.
This was his son, but this shameful display made Olasird'arc sigh.
Well, given that he was standing in front of a ruler like himself, cringing and twitching like this was unavoidable. Still, he had hoped to see some strength in his own son's eyes.
And then there was that disgusting fat body of his. He was more like a swine than a Dragon.
In truth, having to send a child like this out to fight on his behalf might dmage his reputation.
As Olasird'arc contemplated this, his son — who seemed afraid of the way his father was staring right at him — ventured a question.
"F-father, what, what do you wish of me?"
That said, he might not be much of a Dragon, but he was still a Dragon. Dragons grew more powerful with age. With that in mind, perhaps even that flabby frame of his could still be of use.
"I have a job for you, Hejinmal."
"A, a job?"
"Ahh. The Quagoa seem to have been invaded by the Dwarves or something. Repel them."
"Hieee."
"Hieee?"
"N-nothing. It's nothing, Father. J-just, I, I'm, er, how shall I put this, I'm er, not very confident in my strength..."
"Then what are you confident in? Do you feel you can defeat the enemy with magic?"
Dragons slowly gained the ability to use arcane magic during their maturation, but those were little more than innate abilities. They could not be compared to magic casters at all. However, there were some Dragons who had learned to use actual magic.
For example, there was one of Olasird'arc's own concubines, Kilystran=Denshushua. There was also one of the Republic's Councillors, the "Blue Sky Dragon Lord" Suveria=Myronsilk, who had the powers of a druid and could use divine magic. It was also said that in the far east, there were Dragons who had attained the Paladin class and who could use magic from other systems.
"...Well, that's one thing. I had to learn by myself because I had no mentor to teach me..."
"Then what the hell have you been doing in there all this while?"
There was a forceful gleam in Hejinmal's eyes.
"Learning. I've been gathering knowledge."
"...What? Knowledge? Weren't you learning how to use arcane magic?"
"No, it's not like that, Father. The knowledge I sought was not to use magic, but to further my studies, learn how this city was built, what sort of races live in this world and so on. I was learning about that sort of thing."
"...I don't understand at all. Does learning these things make you strong? None of that matters if you don't become powerful."
There was nothing more important in this world than becoming stronger. Since this was a world where only the strong survived, one needed to grow stronger to live. In contrast, one could say that not wanting to become strong was essentially rejecting life.
Just then, he spotted it. Hejinmal had tried to cover it up, but he saw that his son had done something, like a wordless gesture.
"What is it? Spit it out."
His son remained silent. That disgraceful attitude of his made Olasird'arc flare up again.
Just as he was about to begin bellowing at him, he thought of why he had come here.
While he did not care what happened to the Quagoa, debts had to be paid.
"It doesn't matter if you lock yourself up in your room until you lose your agility, but there's no point losing yourself in books. If you want to acquire knowledge, leave this place and travel the world."
Olasird'arc had already begun losing interest in Hejinmal. He had abandoned his body in exchanged for something utterly useless. There was nothing else he could say about this, and he had lost any semblance of concern for his own son.
"I, I was preparing for that. If I don't know what sort of people there are in the world, I might die before I manage to see it."
"Then why don't you die? ─ You're being too foolish. Why not seek strength from the beginning? Once you're strong, you'll be feared even when you leave this place, no? Like me."
"But, Father. Knowing what sort of powerful beings there are in the world is very important too. It's the same with you, isn't it, Father? Aren't the Frost Giants strong? If you went against them without knowing anything─"
"─I'm not afraid of those Frost Giants."
"F-forgive me, Father."
As he glared at Hejinmal, who had his head plastered to the ground, Olasird'arc rounded his shoulders powerlessly.
"That's enough. I command you to complete your task. Then, I will kick you out after a month. You can live as you please from then on."
-x-X-x-
"Haa~"
Hejinmal was currently in a tunnel which led to the Royal Capital. He sighed, the way his father had.
"I'm not good at fighting..."
"Not being good" did not cover the whole of it. In all honesty, he was so weak that if he went up against his younger brothers, he might end up losing to them. Thus, he was uneasy, which resulted in him muttering to himself.
"The enemy... hopefully they'll be scared of the way I look and run away."
Hejinmal inhaled forcefully, sucking up his protruding gut. Then he splayed his claws and opened his maw. That way, he would look more like a proper Dragon.
"Oh, I almost forgot."
Hejinmal gingerly removed the glasses on his nose. They were not a magic item, but if they broke, there would be no replacements for them. Thus, he had to treat them with care.
"Haaa... Dragonscale makes for strong armor... but all I can do is pray the Dwarves aren't savages..."
But what if they were?
No, that was almost certain to be the case. That was because Dwarven libraries were the source of much information about Draconic materials.
Hejinmal forced himself to stop trembling.
He knew all the Quagoa in the Royal Capital were watching him. If possible, he would have preferred to fight in a deeper tunnel, where he would not have an audience. However, if that was the case, the Quagoa would not be able to see him do battle, so his father had forbidden it.
Father had told him to investigate the enemy to the best of his ability, and take them as servants if possible. But this was not a sign of friendship. Instead, it was an order to display his strength and dominate the weak as one of the strong.
Therefore, defeat equalled death. He would die if he was defeated in battle. Even if he survived a defeat, the Quagoa would lose their respect for Father. That would displease him, and then Hejinmal would be killed by his father anyway.
Then, how about fleeing right away? After all, he would be exiled in a month, no matter what he did.
It was a good idea, but he needed a month to prepare for it.
Hejinmal expelled his breath.
The supercooled suspire froze an entire wall into an expanse of solid white.
"Good! My breath is normal, and its power is consistent with my age."
This was one of a Dragon's trump cards ─ Dragon breath. Frost Dragons possessed freezing breath, and its power grew with age. Hejinmal's breath was quite well developed, and it was more reliable than his own physical strength.
"...Still."
Dragon breath was a frightening thing. Anyone who knew even a little about Dragons was aware of that. After all, this was a fundamental ability of all Dragons.
In fact, the Dwarven libraries had said just that. There was no way the Dwarves coming this way would not be prepared for it.
Hejinmal sank further into despair.
Although Father had already said so, if he could really use magic or whatnot, things would surely be different─
"I'm just a sacrificial pawn."
His brothers faithfully obeyed his father in a very Draconic way. The fact that he had not given this task to them but to Hejinmal was a sign that he did not care if the hikkikomori of his family died off.
He did not resent his fate.
If he had not encountered books, if he had not known the satisfaction of seeking knowledge, he would not be what he was today. There was no point regretting that now.
Suddenly, Hejinmal's nose twitched.
He turned his ear to listen, and picked up multiple footsteps approaching from within the tunnel.
Those were not the sounds of Quagoa feet, because they were clearly wearing shoes.
Are those Dwarves?! There's only a few of them, which means... They're very confident of victory with just those numbers? Or are they an advanced scouting party? So if I defeat them the job's done and there'll be no problem if I go back?
Strictly speaking, he would have fulfilled his orders even if he only defeated that scouting party. The question now was whether an excuse like that would be accepted.
Illuminated by glowing stones, four silhouettes ─ though he could not be sure as they were still far away ─ emerged from the cavern.
Are the smaller three Dwarves? Then what's that larger one? Even the Dwarven subraces shouldn't be that big. Then, did the Dwarves beg that bigger shape for help, much like the Quagoa did with Father?
Whether or not the Dwarves had requested its help, he had to be wary of the bigger shape.
Still, while it was a large silhouette, it was still much smaller than a Dragon.
Should I strike first with my breath? Hejinmal immediately discarded that notion.
No. I should ask them what they want and try to complete this task through negotiation.
Regular Dragons would immediately launch into a fight. However, Hejinmal had no confidence in himself and did not want this encounter to end in tragedy. Therefore, he sought a way to safely resolve the situation.
Finally, his keen Draconic vision ─ although Hejinmal's was somewhat subpar for his kind ─ finally verified that the one walking at the head of the group was not a Dwarf.
Haven't I read about them in a book before? Isn't that one of the Dark Elves, who live in the depths of the forests?
It was impossible for one to be here.
However, that one's far too short, compared to the Dark Elves in the books. Could it be a child between a Dark Elf and a Dwarf? Or is it just a Dark Elf child?
As Hejinmal pondered these things and many others, he shifted his gaze to the huge shadow behind the Dark Elf, and then his eyes went wide.
Haaah?! Isn't that an Elder Lich?! What is it doing here? This is bad. They're immune to freezing breath, and they can cast [Fireballs].
Fire was the weakness of Frost Dragons. In other words, his most powerful attack was useless against this Elder Lich, and his opponent could grievously wound him.
And... What's that? It looks like a really expensive robe...
Dragons had a keen nose for treasure. They could roughly sniff out the value of any item, no matter how valuable. Right now, his nose was telling him that the Elder Lich before him was wearing an unimaginably expensive set of spellcaster's robes.
...No, at a closer look, it's the same way with the clothes of the Dark Elf walking ahead of them. I've never seen something as valuable as that before...
Hejinmal was a hikkikomori, so the only thing he could value was the Dwarven libraries. Thus, his nose for valuable treasure might have lost its keenness. It might have been a natural ability, but it would still atrophy if it was not used. However, he did not think that was the case.
And then, the shadow after that looks female... Isn't that a Dwarf as well? It's not a Dark Elf, and neither is it an Elder Lich. Then... an Elf? Or a human? I don't get it. Still, she looks like she's wearing very expensive clothing too. ...Hm, is my nose not sensitive any more? But if that's not the case...
Finally, he saw the Dwarf at the rear of the group, and Hejinmal was relieved.
Just a regular Dwarf, and he's not wearing anything valuable.
Then, Hejinmal shook his head.
That's being too naive, right? The three people in front of him are anything but normal. Maybe this Dwarf is something special too. Carelessness is dangerous.
After that, the Dark Elf pointed towards him, as though to tell everyone that he was there.
Although he thought he might be suddenly attacked ─ by a [Fireball], in particular ─ the opposition merely paused to confer, and soon they were headed towards Hejinmal again.
...Should I prepare myself for the worst?
If they had attacked immediately, he would have gone on his guard. But that was not the case. What should he do now?
Nggg ─ my stomach aches. I hope that's just a kind-hearted undead being who's come to negotiate!
He could be killed. To Hejinmal ─ who had lived in safety all his life ─ the time until the group stopped was interminable torment.
The group finally reached Hejinmal's vicinity.
Hejinmal took a deep breath, and then ─ careful not to seem too imposing ─ he spoke.
They were a group who had approached Hejinmal, a Dragon, without any hesitation. Therefore, Hejinmal sensed that trying to appear threatening would be very dangerous.
"The area from this place on belongs to the Quagoa and we Dragons. Why ─ ahem ─ may I ask you fine folks your reasons for coming here?"
The Dark Elf standing at the head of the group changed places with the Elder Lich. In that moment, he realised who was the leader of the group.
"Hm? We're about to launch an attack and there's only one Dragon here? The Dragons I know of grow stronger with age ─ in other words, their bodies get larger and more powerful. Given your size, you don't seem particularly strong... What's the meaning of this?"
What did he mean by "what's the meaning of this"? Hejinmal had no idea. However, it would seem this Elder Lich was not at all wary of a Dragon like himself.
Ah, this... this is really bad. It's so bad I can't even describe it.
"In any case, I doubt they'd send just one Dragon to collect information on us... Is this a strategy on the enemy's part, or am I being paranoid? Given the information we got from the Quagoa we captured, probably the latter."
He had no idea what the Elder Lich was talking about from the beginning. It did not look like the Elder Lich wanted to enlighten Hejinmal either. In other words, he was probably talking to himself, but why did he feel so afraid, then?
"...Thinking too much about this is annoying. Let's see what kind of Dragon you are."
A thrill of terror shot through Hejinmal's body.
He was far too relaxed. He was talking as though he had picked up a stone from the ground. It was a tone which demonstrated his confidence in being able to do what he spoke of.
And then, in the moment when he saw the Elder Lich raise his hand─
"[Grasp─"
"WAIT!!"
After his thunderous roar, Hejinmal pressed his head to the ground.
This was the greatest degree of respect a Dragon could show ─ the posture of servitude.
"─Heart], hang on, what?"
Hejinmal desperately pleaded with the Elder Lich, whose hand had stopped moving.
"Please wait! My name is Hejinmal! May I please inquire about your mighty name?"
Looking around, he saw the Dwarf's jaw drop in shock. However, the Dark Elf and the Elf-like person did not seem surprised. In other words, this was a natural occurrence for them.
Hejinmal was certain his judgement was correct.
"...My name is Ainz Ooal Gown... what is the meaning of that pose of yours?"
"Yes!! I believe this is the proper form of address for when humans know each other's names, Gown-sama! This posture is is the greatest sign of respect we Dragons can show!"
"Er... Then, why are you doing this?"
"Naturally, it is because I immediately realized that you are an extraordinary person, Gown-sama. Could I possibly take any other position before a mighty being like yourself? No, I could not!"
This was a huge gamble. He had bet everything on it.
The Dwarves used "heated steel" to describe the burning sensation when gambling, but what Hejinmal felt now was a chill that froze him to the core.
Time seemed to freeze over for several seconds, but finally, the Elder Lich said, "Umu. ...So, you intend to submit to me, then?"
"Yes! If you allow it, Gown-sama!"
He peeked again, and as expected, the Dark Elf and the Elf appeared to think all this was normal.
"...There are many uses for Dragon flesh, hide, teeth, scales and the like. Hm? You... raise your head."
The Elder Lich's attitude was one that was used to giving orders, so he must have found it natural that even someone like Hejinmal had submitted so readily to him. Clearly, the Elder Lich did not consider Hejinmal worthy of mention.
Dragons were the strongest species, but they were not an invincible species. Many beings could kill a Dragon. Frost Giants were a good example of that.
However, if one compared the two species, in the end, Dragons were probably still stronger.
The reason for that was their growth. Dragons continued growing as time passed, and they would someday grow into the strongest entities of all. They were a very long-lived species, and the fact that they could keep growing throughout it all was a form of strength in itself.
From that point of view, the undead might be even stronger than Dragons. High-level undead did not grow in bodily might, but they could accumulate knowledge and experience.
In addition, Hejinmal had read about legendary undead from his books.
Soul Eaters, which devoured the souls of the living. Wriggle Pestilences, which spread disease. Mage cabals which gathered many undead around a core of Elder Liches. Guphandera=Argoros, the undead dragon that lurked in a mountain of the dead and used psychic-type magic. Astral Rippers, masses of shadows which stalked the Valley of Shadows, and so on.
This Elder Lich must surely be a legendary undead creature whose name had gone down in the history books. However, it would seem the Dwarven libraries had not recorded it.
Hejinmal slowly rosey.
He felt like the Elder Lich was appraising his body. He was ashamed by his decidedly un-Draconic frame.
"I see. So Dragons that live in these frigid environments store fat under their skin. Although, I thought Frost Dragons were immune to the cold... Or could it be that you were storing up nourishment in case you couldn't obtain food?"
"No, it's not like that. I'm the only one who's like this..."
"Hooh... That is to say, you're a rare specimen, then? Is that what you mean?"
Hejinmal was not sure if he had any value for being rare, but there was nobody else in his family like him. Therefore, it was a correct statement.
"That might be so, Gown-sama."
"Really now," the Elder Lich said. Then he continued in a quieter tone.
"Killing you would be a waste, then."
Hejinmal's keen Draconic hearing picked up those words.
He struggled desperately to keep his breathing under control. It would seem he had made another correct choice, which would permit him to live.
"Are they any other Dragons?"
"Yes, there are. There are four Dragons older than me, six around the same age as me, and nine who are younger than me."
"Hoh!"
The Elder Lich seemed very happy, but Hejinmal was sure he had some sort of evil scheme in mind.
"How many of them are stronger than you?"
"The four who are older than me are all stronger than me. The Dragons of the same age as me are also stronger than me."
I might even lose to my younger siblings. Hejinmal could not say that. After all, if his value dropped in the Elder Lich's eyes, he might be killed on the spot.
"I see. Then, what tier of magic can these elder Dragons use? Are they only capable of arcane spells?"
"The strongest of them can use magic of up to the 3rd tier. As you have said, it is arcane magic."
As Dragons grew, they naturally acquired the ability to use arcane spells even without going out of their way to learn them. However, they could only cast a few spells. Even Hejinmal's father could only use three spells of the 3rd tier.
"What? They only have 3rd-tier spells?"
The Elder Lich seemed disinterested, but then he perked up as though he had noticed something.
"No, I should probably ask. What if this is just a ruse? They say that a mighty eagle hides its claws. Is it possible that the strongest Dragon there can use 8th-tier spells?"
"No, it's impossible. Or rather─"
Besides, 8th-tier spells could not possibly exist. Would it be better to tell him that?
No, he could not. The truth sometimes hurt more than lies. If he gave offense to this undead magician, there was no way he would prosper from it.
"─No. He can't possibly use spells of such a high tier. I once heard that he had learned a 3rd-tier spell of flame resistance."
He should probably say that, right? His father was not a foe who should be underestimated.
"Umu ─ I see. Well, it's only natural that one would want to cover up one's weaknesses."
This nonchalant tone made Hejinmal feel uneasy.
"Aura."
"Yes, Ainz-sama."
It would seem the Dark Elf was called Aura. Judging by her smell, she was probably a female.
The other one who looked like an Elf did not have a female scent about her. In fact, she had no scent at all, much like the Elder Lich.
"I'll give you this Dragon. I recall you said you wanted one?"
"Thank you very much. But can this chap fly?"
Two pairs of eyes looked at him, one filled with doubt, one apparently saying, "That's a good question."
"I, I can probably fly."
He might have been a hikkikomori, but he ought to be capable of flight. Flying was the same as walking for Dragons. There was no way he could forget how to do so. Hejinmal gave that answer as he regretted the fact that he had not flown here.
"Then, I'll take him, Ainz-sama. Hm, then, I need to show him who's the boss around here, and make him obey me completely."
Before Hejinmal could wonder what exactly she was going to do, he felt thousands of frigid razors impale him.
He was dead. There was no doubt that he was dead. The fear which informed his instincts of that fact became invisible blades that pierced his entire body.
In an instant, his mind went blank. In his diminished state of awareness, he clearly felt his heart stop beating.
"Uwaaaaah─!"
As he cried out, it banished the black chill crushing his entire body.
His heart slowly began beating again. His limbs trembled, and his lungs struggled to pull in oxygen.
He recalled something like this from a book somewhere. It was called "murderous intent". In other words, the Dark Elf who would be his Mistress was a being who could radiate murderous intent that was powerful enough to instantly put a Frost Dragon into a near-fatal state of shock.
In that case, what sort of being was the Elder Lich which she called "Master"?
There was no doubt about it. He was beyond Hejinmal's imagination.
He was a being of absolute power ─ an Overlord.
He had made the right choice.
By the time Hejinmal had come to his senses, he found that the group had backed off, looks of surprise on their faces.
Just as he was wondering what was going on, he realized the disgusting sensation below his waist. As he looked down at his feet, Hejinmal was shocked.
It would seem his bladder had gone slack and he had wet himself. A puddle spread below him like a lake.
"Uuu..."
What should he say now? It was possible that he had displeased them and he would be killed.
"I, I was so overjoyed that I peed a little!"
He had abandoned all delusions of control. Though he had the feeling that they would not believe him, it was better than saying that he had pissed himself out of fear.
"From today onwards, this one shall serve and attend his Mistress, Aura-sama, and offer his utmost devotion and loyalty to her!"
"Ehhhh..."
Hers was an expression of absolute disgust.
This was bad. If she felt he was worthless, he might be discarded like a piece of trash. The mighty could do that. In fact, had his father not done the same thing? However, help came from an unlikely corner.
"I see... Well, that can't be helped."
"Eh? Really, Ainz-sama?"
"Mm. I once heard about something like this from one of my friends ─ Ankoromochimochi-san. She once told me about how upset she was when her dog peed out of joy. It seems this sort of thing happens when they get too excited."
"You mean, Ankoromochimochi-sama? Really? So it's like how Fen and some other magical beasts mark their terrain, then?"
"That might well be. Granted, I'm not too clear on Draconic biology. However, that was probably the reason why that chap did it."
The being who might or might not have been an Elf had been listening quietly all this while. She tilted her head and asked the Elder Lich:
"Ainz-sama, would it be better if we did it as well?"
"Shalltear. Is it really appropriate to say that?'
"Mm. As Aura said, if you did that, I would collapse in shock. This sort of thing is only cute on small pets. ...Well, Ankoromochimochi-san was worried because that dog was getting on in years. She said something about not getting him too excited... ah, those were the days."
The air around them changed, to something that was the polar opposite of the murderous intent from just now.
In any event, Hejinmal moved to wipe the soaked portion of his body on a nearby wall and scraped off the stain.
"Say. What will we do next?"
The Dwarf ─ who had been watching the proceedings in silence ─ finally spoke up. Hejinmal sensed that this Dwarf was unlike his three companions, in that he was not powerful.
Had the Dwarves hired them as mercenaries and sent this Dwarf to keep an eye on them? If that was the case, Hejinmal would have to show this Dwarf respect as well. Still, where did he rank as their subordinate? What sort of orders would he be given from now on? These uneasy questions flew through his mind.
"You have a point. We'll leave the Quagoa to Aura and Shalltear. I shall go with this Dragon and eliminate all the Dragons opposing us."
Hejinmal's body shuddered again.
He spoke in a casual tone. Dragons were beings which he could take lightly. This was the attitude of the mighty.
Hejinmal hesitated about what to do. It would probably be wise to beg for the lives of the other Dragons. After steadying himself, he spoke:
"...Gown-sama, Aura-sama, may this one be permitted to speak?!"
"Very well. Speak."
"Understood! A thought occurred to this one. The people here do not know the greatness of Gown-sama. Would you be willing to extend your mercy to those fools? In other words, the other Dragons should know of the glory of Gown-sama!"
"Umu... what do you two think?"
"Everything depends on your will, Ainz-sama."
"That's right. We won't object to any decision you make, Ainz-sama."
"In any case, all we need to do is chase them out of the Royal Palace, right? Ahem. Dragon, may I ask you a question?"
The speaker was the Dwarf.
Hejinmal glanced at his masters' faces. In all honesty, he had no idea what sort of attitude he needed to take towards this Dwarf. That said, acting arrogant would be very dangerous. However, a servant who bowed and scraped before others would devalue their master.
"Please do."
After hesitating, Hejinmal chose a short reply to avoid offending either side.
"Umu... Still, I didn't expect you could completely dominate a Dragon... No, after seeing that power of yours, it might be natural. Um, sorry. Are there any other Dragons around besides the ones in this place?"
"There might be."
"There might be, huh. Then, if there were, could you order around those Dragons as well?"
"I could not. They belong to a different tribe."
"Umu ─ Then we should fulfil the request to chase the Dragons out first. After that, we'll tell them that there are other Dragon tribes around. That way, they'll have to count on Your Majesty's strength to protect their reclaimed Royal Capital. Surely they would not easily surrender this land which they took so long to reclaim. Is that not the most profitable course?"
There was a word there which he could not ignore.
It would seem this Elder Lich was a king of sorts, and his subjects were the Dark Elf and the Elf, perhaps.
"Are you alright with your race being squeezed dry and used up?"
What are you saying, the Dwarf's shrugging seemed to convey.
"Your Majesty has chosen me ─ us. Is it not natural that I would pick your side in any dispute?"
"Thank you for your considerations, Gondo."
"Please don't say that. I am the one who should be thanking you. The pain that has plagued me all this time has been wiped away by the few days I have spent with Your Majesty. Truly, you are my savior."
"I am pleased we have forged a mutually beneficial relationship."
"While I do not feel Your Majesty may benefit from this, I shall surely repay the kindness you have shown me."
Even Hejinmal the outsider could understand their relationship.
The Dwarf was deeply indebted to the Elder Lich. It was a debt that he would pay even if he had to betray his race.
"...If you feel that way, then I don't mind..."
The Elder Lich shrugged and turned to Hejinmal.
"Alright. Then, take me to the Dragons you say are stronger than you. Also, where is the treasury of the former Dwarven Royal Capital?"
Hejinmal knew where the treasury was, and nodded confidently.
"This one feels that your question is quite fortunate, because both of them are at the same place."
***
With his Master and the Dwarf on his back, Hejinmal headed to his father's location. His body might not have been used to exercise, but it was still a Dragon's body, and carrying two people posed no problems to him at all.
He listened to His Majesty speak as he walked, and as he did, he was certain that his knowledge and instincts were the most valuable thing in this world.
If he had shown the arrogance typical of a Dragon when they had first met, he would have been slaughtered. No, if he had not loudly proclaimed his allegiance and gained their interest, he would have died without ever knowing what had happened to him.
It had truly been a narrow escape.
Hejinmal clenched his slackened bladder.
If he peed himself again, their opinion of him would not just drop to rock bottom, it would grab a shovel and continue digging underground.
Fortunately, they had not encountered any other Dragons along the way. Thus, they proceeded directly to his father's room ─ or rather, the throne room cum treasury.
Hejinmal took a deep breath.
"Your servant wishes to inform Your Exalted Majesty that apart from my father, there are three Dragons there who serve as his concubines. Will you be bringing that Dwarf in there with you?"
If they were assailed by the freezing breaths of four Frost Dragons at once, he feared the Dwarf would be slain.
"Is there a problem?"
"No, not at all. If Your Exalted Majesty feels it is fine, then naturally your servant has no objections."
"I have granted him immunity to freezing cold, so it should be fine. However, it might be a little troublesome if we are subjected to numerous area-effect spells of other elements."
"Your servant feels that will not be a problem, Your Exalted Majesty. Breath weapons are the favored attacks of Dragons, and it is natural for them to open combat with their breath. They would not consider using their arcane spells, which are far weaker."
"Then it's not a problem."
"Ah, Your Majesty. May I say something? Certainly, there is no way a mere four Dragons could begin to oppose Your Majesty. However, it would seem this one's mother is in there. Could I ask you to spare her?"
"Hm..."
Hejinmal tilted his neck and awaited his Master's judgement.
Hejinmal had not intended to go so far as to ask for his mother to be spared. It would be good if she could be saved as he had been, but he did not want to bet his life on it. It was not that he hated her, but simply that the bonds of familial kinship were not very strong among Dragons.
After leaving the nest, even their own siblings would become rivals for living space. In addition, it was common for the treasure-loving Dragons to fight when they saw each others' troves.
It was very rare for many Dragons ─ particularly those who had left the nest ─ to live together in one place. It would never happen at all without an overwhelmingly powerful Dragon to gather them.
In that sense, his father Olasird'arc ─ who had united everyone as a family against external enemies ─ was an anomaly. One might even call him wise.
"It can't be helped. I shall try to let your mother survive."
"Thank you very much, Your Exalted Majesty."
The words of praise immediately fell from his mouth, because he did not wish to displease the person showing him such largesse. In addition, he mused that if his mother survived, the burden on him might decrease in the future. On the contrary, if there were more Dragons, his own rarity would decrease. If he did not want them to think his death would not be missed, he would have to do everything he could to please them.
"Still, Your Exalted Majesty seems a bit too... eh. From now on, you may use Sorcerer King or Ainz as well."
Was it a trap, or was it a test? Without hesitation, Hejinmal spoke the words he felt were correct:
"Understood, Your Majesty, the Sorcerer King!"
How could he omit the respectful terms of address which Ainz was due?
"Mm, let's go."
"Understood!"
He carefully hid his quiet sigh of relief .
It was a test, after all. If he had been careless and failed to pay him the proper respect, he would surely have been punished appropriately. For all he knew, he might have been killed and then dissected.
If there was one thing Hejinmal had engraved into his heart, it was that he must never be arrogant.
Soon, they reached the doors leading to their destination.
They were a set of double doors that looked like they needed a Dragon's strength to open. Apparently, the Dwarves used a set of smaller doors beside it to enter or leave. The huge doors were only used for ceremonies and the like.
Hejinmal pressed his shoulder against the doors and applied force ─ mindful not to dislodge his Master from his back ─ and pushed the doors open.
He saw his father ─ Olasird'arc ─ coiled on his Golden Throne. His mother Kilystran and the other two concubines ─ Munuinia and Mianatalon ─ were also present.
Three pairs of puzzled eyes trained themselves on Hejinmal. One more pair looked in a different direction ─ at the people mounted on his back. That last pair belonged to his mother, Kilystran.
Before anyone else could speak, Hejinmal shouted:
"He who sits upon my back is the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown! He is the king who shall rule this land and us Dragons!"
Strictly speaking, he was the servant of Aura the Dark Elf. However, it would be easier for them to understand this way, and in any event, he had made this declaration after seeking and receiving permission to do so.
Silence filled the room as the words faded. It took some time for the other Dragons to parse the words Hejinmal had just said.
"Have you gone mad, you little whelp?!"
In an instant, his father's anger boiled over.
That was only natural. His father was the lord of this land. ─No. The former lord. Thus, it was a natural reaction for him.
He rose from his coiled position and took a fighting stance that would allow him to pounce right away.
Hiiiieee!
In truth, it was very scary.
Between himself and Olasird'arc, there was no doubt that his father was stronger. It was not simply a matter of might and toughness, but there was also a vast difference in terms of battle experience. In addition, Olasird'arc's body was also leaner and more conventional, in comparison to Hejinmal's.
Saying that Hejinmal had no chance of victory was stating the obvious.
However, he had no choice but to make that declaration. According to Hejinmal's books, no follower would ever make their master state their identity.
Therefore, he secretly looked at his father with an expression which said, "it wasn't my idea". However, it was completely ignored. The angry glare was targeted at Hejinmal alone. In the eyes of his father, who believed that Dragons were the strongest race of all, people like his Master and the Dwarves were not worth considering.
"─King of Dragons. Will you submit to me in exchange for your life?"
"The hell you say, you damn Skeleton?!"
How could he be a Skeleton! Hejinmal wailed internally.
At the same time, there was a certain indignation, at the fact that he had not picked up on the treasures his Master wore. Perhaps he was so angry that he had not even noticed.
If I hadn't aggravated him, maybe he wouldn't have ended up this way...?
No, that was impossible. For all he knew, it might have been even worse. As Hejinmal's mind whirled with delusions, a look of surprise appeared on his father's face.
"...No, wait. What are those clothes you're wearing?"
Perhaps after calming down somewhat, his Draconic nose for treasure had kicked in.
Hejinmal felt that this was very bad, and he looked around for help. However, all the concubines had the same excited look on their faces, a bestial hunger for treasure in their eyes. Only his mother was trying to surreptitiously leave this place, but she had no intention of helping her son.
"This is the first time I have seen such treasure. If you want me to forgive your foolishness, then offer me your raiment, Skeleton."
"Umu... dealing with fools is truly tiresome."
A cold voice rang forth.
Why did his father's instincts as one of the living not tell him that Death awaited him? It must have been his Draconic avarice at work here.
"You idiot! You've just thrown away the only chance you had to survive! No, I should kill you─"
"[Grasp Heart]."
And with that, his father's body slumped powerlessly to the ground.
All eyes went to the body of the strongest Dragon here.
The way he did not move at all looked like he was sleeping. Of course, that was definitely not the case.
The air in the room turned cold, and the Supreme Being spoke.
"I have no interest in last words. Then, Hejinmal, which of them is your mother? I shall show her mercy and spare her life. As for the others, well, I'm sure there will be various uses for them after we're done picking them apart."
"That's me!"
"That's me!"
"That's me!"
Three voices rang out at once. For a moment, Hejinmal almost said "That's me!" as well.
"...What's this? Don't tell me there's the mother who bore you, the mother who raised you, and the mother who cared for you?"
Hejinmal looked at the two Dragons who were not connected to him by blood.
The two of them were gripped by fear.
Their eyes were clouded over with terror. That too was natural; after all the mightiest Dragon present had just been slain in an instant.
They did not contemplate fight or flight or whatnot. They sprang on the sole chance of survival which presented itself. Much like himself, they had made the most correct choice to live on.
Their fearful eyes looked towards Hejinmal, trying to ingratiate themselves with him. How would they react if he said, "No, I only have one mother"? His absolute master would surely slay the other two without any hesitation.
Currently, the power of life and death over the other two Dragons rested in Hejinmal's hands. However, he could not take delight in this. All he felt was a tremendous sympathy for others in the same situation as himself. At the same time, he planned to have his "mothers" owe him favors for a long time to come.
"It is as you say, Your Majesty. I have three mothers!'
"Is that so? What a shame. However, a promise is a promise. Alright, I shall spare them... Still, is there only one Dragon corpse? Dragons are far too useful. One does not seem quite enough... What a shame."
After peeking around, the three concubines bowed before Ainz in the pose of submission.
"Leave this place and gather all the Dragons here. Then, inform them that you are now under my rule. ...If anyone refuses to accept this, then I will deal with them personally. Now go."
The concubines burst into motion and ran at top speed. It was a speed that either inspired awe in onlookers or frightened them speechless.
Hejinmal did not think for a moment that they might try to escape. In the face of this mighty magic caster, their chances of escape were slim to none. They ought to have realised that as well. No, to Hejinmal, it made no difference even if they escaped. After all, if they did so, he would know how the Sorcerer King would find and deal with them.
Tok. Someone tapped lightly on Hejinmal's head, Turning around, he saw his Master's eyes looking at him.
"I have another order for you. It is a very important order. Gather all the Dwarven books you have, including those you have not yet finished, as well as all the other books outside your room, and bring them to me."
"Yes! I understand! I shall do so at once!"
After nervously setting the two of them down, Hejinmal ran with all his might.
***
"So, they've gone."
Ainz watched as Hejinmal vanished into the distance. He had inquired about how many Dragons lived here from him. Therefore, if the numbers did not add up, it would still be of benefit to him.
There was only one Dragon corpse. After thinking about all the uses he had for it, he wanted more. However, punishing freshly subjugated people who had done nothing wrong for the purpose of generating corpses would violate his ideals of fair reward and punishment.
Kuku, Ainz chuckled.
If they ran, he would hunt them down, kill them, and take back the corpses. As he pondered how to make use of said corpses, Ainz turned his gaze to the glittering pile of gold which the Dragon before him had been lying on.
"That's a Dragon for you. It's a veritable mountain of treasure."
It was nothing compared to Nazarick's Treasury, but it was still the largest pile of wealth he had seen ever since coming to this world.
There were gold coins, but those were outnumbered by gold-bearing ores, and what looked like raw gemstones.
There was a golden chain over five meters long, a pelt from some beast, golden gloves studded with jewels, a plain staff that looked magical... where had he gotten all these things from?
Perhaps only the Dragon that had become a corpse knew.
"Umu, hardly any brass or fool's gold. So most of that is natural gold? Is that a Dragon's sense of smell at work..."
Gondo muttered all that to himself as he studied the glittering ores. Are those any different from gold, Ainz thought, and he resolved himself to properly appraise them once he got home.
"I trust there are no problems with exercising my victor's rights over the Dragon's hoard?"
"Those rights are yours, of course. However, how about trying to open that while nobody's around?"
"Huhu. You're quite the villain."
"It's purely for research, of course. Then, please tell me if there is anything you desire, Your Majesty. According to that Dragon, there's no ledger of treasure or anything, but it might not be good to take a Dwarven treasure that's too famous."
"Why not say the Dragon took it?"
"If that happens, they might request that Your Majesty return the Dragon's hoard, no? While I don't think the Council will say anything to Your Majesty, it would be best not to sow the seeds of future conflict, don't you think?"
"It is as you say. Then, I shall open the door to the entrance. It's better if less people know about what will happen."
"Please, Your Majesty."
Ainz and Gondo went about their respective business.
First, Ainz used [Gate] to bring over his Eight Edge Assassins.
"─I have an order for you. Search this palace, hidden rooms included, and bring all the books you find to this place. If you meet any Dragons, say you are my subordinates. If you are attacked, you may kill them. However, avoid making the first move. Also... while I doubt there are any around, there might be powerful beings present, so move in groups. If you encounter any such entities, prioritize bringing that information back to me."
Since the books were written in Dwarven, only Gondo could understand them, so Ainz had no choice but to let him read them.
As he watched his subordinates disperse through the Royal Palace, Ainz chucked the Dragon corpse through the [Gate].
Mm, first I'll harvest all the materials, and then process them. And then, if the Dragon is willing to accept resurrection, I'll have another batch on hand. Though I doubt that's likely...
As Yuri Alpha of the Pleiades looked at him, he ordered her to store the corpse on the 5th Floor. In order not to let the corpse rot, he ordered her to put it on ice.
"Your Majesty! There are no signs that it was opened. It would seem the treasures should still be in place."
"Really now. Then I shall open it."
He bade Yuri farewell, and after the great doors closed, Ainz stood before the entrance to the Treasury.
As he recalled his YGGDRASIL days, elation soared in Ainz's chest. It had always been an exciting experience to encounter a treasure chest-shaped drop. Even if there was only a single data crystal inside, one would not know before opening it. He felt that same excitement now.
However ─ it was forcibly negated.
Every time his joyous emotions were cancelled, it gave rise to some measure of displeasure. Even so, it still enlivened him somewhat.
Ainz took out a magic item which looked like a board.
It was an artifact: Epigonoi.
(TL Note: Shatterer of the Seven Gates)
It was a magic item which could only be used seven times, but it possessed the lock-opening abilities of a level 90 thief.
It was very valuable, and he did not want to use it if possible, but he had not summoned any vassals with high-level lock-opening abilities. The Eight Edge Assassins were specialized in stealthy combat, and they had very poor lock-opening abilities.
"It can't be helped."
Ainz ─ who very rarely used any rare items he obtained ─ decided to use it after some waffling. It would seem that he was looking forward to the treasures within.
He touched the artifact to the Treasury door, and activated its power.
As they peeked through the slit of the opening door, Ainz and Gondo clenched their fists.
Neither of them said anything, but their expressions said everything.
The glitter of gold was little more than a trick of the light. Without any light, it would not shine. However, what they saw was a massive pile of treasure that seemed to shine from within. Unfortunately, the word "tidy" could not be applied to it.
"...Amazing."
Much like the Dragon's hoard, the Dwarven trove could not compare to that of Nazarick, but to Ainz, it was also a commendable sum.
Ainz picked up a gold coin. He had never seen coins like this before, and it did not look like the gold pieces used for trade nowadays. However, it did not feel like it was Dwarven-made, simply because of the profile of a human carved onto its surface.
"They say that in the past, the Dwarves traded with the huge human nation which ruled the area around this mountain range. This must be a portrait of the ruler of that nation. Runesmiths flourished then; it was their golden age."
"Umu."
Ainz flicked the coin from his fingers, dumping it into the pile of treasure. Gold clinked against gold, producing a crisp sound that pleased the ears.
"Then, please excuse me for a moment while I look for technical manuals and any items made by runesmith researchers, and so on."
"Do so. I will look around myself."
Pandora's Actor would probably be very happy to see this.
As he recalled his bizarre attitude, the mental image of Ainz making sure the Treasury's door was properly locked came to mind.
He saw armor and weapons seemingly buried by gold pieces. Would that not damage them? Why did they not mind that damage?
I see, if it was neat and tidy, then any thieves who got in could quickly find the treasure they were looking for. So instead they messed things up? If that's the case, then they might use that old dodge as well...
"Gondo, I have something to ask you. Is it possible that there is a secret door under this mountain of treasure?"
Gondo looked back in surprise.
"I see! ...It's not impossible, but even if there were, it would be very difficult to find. After all, we would have to move out all the treasure in here."
At the very least, they would need to move the gold coins.
"Then, we could estimate the distance from this level to the one below, and if there's a discrepancy in height we'd be right, then?"
"I feel that even if one wanted to put in a secret chamber in this place, it wouldn't be anything more than a sliding secret door to hide several pieces of treasure. Measuring thickness would also be quite difficult. Also, since this is the Treasury, the walls and floor would naturally be thicker."
Gondo's gaze seemed to be asking what they should do next, but Ainz shook his head. Frankly speaking, taking the items from here felt like a complimentary gift. It seemed a waste to go to too much effort for it.
"That is not our reason for coming here, and we do not know if it really exists. Wasting too much time and effort on it would be foolish. In any event, once the Dwarves come to reclaim their city, we will have them serve as witnesses and buy those items at their proper price."
"I understand. Then I shall go and see if our objective is in this place."
Gondo began searching again, and Ainz picked out several items which seemed more magical than others.
"Hm? This is...?"
Among those items, Ainz discovered a sword.
It might well be the most magical item out of everything here.
"Umu... going by levels, it would be around level 50, then?"
It was long enough to be considered a longsword, and it was intricately decorated.
He was not sure if this was made in YGGDRASIL. But if it was an item of this world, then its magical power would beggar belief. Ainz felt the body of the sword. It was smooth and even.
"What a beautiful and exquisite sword. But there are no runes carved on it. How could that be?"
Ainz gripped its hilt. In that instant, the sword vibrated. It felt as though mana was flowing through it.
"This is... something even I can use?"
Ainz could not use longswords due to his class restrictions. However, it would seem this sword had been imbued with some sort of magic which waived that restriction.
"Interesting."
After swinging it several times, Ainz casually poked his hand with it.
There was no pain. It would seem Ainz's immunity to attacks below level 60 was still in effect. It did not have the special magic that was imbued into Gazef's sword.
Having lost some of his interest, Ainz cast a spell.
"[Greater Magic Item─"
"Your Majesty! How goes the search? Did you find anything interesting?"
"─Several articles, but I'll decide which one I want to take afterwards."
"Is that so? I"ll leave you to it, then!"
Now that Gondo's call had interrupted the spell, Ainz tossed the sword back into the pile.
While a sword which he could wield was quite interesting, given his present circumstances, it was nothing more than that. Any item Ainz took from here would have to be more special and beneficial.
Is that the calibre of the magic items here? What a shame. Well, I guess I shouldn't have been hoping for a World-Class Item or whatnot.
Ainz continued searching, and an item caught his eye.
"Gondo, I've made my selection. I'm not sure if this is a national treasure, but could you come over and help me take a look?"
-x-X-x-