The journey from Carne Village to E-Rantel takes about three days and two nights on foot. When Momonga and his companions finally returned to the town, the sky had already darkened. As they walked down the street, people passing by couldn't help but stare at the man dressed in pitch-black armor. Their eyes were filled with panic and fear, and hushed whispers spread among the crowd. The noise seemed less like mockery and more of a sense of awe and curiosity.
Momonga glanced down at his own form. The silvery-white fur he wore was from the 'Wise King of the Forest,' and it amused him to see such a brave-looking warrior riding a giant hamster.
"Now that we're back in town, the commission is over," he said.
"Yes, Mr. Momon. Would you like to head to the guild first?" Nfirea asked.
"That's right. If you're bringing a monster to town, it has to be registered with the guild."
"It's troublesome, but there's nothing we can do about it," Nfirea added with a sigh.
Nfirea's eyes wandered to the cute creature they had with them. During their journey, they had witnessed the power of the 'Wise King of the Forest.' Momonga turned his gaze toward the members of the Swords of Darkness.
"We also wiped out the ogres and other monsters together. Should we all go to the guild first?" he asked.
"Well... No, this job is entirely up to you, Mr. Momon," one of them replied.
"Let's stop by Mr. Nfirea's house first. We can help with some chores. Otherwise, it would be unreasonable to receive the same pay as you," Peter said, looking at the others.
The members of the Swords of Darkness nodded in agreement. Nfirea, looking a bit embarrassed, interrupted.
"There's no need to trouble yourselves..."
"Since there's additional compensation, we'll help out for free. It's a small favor," Peter added with a grin.
Nfirea, hearing the joke, nodded respectfully. "Well then, next time you come by the store to buy potions, I'll give you a discount."
"That's a delightful offer! Please, Mr. Momon, head to the guild first. Afterward, we'll go to Nfirea's house. We can collect the monster's reward tomorrow," Peter suggested.
"Understood," Momonga replied, nodding slightly.
With that, Momonga mounted the Wise King of the Forest, followed by Narberal. As they traveled, Narberal asked, "Can you trust them?"
"It's not a big deal," Momonga responded. "Even if we're betrayed, we'd only lose the reward for the ogres. If we worry about such a small amount, we'd be seen as stingy, and the loss would be greater."
Momonga hadn't come to this town for money but for fame. Despite that, he instinctively touched his wallet, only to realize it was squeezed so tightly that there were no coins to be felt. They would also need to find accommodation for the night. Fortunately, Momonga was undead, and Narberal wore a magic ring that eliminated the need for food, saving them on daily expenses. Still, Momonga couldn't help but glance at the Wise King of the Forest under him, thinking, *This creature needs food.*
Narberal, sensing his thoughts, said, "Indeed… it would be strange for the Supreme to worry about such a small amount of money. How rude."
"Hmm..." Momonga muttered, touching his wallet again. Ouch.
Narberal continued with an air of enthusiasm, "Those lowly creatures, the mosquitoes, are all in awe of Master Ainz's incredible strength."
"Not yet..." Momonga muttered.
Narberal beamed. "You're too modest. To those like Master Ainz, ogres are nothing more than insects. Your swordsmanship is top-notch. It's truly admirable."
Momonga ignored the strange vibrations coming from the Wise King of the Forest and glanced at Narberal. "I just used brute force to defeat them."
He remembered his time in Carne Village, where he had tried to imitate Gazef's smooth, fluid moves. His own attempts felt more like a child randomly swinging a sword—a painful sight.
"It's really difficult to act like a true warrior," he sighed.
"Why not use magic to become a warrior?" Narberal suggested.
The issue, however, was that his magic wouldn't work quickly enough in close combat. If an opponent of the same level ambushed him, there'd be no time to cast a spell, even with a scroll.
The Wise King of the Forest, looking up at Momonga in surprise, spoke. "I've been listening to my lord's words. Could it be that he is not truly a warrior?"
Narberal, with a proud tone, answered, "Mr. Ainz is pretending to be a warrior. If he used his full strength, destroying the world would be a piece of cake."
With such absolute faith in him, Momonga found it difficult to contradict. "Hmm... That's about right, Wise King of the Forest. I'm glad I didn't have to fight you seriously. If I had used my true strength..."
"Could you survive more than a second?" the creature asked.
"Exactly..." Momonga muttered. "I see. I'll serve you faithfully until death!"
Thinking about his companions, Momonga added, "But Genji is also quite strong in close combat. Even if I used my full strength, I might not be able to defeat him."
Narberal, understanding this, agreed. "Master Genji is indeed very powerful."
The Wise King of the Forest trembled at the mention of someone stronger than Momonga.
---
They arrived at the house, and Momonga drove the carriage directly to the backyard, stopping in front of the back door. Nfirea jumped down from the driver's seat, holding a magic lantern, unlocked the door, and hung the lantern on the wall. The dim room was illuminated by its soft glow.
"Excuse me, could you help me move the herbs?" Nfirea asked.
The Dark Sword group readily agreed, carefully carrying the herbs from the carriage and into the house in bundles. But at this moment, Nfirea looked puzzled.
"Grandma… isn't she home?"
Even though Nfirea's grandmother was very old, she should have come out when she heard the sound of things being moved. But if she had been concentrating on potion-making, she might not have noticed.
After they finished placing the herbs, Nfirea turned to the group, who seemed a bit tired. "Thank you for your hard work. There should be some cold juice prepared inside. Please, help yourselves."
"Ah, that's great!" Lukrut cheered, wiping sweat from his forehead, as did the others.
"Well, follow me," Nfirea said, ready to lead them inside. Just as they were about to enter, the door on the other side suddenly opened.
"Hi~ Welcome back."
Standing before them was a woman who appeared cute, but her presence made everyone feel uneasy, frightened, and unsettled. Her short blonde hair swayed in the breeze.
"Oh... I was so worried. I thought you were gone... It's such bad luck. I didn't know when you'd come back, so I've been waiting here for you."
"Excuse me... who are you?" Nfirea asked.
"Eh? Don't you know each other?"
Her tone was so casual and intimate that Peter, thinking they were old acquaintances, expressed his surprise.
"Um?"
"I came here to kidnap you. I want someone to try out the magic that summons a large number of undead."
"'Dead Legion,' so you can be my tool? I'm counting on you, sister."