Chapter 13 — The Mage of the Empire
The morning after the mysterious man’s appearance, Momonga made a decision.
They were leaving E-Rantel.
Not forever.
Not yet.
But he had learned enough to understand that staying in one place was becoming dangerous.
Someone was watching him.
Someone knew about players.
Someone had deliberately mentioned Fluder Paradyne.
And somewhere beyond the city, another piece of the puzzle was waiting.
Nabe stood beside the window while Momonga packed the few things they actually carried.
There wasn’t much.
A spare cloak.
Several scrolls.
Potions.
A little money.
Their adventurer identification.
And the weapons they had acquired for their new lives.
Momonga looked at the small collection.
“We really are adventurers now.”
Nabe nodded.
“Yes.”
“I expected it to take longer.”
“You have been an adventurer for only a short time.”
“Exactly.”
He smiled.
“And already we’re investigating ancient undead, secret organizations, and possible players.”
Nabe considered this.
“That seems inefficient.”
Momonga laughed.
“Very.
They left through one of E-Rantel’s smaller gates.
Evileye was waiting outside.
Momonga stopped when he saw her.
“You came.”
“I said I would.”
“I thought you disliked traveling with us.”
“I do.”
Momonga stared.
Evileye sighed.
“But I dislike the idea of you wandering around without anyone who understands what you’re getting involved in even more.”
Nabe looked at her.
“That is almost concern.”
“It isn’t.”
“It sounds like concern.”
“It is not.”
Momonga smiled.
“I’ll pretend I believe you.”
Evileye’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re becoming irritating.”
“I’ve been told that too.”
They followed the northern road for several hours.
Their destination was the Baharuth Empire.
More precisely, they intended to investigate a name.
Fluder Paradyne.
Momonga knew the name from the history he had heard about this world.
The Imperial Court Mage.
The old man obsessed with magic.
A genius who had spent centuries pursuing the ultimate mysteries of spellcraft.
In the original history he remembered, Fluder eventually became fascinated by Ainz Ooal Gown.
But this world was different.
There was no Sorcerer Kingdom.
No Nazarick.
No army of undead.
No throne.
Only Momonga and Nabe.
And yet Fluder had somehow learned of him.
That was the part Momonga couldn’t ignore.
By late afternoon, they reached the Imperial border.
The landscape changed gradually.
The roads became better maintained.
The villages looked more prosperous.
Soldiers were more visible.
Momonga noticed the difference immediately.
“The Empire is organized.”
Evileye nodded.
“More than the Kingdom.”
“Interesting.”
“You’ve never been here?”
“No.”
“Then don’t assume everything you see is safe.”
Momonga looked at her.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
They stopped at a roadside inn before reaching the capital.
Momonga had barely entered when he noticed something unusual.
A man was sitting alone near the fireplace.
Old.
Very old.
His hair was white.
His posture was slightly bent.
But his eyes were sharp.
Far too sharp.
Momonga stopped.
The old man looked up.
Their eyes met.
The man’s expression changed.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
Momonga’s thoughts accelerated.
The old man stood.
“Mommon.”
Momonga froze.
Nabe immediately moved closer.
Evileye whispered:
“That’s him.”
Fluder Paradyne smiled.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Fluder bowed.
“Forgive the intrusion.”
Momonga studied him.
“You knew I would come.”
“I hoped.”
“Why?”
Fluder’s eyes moved to Nabe.
Then Evileye.
“Because information has become unreliable.”
Momonga sat down.
“Then let’s make it reliable.”
Fluder smiled.
“An excellent suggestion.”
He took the seat opposite Momonga.
Evileye remained standing.
Nabe stood behind Momonga.
Fluder looked at the skeletal adventurer with undisguised fascination.
“I have spent most of my life studying magic.”
“I’ve heard.”
“I have encountered many strange phenomena.”
“I imagine so.”
“But I have never encountered anything like you.”
Momonga remained silent.
Fluder leaned forward.
“You are not merely undead.”
“I know.”
“You are not a magic caster who became undead.”
“Correct.”
“You are something else.”
Momonga’s red eyes glowed faintly.
“How much do you know?”
Fluder smiled.
“Very little.”
“Then why are you so certain?”
“Because magic leaves traces.”
Momonga said nothing.
Fluder continued.
“Your magic does not behave exactly like the magic of this world.”
Evileye’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
Fluder looked at her.
“The structure is different.”
Momonga felt a chill.
Fluder had noticed.
Momonga leaned back.
“Tell me about the players.”
Fluder’s expression became serious.
“Ah.”
He nodded slowly.
“So you know the word.” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“Yes.”
“And you are one of them?”
Momonga didn’t answer.
Fluder smiled.
“That is answer enough.”
Nabe’s hand moved toward her sword.
Momonga raised one finger.
She stopped.
Fluder noticed.
“Your companion is extraordinarily loyal.”
“Yes.”
“I have seen loyalty before.”
Fluder’s gaze moved toward Evileye.
“But this is different.”
Evileye crossed her arms.
“You talk too much.”
Fluder laughed softly.
“Perhaps.”
Momonga returned to the subject.
“What do you know?”
Fluder looked toward the window.
“The oldest records speak of beings who descended from another world.”
“How many?”
“That depends on the era.”
“Give me the most reliable number.”
“Six Great Gods.”
Momonga nodded.
“And the Eight Greed Kings.”
“Yes.”
“Others?”
Fluder hesitated.
“Possibly.”
Momonga leaned forward.
“How many?”
“That is what no one knows.”
Fluder lowered his voice.
“The problem is that the records were not written by the players.”
“Who wrote them?”
“The people who survived them.”
Momonga became silent.
Fluder continued.
“Some were worshipped as gods.”
“Others were feared as monsters.”
“Some left artifacts.”
“Some left ruins.”
“And some left nothing at all.”
Momonga thought about the ruined fort.
The magical circle.
The undead creature.
The word it had spoken.
Player.
“Have you ever encountered an artifact?”
Fluder smiled.
“Several.”
“From players?”
“I believe so.”
“Where are they?”
“Some are in the Imperial treasury.”
Momonga’s attention sharpened.
“Can I see them?”
Fluder laughed.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether the Emperor wishes you to.”
Momonga stared.
“Then I suppose I should meet him.”
Fluder’s smile widened.
“I was hoping you would say that.
That evening, Momonga was introduced to Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix.
The Emperor was younger than Momonga expected.
Calm.
Sharp.
Suspicious.
And extremely observant.
The meeting took place in a private room inside the Imperial residence.
Jircniv sat across from Momonga.
Fluder stood behind him.
Nabe stood behind Momonga.
Evileye had been asked to wait outside.
Momonga noticed that immediately.
So did Jircniv.
“You trust her?”
Momonga asked.
Jircniv smiled.
“I don’t trust anyone completely.”
“Good answer.”
“You?”
“I trust Nabe.”
Jircniv looked at her.
“Completely?”
“Yes.”
The Emperor nodded.
“Interesting.”
Jircniv folded his hands.
“I have heard several reports about you.”
“I imagine they’re exaggerated.”
“Probably.”
“Then tell me what you know.”
Jircniv studied him.
“An undead adventurer appeared in E-Rantel.”
“Yes.”
“He defeated creatures that should have been beyond the ability of a copper-ranked adventurer.”
“That sounds exaggerated.”
Jircniv smiled.
“You see?
You admit it.”
Momonga almost laughed.
“Fair enough.”
Jircniv continued.
“You have also been seen with Blue Rose.”
“Sometimes.”
“And a vampire.”
Momonga glanced toward the door.
“Evileye.”
“Yes.”
“She is not my enemy.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“You’re thinking it.”
Jircniv smiled.
“You’re perceptive.”
“So are you.”
The Emperor leaned back.
“That’s why I asked you here.”
Jircniv’s expression became serious.
“I want to know what you want.”
Momonga answered immediately.
“Adventure.”
The Emperor stared at him.
Then laughed.
Not mockingly.
Genuinely.
“Adventure?”
“Yes.”
“That’s all?”
“For now.”
“You could have power.”
“I already have enough.”
“You could have wealth.”
“I don’t need much.”
“You could rule.”
Momonga’s smile faded.
“I have no interest in ruling.”
Jircniv studied him.
For the first time, his expression became uncertain.
“You really mean that.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Momonga looked toward the window.
“Because I spent enough of my life serving someone else’s system.”
Jircniv didn’t understand.
Momonga hadn’t expected him to.
He continued.
“I want to see the world.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s enough.”
Jircniv was silent for a long time.
Then he smiled.
“Perhaps you’re more dangerous than I thought.”
“I’ve heard that too.”
The Emperor stood.
“I will give you access to the Imperial archives.”
Momonga looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I want to know what you discover.”
“That sounds like a bargain.”
“It is.”
Jircniv extended his hand.
Momonga shook it.
“Then we have an agreement.”
The Imperial archives were enormous.
Momonga had expected books.
He had not expected this many.
Ancient records.
Maps.
Scrolls.
Fragments of inscriptions.
Reports about monsters.
Descriptions of magical artifacts.
Accounts of ancient kingdoms.
Momonga walked slowly between the shelves.
Nabe followed.
Fluder led them.
Evileye eventually joined them.
“You really brought us into the Imperial archives.”
Momonga smiled.
“I told you.”
“You actually made a deal with the Emperor.”
“Yes.”
Evileye shook her head.
“You’re becoming frighteningly good at this.”
“At what?”
“Being an adventurer.”
Momonga laughed.
Hours passed.
Then Momonga found something.
A record.
Very old.
The parchment was damaged.
But one phrase remained legible.
**The One Who Walked Beneath the Great Tomb.**
Momonga froze.
Nabe noticed.
“What is it?”
He pointed.
Fluder came closer.
His expression changed.
“You found that.”
“What does it mean?”
“We don’t know.”
“Where was it found?”
“Near the Katze Plains.”
Momonga’s thoughts raced.
The Great Tomb.
That phrase was far too familiar.
But this wasn’t Nazarick.
At least, he hoped it wasn’t.
He turned the page.
There was a drawing.
A massive underground structure.
Not identical to Nazarick.
But close enough to make his undead heart feel cold.
Momonga stared at it.
“Fluder.”
“Yes?”
“Who wrote this?”
“We don’t know.”
“When?”
“Approximately six hundred years ago.”
Momonga looked at Nabe.
She was staring at the drawing too.
For the first time, she looked genuinely unsettled.
Evileye stepped closer.
“What is it?”
Momonga didn’t answer.
She looked at the drawing.
Then at him.
“You recognize it.”
Momonga hesitated.
“Something like it.”
Fluder’s eyes widened.
“You have seen such a place?”
Momonga closed the book.
“Not exactly.”
“But—”
“I need time.”
Fluder nodded.
“Of course.”
Momonga looked toward the shelves.
There were hundreds of years of history around them.
And suddenly he understood something.
He had spent all this time searching for traces of other players.
Perhaps he had been asking the wrong question.
Maybe the real question wasn’t:
**Where are the other players?**
Maybe it was:
**What did the players leave behind?**
And if the answer was hidden in these archives…
Then his journey had just become much larger than he expected.
Outside the archive, the night was quiet.
Evileye walked beside Momonga.
“You didn’t tell Fluder everything.”
“No.”
“You didn’t tell Jircniv either.”
“No.”
“Will you tell me?”
Momonga looked at her.
“Eventually.”
Evileye sighed.
“I suppose that’s the best answer I’ll get.”
“For now.”
She looked toward Nabe.
“She knows.”
“Yes.”
“And you trust her completely.”
“Yes.”
Evileye was silent.
Then she said:
“I think I understand.”
Momonga smiled.
“What?”
“Why you chose her.”
He looked at Nabe.
She looked back.
Neither said anything.
But Momonga felt strangely reassured.
They returned to their room late that night.
Momonga placed the copied drawing on the table.
Nabe stood beside him.
“We will investigate it.”
“Yes.”
“Even if it leads to danger?”
“Especially then.”
Nabe nodded.
Momonga looked out the window.
The Imperial capital glittered beneath the night sky.
Somewhere far away was E-Rantel.
Somewhere farther still were the ruins of the New World.
And somewhere…
perhaps…
was the answer to why he had been brought here.
He smiled.
“Nabe.”
“Yes?”
“I think our little adventure is becoming complicated.”
Nabe smiled.
“It was never simple.”
Momonga laughed.
“You’re right.”
He looked once more at the mysterious drawing.
Then at the road beyond the city.
Tomorrow, they would begin again.
Not as rulers.
Not as conquerors.
But as adventurers.
And somewhere in the darkness…
something ancient was waiting for them.