Overlord (WN) - Volume 2 - Chapter 29

Overlord Second Half Chapter 29: The Academy Part 8 (Side B)

Sitting down on the driver’s seat, gripping the reins, Rangoburt felt an ache building up in his stomach. And while this had been with him ever since he had left the capital, he had a question about it.

　Is this really just because I’m on a trip?

　Thinking rationally, before this, he had felt something strange about the mysterious man called Momon. However, he could confirm one thing: The pain had gotten much worse after going on this journey. And it was worsening still.

(—Later, let’s go to a priest. If I say it’s because of Momon-sama, that father of mine would still probably pay. If he doesn’t…. Can I ask Momon-sama…. It hurts….)

　Rangoburt pressed down on his stomach as he looked around, hoping for there to be something to take his mind off the situation. However, the hope in his eyes immediately faded away. Ever since the cart had stopped, absolutely nothing had changed.

　Surrounding the cart was an air of fear so thick that it was almost difficult to breathe. It was as if night had descended early, and one could almost touch it.

　No, it would not change.

(My hips should be able to handle this…. But it hurts. I’m getting pins and needles…. And not only that, I’m nauseous as well, like there’s something heavy tumbling about in my stomach…. This is the worst.)

　Rangoburt was positioned at the front of the group, and sitting next to him was the vice-captain of the knights. Behind them was Momon.

　The knights themselves were surrounding the carriage, keeping watch. They stood the perfect distance away from the carriage, and their example would be used in a textbook.

　Silently standing guard and facing straight forward was the proper actions for knights. Even in the plains where potential enemies could be seen from a mile away, it was still best to be on one’s guard. However, they were acting completely like dolls.

　Firstly, their concentration could not continue forever. Once a certain time had passed, they needed a break to rest their minds. But being able to maintain this for so long caused Rangoburt to feel an almost ironic admiration for them.

　No—

(It’s the opposite. Because they are doing this so well, they can’t be held responsible for them. They’re the worst. The really amazing people are the ones who are able to dispel this terrible air.)

　Rangoburt silently mocked himself.

　Rangoburt did not group himself together with the knights. While right after the journey began, he felt a comradeship forming, born from the same fear and exhaustion, but now it had all but disappeared. Instead, they became another reason for his stomachaches, and so were now a target for his anger.

　He looked up at the sky.

　The evening sun was slowly sinking in the far off distance, and the sky was dyed a disgusting crimson. Considering the time, it would be best to begin to set up camp. However, the knights showed no intention of saying so. As if, as long as they were not prohibited, they were perfectly capable of and willing to keep marching into the night.

　In fact, if they were made to do so, they would continue onwards without a single complaint.

　Certainly, this was an examination. They were checking each and every one of their actions and evaluating them. And in that sense, it was not completely incorrect to silently observe their actions.

　However— That did not mean that the knights should not speak at all.

　If there were mistakes in the students’ decisions – as someone inexperienced in travelling, Rangoburt had undoubtedly made many – the knights should have been ordered to provide advice. On such a dangerous journey, certain mistakes could lead to casualties. And so attempting to continue on into the night when the eyes of humans did not work was something that could not be allowed.

　If they were attacked at night by monsters, believing that they would be able to fend them off was the epitome of naivety. After all, one could not refute the possibility of a dragon flying by.

(I know you’re all scared. No one would be willing to stick their hands into the flame. However, you are not children, but knights, the pride of the empire, and so you should act as— No, this is difficult. If I were in the same position as them, I would probably do the same.)

　His initial dislike slowly changed into empathy. For he knew that he would do the exact same thing.

　However, the moment he thought about being caught in the middle, a bitter taste spread in his mouth, dispelling that thought.

(Who the heck would enter the dragon’s nest? Deal with your failures yourselves.)

　Everyone including Rangoburt feared that man.

　This entire journey was controlled by one man.

　Currently, he seemed to be in a good mood. However, that was certainly not the case. If so, he would not do such tortuous things. He was like a cat sadistically playing with its prey.

“—Rangoburt.”

(….Uuuh, the nausea.)

　A voice came from behind, causing his stomach to squeal in terror. Next to him, the knight shivered.

　Swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth, Rangoburt used his large quantity of experience as a noble, to put on his best poker face.

“W, what is it, Momon-sa, sama.”

　Peeking his face out from the gap in his helmet, the man questioned Rangoburt. Facing someone that caused even the battle-hardened knights to tremble in fear, without his voice quivering too much gave Rangoburt a sense of pride.

“It’s almost night time. What will we do for camp?”

“Y, yes. What shall we do? What do you believe to be the best course of action?”

　The one asking was the knight sitting next to him.

　He pleaded Rangoburt with his eyes, but he ignored it.

(This is your chance. Just say it.) 

　Seeing a fool about to jump into danger while watching from the sidelines brought an almost pleasurable excitement to Rangoburt.

　Taking a few deep breaths, the knight steadied himself and replied.

“Indeed, Momon-sama. I myself would like to follow Momon-sama’s suggestions, but what do you believe is best?”

“We should quickly set up camp…. Shouldn’t we use the campgrounds that are near the highway?”

“I see! As expected of Momon-sama. I also believe that is a good idea. So shall we set up camp once we find a campground?”

“Isn’t it fine? Rangoburt, what do you think?”

“I believe that is a good idea, Momon-sama.”

“Then it’s decided. Fortunately, there is a campground over there.”

　Looking across the crimson plains, one could indeed see a small clearing located off the main path, with a small dark shadow standing there. It was difficult to see it clearly from this distance, but Momon’s words were probably not wrong.

　Firstly, there were absolutely no merits in lying.

　And secondly, while on this journey, they had learnt that he possessed an inhuman level of vision. Him being in possession of a magic item was the most logical line of reasoning, but it was also possible for him to have non-human blood.

　Such as a dragon.

(There are rumours that the queen of the Dragon Kingdom is a descendant of an ancient dragon— but whatever.)

“Could you please tell the group leader that we are going to set up camp?”

　But before the knight beside him could respond, Momon spoke.

“No worries, I can do that.”

“No, no, we cannot trouble Momon-sama with this. Simply giving them a holler will do.”

“Come on, they are all focused on their guard duty. Raising my voice would only disturb them. Let me go over and personally talk to them.”

　Before Rangoburt could politely refuse, Momon’s face disappeared behind the cloth covering. And from behind the carriage, there was the sound of someone getting off.

“So he left.”

“Yes, he has.”

“Now then… let me hear it. Isn’t there something you’ve been wanting to tell me all day. Now that you can let it out without fearing of Momon-sama, please begin. Of course, it’s fine even if you refuse to talk. I’m sure that it will not be detrimental to me.”

　Rangoburt cynically asked the knight. He had to make this clear, right here right now. 

“Oh, so you’ve realized.”

“Momon-sama has probably also noticed as well. Otherwise, he would not be so sarcastic.”

　Rangoburt took a quick look behind him and understanding the intent, the knight grimaced as if he had just eaten a bug.

“…Just so that you’re aware, it’s not as if we wanted to do this. The higher-ups made the decisions, and we are the victims!”

“That’s a bit too loud. Do you wish for Momon-sama to hear you? …Do you expect him to accept an excuse like this? You must have quite a bit of faith in your luck then.”

“…We wish for you to act as a mediator. All of us knights beg this of you.”

“Give me a break. Who’s going to take responsibility should Momon-sama direct his anger towards me?”

　The knight made an expression of shock as if he had just stumbled upon this realisation, and Rangoburt could feel his face form a cold smile. The knights were not trying to improve their situation, but instead were trying to hoist it upon a third party. This was indeed their safest option, but as that third party, there was nothing more infuriating to Rangoburt.

“You have formed a group with him after all…”

　To Rangoburt, this was nothing more than an excuse.

“…I believe that you think of me simply as nothing more than a convenient tool. And more importantly, I do not understand why he grouped together with him.” Rangoburt deeply sighed. “Now, I can make a guess, but let me hear it. What do you want me to ask of him.”

“…The carriage wheel. Our magic caster is able to fix it.”

“Indeed,” Rangoburt spat. “It’s been broken in far too obvious a manner. Perhaps a single wheel on each of the carriages were designed to break apart after some time. Normally, this would lead to a delay in the journey. And when your magic casters are able to fix it, a seed of admiration and amazement would be planted in the hearts of the students. And after the journey, even if the students realised that it was intentional, they would tell themselves that it was a test to see how they would overcome the situation… Why don’t you tell Momon-sama? Why can’t you?”

　Rangoburt smirked.

　The knight averted his eyes downwards and glumly replied.

“Because we are scared. If he learned that we were to test him, we fear that he will murder us all.”

“True. That this trip began with such underhanded schemes planned out would indeed irritate him.”

　He looked towards the back of the carriage, around the location of the broken wheel.

　The wheel itself was still broken, but the journey was still smoothly proceeding. Thanks to a certain suggestion from Momon.

　Indeed— It was the Black Knights.

　Two of them were lifting up the carriage and following it from behind. With impossible strength and endurance, they had sensed it beforehand, but the probability that they were human was an absolute zero. Then it was certain that they were golems, but if so, just how did Momon enrol them as students?

　One possibility was that he had pressured the principal with his connections. Another was that he himself was someone close to the principal.

　And so just where did those slaves go? —Rangoburt immediately abandoned this train of thought. Anyhow, he could not care less about them.

　The problem was why did Momon suggest something as ridiculous as to have the Black Knights carry the carriage? There was only one answer.

“Such a reaction is definitely not normal. I can clearly feel Momon-sama’s anger. He will never borrow your power. And he will do anything to keep himself from doing so.”

　Yes. Because he was dissatisfied with the knights’ actions, he did what he did.

“I know!”

“A bit loud don’t you think.”

　Seeing the knight chew his lip in frustration, Rangoburt felt pity for the man. Yet, he did not empathise with him. If he were forced to pick a side, he would stand with Momon, who was much more powerful. But, even so, he still wondered about Momon’s identity.

　Rangoburt believed that Momon was a child of the previous Emperor, or at least someone related to one.

　It was said that the Blood Emperor had eliminated all of his younger brothers, but it was possible that for some reason – certainly not pity – one was left alive, but pronounced as dead. Or one was imprisoned for a long period of time.

　Rangoburt believed that it was the latter.

　And he had reasons for doing so.

　Firstly, Momon had a severe lack of understanding about society, he was unable to read the mood, and he had absolutely no common sense. And he lacked the elegance of nobility. While it was true that he understood basic respect, this was but mere information to him, and was not ingrained in his bones.

　From these above points, the idea that he was imprisoned and allowed only a few visitors would allow Rangoburt to explain his father’s attitude towards him, as well as his connections to the Academy.

　If Rangoburt wondered why his father would know about someone far isolated from normal society, he would probably say that he had heard rumours about Momon.

　However, those soldiers in black armour were still unaccounted for.

(—When Momon-sama orders those black golems about, he calls them Death Knights, but is that the name of the golems? Or is there a type of golem called Death Knights?)

　Firstly, golems were extremely rare, and not only in the Empire. This is because the production of golems was not fully developed.

　To create even the weakest golem, a wood golem, it would take several of the greatest magic casters an entire year to do so.

　And it was precisely for this reason that strong golems were the deciding weapon in wars between countries.

　For a famous example, it is said that in the Beastman Commonwealth, there were then four eight-metre tall centaur type golems – of which there are currently eight – that displayed overwhelming power in a battle with the Minotaur Country. If it were not for the weapons that were left behind by a sage, their country would have been utterly destroyed.

　Such was the power of strong golems.

　Rangoburt did not know how strong the golems that Momon brought were. However, they were stronger than their wood, stone and iron counterparts.

　Then why were these golems, that could be used as the Empire’s secret weapon, obeying Momon’s orders? And why did he have several of them? Or perhaps they were ordered to kill him.

　As Rangoburt thought about all of these confusion possibilities, the knights trembled in fear.

　If he calmly evaluated Momon, he would describe him as a silent madman.

　However, a mere insane student would not incite such fear in the knights. The reason they were terrified was because the razor-sharp blades that he owned – the Death Knights – could easily kill a knight in a single blow. 

　They were constantly grappling with the uneasy thought that a madman could swing it at any time, and for any reason.

　And there was another reason. And Rangoburt had no proof at all but —

(—Momon himself feels like a monster. Perhaps he could rival the Great Magic Caster Old Paradyne?)

　Well realistically speaking, it would be impossible for him to rival a legendary magic caster, but from Momon, Rangoburt felt a power that was far beyond a mere student. When they were at the colosseum, whenever Momon saw a strong monster, he would give off this strange air that gave Rangoburt goosebumps.

　And the knights showed signs of feeling it as well.

(Just what is he?)

　Questions birthed more questions, and as Rangoburt tried to form a coherent set of ideas, out of the blue, a potential backstory came to him.

　Even though he was born into royalty, because he had overpowering mana, he was deemed as dangerous and was imprisoned in a tower, without proper education. However, he was released by the Blood Emperor for yet unknown reasons, and was currently enrolled in the Academy—

(It turns a well-used story on its head…. However, does anything else make sense. If anyone knows, please tell me.)

　As Rangoburt mentally complained, he began to think about how to turn it to his benefit.

　Firstly, Momon had to return safely. And after — he simply had to contact his father.

(Then first and foremost, as father has said, I must not earn Momon’s ire…. So it would be a foolish decision to side with the knights.)

　By the time that Rangoburt decided his course of actions, the knight was still complaining. And seeing the fool, a deep anger rose up from within him.

“Isn’t the Academy responsible for preparing the carriage….? Why, us….”

“Indeed. And that is precisely why you are not yet dead? It is but a mere accident born from choosing this carriage. Then we would take responsibility and return it. Punishing your knights would be unreasonable. However, isn’t it quite a coincidence that precisely someone who is able to fix it just so happens to be attached to us as guards. Once that happens, everything will become clear, and as for how Momon-sama will act…. I do not want to know.”

　Rangoburt shrugged his shoulders.

“Momon-sama is extremely strong. I believe so. What about you?”

“We are the knights that protect the Empire, acting against us is the same as acting against the Empire….”

　If it were not for the fact that the knight’s teeth were chattering from fear, these would be quite heroic words.

　Rangoburt knew that this was false bravado, and laughed.

“Relying on an authority that even you do not believe in…. Ah yes. During the journey, we were attacked by a terrifying monster, and the knights heroically fought against it, but all perished. If Momon-sama offers up such a story, I will support him.”

　A steely gaze filled the knight’s eyes as his gaze captured Rangoburt. But—

“You reap what you sow after all.”

　—It disappeared with a single sentence.

“I treasure my life. You should do you best to patch things up.”

◇◆◇

　Ainz teleported a ways off from the campsite. The grass rustled in the wind.

　His eyes left the road and looked up to see the stars shining in the distance. Along with something else. A red flame. There was probably another group of people setting up camp there.

(It might be another group of students.)

　It was a distance Ainz could immediately close, but he could not bring himself even want to go over, let alone prepare the spell. He simply slumped his shoulders and looked around.

　Campsites were areas near main roads of the Empire with a well and small hut. As it had no walls to keep out the wind and rains, it was necessary to cover the sides with a cloth and other such preparations but—

　The knights were rushing it, leaving no chance for Ainz to help. Well, he had offered his assistance, but he was politely refused.

(The atmosphere is bad. Well, I know it’s my fault.)

　And so he came here to escape.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s going to rain, so they should be finished soon.”

　Ainz began to talk to the Death Knight he brought along. Of course, there was no reply. It was as if he were talking to a wall. He felt both foolish and empty. Rangoburt might have been nice to talk to at this moment, but he was busy observing the knights’ work.

　“Leading the construction of the camp might be graded, so please leave it to me,” he said.

　Even though he had already controlled the reins of the carriage, adding more work onto his pile left a bad taste in Ainz’s mouth. A team needed to work together and help each other out. Leaving everything to one person was not the act of a teammate.

　In fact, in Ainz Ooal Gown, no one left everything to one single person.

　Ainz looked at the Death Knight.

　He was not reaching his goals.

(I’m bad at presentations…. And really, if you have slavery, what’s wrong with undead slaves….)

　Ainz had the Death Knight fight in the colosseum to spread knowledge of its ability to the masses. However, that was stopped by a word from Jircniv.

　Giving up just because one presentation had failed was a waste.

　And so he moved on to his next plan. By showing off the abilities of the Death Knights to the knights, he could spread its fame through word of mouth.

　If the protectors of the Empire, the ones who valued strength, the knights, saw the Death Knights and said that ‘they have excellent fighting ability and they can work without rest, and so are excellent in operations. They are undead we must have in the knights,’ then Jircniv would certainly not be able to ignore it.

　And so, he saw the broken carriage wheel as a chance to display the power of the Death Knights.

(At that moment, the atmosphere suddenly got much worse. Maybe I should have given them more chances to shine. But I am confident in the Death Knights’ strength…. This is Jir’s fault. While this might have taken away some of his face, our friendship and the benefits of this arrangement should outweigh it….)

　Undead were an excellent labour force.

　They did not require food, they did not get fatigued, and they would blindly follow orders. They were like machines.

　As someone who experienced modern society, Ainz was fully aware of the benefits of machines. And he knew just how much people’s lives depended on them. And this was why he was confident that undead labour would sell.

　In fact, he had heard from Fluder that the Empire was considering using undead in field work. Then, if he jumped in, he was certain that he could bring about massive benefits.

　And the Empire was only at the stage of conducting experiments, and was yet to achieve success.

(Basically, if I become a pioneer, the benefits to me will be amazing. The opportunity to grasp an entire industry is right in front of me. No matter what I have to do, I need to grab it.)

　If he was successful in converting the Empire into using undead labour, other countries would definitely capitalise on it.

　After all, other countries would not sit by and let another country grow stronger. They would try to implement it themselves, and so would buy Ainz’s undead.

　This was the amazing ability of undead labour.

　For machines, others could buy and copy the design. However, there was no method to copy undead. And so on top of developing new skills, countless experiments would need to be conducted, requiring time. And so, the difference in economic ability between the Empire and other countries would widen, and so they would choose to buy it from the pioneer: Ainz.

　This idea of undead labour would then spread from those countries into their neighbours, until the entire continent used undead labour in various forms.

(If I can monopolise a market, the riches would be unimaginable.)

　Of course, Jircniv would ask Ainz to not spread this to other countries. After all, handing this technology to other countries would be a huge loss.

　Jircniv was not the sort of person to ignore this.

　And so, Jircniv – and thus the Empire, would owe Ainz, and he could reap even more rewards.

(….I’m friends with Jir, but I have my own responsibility to my territory. I will make those living there happy. This is the responsibility of a ruler. Even if they are human, if they are a citizen of Nazarick, I will make them happy.)

　He would use the money he earned to improve his territory, and earn more wealth, all in order to strengthen the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

　This was Ainz’s current greatest goal. He needed to aim to continuously strengthen Nazarick.

　And the first step—

　Ainz clenched his fist.

(I have to succeed. After all, I might be able to create a mega corporation capable of ruling the entire continent. First, I need to win over the knights. After the trip, they’ll find out that the Death Knights were actually undead and they have to think ‘undead are useful, I have to tell everyone else’.)

　Ainz knew that there was sure to be resistance. 

　People would be concerned over losing their jobs being lost to rapidly improving machinery, and Ainz was aware of that. Here on out, it was almost certain that they would rebel against him. 

　In fact, the farmers of E-Rantel cried out that their jobs were being stolen by the undead when he had made them work in the fields. There was no refuting that fact.  

　The undead would steal their jobs, no—

(It’s perhaps more accurate to say that the nature of their jobs changed. Such as becoming the manager of a plantation that will be created by process. Would knights have to attain leadership positions to survive? There are pros and cons, and removing the cons will not be easy. The smarter knights are sure to be worried.)

　Ainz glanced around the area, and saw the knights setting up camp.

　He felt that he met their gazes for a brief instance.

(….But I also want the knights to learn just how capable the undead can be. How should I do this)

　Pondering over how to approach the knights, the only effective methods Ainz could imagine were utterly ridiculous. Just as he considered the possibility of bribery, Ainz suddenly had a vision. He realised how to sell his undead.

“Fufu…. Fuha…. Fuhahahaha. What to do… I won’t have enough time to create the undead.”

　His laughter was carried by the wind, reaching the ears of the knights.

　◇◆◇

　After a few more days, the humongous forest revealed itself in all of its majesty. 

　The Forest of Tobu— it was a world where monsters thrived and where the very presence of humans was rejected. Seeking medicinal herbs found only in this land, many risked their lives to venture inside, and few returned. 

　The dark shadows of land obscured by trees appeared like gigantic monsters ready to swallow up its prey whole. But, Ainz Ooal Gown felt nothing. Unlike the knights and Rangoburt, he needed no resolve nor courage to enter this land of death. 

　He had a body that felt no fear. 

　That said, this was backed by the knowledge that there were no enemies stronger than him. Which is why he looked over at the forest as if he were going on a walk in the park.

“Ready? Then, let’s go.”

　Ainz walked off without waiting for a reply. His gait was slightly faster than usual. Because he felt as if he were going on a quest in Yggdrasil.

　While it could be said that the journey was similar to a quest, he felt nothing. Possibly because nothing happened— there was the accident with the carriage wheel, but that was trivial— and so there was nothing that sparked his interest. 

　And unfortunately, he could not enjoy the trip. 

　This was partially his own fault, but there was a line separating him and the knights, such that the only person that he could talk to was Rangoburt. But it was not as if the journey wore him out. Sudden changes in the weather, monster attacks, and other events did not occur even once, so he leisurely spent nearly all his time napping in the carriage. 

　He tried to help out with setting up camp, but was politely turned away. The night watch was left to the Death Knights.

　How could one possibly enjoy himself while being treated like a customer?

　—But now it would be different. He would be standing in the front, to fight against monsters. 

　Emotions were stirring up in his heart. 

(Quest Number 0001: defeat the monsters in the Forest of Tob. The strength of the defeated monsters directly correlates with the scores they will receive, so I guess that means…. the stronger the monsters we slay, the better.)

　If he was with his guild members, perhaps they could split up and compete over their kill counts. But if Rangoburt and the knights left his sight for a second, it could spell their death. Even  with the Death Knights around, there was no guarantee of keeping them all safe. 

(If the enemies turn out to be other groups, I’ll hold back on them. No, this is how it was supposed to be…. Fufu. If we attain first place, it would improve the reputation of Death Knights by a large margin. Personally, I don’t want Fluder and Narberal to learn that I am also in the  Academy, but it’s tough to give up the positive reviews that will boost the future sales of Death Knights.)

　Step by step, Ainz headed further into the forest.

　The vanguard was of course, Ainz. Behind him, the Death Knights advanced forward like a wall. 

“This doesn’t look good”

　Barely a hundred meters into the forest, he could not tell east from west. Looking up, all he could see was the thick cluster of tree branches blocking out the sky. 

　To put it bluntly, he had no idea in which direction he should head in, or what he should do to encounter a monster.

　There was always the choice of either to continue to move forward, or do something to attract the monsters’ attention. But neither sounded particularly intelligent.

　He could cast a spell that would allow him to investigate the surrounding areas, but it was probably best to not stand out.

“—Rangoburt!”

“Yes!”

　Rangoburt twisted past the Death Knights and headed right towards Ainz. 

　In a few short days, Rangoburt seemed to have lost weight. For quite some time, his small portions had caught Ainz’s attention. 

(This pains my heart. Is he unable to eat due to exhaustion and unease from the journey? If I reveal who I really am, he could probably have relaxed and enjoyed himself…. But I am unable to reveal myself even to you…. Please forgive me. I need something to reward him with to make him believe that this was worth the trouble.)

　As his heart wrenched from seeing his teammate’s pained face, Ainz asked.

“We are going to hunt goblins, right?”

“Yes. Once we do, we would have accomplished the goal of this journey. And so would it not be best to remain on the fringes of the forest and wait for goblins to appear?”

“….What are you talking about? The monsters we defeat will affect our evaluation right? Then we should not focus on goblins, but slightly stronger monsters instead right?”

　Yes, Ainz thought.

　He should simply defeat an amazing monster that would wow over Rangoburt. One that would be recorded in the history of the Academy. Doing so would allow Ainz to feel better about lying to Rangoburt.

　Seeing  Ainz make his decision, Rangoburt looked at each of the Death Knights, and spoke.

“—Yes. I believe that will be for the best. Then may I please ask what sort of monster are we aiming for?”

　Hearing his question, Ainz was at a loss for words. Because he realised that he had no idea what sort of monster would give them a lot of points.

(Should I aim for Hobgoblins, Bugbears and Bogards which are related to goblins? Or perhaps something like a Goblin Lord is good? A dragon will definitely provide a lot of points.)

　As he delved deeper into his thoughts, he realised that it would not be embarrassing to not know this sort of thing.

“Rangoburt, I would like to ask you. In the history of this examination, do you know what sort of monster gave the largest amount of points?”

“….The point list is not made public, and so I do not know which monster gave the most points.”

“I see…. Then do you think the knights would know?”

　He was about to turn around to face the knights, who were following him like puppets, but before he did so, Rangoburt answered.

“They probably do not. I believe that it will only be calculated once they return and give their report.”

“I see….”

　I should have asked the Principal earlier, Ainz thought.

　The Principal was one of the cultists, and he was doing whatever he could to grant Ainz’s wishes. He was the one who let Ainz enroll the slaves — although Ainz had swapped them out with Death Knights — into the Academy. If not, he would have needed a noble to recommend them, and it would have but him on the spot.

　Although, pushing him even further would be a bit dangerous. Considering the future, he should avoid bothering the Principal.

　He would probably do anything that Ainz asked of him, but forcefully implementing his plans would lead to inconsistencies. It would be like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

　But still —

　Ainz chuckled.

(That cult is unexpectedly useful. They might not be in the same organisations, but precisely because they have built up influence all over the Empire that they are great. And I simply need to use a bit of my experience points to grant their wish…. But, does Jir know about this? I’ll keep an eye on them for him, as a friend.)

“….Monsters that are not goblins might be good.”

“I have heard that during winter, strong monsters will descend from the Azerlisia Mountain Range and hunt at its feet.”

“That’s a bit far. Do you want to head over there?”

　Ainz recalled the mountain range he saw before entering the forest.

　He had seen it many times from within E-Rantel, but it did not seem too large from there. But now that he was up close within the shadows of the overlapping mountains, he could feel his curiosity being piqued. If there was not something else important he had to do, he would have wanted to head over immediately. 

“If you order it, we can certainly arrive there. However, considering the return journey…. It will be a bit difficult.”

“Indeed. It will be no issue for me, but Rangoburt, you should not come.”

“If Momon-sama would like to go alone, we would happily stay behind at the carriages to wait for you. We would only hold you back after all.”

“Don’t say such lonely things. We are a team right. We should help each other.”

“….Thank you very much. I am grateful that you think so…. May I please ask something? Which territory are you from, Momon-sama? Are you perhaps someone close to his Majesty the Emperor?”

“….Rangoburt, how did you find out?”

“I see I understand. I will not ask any further questions.”

　Ainz looked back on his actions. No matter how he thought about it, he should not have done anything that would have exposed his relationship with Jircniv. But despite this, Rangoburt noticed it.

　Was it a bluff?

　Ainz pondered further. However, Rangoburt seemed confident in his guess. As if he had reasonable proof.

(….I don’t know how he gathered this information, but he’s quite capable. No, should I say, as expected of my groupmate. He said that he is the third son of a noble, and I would not mind having him become my subordinate— Hmm?)

　There were things that attracted Ainz’s undead senses.

(There’s quite a bit of distance…. Hmm…. And quite a number of them. Ten…. Thirty…. Counting this many will be annoying.)

　Ainz’s passive skill of undead detection only allowed him to know their rough numbers and direction. He did not know how strong they were.

(With this many…. I thought that there would be no issue in the forest, but I should eradicate them to leave a good impression on the knights. Undead will probably get points.)

　Because Ainz had specialised in Necromancy, specifically in Instant Death spells, he was less effective at dealing with monsters without life. However from the information Fluder gave him, there were no undead that could engage Ainz in a protracted battle.

　And so, Ainz began walking towards them.

　Without a single complaint about Ainz suddenly changing direction, Rangoburt and the knights followed him closely.

“Disperse into the surroundings. Protect Rangoburt and the knights.”

　The Death Knights silently spread out. With Ainz at the head, they formed a rhombus, with Rangoburt and the knights in the centre. If Ainz turned around to look, he would have seen that the knights squeezed themselves closer together.

　While they were knights, they were not used to deploying into forests, and they clustered together tightly, as if a monster were to suddenly burst out at them. It was obvious that they were scared.

　And that was probably why they did not see the Death Knights surround them.

　Ainz felt a bit confused at their actions, but at the same time, he could not suppress the smile forming on his face.

(Sorry, but the Death Knights will sell. The knights are scared, but my Death Knights are undead. They do not feel fear. I can make this a selling point. I want the knights to rely on them but…. They also have the pride of knights. I don’t hate it. That ideal.)

　Ainz made a wry smile, and arrived at his destination.

　There, there was a huge crack in the earth, and surrounding it were a large number of goblins.

“Goblins!”

“No. Rangoburt, look closely.”

“Eh? Well, certainly…. Eh? Could they be…. Zombies?”

“Right.”

　The goblins were severely injured. Their throats were slit open, holes were opened where their hearts should be. They were all filled with fatal wounds.

“J, just, why, are there so many goblin zombies?! Just what happened here?”

　Ainz had the same question as Rangoburt. From what he could tell from their wounds, they were definitely caused by professional weapons. Meaning civilisation. Just what sort of monster could do that in this forest. Ainz shrugged his shoulders.

　This was not a problem. Or more accurately, this was not something that Ainz should be worried about.

　As the knights arrived and were shocked at the zombies, Ainz began walking forward. Following his orders, the Death Knights remained behind to protect Rangoburt and the knights. It was possible for there to be another type of monster hidden amongst the zombies.

“You guys wait here.”

　As Ainz revealed himself, as expected, a large number of zombies became hostile and moved forward.

　Naturally formed unintelligent undead like zombies normally viewed other undead as allies, and did not attack them. So normally, they would not attack Ainz. However, there were two possible reasons why the zombies were going to attack him. One was that this was ordered by their creator. The other was because of Ainz’s ring.

　Ainz had several rings, but one of them had the power to disguise him. So the information that he was an undead should be hidden.

　As he listened to the sounds of birds frantically flying away, he pointed a finger towards the zombies.

“Rangoburt’s question is natural. Just why are there so many zombies here? Did a great massacre happen here, causing the undead to naturally form….? Or did someone cast a spell to create undead?” No matter how much Ainz thought, the answer did not come.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Disappear. <Triplet Magic Fireball>”

　Three balls of fire simultaneously appeared in the air and smashed into the horde, engulfing several tens of the false creatures. However, there were still more. As they moaned in their undeath, they swarmed directly towards Ainz. It was a bad strategy. But zombies were such creatures.

“—What! The Third Tier?!”

“—And Strengthening Magic! So he is stronger than me!”

“I knew this before…. But that firepower…. It seems stronger than that magic caster I saw long ago. If we are unlucky, he can kill us with a single blow….”

“This is the worst….”

　Ainz’s inhuman levels of hearing easily picked up the soft and uneasy mutterings of the knights.

　Ainz had no idea why they were surprised.

　The Third Tier should be usable by excellent magic casters. That was what Fluder had said, and what his investigations revealed.

　Then, Ainz recalled that he was a student. Perhaps students could only use lower tiers of magic.

　—That was the most likely possibility, but it was already too late to switch to lower tiers.

“<Triplet Magic Fireball>, <Triplet Magic Fireball>, <Triplet Magic Fireball>, <Triplet Magic Fireball>, <Triplet Magic Fireball>. And then <Triplet Magic Fireball>.”

　The fireballs danced about in the air before scorching the earth. And following which, the sounds of huge explosions echoed out into the surroundings. 

　After Ainz ended his castings, the zombies no longer moved.

(There are no signs of undead in the hole…. Firstly…. What should I do?)

“And so—”

　Ainz turned around to look at Rangoburt and the knights, and was welcomed with stiffened faces.

(Did I go a bit overboard?)

　Because there were so many zombies, it would have been a pain to use one spell to kill a single one. So he blasted them with AoE spells, but it seemed like he went overboard.

“G, good work.”

“Ah, it seems…. Like I went overboard—”

　Rangoburt’s gaze suddenly shifted as he let out an expression of shock. The knights behind him did the same.

　There was definitely something behind him. Realising that, Ainz glanced over his shoulders. From the rend in the earth, a giant reptilian monster peeked its head out. Followed by a second. 

“—Gi”

“Gi?”

“Gigant Basilisks!”

　The monsters let out a threatening hiss, as if replying to the terrified cries of the knights. 

(Now, what should I do?)

　The meddlesome part about dealing with beast-type monsters was their high stamina. To finish them in a single hit, instead of firing off Third Tier spells, it would be better to cast neutralization spells like charm or paralysis.

　But the problem was that there were two of them. Ainz could kill them both in an instant. But it would only appear even stranger if he did not even struggle. 

(I went overboard earlier. From their reactions, this must be a strong enemy. Instantly killing would be suspicious. I am currently just a student. Slowly beating them down with Third Tier spells sounds good, but it would be troublesome if one of them gets behind me while I’m occupied with the other.)

　Ainz smiled.

　This was precisely the chance he was looking for.

　In the first place, his goal was to display the strength of the Death Knights. A strong enemy would serve that purpose. 

　Once the Death Knights defeated the two, he would achieve his objective.

　A 2v2 would be better than a 3v2. Sending the last Death Knight to guard Rangoburt and the knights would be safer.

“Such cautiousness, as expected of a Demon Beast. Since it can’t read the difference in strength between us, it’ll probably be a while before it attacks. Rangoburt, leave, this is my fight.”

“But—”

“Can you take on both?!”

　The knight captain’s shout overpowered Rangoburt’s voice. 

　While slightly irritated, Ainz nodded. At that moment.

“Go go go!”

　Accompanying the captain’s yell, the knights turned their backs and ran. It was almost impressive, how they escaped without a single second of hesitation.

“—W,What?”

　Ainz stood dumbfounded. He did not believe they would actually make a run for it. With a speed he had never seen from them, they disappeared one by one into the woods. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

　Rangoburt’s outburst calmed Ainz down, but he was more worried about the beasts than the knights.

　The hiss from the Gigant Basilisk was perhaps an instinctive response to escaping prey. But—

“—Are they still not attacking? Why isn’t it leaving — Don’t tell me this is its nest? Then what about the goblin corpses? No, that’s not important. All of these troublesome matters.”

　The knights might have made a mistake in choosing to flee. 

　Ainz had made this mistake back in Yggdrasil, when he ran into an even stronger monster while fleeing from another. This was common in forests where visibility was poor and there were no direct routes out. 

　If there happened to be a fatality among the knights in this group which was escorted by Death Knights, it would cast doubts on their prowess.

　Ainz gave up on his plan. 

　Unfortunately, without spectators around, there was no point in the Death Knights defeating the Gigant Basilisk.

　It might not be a bad idea to explain it to Rangoburt and have him talk to the knights. But it all depended on the evidence. He could threaten them by revealing that they ran, but it would be better to try to approach them in a friendly manner. Ainz knew that people were more trustworthy when you bound them with benefits instead of fear.

　Rather than telling them a thousand times, he should show them once.

“Well, I’ll find another chance. Rangoburt, run outside the forest. Death Knights, prioritise protecting Rangoburt, as well as those knights.”

　Rangoburt seemed to want to say something, but he was picked up by a Death Knight who then chased after the knights. Seeing them disappear amongst the trees, he turned back to face the Gigant Basilisks.

　Should I kidnap their children or eggs and then chase after the knights? Ainz felt such ideas pop up in his mind, but he shook his head.

　No matter how hard he tried to fix his plans, there were times when it still ended in failure. He needed to come up with a new plan.

“Don’t I understand it? Humans are weak to fear. Right, Ainz? Your readings were terrible.”

　Because he could not feel fear, he misunderstood human emotions.

　Next time, he would have to pay closer attention to this.

　Ainz engraved this in his heart, and then turned to face the Gigant Basilisks.

“Thank you for waiting. My luck has been really bad recently…. I shall go all out for once!”

　As Ainz dropped his illusion, he activated a skill.

　Following the surge in his abilities, a feeling of omnipotence began stirring in his heart. 

　Even if he was not serious, there was no way he would lose to such an enemy. So now which spell should he use? It would not be wise to destroy the entire corpse. He needed the knights to see their corpses. 

　Then—

“<Delay Magic Death>”

　He cast an Eighth Tier spell. However, there was no visible change on his targets. However, understanding that he did something, the Gigant Basilisks hissed ferociously.

　Ainz chuckled.

　They had no idea what spell he cast— A lack of knowledge would lead to misfortune.

　From his experience in Yggdrasil, Ainz had a deep understanding of the timings of delayed spells. And because of this, he immediately cast a spell on the other monster.

“<Death>”

　An Instant Death spell from Ainz, a veteran in necromancy. Resistance was futile.

　Simultaneously, the two Gigant Basilisks drew their last breaths. Ainz gained some satisfaction in the fact that his skills had not rusted.

“Great. They are beautiful corpses without any external wounds…. I should turn one undead and ride it back to Nazarick…. No, let’s do both of them. It would be annoying to carry around such a large body. I should let them walk themselves.”

　Just as he spoke—

“My lord god!”

　Ainz’s nonexistent heart skipped a beat.

　The loud shout of a man rang through the area.

　Forgetting to hide his real face, Ainz searched for the source of the sound. His line of sight led to right beside the Gigant Basilisk. A man appeared next to the powerless body.

“My lord god!”

　The man crawled out from a hole and repeated himself. From the fact that he was staring right into Ainz’s undead face, the “god” he was referring to was no doubt Ainz himself.

　It was extremely strange to see such a well-dressed man appear in such a place, and Ainz had no memory of him. However, from his words, Ainz could guess who he was.

(Does he…. Perhaps, is that it….)

　Having learnt the man’s identity, Ainz summoned an obsidian throne, and regally took a seat. He nodded at the man, acknowledging his presence.

“Yes. I am your god.”

“Just as I thought!” The man approached Ainz and got down on one knee in a display of loyalty. “So all that about being exiled by those great sinners were nothing but false tales!”

(….Hmm?)

　The man’s words made no sense to him, but a god like Ainz could not ask for clarification. 

“Yes. Your god is here.”

　As if waiting for these words from Ainz, the man’s eyes began filling with tears of joy.

“Oh, my lord.” In contrast to the man lowering his head, Ainz was taken aback. But he still had to put up his facade. 

　Lifting the chin of the kneeling man, Ainz peered into his eyes.

(Driven mad by religion… that seems right.)

　Ainz felt a slight chill run down his spine. Within his eyes, Ainz could see a terrifying light. He felt that if he ordered it, this man could easily throw away his own life. In some way, he was just like Ainz’s subordinates in Nazarick..

(But because he is insane, I can easily control him.)

“I am done with my tasks here. Do your best to please me. If you do, I will grant you miracles.”

“Haha! My god! I have received your words.”

　Taking a quick glance at the man still bowing, Ainz stood up. Deactivating the spell, he felt the throne disappear.

　Walking past him, Ainz activated a special skill on the two corpses of the Gigant Basilisks, transforming them into zombies.

　Ainz mentally commanded them to lower their heads, and he climbed up on one of their backs.

“Go.”

　Slowly, the Gigant Basilisks moved forward. Only remnants of the smooth movements from the time they were alive remained, but it was possible to make it to the wagon. Though its movements were clumsy, their large size meant huge strides, and hence a reasonable speed. 

(Although it looks like they are going to crash into the trees….)

　The zombies were about to brainlessly bulldoze through the trees, but Ainz’s managed to maneuver them with his telepathic commands. Lacking such intelligence was their weakness.  In Yggdrasil, their only use was to run straight into the enemies and draw their aggro, but since they were used in various areas in this world, this weakness became even more obvious.

　That said, zombies were not monsters worth concerning himself with.

　Entering the forest and confirming that he was safe, Ainz looked back.

　While the man’s figure was hidden by the trees, he was probably still kneeling, with no intention of even moving.

“Religion is terrifying….”

　What revealed the man’s identity was his words.

　Ainz was confident that he was correct. When he met the man, Ainz saw his true face.

　There was only one group that would call a terrifying undead by the title of god. Yes—

“Wow, that was surprising…. That cult of the evil god has come all the way out here. They were also in the Academy…. Will the Empire be alright? Or is the cult more far-reaching than expected? If so, it was quite the find.”

　Ainz lost a bit of confidence in Jircniv’s statesmanship ability, but he frowned for a different reason.

　Ainz felt a prickle in his heart.

　There was just one strange point.

　When he first met them, he recalled that there were no young men or women amongst the cultists, but after a bit of thinking, it was probably just that there were members he had yet to meet.

　But the reason for this strangeness was—

“A god….huh. They called me an evil god though….” Ainz shook his head. “Well, gods and evil gods are both gods.”