Overlord: The Wandering Sorcerer Chapter 11 — The Adamantite Party
The journey back to E-Rantel was considerably quieter than the journey out.
Nobody seemed particularly interested in talking.
The ruined fort had left too many questions behind.
Momonga walked at the front with Nabe.
Behind them came Lakyus, Gagaran, Tia, Tina, and Evileye.
For once, even Gagaran was quiet.
Momonga glanced over his shoulder.
“Are you all right?”
Gagaran looked at him.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m fine.”
She paused.
“Just thinking.”
“About the undead?”
“About you.”
Momonga turned forward again.
“That’s less reassuring.”
Gagaran laughed.
“You’re seriously powerful.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“No, I mean seriously.”
Momonga said nothing.
Gagaran continued.
“I’ve fought plenty of strong people.
Adventurers.
Warriors.
Monsters.”
She scratched her chin.
“You’re different.”
“How?”
“You don’t fight like someone who wants to win.”
Momonga glanced at her.
“What do I fight like?”
“Like someone who’s trying not to lose control.”
Momonga stopped walking.
Gagaran nearly walked into him.
He looked at her.
She smiled.
“Am I wrong?”
Momonga considered the question.
“No.”
Gagaran’s smile disappeared.
“Thought so.”
Momonga resumed walking.
“But I’m working on it.”
By the time they reached E-Rantel, night had fallen.
The city gates were still open.
Lakyus spoke with the guards.
Momonga noticed several of them looking at him.
Whispers spread.
The undead adventurer.
The copper-ranked undead who had fought alongside Blue Rose.
The rumors were already beginning.
Momonga sighed.
“I don’t like being famous.”
Gagaran laughed.
“Too late.”
“I’ve been here barely a week.”
“That’s plenty of time.”
Evileye walked beside him.
“You should get used to it.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re going to attract attention.”
Momonga looked at her.
“I already have.”
“More than you realize.”
She paused.
“The creature called you a player.”
Momonga became silent.
Evileye looked at him.
“You knew what that meant.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Momonga didn’t answer immediately.
They had reached the city.
The streets were busy despite the late hour.
People passed around them.
Merchants.
Adventurers.
Soldiers.
Ordinary people.
Momonga finally spoke.
“I don’t know.”
Evileye didn’t believe him.
But she didn’t press.
Not yet.
They went directly to the Adventurer’s Guild.
The receptionist nearly fell out of her chair when she saw them.
“You’re alive!”
Momonga blinked.
“Yes.”
“I mean—”
She looked at Blue Rose.
“And you found the missing adventurers?”
Lakyus shook her head.
“We found their bodies.”
The receptionist’s expression fell.
“But we also discovered the reason for the disappearances.”
“Do you know who was responsible?”
Lakyus looked toward Momonga.
Momonga nodded.
“Someone was using the ruined fort for experiments.”
The receptionist swallowed.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
“Was it the Slane Theocracy?”
Lakyus looked surprised.
“Why would you ask that?”
The receptionist lowered her voice.
“Because there have been rumors.”
“What rumors?”
“That people connected to the Theocracy have been moving through the area.”
Momonga’s attention sharpened.
“Recently?”
“Yes.”
“How recently?”
“Several weeks.”
Momonga looked at Nabe.
The timing was interesting.
Too interesting.
The receptionist continued.
“And there is another rumor.”
“What?”
“About a group of people searching for an undead adventurer.”
Momonga sighed.
“Me again.”
Gagaran laughed.
“You’re popular.”
“I’ve noticed.”
They completed the reports.
The guild awarded Blue Rose the main reward.
Momonga and Nabe received a smaller portion for their assistance.
Momonga didn’t mind.
The money wasn’t the important part.
As they left the guild, Lakyus stopped him.
“Mommon.”
He turned.
“Yes?”
“Would you like to join us?”
Momonga blinked.
“Yes.”
Gagaran immediately grinned.
“Do it.”
Tia nodded.
“You’d be useful.”
Tina added:
“And interesting.”
Evileye remained silent.
Momonga looked at Nabe.
She looked back.
He knew what she was thinking.
Your decision.
Momonga considered it.
Blue Rose was one of the most powerful adventurer teams in the Kingdom.
Traveling with them would provide information.
Protection.
Contacts.
And opportunities.
But there was another reason.
They were good people.
At least, from what he had seen.
Momonga smiled.
“Thank you.”
Lakyus waited.
“But?”
“But no.”
Gagaran groaned.
“Why?!”
Momonga laughed.
“Because Nabe and I already have a team.”
Gagaran looked at Nabe.
“Just you two?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not a team.”
Nabe’s expression became cold.
“It is sufficient.”
Gagaran raised both hands.
“Okay.
Okay.”
Momonga smiled.
“We’d still like to work together sometimes.”
Lakyus nodded.
“I’d be happy with that.”
Evileye looked at him.
“You really don’t want companions?”
Momonga thought about it.
“I want friends.”
He paused.
“But I don’t want to become dependent on a party.”
Evileye stared at him.
Then smiled faintly.
“Fair enough.”
They parted outside the guild.
Blue Rose went one way.
Momonga and Nabe another.
After several minutes, Nabe spoke.
“You could have accepted.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Momonga looked at the moon.
“Because if I join them, I’ll eventually have to explain myself.”
Nabe understood.
“You mean your abilities.”
“Among other things.”
“Do you distrust them?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I don’t want them to fear me.”
Nabe looked at him.
“They already know you are powerful.”
“That’s different.”
Momonga stopped.
“They think I’m an unusually powerful undead.”
He looked at his hands.
“I don’t want them to discover just how unusual.”
Nabe nodded.
“Because of the other players.”
“Yes.”
He looked toward the dark sky.
“Until I understand this world, I need to be careful.”
They reached the inn.
Momonga opened the door.
Then stopped.
Someone was sitting in the common room.
A man in dark robes.
He was alone.
His face was hidden by a hood.
Momonga immediately recognized him.
Not because he knew him.
Because something about him felt wrong.
Not magical.
Not undead.
Just…
wrong.
The man raised his head.
His eyes met Momonga’s.
Then he smiled.
“Mommon.”
Momonga didn’t move.
Nabe’s hand went toward her sword.
The man lifted one hand.
“Relax.”
Momonga remained cautious.
“Who are you?”
“Someone who has been waiting to meet you.”
“Why?”
“Because of what happened tonight.”
Momonga’s eyes narrowed.
“You know about the fort.”
“I know enough.”
“Who are you working for?”
The man smiled.
“Nobody.”
Momonga didn’t believe him.
The man stood.
“I came to offer you something.”
“What?”
“Information.”
“About?”
The man looked toward Nabe.
Then back at Momonga.
“Players.”
The room went silent.
Momonga’s undead body didn’t breathe.
But if it had been able to…
He would have stopped.
The man continued.
“I know where one of them is.”
Momonga stared.
“Who?”
The man smiled.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether you’re willing to leave E-Rantel.”
Nabe immediately stepped forward.
“That is unacceptable.”
The man ignored her.
Momonga remained still.
“Why would I leave?”
“Because the people searching for you have already entered the city.”
Momonga’s gaze hardened.
“The Theocracy?”
The man smiled.
“Not only them.”
The man walked toward the door.
“Tomorrow.”
He stopped.
“Come alone.”
Nabe’s expression became murderous.
Momonga raised his hand.
She stopped.
The man looked back.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Do not trust the Blue Rose.”
Momonga stared.
“Why?”
The man smiled.
“Because one of them already knows what you are.”
Then he left.
The door closed.
Silence.
Nabe turned toward Momonga.
“That man will not leave the city.”
Momonga nodded.
“I know.”
“Should I follow him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants us to.”
Nabe considered that.
Momonga walked toward the window.
Outside, E-Rantel was quiet.
Too quiet.
He thought about the ruined fort.
The mysterious circle.
The creature that had called him a player.
Clementine.
The Slane Theocracy.
Blue Rose.
And now this stranger.
Too many pieces.
Not enough answers.
Momonga smiled.
“Well.”
Nabe looked at him.
“What?”
“I wanted adventure.”
He turned toward her.
“It seems the world took that personally.”
The following morning
Momonga woke early.
Nabe was already awake.
She stood beside the window.
“Someone is watching the inn.”
Momonga sat up.
“How many?”
“Three.”
“Human?”
“Yes.”
“Armed?”
“Yes.”
“Hostile?”
“Probably.”
Momonga sighed.
“Then our mysterious friend wasn’t lying.”
Nabe looked at him.
“What will you do?”
Momonga stood.
“First, breakfast.”
Nabe stared.
“Breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“We are being watched.”
“I know.”
“Someone has information about players.”
“I know.”
“The Theocracy may be involved.”
“I know.”
“Then why breakfast?”
Momonga smiled.
“Because I’m hungry.”
Nabe stared at him for several seconds.
Then, slowly, she smiled.
“Understood.”
They went downstairs.
And there, waiting for them at a table near the window, was Evileye.
Momonga stopped.
She looked at him.
“I need to talk to you.”
Momonga sat opposite her.
“About what?”
Evileye leaned closer.
Her voice was barely audible.
“About the player you were told about.”
Momonga froze.
Evileye looked around.
Then whispered:
“I know who he is.”
Momonga stared at her.
“Who?”
Evileye’s golden eyes met his.
“Fluder Paradyne.”
Momonga’s expression changed.
The name meant something.
A legendary magic caster.
An old man obsessed with magic.
Someone who, according to the history Momonga knew, would eventually become deeply involved with the Sorcerer Kingdom.
But in this world…
Momonga had never met him.
Not yet.
Evileye continued.
“And if I’m right…”
She paused.
“He’s been looking for you for a very long time.”
Momonga leaned back.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t know I exist.”
Evileye smiled.
“Apparently, someone told him.”
Momonga looked toward the window.
Outside, one of the watchers moved.
Then another.
He looked at Nabe.
She was already prepared.
Momonga stood.
“Then I think it’s time we paid a visit to someone.”
“Fluder?”
“No.”
He smiled.
“First, we’re going to find out who those three are.”
Nabe nodded.
“Finally.”
Momonga looked toward the door.
“Then we’ll decide whether we visit Fluder.”
He paused.
“And perhaps…”
His smile widened.
“…we should start looking for the mysterious man from last night.”
Because Momonga had just realized something.
The man hadn’t actually said he knew where another player was.
He had only said he knew where one of them was.
That distinction mattered.
Very much.