Overlord

"Understood. If that happens, we'll protect Nfirea-san and flee the forest. But don't push yourself too hard either, Momon-san."

"Thank you. I'll escape when it gets dangerous."

"Then… Momon-san."

Nfirea seemed to be wavering between speech and silence. In the end, he made up his mind and said:

"Could you not kill the Wise King of the Forest, but instead chase it away?"

"…Why is that?"

"Mm, Carne Village has not been attacked by monsters because the Wise King of the Forest's territory is nearby. If you defeat the Wise King of the Forest…"

"I see…"

"That might be a bit much. Momon-san is strong, but his opponent is a legendary monster. Wouldn't he be in trouble if he couldn't defend himself with his full strength? How would he have the luxury of—"

"I understand."

"Wha—!" Lukrut exclaimed in shock.

The other Swords of Darkness remained silent, but their surprise was written all over their faces.

"It might be difficult, but I'll try to go easy on it and merely chase it away."

Ainz's reply, brimming with confidence, raised goosebumps on the skin of his fellow adventurers.

"Even if your opponent is… a legendary monster that's lived for centuries…"

"Is this the sort of attitude that only the strong have…"

"Judging by Momon-san's personality, he probably isn't exaggerating or bluffing…"

In stark contrast to the Swords of Darkness, Nfirea had an idea of Ainz's power, and he had a relieved expression on his face.

As he looked toward the young man, Ainz laughed in his heart.

Nfirea hoped that monsters would not attack Carne Village. That being the case, all Ainz needed to do was to have other monsters replace the Wise King of the Forest in enforcing its area of influence. That way he could still fulfill Nfirea's wish.

Even if he ended up killing the Wise King of the Forest, all he had to do was dispatch vassals from Nazarick to replace him.

"All right! Now, let's move on. The herbs I'm looking for this time look like this. If anyone finds them, let me know."

Nfirea produced a sample of a withered plant from a herb-gathering pouch on his belly.

"Oh, it's Ngenac grass!"

To Ainz, it looked like the nearby weeds. However, Dyne the druid was different, and he immediately named the plant.

Lukrut and Ninya nodded in response to hearing the name. They probably had some herbal knowledge themselves, and the name jogged their memories.

Just as he was hesitating over whether to pretend that he knew, everyone looked at Ainz.

"Momon-san, are you all right?"

"Eh? Ah, that plant? I've heard of it."

Ainz calmly nodded in agreement.

If he were not undead, his voice might have become high-pitched from panic, but his helmet prevented others from seeing his expression, which also concealed his feelings. Ainz was sheathed in heavy armor and cut an imposing figure, but his heart was closer to that of a bunny.

"Yes, this herb is commonly used when making potions."

"So it's commonly found near adventurers!"

"Indeed it is. Now I see why we came to this place — I've heard that wild herbs are more potent than cultivated ones, no?"

"That's right. Incidentally, the fact that we use all-natural ingredients in our potions is a point of pride for us! Well, they're only about ten percent more effective than those of the competition."

"That ten percent can be crucial to people who frequently put their lives on the line. To think you sell better potions for the same price… as expected of the Bareare Apothecary, which built its reputation on selling high-quality potions."

As he heard Nfirea and the Swords of Darkness discussing potions, Ainz fell into deep thought.

In YGGDRASIL, healing potions were usually made through skills that were only available through certain job classes, or by casting the d.e.s.i.r.ed spells on the appropriate ingredients. Although Ainz knew a little about this field, all he knew was that the ingredients were made by compounding specific substances with an alchemical solvent, but never through the use of herbs.

In other words, potions in this world were made in a different way from YGGDRASIL. This must have been what Nfirea meant by "could not be made by normal methods."

Ainz was convinced that mastering the potion-making techniques of this world would strengthen Nazarick. The question now was how to master them.

As he was thinking, the conversation seemed to have turned to the job once more, and Ainz turned to listen.

"There's a clearing in the forest, which I've designated as our destination. I've already told you about that place, Lukrut-san, so please guide us there."

After hearing Lukrut's casual "Leave it to me," Nfirea turned back to the others.

"Then, let's begin the herb collection—"

"—I have a suggestion, actually."

"Please tell us, Momon-san."

"Since Nabe can cast something like the 「Alarm」 spell we used when pitching camp, could we temporarily split off when we reach the destination?"

Everyone, Nfirea included, wrinkled their brows. This was because they were uneasy about their strongest fighting force leaving them in such a dangerous area. However, Nfirea quickly replied:

"That's fine. However, please don't go for too long."

"Of course. In order to avoid getting lost, I'll tie a rope to myself. Tug on it if there's anything."

"Then, could I go too? I need to watch carefully in case you and Nabe-chan do something weird in the bushes."

"Die, inferior lifeform (c.o.c.kroach). Is l.u.s.t the only thing left in your head? If I castrated you, would you still be able to move?"

"…That's enough, Nabe. Lukrut-san, there's no need to go that far. Although, I'd like to ask Ninya-san if there's a spell which can tell you where members of your group are when you're scattered in the forest. It would be convenient if such a magic existed."

"I've never heard of such a spell. It would be very handy if it existed."

Ainz nodded as he heard Ninya's denial.

There's a sixth tier spell which can detect the location of specific objects. Do they lack knowledge in that field, or is it that there are spells which are unique to YGGDRASIL just as there are spells which are unique to this world?

Ainz put these thoughts aside for a moment and raised his chin to signal Narberal, indicating that she should get ready. Having received her orders, Narberal immediately began sizing up the Swords of Darkness.

"Then, Momon-san and Nabe-san will leave us for a while, and we'll pick the herbs after they return."

Since it was their employer's decision, nobody else could object. The Swords of Darkness nodded one by one.

After the discussion and other matters were concluded, Nfirea called for them to move out. The group shouldered their baggage and entered the forest.

There were trees felled by the villagers nearby. The earth was already dried out. It looked like an easily walkable stretch of forest, but the scenery before their eyes slowly transformed into something like a green labyrinth.

There were no landmarks in the forest, and it was impossible to tell in which direction one was moving. A sense of unease filled everyone, as though they had been swallowed up. The sky-scraping trees further intensified that uneasiness, and most people would have been frightened by this scene. However, Ainz had an undead mind and felt no fear, apart from the vestiges of his human mind. He calmly praised the magnificent natural vista before him.

In YGGDRASIL's forest and other natural zones, he considered these things to be simple in-game scenery. Even now, he still thought the same way.

I see why Blue Planet-san liked nature so much…

He looked around as he surveyed the forest, but it was peaceful, and he saw no traces of any animals. Aside from the distant sound of birdsong, there was no sign of life here at all.

At the same time, he observed Lukrut the ranger advancing carefully, keeping a lookout with all his five senses. He seemed to have concluded that there was no living creature hiding nearby.

Actually, there's someone hiding behind us.

Ainz was proud of the person sneaking behind him.

The group — save for two people — was filled with tension as they walked silently through the forest, where the sun's light could not penetrate and which was surprisingly cool. They sweated heavily because the terrain was difficult and they were under no small amount of mental stress.

Finally, they reached a clearing that was roughly fifty meters across.

"We've arrived at our destination. We'll spread out from here and pick herbs."

Everyone began setting their gear down after they heard Nfirea unburdening himself of his baggage. However, they did not relax. Instead, they carefully observed their surroundings, ready to deal with any sudden developments.

This was because they were no longer in the world of men.

"Then, we'll move as we planned earlier."

After Nfirea replied to that statement in the affirmative, Ainz tied a rope to a nearby tree, then picked the other end up and headed into the forest.

The rope he was holding was not thick, but it was very strong. It would not snap just by being dragged along the ground. While holding the rope, Ainz and Narberal could move in a straight line into the forest.

Normally speaking, it was almost impossible to move in a straight line, since the trees would get in one's way. However, the rope they were holding showed the path, and so the two of them could proceed despite their inexperience with the forest.

They moved about fifty meters into the forest, stopping when the rope had almost run out.

Trees and vegetation blocked the way behind them, so they did not worry about being spotted. There was someone nearby who could immediately deal with anybody who was following them, so there was no need to fret about that either.

"Here should be fine."

"Yes."

"Then, let's discuss how to improve my reputation here."

"…May I ask how you plan to do that? Does it involve finding a lot of the herbs they want?"

Ainz looked quietly at Narberal, and then shook his head:

"I plan to fight the Wise King of the Forest."

Narberal seemed to have a question mark over her head, so Ainz explained further:

"My aim is to impress my might upon them in an easily understandable way."

"…Was the battle with the Ogres not enough to convince them of your power?"

"…You're not wrong to say that, but Goblins and Ogres are not enough. When they discuss my accomplishments back in town, there's a world of difference between saying I slew an Ogre in one blow and saying I defeated the Wise King of the Forest. One of them will spread much faster and further than the other. This is why I need to put on a good show."

"I see! As I thought, your plans take everything into consideration, Ainz-sama! Still, how will we find that Wise King of the Forest?"

"I've already planned for that."

Just as Narberal was about to ask, a third speaker cut in.

"Yup~ that's why I'm here."

Narberal jerked her head over toward the source of the sudden voice. She even thrust her right hand out, preparing to aim and cast a spell. However, her face changed immediately upon seeing who the speaker was.

"Aura-sama! Please don't scare me like that."

"Sorry~"

A dark elf girl popped out from behind a nearby tree, with a beaming smile that seemed to say ehehe on her face.

She was one of the twin Guardians of the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Aura Bella Fiora.

"May I ask when you arrived?"

"Hmm? I've been following behind you and Ainz-sama ever since you entered the forest."

Aura was a beast tamer-c.u.m-ranger, so tracking people in the forest was child's play to her. While it was true that Lukrut was also a ranger, the difference in their abilities was so great that there was no way he could have spotted her.

"So, my job here is to find the monster called the Wise King of the Forest, then urge it to attack Ainz-sama."

"That's right. According to our previous intelligence, the Wise King of the Forest is a four-legged beast with silver fur and a snake-like tail. Does that remind you of anything?"

"Hm, it's fine. It should be that guy," Aura replied as she glanced upward.

"If that's the case, do you want me to tame it directly?"

"…That is also an alternative, but let's not."

Aura the beast tamer should be able to easily subdue the Wise King of the Forest. However, it would be troublesome if someone found out that Ainz had been pulling all the strings. Therefore, it would be wiser to avoid having to worry about such things.

"By the way, Aura, how's the progress on that matter I asked you to handle?"

"Yes!"

Aura swiftly genuflected before Ainz, in the manner of a vassal to her liege.

It did not quite seem like Aura's style, but Ainz responded in kind, listening to her report in his capacity as her master.

"The order you gave me to 'investigate and control the interior of the forest, verify if there are any lifeforms willing to obey Nazarick, and set up a resource storehouse,' is going well, Ainz-sama."

"Is that so," Ainz replied simply.

Before heading to E-Rantel, Ainz had handed down different orders to each Guardian. The reason he ordered Aura — and Mare — to scout the Great Forest was in order to ensure the safety of Nazarick and collect information.

As for the resource storehouse, it might be better to describe it as more of a shelter. The reason he ordered her to build it there was to provide a hiding place in case there was an emergency and he could not return to Nazarick. In addition, it would be best to have an alternate base of operations to avoid Nazarick's location being revealed. And of course, it could be used to store all manner of supplies and resources.

He had ordered her to find creatures which would obey Nazarick because he wanted to see if he could powerlevel them. In addition, he wanted to learn about how one went about gaining levels in this world.

Because of this string of tasks, Aura, Mare, the vassals designated for construction, and other powerful entities had invaded the forest and disrupted the balance of power within it. This was why the Ogres and other monsters had chosen to flee, even at the risk of treading within the domain of the Wise King of the Forest.

"Still, the construction of the storehouse will take a long time to complete."

"That can't be helped. After all, it has only been a short while since I gave you that order."

While Aura had access to golems and undead from Nazarick, which could labor forever without needing to sleep or eat, this was not a task which could be easily finished, considering the amount of work that needed to be done.

"It's all right if it takes extra time. Try your best to make it perfect. Make ample preparations for defense, so we won't fall short if we're attacked."

"Yes! Understood!"

"Very well. Then, Aura, I'll leave the matter of the Wise King of the Forest to you."

"Yes!" Aura replied energetically as she stood back up.

♦ ♦ ♦

After Ainz bade Aura farewell, a gigantic black wolf with a l.u.s.trous black pelt padded out from behind one of the trees, as though it had been waiting for that moment. Its fiery red eyes blazed with intelligence, proving that it was no mere beast.

That was not all.

On the branches of another tree was a six-legged monster which looked like a fusion of a chameleon and an iguana. Its scaly skin ran through a kaleidoscopic array of lightning-fast color changes. It was as large as the wolf from earlier.

"Fen, Quadracile, what's with you? Worried about me?"

The massive wolf called Fen w.h.i.n.ed and nuzzled Aura. Quadracile stuck out its tongue and lightly licked at the top of Aura's head.

"Hey hey, we still have to do the work Ainz-sama gave us."

Aura's fighting strength was second from the bottom among the Guardians of Nazarick, and the fact was that some of the Area Guardians were stronger than her. However, that only took into consideration their solo abilities.

Aura's forte did not lie in fighting as a lone unit, but as part of a group. Of the hundreds of monsters which Aura could summon, the highest level among them was eighty. With the aid of Aura's skills, they could reach level ninety or so. With these beasts at her command, her combat abilities far surpassed those of any other Guardian.

The two monsters here were two of Aura's favorite high-level magical beasts — the Divine Beast Fenrir (also known as Fen), and the equally powerful Itzamna, Quadracile.

As they heard Aura's words, Fen and Quadracile stopped playing around.

"All right, let's go!"

Aura led the two magical beasts in a sprint through the forest. Even though they were surrounded by dense woodland, they were not impeded in the slightest, moving as fast as the wind.

After about thirty minutes of running, Aura reached her destination.

Aura smiled. It was a cold smile which did not fit her youthful face. It was equal parts innocent and cruel.

"I kind of wanted it for myself, but Ainz-sama did give me an order, so it can't be helped."

She did not sound like she was talking to her pets, but rather, like she was muttering to her jewellery.

Aura knew where the Wise King of the Forest made its lair because she had long wanted to subdue it for her own. The Wise King of the Forest was much weaker than Aura's own monsters, so it had no value to her. However, it was an unfamiliar creature to Aura, and that inflamed her collector's d.e.s.i.r.e.

It was a shame to have to let it go, but if she was giving it up to her master, the Supreme Being to whom she owed all loyalty, then she had no complaints.

"Now then…"

Aura began transmuting the air molecules in her lungs. The newly recombined breath was not a natural substance, and it leaked from between her pink lips. This breath of hers could control emotions.

Normally, her breath only filled a very small radius around her, so it was more like a special type of passive skill. However, if she wanted, she could combine this technique with other targeting skills to hit any target within two kilometers with perfect accuracy, even in a forest like this.

However, there was no need for that. Because her objective was to remove any signs of her passing, she snuck up on her target. Not even her magical beasts, let along the natural animals of the forest, could detect Aura as she was now.

Aura proudly walked up to the Wise King of the Forest, all traces of her presence thoroughly erased, and breathed lightly. Her breath contained elements which induced terror, startling awake the sleeping Wise King of the Forest.

Every hair on the Wise King of the Forest stood on end, and it fled immediately. The speed of a terrified four-legged beast was startling. Yet Aura — who was chasing it from behind — was faster still.

Aura shadowed the Wise King of the Forest, harrying it towards Ainz, like she was a guided specter of Death.

"…Still, I wonder if I could take its pelt if it dies…"

♦ ♦ ♦

There was a disturbance in the forest

Lukrut pricked up his ears as he sensed the change in the air. He surveyed his surroundings with a grim expression on his face and wariness in his heart.

"Something's coming."

When they heard this, the Swords of Darkness stopped their herb-gathering and drew their weapons in preparation for battle. Shortly after, Ainz tightened his grip on his greatswords as well.

"Is it the Wise King of the Forest?"

Nobody answered Nfirea's uneasy question as he stuffed the herbs into his bags. Everyone merely watched the depths of the forest in silence.

"This is bad."

Even the usually flighty Lukrut was speaking in a serious tone:

"Something massive is coming. I don't know why it's moving in a serpentine pattern, but from the sound of trampled grass, it should be here soon. However… can't be sure if it's the Wise King of the Forest."

"Let's fall back, it doesn't matter if it's the Wise King of the Forest or not, staying here is very dangerous. Even if it's not the Wise King of the Forest, we've entered its territory, so the chances of it giving chase are very high."

As he said this, Peter looked to Ainz.

"Momon-san, can we trouble you to be the rear guard?"

"No problem. Leave it to me… We'll take care of the rest."

The Swords of Darkness called out their encouragement to Ainz one after the other as they helped Nfirea retreat from of the forest.

"Momon-san, please don't overdo it."

Nfirea's voice carried an absolute faith in Ainz, and his eyes glittered with admiration underneath his hair. It made Ainz feel deeply uncomfortable and he wished that they would leave quickly.

As he watched them disappear into the forest on the other side of the clearing, a twinge of unease ran through Ainz. He was not sure if he could leave the forest by himself, but then he immediately considered that he could let Aura guide him.

There was a more pressing problem before him at the moment—

"Damn… They might think it's not the Wise King of the Forest… and even if I bring it back to Nazarick, I need some proof of having beaten it… Should I cut off one of its legs?"

"—Ainz-sama."

Narberal's gaze was far afield, looking at the mighty shadow that emerged from the distant trees. There was no way to make its shape out because it was hiding behind the trees, and without the sun to light it, there was no way to tell if its body was, in fact, silver.

"Has our guest arrived?"

Or maybe we're the guests, Ainz idly mused as he stepped up in front of Narberal. He had no idea of how strong it was — what level it was, so Ainz made the logical decision of putting himself in front of the magic caster Narberal, who was not suited to melee combat.

Once he got in front of Narberal, Ainz felt the air move. He immediately crossed his greatswords in front of him like a shield.

He heard something like the sound of steel meeting steel, and a tremendous force bore down on Ainz's arms. A weighty and swift object had struck the greatswords Ainz was holding.

He saw a long, serpentine tail slowly retreat behind a tree.

Its tail attacks like a bullwhip. However, judging by the feel and sound of the impact, that tail must be as hard as metal… its attack radius of over twenty meters will be hard to deal with, but how does it live with a tail like that?

With no frontliner skills, Ainz had no idea how to deal with it. All he could do was advance into melee with his foe.

Ainz sighed. Of course, this was just going through the motions, since Ainz had no lungs. He braced his shoulders into a battle-stance, ready to counterattack. In response to this, a serene bass voice boomed out from the forest:

"How spectacular; to think thou could endure the blow of this one. Perhaps this is the first time this one hath encountered a foe possessed of such prowess."

"Thou… this one…"

Ainz's illusory face hardened, and then he considered that those words had already been translated. Ainz decided that this was the closest equivalent to what had actually been said.

"Then, oh trespasser upon mine demesne. Shouldst thou decide to quit the field, this one shall not pursue thee, in honor of thine magnificent defense… what say thee?"

"…What a foolish question. Of course I plan to defeat you for my own gain… speaking of which, are you so insecure about your appearance that you have to hide in the shadows? Or are you shy by nature?"

"…What a wild tongue thou hast, oh trespasser! Now behold this one's mighty form! Stare with eyes wide and tongue tied, and tremble in dread and awe!"

The Wise King of the Forest slowly emerged from the trees, revealing its body to him.

As he saw it, Ainz's illusionary eyes went wide.

"Fufufu, this one senses thy fear and alarm from beneath thine helmet!"

A smile twisted the face of the magical beast, and it curled its long tail. There were strange glyphs and symbols on the silvery fur covering its body. It was about the size of a horse, but it was low to the ground, being larger in the horizontal rather than the vertical dimension.

The Wise King of the Forest shrank the distance between them.

"What is this…"

An indescribable feeling washed over Ainz. After becoming undead, all the strong emotions he felt were immediately suppressed. With that in mind, this was probably not a very strong emotion. Even so, he had not felt this in a long time — including his time in YGGDRASIL — the sensation when a monster appeared before him.

"…I have a question; what is the name of your species?"

"This one is known in thy tongue as the Wise King of the Forest. Apart from that, this one holds no other titles."

Ainz gulped, and then asked further:

"Your species… might they be called Djungarian Hamsters?"

The Wise King of the Forest.

From what Ainz could see, it closely resembled a Djungarian Hamster. Its fur was silvery, or rather, snow white, contrasted by its black, round eyes, and its body looked like a gigantic bun.

Of course, hamsters did not have such long tails, not did they grow larger than a human being. However, those two factors aside, he honestly could not think of any other animal which could compare. Fully a hundred out of a hundred people would agree that it was a hamster. Well, a giant Djungarian Hamster. Maybe a mutant Djungarian Hamster, or something like that?

It tilted its adorable head — it did not seem to have a neck — and the Wise King of the Forest sniffed at the air before speaking again:

"This… this one hath lived in solitude all mine life. This one canst not answer thee, for this one knowst not of this one's… or dost thou imply that thou knowst of this one's species?"

"Um… er… I guess, sort of… one of my former friends once kept a creature which was similar to you…"

Ainz recalled that friend of his, and how that friend had not logged onto YGGDRASIL for about a week because that friend's pet Djungarian Hamster had died.

Behind him, Narberal quietly went, "Ohhhh," probably because she had learned something about one of the Forty One Supreme Beings.

"What!? To think beings like this one would be raised as pets!"

The Wise King of the Forest puffed up its cheeks.

Ainz had no idea whether it was unhappy or trying to intimidate him, or something else. The only thing Ainz could be sure of was that it was definitely not eating.

"Hm… This one prays thee enlighten me on that matter. This one is a living being and must procreate. If others of this one's breed exist, then this one must go forth and multiply, lest this one become a failure as a living being."

According to the Wise King of the Forest's logic, Ainz — who could not reproduce — was unfit to be a living being. As he clung to the excuse that he was undead and not, in fact, a living creature, Ainz weakly answered:

"…Er, it wasn't as big as you, anyway."

"Be that as it may… perchance it was a juvenile?"

"…No, even fully grown, it was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand."

With a vague sense of sadness, the Wise King of the Forest's whiskers drooped down.

"Indeed, that is quite a stretch… this one must pass the years in solitude, after all…"

"…If you were a more impressive looking species it wouldn't be so bad… but you're a hamster. I do sympathize with your circ.u.mstances, but if there were others like you, your numbers would increase without end and the world might end up being destroyed…"

The Wise King of the Forest twitched its whiskers. While its eyes were the same shiny black as always, there seemed to be some anger in its tone:

"What an outrage! Increasing the numbers of one's species is important! And this one hath lived without companionship all mine life! 'Tis only natural to d.e.s.i.r.e others of mine kind!"

"Oh… um… well, that's certainly true… forgive me, I misspoke…"

Ainz recalled his comrades from Ainz Ooal Gown and apologized. Although, he felt terribly mixed up about remembering his friends after being lectured by a hamster and then apologizing to it.

"…Think naught of it. This one grants thee mine forgiveness. Then, let us abandon this idle banter and show each other our fatal resolve. Listen well… oh trespasser who hath profaned mine demesne, offer thy life as this one's sustenance!"

"Er… um…"

Ainz felt his motivation draining away.

Even if that cute appearance was just a facade, he still could not bring himself to fight it in earnest. No matter how you looked at it, having the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick duel a giant hamster was just sad.

Even if he defeated it, he would have to take the corpse of a Djungarian Hamster and tell people, "This is the Wise King of the Forest, the fight was too intense and I couldn't chase it away." How would adventurers — including the Swords of Darkness — view that? Even in the best case scenario, they would simply look silently at Ainz with pitying eyes.

In that case, he would not defeat the Wise King of the Forest, but capture it alive to pick its brains.

"Nabe, fall back," Ainz said, forcing some semblance of fighting spirit back into himself as he gave that order. Narberal had a look of absolute confidence in Ainz's victory on her face as she bowed deeply and then retreated to a corner of the clearing.

"Oh — but know thou that being outnumbered is no handicap for this one?"

"…I can't do something as embarrassing as fighting a hamster two-on-one."

After hearing those words and seeing Ainz raise his weapons in a fighting stance, the Wise King of the Forest lowered its body and tensed its entire body.

"Regret not thy decision! Now bear the charge of this one!"

The massive body forcefully kicked off the earth with a mighty bang, and lunged at Ainz.

The flying tackle of the Wise King of the Forest's massive body would have tossed any ordinary person away, had they been hit by it without using a martial art.

However, Ainz used the blades of his greatswords as a shield, and took the Wise King of the Forest's charge head on.

Despite its fearsome destructive power, Ainz still easily resisted it..

"Muuuuu!"

The Wise King of the Forest was surprised by the unmoving Ainz, and slashed with the surprisingly sharp claws on its forepaws. Ainz raised the greatsword in his left hand to block the strike, and swung with the greatsword in his right.

He did not put his full strength into it, but it was still quite a forceful blow.

There was a loud crash, and Ainz's strike was deflected away, his arm numbed from the impact. It would seem the Wise King of the Forest had blocked Ainz's strike with its claws, and the two attacks had bounced apart after an intense mid-air clash.

"Well done! But how about this? 「Charm Species」."

Mind-affecting effects were useless against the undead. Ignoring his opponent's magical attack, Ainz swung both his greatswords.

There was a sound of clashing metal again, and Ainz's swords were deflected once more.

Ainz narrowed his eyes under his helmet.

While that had only been a probing attack, the Wise King of the Forest had deflected that strike with its skin. It would seem that its hide was harder than most metals.

Was it not soft and fluffy fur? It was quite surprising, but Ainz chased away these thoughts which had no place in a battle.

Ainz's physical attack power would be around that of a level thirty warrior, in YGGDRASIL terms. However, that was greatly affected by spells and equipment, so he could not be sure. Still, with that as a baseline, the Wise King of the Forest had the fighting power of a level thirty or so character.

A frown grew on the illusory face under Ainz's helmet.

"Not bad… very suitable for melee combat training."

Ainz was certain that as long as he went all-out, he could definitely defeat this opponent. Although he had to stay alert, it was still good practice for being a frontliner.

Ainz continued swinging his twin greatswords, and the Wise King of the Forest continued its adroit deflection of his blows. Then another glyph on its body lit up, and it cast a spell.

"「Blindness」."

Unlike the previous 「Charm Species」, this non-mind-affecting spell of blindness could potentially have affected Ainz. However, Ainz had a racial skill which rendered him immune to low tier magic. Therefore, the spell vanished without ever taking effect.

A different symbol lit up when it used that spell… it seems the symbols on its body represent the spells it can use…

There were spellcasting monsters in YGGDRASIL. While the numbers of spells they could use varied greatly according to their level and species, as a rough guideline, they could use about eight kinds of magic. Similarly, the Wise King of the Forest had roughly eight kinds of tattoos on its body, so Ainz felt like he was fighting a monster from YGGDRASIL.

The Wise King of the Forest did not notice its spell had been resisted, and attacked with its forepaws. Ainz blocked with the greatsword in one hand and countered with the greatsword in his other.

He thought of past battles alongside his friends.

Touch Me, who wielded a sword and shield and was one of the greatest warriors in YGGDRASIL. Nishiki Enrai, who bore the twin kodachis named Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi, and boasted the highest attack power in the guild. The man also known as No Second Strike — although that was not actually the case — wielding the twin nodachis known as God-Slaying Slash Emperor and Takemikazuchi Mk 8, Warrior Takemikazuchi.

And then he recalled the brave man he had encountered recently — Gazef Stronoff, the Kingdom's Warrior Captain.

Perhaps Ainz had travelled to E-Rantel in the guise of a warrior because he had been moved by that man.

Ainz mocked himself for thinking of these things now.

I can't let my mind wander in combat. Although there's certainly enough leeway for it, I can't be careless… even if my opponent is a hamster…

He imagined the countless sword strokes his companions had made, and Ainz attacked continuously, trying his best to reproduce those moves. At the same time, he used the greatsword in his left hand to intercept the Wise King of the Forest's counterattacks.

Both sides went back and forth, neither side being able to strike a decisive blow, until Ainz's greatsword finally breached the Wise King of the Forest's defense.

"What!?"

The scent of fresh blood followed the sensation of the greatsword piercing into flesh. The greatsword in his right hand grazed the hide of the Wise King of the Forest, sending hairs flying.

He planned to continue his assault with his left-hand greatsword, but the Wise King of the Forest sensed it was at a disadvantage and leapt away, landing about ten meters away from Ainz.

I've heard hamsters escape their nests by jumping, but I've never seen one retreat before.

Just as Ainz began losing himself in thought after battling the giant hamster, the Wise King of the Forest lowered its body.

Ainz watched his opponent's movements in surprise.

What does it plan to do at that range? If it's a charge like just now, then I'll just hold my sword out to let it kill itself… but it's most likely that it's going to use another spell.

The Wise King of the Forest curled its tail up behind it, but judging by its length, it probably shouldn't be able to reach —

"— No, that's not it!"

Ainz realised that he had miscalculated.

The tail strike at the beginning had come from a long distance away. In other words, he was still in range of the tail attack.

As expected, the tail swung in a huge, sweeping arc, speeding at Ainz with its surprising length. Ainz blocked it with his right-hand greatsword… and his eyes went wide with surprise. This was because the tail had turned at a right angle, using the greatsword as a fulcrum of sorts.

"!"

He swung his greatsword to the side, aiming to cast away the tail which was on his sword. However, he was a moment too late, and the tail scr.a.p.ed the back plate of his armor, sending an impact through his body.

Due to a racial skill, an attack like this would not have hurt Ainz even if the tail had struck him dead on. However, if one thought of this as a first-person shooter game, then he had made a great mistake.

"Now, we are one for one."

A mere hamster — anger rose inside him.

Then, let me try a ranged attack of my own.

Having decided this, Ainz firmly gripped his right-hand greatsword. As Ainz was preparing his attack, the Wise King of the Forest spoke, with heartfelt respect:

"That armor… 'tis truly amazing. Nay, thy strength and swordplay are both breathtaking to behold. Thou art truly a superlative warrior. Art thou a man of fame in human society?"

The strength faded from his right hand.

In a somewhat disappointed tone, he asked, "Do I look like a warrior to you?"

"Why dost thou ask? What wouldst thou resemble, save a warrior? Mayhaps thou might be better addressed as a knight?"

"The Wise King of the Forest… well, you've been misnamed. Or rather, everything started going wrong once I discovered you were a giant hamster…"

Indeed, it was hard to think of Ainz as a magic caster in this suit of full plate armor. Still, he had hoped that something with the grand title of Wise King of the Forest would at least have noticed something amiss, or showed some sign that it could see through his disguise.

The Wise King of the Forest must have thought that Ainz's magic immunity was simply resisting the spell through sheer force of will. Granted, special defenses like resistance and immunity were practically the same thing in YGGDRASIL, but at least it should have tried to act like a proper sage.

In the end, it was completely undeserving of the title of "Wise King." Maybe if it had been called a Giant Djungarian Hamster, he would not have held such high hopes. Whoever called him a "Wise King" must have had something wrong with him. It was a mislabelling, false advertising.

Having lost the will to fight, Ainz powerlessly lowered the greatswords in his hands.

"What art thou doing!? Could it possibly be… dost thou intend to yield before the battle is decided? Come at this one with all thy strength! This is a duel to the death!"

The words from the angry Wise King of the Forest chipped away at Ainz's heart. Fortunately, great emotional upheavals were suppressed immediately, so he still had some strength remaining.

"That's… enough."

Speaking with a cold, crystal clear voice, Ainz pointed his right-hand greatsword at the Wise King of the Forest and activated his skill.

「Despair Aura V」.

Since its instant death effect was too strong, he decided to reduce its potency and instead activated 「Despair Aura I's」 fear effect.

A cold, soul-chilling vapor gusted out from Ainz

The moment that mass of cold air washed over the Wise King of the Forest, every single one of its hairs stood on end, and it rolled over with surprising speed. All he could see was its silvery fur, and its soft, defenseless belly.

"Craven! This one yields to thee!"

"…Ah… in the end it was just a beast…"

As he muttered tiredly in response, Ainz walked over to the Wise King of the Forest, observing its vulnerable belly, and then considered what he should do next.

It's a creature of this world, so chasing it away would be a shame. Sadly, it's just a hamster, so should I raise it as a pet… at the very least, I should make use of its corpse.

One of Ainz's job classes was called Necromancer. It was a class that allowed one to turn a corpse into an undead slave, though the quality of the undead produced depended on the species of the corpse.

The best corpses were those of powerful beings like dragons, while human corpses could become zombies and skeletons. Then, given that the Wise King of the Forest did not exist in YGGDRASIL, what sort of undead would its corpse make?

A Wise King of the Forest Zombie?

"Shall we kill it?" a cheery voice rang out.

Ainz turned, and found that Aura had mysteriously appeared beside Narberal.

"If you kill it, I'd like its hide. It looks like it would make a great pelt…"

Ainz lowered his head and looked straight at the Wise King of the Forest, who was looking at him with moist, tear-filled eyes. Its whiskers twitched as it waited fearfully for its future to be decided.

Just then, he suddenly recalled the words which he had exchanged with the Wise King of the Forest. Ainz recalled the part about friends.

Ainz found that he was hesitating. Then, with a sigh, he made his decision.

"My true name is Ainz Ooal Gown. If you are willing to serve me, I will spare your life."

"Th-Thank you very much! This one shall offer absolute fealty to thee for the gift of this one's life! The life of the Wise King of the Forest shall be an offering to the great warrior, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!"

Aura looked at the Wise King of the Forest, who had jumped up and was frantically pledging its loyalty. There seemed to be something like regret in Aura's eyes.

♦ ♦ ♦

Once they left the forest, they encountered the others, who rejoiced that Ainz and Narberal were both unharmed. Only Lukrut seemed to have his doubts.

In a tone that combined surprise and praise, Nfirea asked Ainz:

"You're unhurt… Did you avoid fighting?"

Just as Ainz was about to answer, Lukrut cut in:

"Momon-san, what did you bring back? Were you charmed by something?"

"I battled the Wise King of the Forest, and tamed it. Oi, come out."

They could all see the pearly-white fur of the Wise King of the Forest as it emerged from the trees. The Swords of Darkness gathered around Nfirea, shocked expressions on their faces as they all took a step back with weapons raised.

Well, it's huge, even if it's a Djungarian Hamster…

Though it had cute round eyes, its massive body was still a fearsome sight, and it was only natural that these adventurers should be wary on behalf of the client they were escorting. With that in mind, Ainz decided to calmly say:

"Be at ease, everyone. I have subdued it, so it will not lash out wildly and hurt people."

Then, he approached the Wise King of the Forest, and made a show of patting its furry body.

"It is as milord says; this Wise King of the Forest is loyal to milord, and is milord's faithful servant. This one swears to milord that this one will not inconvenience thee, fine gentlemen!"

In this way, the Wise King of the Forest displayed its loyalty to Ainz.

Perhaps they were on guard because of its vast size, but since it was a cute Djungarian Hamster to begin with, they would probably stop being on edge once they got used to it. The problem was how to make everyone think it was the true Wise King of the Forest. That was the only thing Ainz had no idea how to accomplish.

And then, things developed in a completely unexpected direction.

"…So this is the Wise King of the Forest! Unbelievable! What a majestic beast!"

—What?

Ainz looked back and forth between Ninya and the Wise King of the Forest, checking to see if Ninya was making fun of him, but Ninya seemed to be entirely serious.

"…Wow, the Wise King of the Forest… so the legends really were true! I can feel its mighty presence just standing before it!" Dyne gasped.

Eh? Mighty presence?

"Uwah, that's pretty awesome. You actually pulled it off. Someone as strong as you is certainly qualified to have Nabe-chan at his side."

"If we had encountered him, we would have been killed for sure. I expected nothing less of you, Momon-san. Amazing work."

As Lukrut, Peter, and the others showered him in praise, Ainz looked to the Wise King of the Forest again.

A giant Djungarian Hamster.

It did not remind him of anything else. Why were they so intimidated by a beast like this?

"…Everyone, do you not think this creature's eyes are very cute?"

Their eyes went wide as they heard those words, as though their eyeballs were about to fall out. It would seem that statement was quite absurd.

"Mo-Momon-san, do you think this beast's eyes are cute?"

Of course. After mocking the reply in his heart, Ainz magnanimously nodded, and then he began to wonder if the Wise King of the Forest had used a passive charm skill.

"Unbelievable, that's Momon-san for you. Ninya, you looked into its eyes, what do you think ?"

"…They are eyes filled with wisdom, and I could feel the power of this beast. There's no way it could be cute by any stretch of the word."

"…!?"

Ainz looked dumbfoundedly at the others. After realizing that they shared Ninya's opinion, Ainz felt his head spin for a moment.

"How about you, Nabe?"

"Actual strength aside, those are powerful-looking eyes."

"…No… way… seriously…?"

They were all gushing praise with sparkly eyes. In other words, they were in awe of Ainz for being able to nonchalantly call the eyes of such a beast "cute."

Ainz kept glancing back at the Wise King of the Forest, but there was no way he could see anything approaching "wisdom" in them.

Could it be that my aesthetic sense changed as well after becoming undead?

Since nobody apart from himself felt that way, it was quite likely that such a change had taken place. However, it was probably best to make absolutely sure.

"By the way, does everyone think rats are strong?"

"Rats… giant rats? Monsters like that aren't anything special."

"You can find them in the sewers of E-Rantel."

"Giant rats carry nasty diseases. Wererats too… hmm, since wererats can resist damage made from everything except silver weapons, would they qualify as strong?"

Don't hamsters look like rats? And the Wise King of the Forest has a very long tail… it's more like a rat than a hamster…

A puzzled Ainz came to a conclusion. In other words, "This world is weird."

Just as Ainz was agonizing over trivial matters like the differences between this world and the previous one, Nfirea asked in a worried tone of voice:

"But if you take this monster away, and thus its sphere of influence, won't the other monsters attack En… Carne Village because it's not there to scare it off any more?"

Ainz raised his chin to indicate the Wise King of the Forest. It got the message, and said:

"By village you mean… ah, well, the balance of power in the forest is now in chaos. Even if this one was there, this one would not be able to guarantee their safety by any means."

"No way…"

Ainz did not comfort the shocked Nfirea. He merely smiled inside.

The Wise King of the Forest is hardly a fitting name, let's see what I can get out of this.

Just as Ainz was thinking about how to guide the conversation, he could feel Nfirea looking at him. He seemed to be wavering between speaking and keeping quiet, and his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

Ainz understood the turmoil in Nfirea's heart. On one hand, he must have wanted Ainz to save the village once more. On the other, Nfirea probably felt that it was too troublesome, and did not want to leave everything to him.

As the Swords of Darkness discussed how to save the village, Nfirea made up his mind and addressed Ainz with a serious look on his face.

"—Momon-san."

"Yes?"

A secretly delighted Ainz waited for what Nfirea would say next.

The truth was that Ainz had always intended to protect Carne Village, which was highly valuable as a source of information. However, the important thing was whether he could profit from it. Since he could frame the thing as doing a favor for Nfirea and thus make Nfirea indebted to him, it was like killing two birds with one stone. This was Ainz's plan in order to make up for the miscalculation with the Wise King of the Forest.

However, Nfirea's words vastly exceeded Ainz's expectations.

"Momon-san! Please let me join your team!"

"Hah!?"

"I want to protect Enri… Carne Village, but I don't have the strength to do it now. So I want to become stronger! I want to learn the secret to your strength, Momon-san! I don't mind if it's just a little bit! However, I can't hire an excellent adventurer like you on a long-term basis with the amount of money I have! So please, let me join your party! I have some confidence in my ability as a herbalist, but I'm willing to carry luggage and do other menial labor! Please allow me to do this, I beg you!"

Just as Ainz was blinking his non-existent eyelids, Nfirea continued:

"I've always been researching herbological knowledge. I didn't give that decision much thought because my grandmother and father were both herbalists… but now I've found the path I want to walk, and it's not as a herbalist."

"So, you want to become a great magic caster and protect Carne Village, then?"

"Yes!"

Nfirea seemed to have shed his youthful attitude, and looked straight at Ainz, his eyes filled with a manly resolve.

♦ ♦ ♦

In YGGDRASIL, there had been an endless stream of applicants seeking to join the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. Most of them wanted to do so for personal gain, thinking that they would profit from joining one of the highest ranked guilds in the game. They did not think of what they could do for the guild, but what the guild could do for them.

In addition, there were those who wanted to infiltrate the guild to steal its information and rare items.

Because of this, Ainz Ooal Gown did not increase its numbers much beyond its founding members. They were careful not to let their hard work and effort be trampled by others.

Still, this was the simple, pure d.e.s.i.r.e of a man who knew nothing of the guild called Ainz Ooal Gown. His misguided way of thinking was quite refreshing.

♦ ♦ ♦

"…Ha, hahaha!"

Ainz laughed, long and loud. His laughter was light and buoyant. Then, when he was done, he removed his helmet and bowed deeply.

He could hear Narberal taking a deep breath in the background.

Actions like this did not fit Narberal's master, the Supreme Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Still, Ainz felt that he had to do this, without any hesitation about whether it was right or proper. He did not feel that bowing to a young man who was only half his age was shameful.

There was no malice in Ainz's laughter, but Ainz now knew he should not have done so. He raised his head to face the surprised Nfirea:

"…Forgive me for my laughter. That was a mistake on my part. But I would like you to understand that I was not laughing at your determination. In order to join my team, you must meet two criteria. At the moment, you have only met one of them. Therefore, I am sorry, but I cannot let you join."

The hidden condition was that more than half of the present guild members had to approve of the prospective member. Therefore, even if Ainz agreed, he could not add members to the guild on his own. However, Ainz was pleased by the loyalty which the Guardians of Nazarick had shown him after coming to this world, and in that good mood, he continued:

"I understand how you feel, and I will remember that you wished to join my team. As for protecting this village, I will exert all my power to aid you. However, I might need your help—"

"Yes! Please, I'm eager to help!"

"Is that so, is that so…"

As Ainz was nodding, he met Ninya's gaze. He seemed to be enjoying the show, which made Ainz feel a little embarrassed.

"Then, we'll discuss that matter later. Before that, I have an interesting story to tell everyone, about the taming of the Wise King of the Forest."