Narrator's POV
"So something like that happened?" mutters Nfirea with a deep, regretful sigh.
Nfirea knew Enri's parents well. They were ideal parents. He envied the two daughters they doted on.
He himself is an orphan who has only vague memories of his parents. Whenever wonderful parents are mentioned, he thinks of Enri's parents.
He feels anger towards the imperial knight impostors who took the lives of Enri's parents. He was relieved when he learned that the knights were killed not long after, believing that they deserved it. But even then, he is still angry, not only at the knights but at the higher-ups from E-Rantel as well for their unwillingness to dispatch soldiers.
But strangely, the one who should feel the most anger and sadness, Enri, had put her own feelings aside.
Nfirea watched her recalling the past and wiping her own tears, uncertain if he should try to console her or not.
She soon gives Nfirea a smile and says, "I still have my little sister, so I can't stay depressed like this."
Nfirea, who was about to stand up, stayed put, feeling like he had just missed his chance to comfort her.
He feels guilty for having such thoughts when he should feel happy that Enri is managing the situation well. But he also can't help but feel useless.
His desire to protect her remains; after some hesitation, he makes up his mind. He won't let anyone other than himself sit beside Enri, even if that person is strong and capable of protecting Enri.
It's a bit rash, but Nfirea doesn't want to lose Enri, so he decides to express the feelings he has harbored since the first time he came to this village as a kid.
"Well then—" he begins, but doesn't manage to continue. His throat tightens with nerves.
He wants to say it, but the words seem jammed in his throat and won't come out.
He and Enri are both at a marriageable age, and he makes enough money to take care of both Enri and her little sister. He could even manage if they had a child...
The image of him building a family with Enri appears in his mind, but he quickly chases it away before his imagination gets out of control. Noticing that Enri is now looking at him with a puzzled expression, Nfirea becomes even more anxious.
He opens his mouth before closing it once more.
He wants to say, "I like you," or "I love you." But he can't say those two sentences because he is scared of hearing a rejection.
In the end, he decides to take another route, first shortening the distance between him and her to lower the chances of rejection.
"Enri!" he exclaims loudly.
"Wha—What is it, Nfirea?" replies Enri, a bit startled by his sudden shout.
"If... if you have any trouble, please tell me. I will do all I can to help you!" he confesses.
"Thank you...! Nfirea, you are a great friend, better than I deserve!" replies Enri cheerfully with a beaming smile.
"Ah, ah, erm... No, don’t mention it; we’ve known each other for so long," he answers, unable to say anything more when faced with her smile.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel that Enri was really cute. And they both began chatting about their childhood for a moment.
Only when the topic reaches its end does Nfirea ask, "By the way, what’s with those goblins? ... And this wolf?"
The goblins seem to respect her, and unlike normal goblins like the ones he saw on the road, these look like veteran warriors. One of them is even a magic caster. As for the wolf... there is no other way to say it than that it's a true monster. He couldn't even follow its movement back then.
"For the goblins, I used an item left by one of the saviors of the village, Ainz Ooal Gown, and they appeared. They follow my commands," she answers truthfully.
She then continues, "As for the wolf, it was given to me by the other savior of the village, Lydia Evie Hart."
"I see..." he mumbles in response.
Enri's eyes sparkle like stars when mentioning them, which makes Nfirea feel terrible.
Ainz Ooal Gown, Lydia Evie Hart.
She had mentioned them several times already.
When Carne Village was attacked by people disguised as knights of the Empire, two mysterious figures who happened to pass by saved the village with amazing powers and brought peace to the village. Ainz Ooal Gown, a mysterious magic caster with fearsome powers, and Lydia Evie Hart, a little girl with powers reminiscent of a deity.
They were heroes like those of fairy tales, and the ones who saved Enri. So if he ever gets the occasion, he would like to thank them personally.
But Enri makes it hard for him to express his gratitude.
Nfirea can't help but feel jealous as Enri never showed this attitude towards him. Yet, he is also self-aware enough to understand, which only makes him feel even worse for his ugly feelings as he tries to push the jealousy out of his mind.
To distract himself, he thinks back to the item used to summon the goblins, the [Horn of the Goblin General].
The great magic caster obviously told Enri something about the horn, but since her mind was confused back then, she wasn't able to remember everything clearly.
Nfirea can't help but feel that this is strange. She might not know what kind of item it is, but she shouldn't have forgotten about it. Even more so since it's an item given to her by one of the saviors of the village.
There are many items that could be used for summoning, and there are summoning spells too. But the summoned beings disappear after a fixed amount of time has passed.
'Summoned monsters' are not monsters that can be controlled over a long period of time.
If that item can accomplish this, the history of magic up to this point might be overturned.
How valuable would an item like that be? Enri appeared to be unaware of the item’s value, but if she were to sell it, she would be set for life.
Enri used this rare item because she didn’t want the village to be damaged again.
Nfirea thought this way of thinking was just like Enri's, which is why the summoned Goblins protect the village, address Enri as "anego," follow her commands, and even help in the fields. Not only that, but he heard they are even teaching the villagers how to use a bow, teaching them ways of protecting themselves. That is how the village got its strange new residents.
Part of the reason why the village accepted the goblins is that they were attacked by knights, who were fellow humans. They are no longer able to trust other humans as before, and at the same time, it became easier for them to accept the goblins’ help.
But the main reason is that the item was a gift from Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the two saviors. It's the same situation with the wolf. While it doesn't help as much as the goblins, it is still incredibly strong—much stronger than all the goblins combined. And apparently, it is still growing, which makes it the perfect guardian.
"They called themselves Ainz Ooal Gown and Lydia Evie Hart, right? What kind of people are they? I want to express my thanks," asks Nfirea.
Nfirea has no idea who Ainz Ooal Gown or Lydia Evie Hart are. Enri said she didn’t know what Ainz Ooal Gown looked like under the mask, so even if he were someone Nfirea knew, she wouldn’t be able to tell. And Lydia Evie Hart looked like a noble child with long blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, and unblemished skin. Such an appearance should be very recognizable, so he is sure to have never seen her before.
But anyone who gave away such a valuable item or monster must be a great person. Nfirea would never forget if he had seen them before. After telling Enri what he thought, Enri looked disappointed.
"I see. I thought you would know who they are... especially since one of the adventurers accompanying you is wearing a pendant identical to Lydia Evie Hart's," she explains, disappointed.
This catches his attention.
"Huh? What do you mean? Who?" he asks hastily.
"The young blindfolded girl," she replies.
"Do you believe there could be a link between her and Lydia Evie Hart?" Nfirea speculates.
"I don't know... maybe? I hoped you would know," she answers hesitantly.
"Could you tell me more about Lydia Evie Hart?" inquires Nfirea.
"It was amazing!" begins Enri with sparkling eyes. "She killed a knight without uttering a word or even moving a muscle. She simply stared at him, and he fell over dead," she narrates excitedly.
"After that, she gave me Paws—that's what we named the wolf, or rather, what Nemu named her. Oh right, she did give me a red potion as well—"
Enri keeps describing the scene, but Nfirea's mind was already elsewhere.
His mind goes back to a conversation from before he began his latest quest.
"I will pay you for your trouble; could you describe in detail the person who gave you the potion?" his grandmother had asked.
The red-haired woman, Brita, looked displeased at the request and asked, "What are you planning by asking this?"
"Obviously, it would be a clue for me to find her—find the mysterious blindfolded girl. If I get close to her, she might tell me where she got that potion, right? She might even spill it accidentally. If she is an adventurer, I plan to hire her. What do you think, Nfirea?" she replied honestly.
That was the reason he had asked for Lily by name back at the guild. He wanted to find out information about the potion by deepening their friendship. Aside from this, during the process of heading to the forest to harvest herbs, Lily might unknowingly leak some other information.
Until now, he had formed a theory that the potion might have come to be through the assistance of some form of divine magic, given the power Lily is so casually capable of wielding.
But now he has another clue, so, while trying his best to hide the excitement in his voice, he asks, "Oh, what kind of potion was it?"
"Eh?" Enri is confused by Nfirea's sudden interest.
"You know that I am a pharmacist; I am interested in potions," he explains.
"Ah, that’s right! These kinds of things are your job," she acknowledges.
Enri does not have much knowledge of potions, nor many details to give about this particular potion apart from its potency, so after saying this, she proceeds to describe Lydia Evie Hart as much as her memory allows. She mentions her feats as well as her personality.
From everything he has heard, Lydia Evie Hart and Lily are obviously linked in one way or another, but he can't seem to put his finger on what exactly.
Enri said that Lydia Evie Hart's most prominent traits were her eyes, which seemed to glow with hidden power, and the gemstone on the pendant on her chest that had the same glow.
While he can't be sure about the eyes since Lily wears a blindfold, Enri is sure that it's the same gem, or at least a perfectly identical one.
But besides the gem, nothing else really fits the description. Lily is older, her hair is black, and she is a divine magic caster.
With everything taken into account, they can't be the same person. But it doesn't erase the very probable possibility that the two at least know each other.
'Maybe Lydia Evie Hart is the one who supplies Lily with her potions?' Those thoughts cross his mind.
"Wait... Didn't I hear the name 'Lydia Evie Hart' before?" he mumbles to himself quietly enough that Enri doesn't hear it.
The realization then crashes into his mind with the power of a hurricane. He has already heard a few high-ranking adventurers speak about a rumor concerning a deity of monsters named Lydia Evie Hart during one of his past quests.
At that time, he had dismissed the tale as a simple, unfounded, exaggerated tale from adventurers. But now, someone bearing the same name and having mysterious powers had come to this village.
'Could she really be a goddess? Why would a goddess ever come to this village? And this Ainz Ooal Gown, is he her follower then?'
'Perhaps it was a whim? After all, Enri said she looked like a child.'
'And Lily wears the same pendant?'
'The most probable explanation would be that Lily is a follower of Lydia Evie Hart. But Enri would have mentioned it if Ainz Ooal Gown wore a similar pendant. If he doesn't, that could mean that this pendant isn't a symbol of faith...'
'But what could it be then?'
The thoughts come one after the other and a hypothesis forms in his mind, and despite how absurd it sounds, he can't help but feel like, more and more, this theory makes sense.
'The gemstone on the pendant has the same glow as her eyes... so perhaps it is like her heart, or something equivalent to that? In that case... would that mean that Lily is actually Lydia Evie Hart in disguise, and she wears a blindfold to hide the glow of her eyes?'
He has never heard of a being capable of changing appearance nor a magical item capable of changing one's appearance to this extent, but if Lydia Evie Hart really is a goddess, it could be a possibility.
'Then... could Momon actually be Ainz Ooal Gown as well?'
As much as he wants to dismiss the theory as just that, an absurd thought that crossed his mind randomly, the more he thinks about it, the more it makes sense.
That would also explain the reaction of the wolf, 'Pawns', to Lily's arrival, if she really is her creator...
'It is said that a red potion is the blood of gods,' the words of his grandma resonate in his mind.
"Are you okay? You don’t look so good." Enri interrupts Nfirea's train of thought with a concerned expression.
"Erm, yes..." He stands up. "I have to verify something; I'll come back," he explains as he rushes outside.
Lydia's POV
With Ainz, we watch from the hill beside the village as the villagers train under the goblins.
There are many different villagers standing in line with bows in hand; ranging from young girls to elderly men, everyone seems to take the exercise to heart.
Despite our keen senses, we can't hear what they are saying from here, but we can see the seriousness in their body language and their expressions.
Well, I can, but it's mostly just the goblin leader acting like a gentle drill sergeant.
"Not bad, right?" I ask, turning my head towards Ainz.
"Indeed. If they keep this up, the tragedy they lived won't repeat itself," he replies while observing the training.
"How long do you think it will take them to become strong enough to defend themselves?" I ask curiously.
"With how serious they are, a few months at best. But I won't really count on it until a few years have passed," he answers.
I turn my attention back to the villagers. "I see. Well, they have the goblins and the dire wolf anyway."
Ainz just nods at my words.
"Hey, do you think that we can become stronger as well?" I ask.
"It all depends on whether the level cap is still present and absolute. And even if it isn't the case, leveling up in this world might be much more difficult than in YGGDRASIL."
After his response, we both stay silent, simply observing the villagers from afar.
Now that I think about it, my summons give XP when killed, and they only cost me mana to summon...
I spot Nfirea running towards us with an uncertain expression, interrupting my thoughts.
Ainz spots him as well and asks, "What’s the hurry? Is there another emergency? This village is really—"
"Lily-san, Momon-san, are you Lady Lydia Evie Hart and Sir Ainz Ooal Gown?" he questions as he stops not far from us, interrupting Ainz.
Eh?
We both stay silent, completely dumbfounded. We should deny it, but the surprise makes us hesitate.
Apparently, our hesitation is all the proof he needs as he mumbles, "So it is really you..." with a shocked expression.
He then bows and adds, "Thank you for saving this village and Enri."
"A-are you sure you aren't mistaking us for someone else?" I ask hopefully with a nervous stutter.
But my words only make him nod nervously, and he replies, "I understand you’re hiding your identity, but I still wanted to thank you for saving this village—no, for saving Enri. Thank you for saving the girl I love."
"Ah... enough... lift your head," Ainz speaks up.
"Yes, Sir Gown. Also, actually... I’ve been hiding something from you two," he admits with shame in his voice.
"Actually... the potion you gave to the woman at the tavern is impossible to create using normal methods and is very rare. I wanted to know what kind of person owned such a potion and its brewing method; that’s why I requested you for this job. I am very sorry," he explains.
The potion was a rare one? It was just a Minor Health Potion.
"Oh, so that’s it. There is no reason to apologize, right?" Ainz replies, relieved.
"Eh?" His response confuses Nfirea.
"It is uncomfortable to hide things and ask to shake your hand with a smile. But the request this time was made in order to build a relationship, right? So what is the problem?" Ainz elaborates, sincerely baffled.
"You really are forgiving..." Nfirea mumbles in surprise.
"If we tell you how to make the potion, what will you do with this information?" asks Ainz.
Nfirea pauses and ponders the question for a few seconds before replying, "I didn’t think that far. I’m driven by curiosity... My grandmother is probably the same."
"I see. That isn’t a problem. It would be different if you were planning to commit some felonies, but it’s fine if you don’t plan to do that."
"How amazing. No wonder... she idolizes you..." he mumbles once more.
Well, he is a pharmacist who seems to be passionate about his work. I can understand this kind of passion, as I felt the same in YGGDRASIL when it came to exploring the lore and magic.
It makes me want to support his endeavor, even if just a little—and maybe even truly confirm his speculation as a form of reward for his wits.
Under Nfirea's gaze, I raise a hand towards my blindfold and remove it slowly, revealing my eyes to the young man. The sight seems to make him freeze for some reason as we lock eyes.
I then walk up to him while taking back my original appearance, my body morphing back into my much more comfortable original shape and quickly switching my clothes for my divine set equipment.
Once in front of him, I raise a hand with a smile and, with a brief flash of light, I create a Minor Health Potion.
"Here. That should help you study it, right?" I exclaim with a large smile. "You could see it as my support for having figured our identities out," I add with a playful wink.
But, contrary to my expectations, he is frozen in place, his mouth and eyes wide open in apparent shock; he just grabs the potion from my hand like an automaton. The sight is oddly amusing, causing me to let out a giggle.
I hear Ainz sighing behind me. "Lydia, did you really have to do that?" he asks with exasperation.
I turn around and puff my cheeks. "What? He already figured it out anyway. And this form is much more comfortable." I pause, then remember something. "Oh, yeah, right." I turn towards Nfirea once more. "By the way, are you the only one who knows who we are?" I ask carefreely.
My words seem to finally wake him up from his stupor. "Huh? Y-yes. I didn't tell anyone."
"That's great. Could you please keep our identity to yourself?" I demand.
"Y-yes, of course."
"Then everything's good. Feel free to examine the potion," I add with a wink.
"Yes... thank you very much for that as well..." With that, he takes his leave, probably excited to begin working on his potion.
I turn my head to Ainz. "Well, that went well," only for him to let out an exasperated sigh. "Huh? Did I do something wrong?" I ask.
"At least warn me next time you do something like that. We don't know if there was someone else around," he demands.
"Did you forget that I have the Eye of Heimdall? I would have known if there was someone else around," I pout.
"Yeah, right. Sorry," he pats me on the head (hehe). "Could you at least take back Lily's form?" he asks.
I let out a "hmph" while turning my head away but comply anyway; my body morphs back into Lily's appearance. I quickly exchange my equipment as well with the Eye of Heimdall.
.
.
.
Our group is a few hundred meters from the village in the direction of the forest, where the goblins have already begun cutting down trees in order to build the palisade.
We are doing our final check with Nfirea before entering the forest.
"We will be entering the forest now; I will be relying on everyone to act as escorts. The territory of the Wise King of the Forest isn’t far from here; if everything goes well, the chance of encountering other monsters will be low. The only problem is that the place where we encountered the ogres yesterday was also inside the Wise King of the Forest’s area of influence, so something might be happening in the forest. This is a somewhat trivial matter, but nevertheless, I hope everybody will keep their guard up," Nfirea explains to everyone.
His gaze stops on us momentarily, but it's enough for the Swords of Darkness' eyes to shift to us.
"With Momon-san and Lily-san here, it shouldn't be a problem," declares Peter confidently.
"If the Wise King of the Forest shows up, we will keep it busy. Please escape in the meantime," Ainz requests with confidence after seeing the attention on us.
"If there’s a need to run, could I trouble you all to clear the area? The stronger the Wise King of the Forest is, the more power I need to use, and I don’t want everyone getting caught in the crossfire," he adds after a short pause.
"Understood. We will protect Nfirea-san and escape from the forest. Please don’t push yourself too much either," agrees Peter.
"Thank you. We will run if I think it is too dangerous," agrees Ainz as well.
"Erm... Momon-san," Nfirea begins, grabbing our attention. "Could you spare the Wise King of the Forest and just chase him away?" he asks.
"Why?" questions Ainz.
"Well... because of the influence of the Wise King of the Forest, Carne is able to avoid the attacks of monsters. If you defeat the Wise King of the Forest..." he explains, and even if he doesn't end his sentence, everyone understands what he wants to say.
"I see..." mumbles Ainz.
"This is rather tough. Momon-san and Lily-san might be very strong, but the opponent is a legendary monster. If they don’t use their full power, they might not be able to protect themselves. How could they spare the effort—" Lukrut explains, but is interrupted by Ainz.
"I understand," replies Ainz.
"Huh?!" blurts out Lukrut in shock. And while the other members of the Swords of Darkness stay silent, they all have an expression of surprise or shock on their faces.
"It might be difficult, but we will do our best to hold back and endeavor to drive it away," elaborates Ainz.
"Even though the opponent... is the legendary monster that lived for centuries..." Lukrut mumbles.
"This is the attitude of a powerful man..." Dyne replies to his mumbling.
"Alright! Let’s make haste; the herb I want to harvest looks like this. Please inform me if anyone finds these," interrupts Nfirea while taking a dried plant from his waist.
"Oh, it’s Arnica grass!" exclaim Dyne and Lukrut, and Ninya nods as well.
They probably also have some knowledge about the plant. For my part, while I have some knowledge about plants, I don't know this one. Perhaps it's a native plant from the New World?
"Yes, this is the herb that is normally used in the process of making healing potions," explains Nfirea.
"And it grows near the Adventurers' Guild!" adds Lukrut.
"Oh, is that so? Then the mystery of why we made the trip to the forest in order to harvest the herb is solved—I heard that wild herbs are more potent than farmed ones," Dyne speculates.
"That’s correct. All the potions from my place use natural herbs; that is a selling point to be proud of! But the potency only increases by about 10 percent," confirms Nfirea.
"For people with their lives on the line, that 10 percent is very important. Selling better potions for the same retail price as others... As expected of the famous Bareare Pharmacy," compliments Peter.
Nfirea takes the compliment with a proud smile before he focuses back on the task at hand. "There is a large, open clearing in the forest; I plan to set that area as our target. I already told Lukrut-san about that place, so please lead the way," he explains before letting Lukrut lead the group deeper into the forest. Lukrut simply gives a "Leave it to me" before advancing.
"Let’s start the harvesting—" begins Nfirea, but Ainz interrupts him.
"—I’d like to make a suggestion."
What is he planning this time?
"Please enlighten us, Momon-san," replies Nfirea.
"Since Lily can use a spell similar to the [Alarm] spell used back at the camp, could we split up temporarily after reaching the destination?" he suggests.
Can I do that? I guess I could...
Everyone frowns at his suggestion, their expressions reflecting their unease. They probably don't want to split up with the strongest combatants in the middle of the most dangerous area.
Nfirea is the first to compose himself. "That’s fine, but please don’t take too long," he agrees hesitantly.
The Swords of Darkness agree not long after, since the client has no problem with it.
They decide to begin the harvest only after we return, and we both march deeper into the forest.
As we walk, I can't help but admire the scenery of the forest around us. It's something to see it in a virtual world, but seeing it in real life is something else entirely. I understand now why Blue Planet-san loved nature so much.
As we walk, I notice someone trailing us from the trees. Her presence surprises me at first, but I suppose Ainz called her at some point.
"This place should do," mumbles Ainz before raising his voice. "Let us discuss how to raise my fame."
"Yes—that’s why I’m here," replies Aura from the top of a tree. "I was called here to find the Wise King of the Forest and make it attack you, right?" demands Aura.
"Hi, Aura!" I greet her with a wave of my hand.
"Hello, Lydia-sama," she greets back with a big smile.
"According to the intelligence we gathered, the Wise King of the Forest has white fur, a snake-like tail, and is a four-legged beast... Does this ring any bells?" informs Ainz, replying to Aura's question at the same time.
"Yes, no problem. It’s probably that fellow," replies Aura confidently while looking away, probably in the direction where she found it. "Do you want me to tame it directly?" she asks curiously.
"That’s a plan too, but there is no need," replies Ainz. "By the way, Aura, how is the other task I ordered you to carry out going?" he questions.
"Everything is proceeding smoothly. For now, we haven't found many beings worthy of joining Nazarick, but the construction of the warehouse is proceeding smoothly thanks to the golems you lent us," she explains.
"I see," replies Ainz.
When did he give that order? Am I not missing too much?
"But the construction of the warehouse will take a very long time," adds Aura a little more quietly.
"That is unavoidable. It hasn’t been long since I issued the order. You can take your time, but do it right. And beef up the defenses so it won’t fall easily when attacked," commands Ainz.
"Yes! By your command!" replies Aura excitedly.
"Excellent. Well then, I leave the task regarding the Wise King of the Forest to you."
"Yes!"
With that, she bolts from tree to tree, and behind her, two beasts jump after her. One looks like a giant black wolf and the other a six-legged giant chameleon.
.
.
.
After speaking with Aura, we rejoin the group and they begin their harvest.
After a while, the forest turns noisy and Lukrut perks up with a serious expression.
"Something is coming," he warns.
Hearing this, the members of the Swords of Darkness who are picking herbs draw their weapons and prepare for battle. Ainz also holds his giant sword tightly.
"Is it the Wise King of the Forest?" asks Nfirea.
No one answers him as he puts the herbs into his pack. Everyone looks into the depths of the forest in silence.
"This is bad. Something big is heading this way. I don’t know why it is moving in a meandering path, but judging from the sound of its trampling the grass, it should be here soon. But... it’s uncertain whether this is the Wise King of the Forest or not," shouts Lukrut.
"Retreat. It’s dangerous to stay here even if it’s not the Wise King of the Forest. We are in its territory, so even if it’s not the Wise King of the Forest, the chances of it attacking us are high," explains Peter before turning his gaze towards us.
"Momon-san, Lily-san, could you act as the rear guard?" he demands.
"No problem, leave it to us... we will take care of the rest," declares Ainz confidently.
The members of the Swords of Darkness offer words of encouragement as they retreat out of the forest with Nfirea in tow.
I hear Ainz mumbling about there being no witnesses and needing proof of our victory, so I just smack his back with a hand, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"I don't think they need more proof than what we already gave them," I tell him.
"Yeah... you're right," he replies while taking out his two giant swords and standing between me and the noise.
Right after, he raises his swords in front of him and something impacts them with a sharp sound.
The tail of this beast extends to more than 20m. Can it extend its tail, or does it just live with a 20m tail?
A deep and calm voice resonates through the forest, "To completely block the first attack of this king, impressive... To meet such an opponent... This is a first for this king."
I sweep the area with the Eye of Heimdall and quickly locate the beast.
Oh! It's so cute! It's a giant hamster with a long reptilian tail. It looks so fluffy as well! And it has some glowing sigils on its belly for some reason.
Wait, no. That's a language. The meanings of the sigils are automatically translated in my mind for some reason. If I had to make a guess, it would be that it's perhaps the language of magic, or one of them, and as the Child of Mana, I can understand it.
"Well then, intruder to the territory of this king. If thou art thinking of fleeing, I will let the matter rest since thou hast displayed such excellent defense... How about it?" the giant hamster proposes.
"What a foolish question. Of course I will defeat you and reap the rewards... Anyway, are you hiding because you lack confidence in your appearance, or are you shy by nature?" declares Ainz.
"What preposterous words, intruder! Behold this king’s majestic figure and tremble in fear!" replies the hamster.
Did it just say that?
True to its word, the giant hamster walks out from behind the trees.
"Hahaha, this king can feel the terror and shock from beneath thy helmet," he... she? speaks up, her face wrinkling with a smile.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a female. I'm not sure how I know, but I know.
"What is this feeling..." I hear Ainz mumbling in front of me.
"Let me tell you, Ainz. This feeling is..." I pause, and I see him turning his head toward me. "Is cuteness!"
""Huh?"" both Ainz and the hamster look at me weirdly.
"I mean, look at her!" I gesture toward the giant ball of fluff. "No one would want to harm such a creature!"
"W-well... this king is flattered by such a compliment, but it won't save thee from my wrath, intruders!" she declares with determination.
As she is about to charge, Ainz speaks up, "I want to ask one thing: what is your race known as?" interrupting her.
She stands back on her hind legs. "This king is the Wise King of the Forest thou speakest of. There are no other names," she declares, her voice deep and composed.
"Could your race’s name be... a Djungarian hamster?" asks Ainz.
"A Djungarian hamster?" I repeat, a little confused, before searching in my mind for what a Djungarian hamster looks like. "Oh! I can totally see it now!" I speak to myself.
The Wise King of the Forest tilts her head to the side in confusion, "Hmm... This king has always lived a solitary life. I don’t know about others of my race, so I can’t answer you... Might thou know what race this king belongs to?"
"Eh... Yeah... You could say that... A past comrade of mine raised an animal similar to you..." answers Ainz weakly.
A past comrade? Oh yeah... wasn't there someone with a hamster in the guild? Who was it again?
"What! To keep a being similar to this king as a pet!" she shouts.
Oh, she's offended. But her angry face is so cute. She puffed out her cheeks!
"Hmmm... Pray explain the details. This king has the obligation to continue the lineage of my race. If others from my race exist, I have the duty to raise the next generation, or this king wouldn’t be fit to be called a living being," she asks.
I was sure she was going to charge at us, but apparently she is more level-headed than I give her credit for.
"...Eh, that creature wasn’t as big as you." Ainz tries to explain, but fails to find words.
"Is that so... could it be a child?" she asks.
"...No, even fully matured, it was small enough to be placed in my hand," explains Ainz while showing his hand to emphasize his words.
The Wise King of the Forest makes a dejected face and her whiskers droop down. "That’s a bit hard... Is this king fated to live alone till death..."
"...A cooler race would be more like it... but a hamster? I empathize with your situation, but if you find another one of your race, your numbers will increase exponentially, and the world might be destroyed..." mused Ainz.
Her whiskers perk back up and she speaks up once more, this time sounding angry, "How preposterous! Continuing to raise the next generation is of grave importance! And this king has always been alone! It is natural to want to meet others of my kind!"
"Eh... Yeah... It’s obvious to think about it this way... Please forgive my slip of the tongue..." he apologizes.
"...Never mind, I will forgive thee. It’s time to end the useless banter; let’s duel to the death... Be aware... Those who invade this king’s realm will end up as food!" she declares.
Now that I think about it... couldn't I make more of her species?
As the Wise King of the Forest goes back on all fours, I speak up: "I could make more of your species!"
"You—what?" She freezes at my words. "You could?" she asks hopefully. "You could... create... more of this king's kin?" she repeats, sounding confused.
"Yeah. I'll just need to examine you to make sure I don't make any mistakes. But, you see, my specialty is creating monsters." To prove my words, I raise a hand and, after a brief flash of light, a small white butterfly appears over my palm.
It flies off and lands on top of my head.
It's a Life Butterfly, and contrary to the Death Butterfly, this one heals and applies buffs.
The Wise King of the Forest walks towards us hesitantly, eyeing the butterfly warily.
"You can create life? Just like that?" She is losing her composure, and her voice loses its depth. "And you could create kin of this King the same way you created this butterfly?" she asks again, her voice full of hope.
"I don't see why not. Like I said, I just need to examine you first to make sure I don't make any mistakes while creating them, if you don't mind," I explain.
She immediately goes on all fours in front of us and declares, "I'm ready to pledge allegiance to you if you can really allow this king to finally create a lineage! Please! Accept me as your faithful follower!" she begs, dropping her ancient speech in the process.
Sheesh, she must have been really desperate.
"Of course!" I agree excitedly. "Don't worry. I'll soon send you to a place where I can examine you in detail and create a partner for you. But I think we need you for something else first, right?" I turn to Ainz at the last part.
Ainz just stands there motionless.