Overlord (Light Novel)

Inside the Green Secret House, Ainz was working together with Mare.

First, they lined up the food on top of an obsidian desk that was produced using magic. There was also warm soup, but it was put inside something to keep it warm and they planned to serve it right before they ate. They prepared glasses full of ice for three and placed a bottle full of juice in the center of the desk.

Even with the door of the Green Secret House closed it was still perfectly ventilated, it was made so that through the work of a magical mechanism neither sounds nor smells could leak out from the inside. However, because the protection of that magic wouldn’t work when the door was opened, even though the two of them had shut themselves in here, it meant that when Aura came back the smell of the food would leak outside.

Smells could be carried for a surprisingly long distance. Aura, of all people, probably wouldn’t commit some blunder like returning to base without confirming the surrounding area was safe, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that a scent flying outside of Aura’s sensory range wouldn’t be noticed by someone else. In this forest, if someone with intelligence and culture caught the scent of some delicious food, they would surely find it suspicious.

The Dark Elves themselves didn’t possess a sense of smell on par with beasts. However, in this world, it became possible depending on the class build. Even if the person themselves couldn’t do it, if they were using a magical beast, and could communicate with it wordlessly, it would amount to the same thing.

In other words, this meant that Ainz and Mare were diligently working away at something that would make Aura’s work wasted. Ainz was also fully aware of this.

So, the reason the two of them were cheerfully preparing for a meal was because, even with Ainz forcing his empty skull to work at full capacity, this was the only idea he could come up with to escape his feelings of guilt in the end.

Namely, it was to greet Aura with a delicious meal when she came home tired from work.

Of course, he might be getting his priorities backward by showing his appreciation with an act that would put all of Aura’s perseverance to waste. That was why Ainz thought about it the other way around.

Yes, they just didn’t have to be found out by another person.

The problem was the smell being spread around the area, and that someone else might be lured in, enticed by it. If that was the case, he just had to make it so the smell didn’t spread.

The most fool-proof way was to have the table set, shut the door when Aura came inside, and serve the food. But that lacked impact.

That was why, when the door opened it would be “ta-dah!” there’s the food.

That feeling of surprise itself had the biggest meaning and significance.

So, he had returned to Nazarick and had the head chef prepare dishes with as weak a smell as possible. On top of that, the wind elemental that Mare summoned with a magic item sent the air around them up into the sky. All the air including the smells would be sent up to the tops of the trees where it would finally start to spread. Scent particles were heavier than air, he didn’t know whether it was the same in this world. For some reason, they might not come back down, and even if they did, by the time they reached the ground they would have become considerably diluted.

But, because when the updraft is created the leaves will sway slightly—not to an extent that Ainz would worry about—but if some sharp-eyed person were watching from the sky, they might feel like something was out of place. However, a few days ago, when Ainz was doing high-altitude reconnaissance, ordinary birds were about the only things that were flying in the sky, so it was probably fine not to worry.

“U, um, Ainz-sama. It’s about time I returned this to you.”

Around the time the preparations were finished, what Mare held out was the Orb Ainz had given him a short while ago.

It was a top-quality magic item he had named Elemental Gacha. Inside the transparent, glass-like sphere were four lights moving around in circles.

(T/N: “Elemental Gacha” inferred from “ガチャえれ”)

Four times a day you could summon and use an elemental for one hour.

The types of Elemental that could be summoned were fire, water, wind, and earth. There were also the composite Elementals of fire + earth = magma, water + wind = blizzard, earth + water = bog, fire + water = hydrothermal, earth + wind = sandstorm, fire + wind = firenado, and more.

(T/N: “hydrothermal” was 熱水 in JP which is hard to TL. The original suggests water with a temperature range between a hot spring and a deadly caldera, but “scalding elemental” sounds weird)

Among these, the elementals of fire, water, wind, and earth could manifest as high-ranking elementals with levels in the low-40s, mid-rank elementals with levels in the mid-20s, and as lower-rank elementals with levels in the single digits.

On these occasions, a single high-ranking elemental was summoned. The number of mid-rank elementals was random but between 1 and 3 were summoned, the number of lower-rank elementals summoned was also random, but a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 6 were summoned.

In regards to the composite elementals, they could manifest as high-ranking elementals with levels in the mid-50s, mid-rank elementals with levels in the low-30s, and as lower-rank elementals with levels in the low-10s. However, the number of composite elementals summoned in all cases was one.

Just from hearing this, you might think it sounded pretty useful, but unfortunately the elemental summoned was chosen randomly. Moreover, compared to the lower-rank elementals, getting a high-ranking elemental to appear was difficult. When it came to the higher-ranking elementals it was on the same level as winning a Shooting Star Ring.

It was far too strategically useless to not be able to summon something that suited the opponent or situation. If you summoned an earth elemental when flying in the sky, all you could do was watch it drop like a rock. In fact, they had to use the item three times until Mare could summon a wind elemental.

“No, there’s no need for that. I’m giving it to you, Mare. As you are aware, the item is a little iffy, so I’d be happy if you would hold onto it for me if you don’t mind. Although it would be a little different if it could summon, say, the highest ranking elementals, defiled elementals, or holy elementals... Furthermore, it was originally restricted so that only druids could use it. If Mare doesn’t have it, then its only role as an item would be decorating the Treasure Hall.”

It might be useful while your levels were low, but when it came to Ainz and Mare it was an item that couldn’t even be used as a shield. For that reason, he had originally placed it in his Inventory thinking he would give it to someone whose levels were low.

“A, are you sure that’s okay?”

“Yeah, I don’t mind. Rather than leaving it collecting dust in the Treasure Hall, Mare using it would be 100 times more valuable.”

“Th, thank you very much! Uh, umm...so are the elementals summoned by this considered the same as having been summoned using magic of that element?”

“Hm?”

“Uhh, I also have an item that can summon elementals, but for those you have to cast a spell with the corresponding element, or that has it as a secondary element, before activating it.”

In other words, if Mare wanted to summon a flame elemental using an item, he had to use magic that had flame as a secondary element, for example—although Mare couldn’t cast it— [Fireball] before using it.

“I believe the prerequisites have probably been met, but why don’t we test it out once, the next time we have time to do it?”

“Y, yes! Please let me do it.”

In the past—this was before he trusted them completely—he had investigated the abilities of all the NPCs, and in doing so he had also learned about their equipment.

The item that could summon elementals that Mare mentioned could certainly summon a single high-level elemental, but could only do so once every twenty-four hours, and the summoning duration wasn’t even ten minutes. If he were being honest, the value of the item itself was low. There were plenty of other much more powerful items.

And yet, the reason Mare hadn’t switched out that piece of equipment was because Bukubukuchagama had given it to him.

Ainz knew that this sentiment was shared among all NPCs.

In spite of there being far better items, the NPCs would not change their own items. If they were to change them, it would just be for another piece of equipment that they had been given at the beginning. Of course, if Ainz gave it to them, like he did just now, they would use the item, but they had never submitted a request wanting to switch out their gear of their own accord. The only time might have been when they were having combat drills and Albedo came pleading that she wanted to borrow various things.

They were all being bound.

That was an extremely rude way of putting it, but those were the words that flashed through his mind.

That went for himself, too—

“—uh, umm, is something wrong?”

Ainz was pulled back to reality by the worried-looking Mare’s expression. It seems he had been thinking about meaningless things.

“Hm? Oh, no, nothing, that’s right, it’s nothing at all. I was just thinking about how if I were Mare, how I should use this item, that’s all. Sure enough, summoning an elemental in advance is about all it’s—”

The Cerberus on the other side of the door moved.

When Ainz opened the door Cerberus let out a growl, the three heads were pointed in a certain direction. There could be no doubt that this meant “someone’s comin’.”

Ainz and Mare looked at one another.

“I had intended not to let any smells slip out but... was my plan seen through?

“I, I don’t think that’s what...it is though...”

Cerberus hadn’t met Aura and Fenrir. Even so, it had noticed their scents that clung to Ainz and Mare, so I shouldn’t react like this.

The two of them looked in the direction Cerberus was glaring together. There didn’t appear to be anything hiding in the trees. Mare cupped a hand behind his ears, trying to hear any sounds coming from that direction.

“Uh, umm, it definitely seems like something is heading this way...”

“In other words...it’s not them, is it?”

When Aura and Fenrir departed they had gone making nary a sound.

“I, I’m sorry. I can’t tell...that much... Bu, but, you’re right. As Ainz-sama says, I think if it were my sister she would be coming much more quietly...bu, but... I don’t think there’s any chance that she would make noise on purpose just to let us know that she searched the area and that she knows there’s no problem, and that she’s heading back...”

In other words, he didn’t know.

“Then I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll be going as we originally planned.”

Ainz activated [Perfect Unkowable] and gave a command for Cerberus to accompany him.

Unlike when it was necessary for him to give verbal commands, mental commands wouldn’t be interfered with by [Perfect Unknowable]. However, because even Cerberus couldn’t see Ainz, their positioning was important. If they handled it poorly, it was possible he would be sent flying by Cerberus.

Hmmm, [Perfect Unkowable] really does come in handy. It’s a shame that Pandora’s Actor, who can transform into me, is the only one who can use it. Well, there are others who could do it if I allowed them to use scrolls, but there are things like materials, time limits, and all sorts of other problems with that.

While mumbling and grumbling in his head, Ainz walked following Cerberus’ lead. Before long, even Ainz’s ears could hear the sound of grass being trampled, and he saw an enormous shadow.

A bear?

However, this was different from your average bear. It seemed to have six legs and looked like its fur was soaking wet and clinging to its body. Maybe it was some sort of magical beast with the special ability to shoot out water?

But what caught Ainz’s eye more than that was Aura sitting on its back. She was holding a whip in her hand, and caused the bear-type magical beast to tremble in fear when she cracked it at a regular interval.

On the side was Fenrir accompanying them.

…Aura didn’t have that sort of magical beast under her command, right? What the hell is going on?

No, he could just ask her about it. It seems they had noticed the Cerberus and were warily looking this way. But, the reason they didn’t immediately move to attack was probably because they couldn’t confirm whether it was a wild Cerberus or a Cerberus that Ainz had summoned. They seemed to be saying that if it were Ainz’s servant, it should somehow have that feeling to it, or would it be different for a summoned monster?

Ainz canceled [Perfect Unknowable].

“Ainz-sama!” In an instant Aura, the look of caution disappearing from her face, shouted in joy. “Hey! Giddy-up!”

Aura swung her whip at the bear that seemed rather reluctant to come this way. Letting out a scream that could only be thought of as animal abuse, the bear walked to Ainz, terrified.

When Aura arrived in front of Ainz she dismounted the bear.

“Welcome back, Aura.”

“I’m back, Ainz-sama. Uh, I’m sure you have some questions, so let me answer them first. This bear-type magical beast seemed to be the boss of this area, so I placed it under my control! I used a whip to drill it into ‘em that I’m the boss. Why did I even do such a thing, how could I tell that to Ainz-sama, right?”

Ainz wondered what the hell “that” was.

...To tell you the truth, I don’t know just how powerful that magical beast is...but is it strong enough that the Dark Elves and other animals are wary of it?

“Oh, that’s right. When you’re as strong as Ainz-sama, you can’t tell how strong this small-fry is. Let me see, it certainly isn’t that strong, but it seems to have more than enough strength to control this area as its territory. So, if it were your ordinary, average Dark Elf—I think they wouldn’t get close because it would be dangerous. Actually, it appears nobody approaches this entire area out of fear of this guy. Therefore, I recommend making this our temporary camping area, on the point that an intruder will hardly ever appear.”

“That’s wonderful.”

I see, Ainz thought.

There certainly was a bigger merit in placing it under their control rather than just killing it. Because it was unclear how much time they were going to spend searching for and observing the Dark Elves with this as their base. If that was the case, then if they killed the lord of the territory, the surrounding area would be in an uproar, and the Dark Elves were likely to come here to gather information. So it would be better to let it live, in the sense that they could also avoid that kind of encounter.

Be that as it may—

“Aura. It’s not as if I’m questioning your judgment, but aren’t you already controlling magical beasts to the limits of your ability? There haven’t been any magical beasts within Nazarick that have been released from your control due to this one being placed under your control, have there?”

In most cases it was customary for them to be freed in order from oldest to newest, not when one was to choose and release magical beasts, but when they were forced to be released.

It was even the same for summoned and created monsters. In YGGDRASIL, there were few examples of a warning message popping up and being able to select which one to release yourself.

“Everything’s A-Okay! Beast Tamers have connections to the magical beasts placed under their control, but I don’t have a connection with this one, per se. In other words, that means I haven’t placed them under my complete control. I just simply drilled it into him that I’m the stronger one. So I’m not using the Beast Tamer ability to raise its abilities either.

“I see...if that’s the case then we can’t say it’s completely safe, can we?

That meant it was possible for its wild instincts to awaken and suddenly attack them. Having said that, he couldn’t imagine Aura overlooking that possibility. She had probably judged that the people here wouldn’t suffer the slightest injury from it. However, they had to confirm it, just in case.

Ainz, wondering what level it was around, suddenly remembered his pet.

“...By the way, which is stronger, Hamsuke or this one?”

Aura had an apologetic look on her face.

No, even if you didn’t look so distressed... Can’t you clearly tell just by looking that the bear-type magical beast is stronger?

“May I be allowed to answer you honestly?”

“Of course. I, the master of Hamsuke, have no reservations at all. Let me hear your unbiased opinion.”

“In that case...speaking in terms of pure physical abilities, it’s stronger than the old Hamsuke. B, but! Hamsuke can use magic, so if you consider that much, it’s difficult to predict which one would win in the event they fought. Because if magic is effective, the course of the battle will be decided instantly. On top of that...the current Hamsuke even has the Warrior class. If it’s in an armored state, I think Hamsuke would win without question.”

The image of the Hamsuke that just lazed around sleeping appeared in Ainz’s mind. And for some reason, there was a Death Knight next to him.

He became slightly irritated.

Certainly, Hamsuke was classified as a pet, so Ainz didn’t mind that he lazed about, you could also say he was working just by walking around with Momon. On top of that, Ainz also knew that he was working hard to acquire the Warrior class and other skills. And yet, it made him angry whenever he saw someone goofing off next to someone who was working hard.

“You don’t have to go so far to stand up for Hamsuke, Aura,” but he swallowed those words. It was out of consideration for Aura’s feelings. She would never praise Hamsuke.

“I see—” Could he say anything more than I see? Ainz, who didn’t want to say anything like “Hamsuke’s pretty amazing too, huh,” was at a loss, so he decided to ignore it and move on. “—So did a magical beast that strong just happened to be here? Or is it that magical beasts like this are common in the Sea of Trees? It’s something I’d like to investigate thoroughly. We haven’t spotted any high-level magical beasts on our route so far, have we?”

“Yes. There may have been some that were just passing through, but I didn’t see any. Perhaps if we searched, we might be able to find some, but what are we going to do?”

“No, we won’t bother with that. It’s not as if we came here to find this sort of magical beast.”

“Understood, Ainz-sama. But there’s something about exploring that is a little attractive. Magical beasts like this bear haven’t been found even in the Great Forest of Tob. Therefore, there’s a high probability that plants and animals— the native medicinal plants, and things that are unique to this place— optimized for this environment are living here. On top of that, there may be places where some kind of special phenomenon is occurring.”

In this world that had magic, places where special phenomena occurred existed.

Water that flowed from bottom to top, a hill where a pillar of rainbow-colored light stood on the days it hailed, a desert where an enormous tornado occurred once every few decades, it seemed that these sorts of peculiar sights could be seen. That’s right, could—unfortunately, there still weren’t any of those mysterious areas within the territories swallowed up by the Sorcerer Kingdom.

In YGGDRASIL, these sorts of places had unique effects, and rare materials and monsters could be found there.

Would that rule also apply to this world? Let’s take the Pillar of Prismatic Light that dropped a Rainbow Stone, as if that light had solidified, after it vanished, for example. This was famous as an item that aided in the creation of magic items.

Wouldn’t it be related to the strengthening of Nazarick if that kind of special region could be brought under the Sorcerer Kingdoms’ control?

“It doesn’t seem likely that the Elves have a thorough knowledge of the Great Sea of Trees. If that’s the case, then it’s just as you said, Aura. In the future our objective will be exploring this place—that’s right, it may be necessary to send out Adventurers.”

The undead that Ainz produced were unable to do things like discovering new species of medicinal plants. Maybe it was time for an adventuring party with an undead team of luggage bearers added on to take the stage after all.

“Now then—let’s head back. Mare is waiting for us.”

“Okay!... Even so, Ainz-sama. This is just to confirm, but is that Cerberus something that Ainz-sama has summoned?”

“Yes, of course, you’re exactly right. It’s the monster I summoned to substitute for Fenrir.”

Ainz walked along with Aura. Of course, Fenrir and Cerberus were also with them. The magical beast bear displayed an attitude that it didn’t want to go, but with just one crack of Aura’s whip, it mutely came along.

“...By the way, Aura. What are you planning to do with that magical beast? Considering that it hasn’t been placed completely under your control, how do you think we should deal with it?”

“Yes. So I’d like to consult with you on this, but is it okay if I bring it back to Nazarick?”

“Are you going to let it roam freely on the Sixth Floor?”

It was one thing if it possessed the degree of intelligence necessary to hold a conversation like Hamsuke, but he couldn’t allow a low-intelligence magical beast to roam around freely. Even a magical beast around this level could probably kill the ordinary maids. If that were so, then a portion of the NPCs would be barred from entering the Sixth Floor. And that wasn’t all, there were the other plant-type monsters on the Sixth Floor. There was also the question of what to do about their safety.

“I wasn’t considering going so far as to let it roam around freely, but I have been thinking I want to try placing magical beasts under my control, excluding the Skills I have as a Beast Tamer. I was thinking that I could use it in that experiment.”

“Hmm. If it’s something like that I really want to assist you with it but...”

To gain a power that was unique to this world, and impossible in YGGDRASIL. From the point of view of Ainz, who was thinking about it increasing their own abilities that couldn’t grow any further, he should have accepted Aura’s proposal. However—

“It’s not like it absolutely has to be this magical beast, does it? Something much weaker...how about starting with a magical beast that’s around level 1?”

If it were a magical beast of that order, then the NPCs—even if the ordinary maids were attacked, they could probably manage it somehow or other with the strength of their equipment.

“That might be fine, too...” Aura showed signs that she didn’t accept it. “If Ainz-sama says to do it that way then—”

“—No, I’m not saying anything like that, alright? But, I was wondering why does it have to be that bear? Is it that you actually like bears?”

Suddenly, Aura looked back over her shoulder.

“...Fen. I’m going to get mad.” Was all she said in a slightly cold tone, and immediately turned her head forward. “—Sorry about that Ainz-sama. It was because Fen looked like he was going to do something weird...”

Ainz looked back, but it didn’t feel like he was about to do anything. However, that was probably because she had said something. Ainz returned his gaze and asked Aura a question.

“Ah, well, don’t worry about it. Now then, why that bear?”

“Yes. It can’t talk like Hamsuke can, but it seemed like it was fairly intelligent. Fen and the others can’t talk, but they’re really clever, aren’t they? I don’t think whether being able to talk or not is the end-all-be-all of intelligence. As you would expect, the ones with a certain degree of intelligence are more suited to training.”

Certainly, had a feeling that he may or may not have a memory of seeing Fen and thinking the same thing. Suzuki Satoru lived a life unconnected with pets, but that seemed to be fundamentally different from the”good dogs” he heard about in stories. Of course, if you just said it was because he was a magical beast that would be the end of it.

“So that’s why Fen sometimes listens to what Mare says, the ones with a certain degree of intelligence are more suited for training after all. Or, you could just raise one from infancy...”

“It would take too much time to do that, huh? Then something that matures in a short time like a dog...Aah, I don’t know if that’ll be useful for the training of magical beasts in that situation.”

In order to train magical beasts, it was logical to try and use them. When you considered that you also had no choice but to accept Aura’s proposal.

“...but outside of Nazarick is fine. Look, right now, there’s that place where we brought the humans from the Royal Capital are living, right? How about there?”

“That’s the fake Nazarick I built, right? The adventurers are using it... How about if I don’t let it roam around the Sixth Floor, and I keep it isolated until I believe its training is completely finished?”

“...could that be our point of compromise?”

“Yes! Thank you very much, Ainz-sama. For listening to my own selfish wishes.”

Ainz smiled at Aura with her head bowed.

“Not at all. Just as Albedo is conducting combat drills, that attitude of trying to improve oneself is magnificent by itself. All of you NPCs are my—no, Ainz Ooal Gown’s—pride and joy.”

Aura’s eyes were wide open, and she stopped moving.

At that transformation Ainz scolded himself, had he said something he shouldn’t have? He didn’t have any recollection of that. No—

—I didn’t get that feeling, but did I go and say something that made Aura feel uncomfortable from her perspective? Being Chagama-san’s pride and joy itself was everything to her, and she didn’t give a damn about everyone else, something like that? Or could it be that she’s... happy? It’s not as if she’s smiling... Hmm. Maybe I should act anticipating the worst, instead of expecting the best.

But it would be even more awkward if he carelessly apologized. Therefore, Ainz only had one measure he could take.

“Oh, that’s right. To show our appreciation for all your hard work, we’ve prepared a meal. I prepared it together with Mare, you know. Oops, of course, none of us know how to cook, so all we did was carry it back from Nazarick.”

He glossed over the whole thing.

“Hahaha,” while he continued to laugh, he took the opportunity to peek at Aura’s appearance.

Hm? She’s not mad? It might be a forced smile, or it might be a smile of flattery, but she is smiling, right?

Aura was smiling so broadly that he couldn’t believe it was insincere. She might have been happy at hearing that a meal had been prepared. Or maybe she was happy at being praised by Ainz?

At any rate, I need to give the NPCs a whole lot more praise, don’t I.

Ainz hardened his resolve to do so. He had a feeling that one of the Guild Members had said in a voice devoid of emotion, “Gratitude is something that isn’t transmitted to the other party if left unsaid. If you think you’re transmitting it and say nothing, then before you know it your wife’s discontent will accumulate outrageously.”

Was that Touch-san?

While he was desperately trying to remember, the Green Secret House came into view. When they were all standing in front of it Mare, who was monitoring things from the inside, opened the door.

“Welcome back, si, sis.”

“Yeah. I’m home.”

She could see a fully set dining table behind Mare. Aura’s gaze raced over it. Ainz was also racked with tension.

“Wow, it looks so delicious!”

Seeing Aura’s face break into a smile, Ainz was relieved. He had been a little worried she would say something like, “Aww, and I was in the mood for katsudon today...”—while thinking that was something she would definitely never say. Because he rarely had the chance to share a table with someone, he had been worried that his pickiness about the food had become extremely dulled and crude.

“Yes, the head chef would be happy to hear you think so. In addition to that, I also had Fenrir’s portion prepared, but...”

They had placed an enormous huge lump of meat, exclusively for Fenrir, on top of a stump they had prepared next to the base. It was a cow they had been raising for livestock, so fresh that it had only just been strangled, and the blood was still dripping. The dairy farm was in a place that was separated by a short distance from Nazarick, a vast plot where the cattle were largely left to graze.

The head chef said, “I personally prefer the taste of grain-fed to grass-fed meat for that breed.” Perhaps he had a big influence, or other people felt the same way, but it wasn’t a very popular choice of meat within Nazarick.

Originally they weren’t allowed to graze, maybe we should raise them so they become even more delicious. However, they didn’t have enough manpower for that. In E-Rantel, among the people who had been forcefully moved in order to create the demi-human district—its nickname— there were hardly any people who had skills related to animal husbandry, and even if there had been, they would have gone in the direction of the frontier villages. Be that as it may, it was just someone who was fussy about the taste talking, there weren’t any problems if it were a magical beast’s feed.

“...What should we do about the portion for that magical beast bear?”

“He’ll be fine even if he doesn’t eat. It looks like he ate right before he ran into me. On top of that, apparently one kind of training.is not giving him any food until he completely understands that I’m the boss, and obeys me.”

“Is that so... No, well, it might certainly be exactly like that. Even for humans or other races, the ones that have been mentally pushed to the breaking point, fully obey us.”

They entered the Green Secret House while saying that and other things.

“You can go ahead and eat.”

When Aura said that before going through the door, Fenrir, who had been patiently waiting, sank his teeth into the meat. The magical beast bear just blankly watched that sight. That figure with the sagging shoulders certainly did appear human-like, and just like Aura said, it made you feel like it did possess some level of intelligence.

Incidentally, Cerberus didn’t need dinner. Even if you gave a summoned monster food, it would be pointless. It wasn’t as if there weren’t any cases when they were strengthened by giving them food that granted Buffs, but at least right now Ainz didn’t feel an ounce of necessity to do that sort of thing. “Huh? You serious?” “Bullying is not cool!” “So hungry.” Having decided that, Ainz had a hunch those were the reactions to his decision coming back from the Cerberus, but it was probably just his imagination.

The three of them arrived at the table Ainz had prepared.

“Go on and eat.”

The two of them said, “Thank you for this meal,” in unison. Naturally, Ainz was not able to eat. Aura was the first one to eat.

“Ainz-sama! This is delicious!”

“Mm-hmm”, Mare nodded in agreement with his sister’s words. Ainz smiled at the two of them.

“That’s great. I’ll pass it along to the head chef...I want you two to listen to what I have to say while you’re eating, but we know from Aura’s investigation that we’ll be fine even if we build a temporary base in this area. Therefore, we will choose a place to relocate the Green Secret House, and after that’s finished I want us to take action in order to find the Dark Elf Village.”

The two of them stopped eating and earnestly listened to what Ainz had to say. Well, even Suzuki Satoru would have stopped eating if his boss started talking about something job-related.

“After that, we will establish friendly relations with the Dark Elves. As our plan to carry that out—so long as Aura permits it, I want to carry out Mission: Red Ogre Cried.”

Ainz grinned. He had once carried it out with his friends, and those friends had dubbed it a dirty trick. In truth, right when he was thinking about using a monster he had summoned himself, Aura brought back just the right magical beast for the job. If she gave her approval to use it, there would be no other hand to play as magnificent as this one.

It not being under her complete control was an element of uncertainty in the plan, but conversely, that would also increase the realism.

He didn’t know whether it differed by the individual or by their race, but there was no uniformity in the acting ability of monsters. The Evil Lord of Wrath had given an outstanding performance, but according to Shizu it seemed that, “the Circlet Demon was a damn ham.”

(T/N: “damn ham” as in “ham actor”, the original is “クソ(kuso) 大根 (daikon)” = “shitty actor”)

He had wanted to conceal their identities and strength, but wouldn’t it be better if they could just slip right in? If it were fine to spend however many years on it, there might have been a much more different way to go about it, but when he considered the Theocracy he didn’t think they had that much time.

“Cried because of sadness? Or cried as in shouting? Ainz-sama, just what is this plan?”

(T/N: Original line had puns on “cried”, hard to TL. “食らい？いえ、暗いでしょうか？”)

Ainz once more grinned at the curious Aura. At one time, it was one of the many things he had learned from his friends.

It seemed that the strategy’s name was based on something, but Ainz acted like he knew, without actually knowing. But he could explain what that strategy was if he based his explanation on his real experiences with it. Ainz opened his mouth—

“—Oh! It’s The Red Oni Who Cried, right? I read that book recently!”

Being the first time he learned the source of the strategy’s name, Ainz closed his mouth and slowly looked up at the sky.

If he had seen a majestic blue sky here, Ainz’s mind, its own ignorance beaten into it by a child, might have also learned a thing or two. He might have received the consolation that he was small compared to the entire world.

However, all he saw was the ceiling of the Green Secret House. After he had stared at the unremarkable ceiling for a bit, he turned his face to see Mare’s pure and innocent smile.

The possibility still remained that Mare was jumping to the wrong conclusion.

“...Is that right? You’re something else, Mare. I’ve never read that book before. You say it’s called The Red Oni Who Cried...”

“Yes! So the contents of that book are—what we’re going to use that bear that my sister brought back to do, right!”

Oh yeah, probably, that’s a bull’s eye.

“...Uh huh. Yeah. You sure are amazing Mare...”

And so, Ainz showed the two of them a smile.