179
Ainz replied to Shihoutu Tokitu while he was trying to stand back up, "oi, wait"
"HAH!"
"Don't be hasty. I am trying to say that I can't eat, so don't waste any ingredients."
"What are you saying Ainz-sama! Ingredients used for Ainz-sama cannot be considered wasted! Yes!" Shihoutu Tokitu said as he stood up and turned towards the cafeteria. That brought about a round of applause. Not just the maids but even Aura and Mare joined in on it. The elves quickly followed the others in panic.
You don't have to follow along, you know… Ainz grumbled internally.
"Well, I will start at once!"
"Oi, wait."
"HAH!"
Ainz spoke honestly to the kneeling Shihoutu Tokitu, "I am going to be frank.
I did not come here to eat. I came here to have an enjoyable—yes, an enjoyable conversation. I understand your expression of welcome to a suffocating extent, but I do not care for it that much. Can I get you to understand that I just want to have a calm conversation?"
Ainz could understand why Shihoutu Tokitu was filled with such fanatical motivation. Someone like the ruler of Nazarick, who couldn't possibly visit such a place, came today. He probably just wanted to give the best welcome possible, but that's not what Ainz was here for.
"HAH! Then let me reserve the whole place!"
"Oi, wait."
"HAH!"
"Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. I will repeat myself, I only came here to have a little chat. There's no need to take things so far, understood?"
Ainz took a quick glance at the others—especially the elves—and found that they were just staring at him with serious expressions.
The maids were already half away from their seats, prepared to leave at any time. The twins acted like this was just normal, while the elves seemed like they were afraid that the situation was going to get out of hand. Even though he selected this place specifically because he didn't want the elves to feel like that—
[board's bookmark for proofing]
"—I am not being modest, that's really the reason why I came here. All of you may continue as usual. Please treat me like you would any other guest."
"HAH! But! To treat a Supreme Being such as Ainz-sama in the same way as others!"
Ainz couldn't be faulted for using underhanded means if it came to this. He
cleared his throat and shifted his tone to sound more serious.
"—Shihoutu Tokitu"
"HAH!"
"I am saying that I want to see what this place usually looks like. If you have been diligent with your duties, you wouldn't have to do anything special now, correct? Or, are you trying to show me something different from usual because you have something to hide?"
Shihoutu Tokitu gulped and made an expression that was filled with resolve
(or that's what it looked like to Ainz).
"A word please, Ainz-sama! This Shihoutu Tokitu, who had been entrusted with this place by the Supreme Being Amanomahitotsu, never did a single thing that would cause him shame!"
"Of course."
Shihoutu Tokitu looked puzzled at Ainz's instant reply.
"Even though I have only interacted with you for a short while, I can see that you are devoted to your work and are truly loyal to the ones you call Supreme Beings. My words just now were quite thoughtless. I take them back and offer my apologies."
Ainz bowed his head.
"Ooo! Ainz-sama! Please don't do that! A Supreme Being such as you bowing to me! Please lift your noble face!"
Ainz slowly raised his head and looked straight at Shihoutu Tokitu.
"Shihoutu Tokitu. I am glad that you accepted my apology. But I want you to know and understand. I just want to have a look at how you and this place are normally whilst holding a relaxed conversation. Just treat me like a normal guest."
Shihoutu Tokitu grumbled a bit, but he seemingly came to a compromise internally and nodded.
"Understood."
"Is that so, that's great. A day may come when we will invite VIPs—important people from other places—to Nazarick. You may display your full talent at that time, I will be relying on you then."
"HAH! —b-but something like bowing to the likes of me…"
"My regret at deriding you was a large part of the reason why I did that, but you may also consider it as my apology to the Amanoma-san who trusted in you and entrusted you with this place."
Shihoutu Tokitu made a bitter smile, an expression of defeat at the face of such an explanation. But, he immediately returned to his work face. Of course, all of the above was just what it looked like from Ainz's point of view.
"—In that case, Ainz-sama, I will take my leave to work on the order."
Ainz watched Shihoutu Tokitu's back as he left and raised his voice a bit so that it would reach everyone in the cafeteria.
"Sorry for the disturbance everyone. Well then, please continue dining without worry."
Aura and the others returned to the table, as if they were replacing Shihoutu Tokitu. At a few of the tables here and there, the maids started eating again. It felt like the atmosphere was less tense now. It looked like the incident with Shihoutu Tokitu helped relieve some of the tension.
Aura and the others each held their preferred drinks while Lumière placed Ainz's coffee in front of him.
He could smell the coffee's rich fragrance, a mysterious smell with hints of some kind of berry in it.
YGGDRASIL never had any cross promotions with brands but it had a lot of content in it including foodstuffs. Normal games would probably stop at a simple
[Coffee-bean] but YGGDRASIL had multiple varieties of them. Each of them was also graded differently with the ones at the highest grade bringing out the best effects from the food.
Therefore, the beans in Nazarick's inventory were of a good grade and this coffee should certainly be tasty.
This is probably what quality coffee smells like. Would it also taste like berries?
While feeling sad that his body was unable to taste it, Ainz waited until everyone took their seats to speak.
"Well, let's talk while enjoying our drinks."
Two of the elves had melon soda while the other one had green tea with ice in it. Following Ainz's words, they took a sip. The melon soda group blinked in surprise, pressing their hands to their mouths. Their reaction was certainly not a bad one.
"Wow, so tasty."
"Sweet."
The two who whispered those words quickly emptied their glasses. Ainz was counting on this to happen. He spoke gently to them, "—How about a refill?"
"Ah, yes, please let us do so."
The two elves immediately nodded and headed over to the drinks section.
There was a spring in their steps.
"It's good that they liked it."
"Ah, yes."
Ainz spoke to the remaining elf. She was probably also interested in their drinks, as she quickly finished her tea and stood up. By the way, both of the twins went with cola and from their expressions, it looked like it was nothing special for them.
Many unexpected things had happened on the way, but it looked like the elves had mostly calmed down. They no longer seemed like they would doubt everything he said just because he was an undead.
As expected, sweet things are effective. There are no women who would hate sweet things. A woman who can resist sweet things simply does not exist…So Mocchimochisan's was correct all along. I thought it was just an excuse for her reckless eating habits…
The other two female members of Ainz Ooal Gown had tilted their heads at that statement—although slimes didn't have necks—but it was not like they denied it either. With the way the elves acted just now, that counted as two things that could probably serve as proof she was not exactly wrong. Well, he still had his suspicions.
Now, at last. I have gone through a lot of simulations in my mind, but I wonder if I can get a discussion about the Elven country going smoothly…
He remembered what they heard from the elves when they met the first time.
There was no name for the country of elves that was said to be in the great forest of the south. Albedo surmised that it was because they never had the need to open diplomatic relations with other races, the other nations were far away from it in the first place. As they had no need to identify their land as something separate from the rest, just calling it a country was enough for them.
However, it seemed like after being ruled for so long by a king, it was being called a kingdom. This king was supposedly super strong. What his strengths and classes were was something they did not manage to find out. At that point, the elves looked at the twins, probably wondering why they did not know about this.
This country of elves was embroiled in hostilities with the Theocracy at the present moment and these elves were sold as slaves after they were captured by the Theocracy. What the war was for and when did it start were questions to which these elves had no answers for.
It was probably because this country of elves did not have a standardized education system. These elves also did not have any interest in learning about such matters. Although after hearing what they said, it seemed like they were at least instructed on more important skills and knowledge (mostly consisting of stuff about monsters). Maybe they felt that history and similar subjects were not useful enough to be taught.
When asked about the dark elves in their country, they replied that although they had never seen them, they do exist. In fact, Aura and Mare were the first dark elves they had ever met. Dark elves are likely a minority in the Elven country, but it didn't seem like they were persecuted according to these elves.
That said, considering the lack of knowledge these elves demonstrated, it was entirely possible that they just didn't know about it. And—that was all of it.
That was all the information Ainz managed to get out of them at that time.
He had to be satisfied with such meager information just so that they wouldn't get suspicious. But he had a great excuse for being proactive in asking them now.
Patience is a virtue, as the saying goes.
Well, I should make a decision first. Should I make the topic about wanting to open diplomatic relations between our nations? Or how about saying that I want to go to a dark elf village to find friends for Aura and Mare?
They would be on guard if the conversation was about something on nationallevel relations. It was easier to make them talk if it was a reason that a normal person could sympathize with. Moreover, Ainz need not lie as he was really aiming for the second reason, so it would be easier for him. Ainz was a person who could lie as much as he wanted to but that didn't mean he liked to do so. It was just that he wouldn't hesitate to lie if there was some benefit to be had.
It was also better not to lie in case they somehow managed to figure out the truth later.
That should be the easier way…but I can't imagine how it would turn out if I bring reason up in front of Aura and Mare .
He was afraid they would feel duty-bound to make friends. In his honest opinion, friendship was something that was formed gradually with people with similar hobbies. He wouldn't call it friendship when someone was ordered to do it. Ainz remembered his friends from YGGDRASIL—his former guildmates.
Those comrades he made from chance meetings and through fate's machinations.
It was just that he didn't know if children needed to make friends or not.
Ainz…Suzuki Satoru didn't have any during his childhood and that didn't cause any problems for him in his opinion.
Being that kind of person, the fact that Ainz was even thinking about things like making friends was because Yamaiko used to say something to that effect long ago. At the same time, he also remembered Ulbert responding with, "that's the pipe dream of people who live in a different world than us", sarcastically laughing at his words.
Ainz didn't know who was in the right here. In any case, there was nothing to lose by having friends.
In that case, how about I stop thinking about it in terms of them making friends and tell them it's about making dark elf acquaintances? Whether they become friends or not will be up to them. Of course, it's all the better if they manage to make some.
With that said, if there was an extreme difference in power and standing between two parties, wouldn't it be a hindrance to the development of friendships? Everyone was equal in YGGDRASIL.
—Ainz frowned a bit as some of his friends came to mind suddenly, but he immediately shook his head, clearing away those memories.
They probably wouldn't have become friends if they had met in the real world with its inequalities. With that thought in mind, the first step should be to approach the dark elves in the Elven country on equal terms as much as possible.
Dark elves from the Sorcerer Kingdom's top echelon and dark elves that are a minority in the Elven country wouldn't make for a good match at all.
Apart from trying to conceal our status as much as possible…umm. Do all fathers around the world have to think about these things this much? I wonder how Touch-me- san did it, maybe I should have asked him for more details.
While Ainz was worrying about the soon-to-be-had conversation, the elves returned back to their seats. All of them went with cola.
Oh no, I didn't get my thoughts straight yet… I should not ad-lib everything.
But, there was no time left. As long as the twins were here, he could only say that this was about opening diplomatic relations. If things wouldn't go smoothly, he could just bring up the idea about making friends as a side topic.
Or, maybe he could spin it as his wish to deepen relationships with the dark elves as a part of micro-level diplomacy.
"Well then—let's proceed to the main topic."
The elves who were guzzling their drinks like it was the last drink of their life, suddenly stopped.
"We have established a nation named the Sorcerer Kingdom at present. The plan is to have various races live in coexistence. Some humans, dwarves, goblins, orcs, and lizardmen have already become citizens of our nation. Leaving aside whether or not the Elves would approve of this, I want to initiate diplomatic relations with the Elven nation as well as trade relations. As such, I wish to visit your nation. Won't you cooperate with us?"
Even though it was just an excuse right now, it was not bad to have diplomatic and trade relations with the Elven country. However, there was a critical problem.
Ainz cannot be the emissary for this matter.
Conferring with the foreign affairs of another country and making a treaty to open diplomatic relations was something out of Ainz's capabilities. Although it went smoothly with the dwarves, he doubted that he would succeed in the same way again. Rather, it was more likely to end up the opposite of what he intended.
Therefore, he wanted to send wise people in his stead if they were to engage in diplomacy. Albedo was the best choice for this, but he didn't want to assign her any additional work as she would be busy for a while managing the occupied territories of the Kingdom.
She would probably say "it's fine" if he ordered her, and she would probably be right.
But, that would mean she would have to overstretch herself to make it work, so Ainz needed to keep his subordinates' mental health in mind to not overwork them.
Ainz would have been extremely happy if they just made this conversation just about making personal acquaintances with the Dark Elves instead of making it about something so important.
"Eh, Ah, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama? What exactly does this cooperation entail?"
Ainz shrugged slightly at her cautious response.
"First, I want to hear some details from you. Also, just 'Ainz' is fine, you know?"
"We will be at your service if it's something we know-" the elf replied with a determined look, "b-but please forgive us for not being able to address you so…"
Aura, Mare, and the maids around them who were secretly eavesdropping had perplexed expressions.
If elves called him Ainz, then they would be told that they were being "overfamiliar" and should "understand their position." But, if they did not, they would be told, "how dare they refuse Ainz-sama's order." They were probably feeling conflicted because they knew that they would react in that exact way.
He didn't intend to scold the maids listening in. It's not like they were doing it out of malice or simple curiosity. He felt they would go "me, me" to be on call if he needed them during this conversation.
"…Is that so, that's regrettable. So, returning to the topic at hand… How is the Elven country? How do you deal with monsters seeing that you live in the forests?"
The elves had confused expressions, as if they were just asked a weird question.
"While we live in the forest, our homes are on the top of trees, because it's dangerous on the ground."
"We make our homes by transforming trees using druid magic."
"The trees suitable for such magic are also grown by magic. We call them Elf Trees."
From what they said, it seemed like the Elves could change the shape of trees using druid magic. Like creating cavities inside the trees or shaping bridges between trees. An Elf village was just a place where tens of those structures were bunched up together.
This method of making things out of Elf Trees seemed to be at the core of Elven culture. Not just homes or furniture, they could also create weapons and armor out of it. It was possible to make the arrows they used for hunting to be as hard as iron.
Ainz wanted them to demonstrate this magic as it did not exist in YGGDRASIL. They were surprised at that request because from their point of view, the tree the twins lived in was an example right there. It looked like they thought it was a mutated Elf Tree (because it looked different) that could only be transformed by those two.
Furthermore, as that magic can only be used on Elf Trees, it didn't work with other trees. Because the Elves lived in such conditions, monsters that were good at climbing trees like snakes or spiders were their natural enemies.
Although they had things like a nightwatch, those monsters also tended to be good at concealment; there were still victims every now and then. On the other hand, they did not get attacked as much by monsters that couldn't climb because it was easier to fight them off.
It seemed like the Elven capital (the only place the Elves could call a city as they were not a populous race) was the only settlement that was constructed in a place without the forest's cover, on the shore of a crescent-shaped lake.
The "seemed like" was added because these elves never visited the capital and only heard about it from others.
They could establish that city on a plain because there was a giant monster in the lake that captured and ate any large monsters that came nearby.
I see… Ainz thought.
As druid magic could also provide water, living on the trees was advantageous for them. As for flying monsters, the canopy of the Elf Trees could act as a shield while also hiding them.
Living in such circumstances, it was natural that most of the Elves gain abilities as rangers or druids. In other words, they could not survive without developing such abilities.
I don't know how class selection works in this world, but seems like without jobs like farmers among them, the Elves are more likely to be better fighters than humans.
He continued, asking them about the lifespans and population of the Elves.
They were evidently not that concerned about how long they lived, seeing as they did not know their own lifespans. It seemed like the oldest person there was thought to be over 300 years old. By the way, these elves didn't even know their own age. It was likely that they did not have the concept of a birthday.
Perhaps it was due to their long lives, they did not give birth frequently like humans and thus their populations were much smaller. However, upon learning more, Ainz thought that the number of children they had was not small at all.
In YGGDRASIL's setting, an elf's lifespan was a thousand years…they age up quickly in the first 10 years and then in the last 10 years, I think? I don't remember the exact details, but I think it's something like that. Or am I wrong? Also, if they supposedly gave birth once every decade… if we consider 200 years old as the start of adulthood and 400 years old to be when infertility sets in…20 children? I want to learn more details about this in the future.
"Then—If I were to return you to your former village, where would I go?"
Elves started looking at each other.
I see, of course they will not talk about it. It's important information after all.
After a while, one of the elves inquired hesitantly.
"E-excuse me… But are we going to be sent back to our homes?"
"…mm?"
Noticing their strange choice of words, Ainz realized his mistake. "…That's right. I forgot that your village was attacked by the Theocracy. "
These elves were not soldiers, just people who were living in the village that were captured during the Theocracy's attack on it. From their point of view, it was painful to return back to that place. Plus, their safety could not be guaranteed.
"Let's do this. Instead of returning you to your village, we'll take you to a safe place. Do you have any such place in mind? A village with your relatives or if there aren't any, how about the capital?"
"The capital…"
"Please forgive us. We don't know any other place except the surroundings of our village…"
"I wonder which place can be considered a safe place…"
These elves were unfamiliar with information outside of their village, but that wasn't something limited to these girls. It's the same for the villagers from the Kingdom or the Empire.
People in this world mostly live out their entire lives at their place of birth, especially for those without education. Though they would barely know about their neighboring cities, the other cities in their country might as well be foreign lands to them.
While Ainz was pondering over this, the elves spoke again.
"Excuse us…but are we really going to be sent back outside?"
"That's what I planned to do. If we are to engage in diplomacy with the Elven country, keeping you here would make the other side dissatisfied. You understand, don't you? I kept you here until now as an emergency measure, but it will be hard to continue doing so. However, I am not cruel enough to release you in a land under the control of the Slaine Theocracy. That's why I asked you for a safe location—"
Although Ainz did not intend to be the emissary, returning these three back safely would probably help with future diplomacy.
Seeing that the elves wanted to say something, Ainz asked them, "what's the matter?"
"Is it possible to let us continue staying here?"
"…hmmmm."
Ainz moved his gaze to the drinks in front of the elves. There was no way that was the reason right?
"…why? …I can understand if you don't want to tell me, but please do if possible."
"About that—"
The elf representing them took a quick look at the twins.
"…Aura, Mare. It looks like your drinks are nearly finished. Why don't you go and get some more?"
"Eh!?"
"Okay! Understood Ainz-sama—Let's go Mare."
Splendid.
Ainz admired Aura's quick wit.
If he was in Aura's place, he wouldn't have understood so quickly that he was being told indirectly to get away for a while. Or perhaps his "working adult senses" would have instantly understood it.
One could stand to reason that Aura was better than Albedo or Demiurge at reading the mood. Ainz could imagine Demiurge with a grin saying, "so that's what it is, Ainz-sama".
Those two would completely misunderstand my intentions…to the point where I sometimes doubt if they are doing it intentionally. Or are they really doing it intentionally?
"Eh, eh?"
Aura dragged away the still puzzled Mare by his arms. Ainz spoke after they were distant enough, "can you say it now?"
"Y-yes."
The elf replied, after confirming that the twins are far enough from them with a quick glance. A Dark Elf's sense of hearing was better than a human's and rangers like Aura were even better at it. The elf before him was probably whispering with that in mind, but it was highly likely that Aura could still hear them.
"We are already used to our life here, and we cannot return to that life again…
This place…Aura-sama and Mare-sama's house is the best."
"Eh?"
Ainz initially lowered his volume to match the elf's, but he let out his usual voice at the sudden surprise.
He thought that they were joking for a moment, but after he saw the other two nodding seriously he understood that was their true sentiment.
First, it seemed like the food quality in Nazarick was on a different level. Elves normally ate fruits, meats, and vegetables by either roasting or boiling them. The amount of passion Nazarick puts into its food was completely different.
.
The elves said with certainty that they were not confident they could ever adjust to their former lives after getting used to the food here. By the way, pizza seemed to be their favorite.
I see… Culinary diplomacy does not seem like such a bad idea. Being able to access such fine cuisine should be a point of appeal. …are they dwarves or what!
The elves also had other reasons.
The level of safety here was also completely different. Even if they lived in a moderately safe place like a village created by druid magic, it was impossible for a year to pass without any casualties occurring due to monsters.
In contrast, one could sleep peacefully in Nazarick even without having someone to guard the night.
They had a lot to say, but if it was something like this, there was no need to get the twins away from here. As Ainz wondered if there were more reasons, she added, "and being able to serve those two is a joy."
"…aah," Ainz nodded empathetically.
Those two were of a similar race to the elves and were cute children to boot.
They probably had doubts about serving children, but Aura's and Mare's personalities had likely won them over.
Even Ainz would select the twins if he was asked which of the Floor Guardians he would like to serve. No, if someone did ask him, he would probably say something like, "I can't choose because everyone is wonderful". But if he was being honest, it would be those two. Next in line might be Cocytus. He really didn't want to serve the others.
Still, he thought this was something that could be said in the twins' presence.
Although he thought that they had something else to say, it seemed like this was the end of their talk.
Honestly, I don't understand at all. Wasn't it fine for the twins to hear this? Was there something in the previous conversation that would get them reprimanded by the twins? …well, whatever
"Very well. Then I want you to continue working in Nazarick as you have done until now."
There was no reason to refuse their wish.
The elves looked happy upon hearing Ainz's response. It didn't seem like they were putting on an act to flatter Ainz. "Although, if we are talking about employing you formally, we will need to discuss salary and welfare first. I will order someone to look into it."
It appeared that the elves did not understand what Ainz was talking about, but this was an important issue to him.
How these elves were to be treated would become an important factor when they establish friendly relations with the Dark Elves in the Elven country. They could say that after freeing the elves from slavery and looking after the elves, the elves were just paying back what they had received.
But, there was a limit to such excuses. Their present situation of uncompensated labor mirrored the practices of a black company. He did not want the Dark Elves that might visit here in the future to get such an impression.
In that case, he just had to use these three to set Nazarick's precedent as a white company.
Ainz took a quick glance at the maids around them.
They were cupping their hands behind their ears as if to hear them better while trying to make it look like they were resting their chins in their palms.
They were not at all concerned about their appearances.
He didn't feel like reproaching them since he thought that it was just a display of their loyalty, but he at least wanted them to hide it a little better.
I should make a contract with these elves as soon as possible. Also, should I try extending the white company treatment from these elves to the regular maids?
He could try, but he was afraid that the maids who just wanted to work more would direct their ire at the elves who were the cause for the increase in their leisure time. Of course, he didn't think they would go as far as killing the elves, but he needed to be careful if he decided to extend the treatment to the maids.
"…Leaving that aside, I want to borrow your help in our excursion to the Elven country. I want you to act as guides, if possible. Of course, Aura and Mare will also come with us. It's just that we're not familiar with Elven etiquette so it would help if you were to act as our intermediaries."
The elves looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Forgive us, but we don't have confidence in acting as guides. As for being intermediaries…although we have traveled around our village, we are also not sure about things like etiquette…"
"Is that so…"
"Sorry!"
"Ah, you don't need to bow."
It would be bothersome to visit an unknown place without a guide, but it was not like he was sure these elves could be of use. If he was going into the unknown anyway, it would be better to not force them to come along. They might even end up becoming a burden.
Ainz turned around and beckoned Lumière over. After she brought her face closer to him, Ainz whispered "just a bit more" and lifted his cup. Of course, the contents of the cup were not touched at all. Just to be sure, he gestured in the twins' direction with his eyes.
He thought he was being a bit obtuse but it seemed like she quickly understood and left with a simple "excuse me".
"And—what is the general opinion on Dark Elves among you Elves?"
"They are splendid beings."
Ainz wrinkled his brows at the instant, somewhat suspicious response.
He would be happy if that was how dark elves were thought of but their answer felt off.
Ainz could immediately think of the reason why. It was about Aura and Mare.
"—No, that's not it. I am asking about the relations between the Dark Elf race and your race of the Elves."
"They are splendid beings."
"That's not…"
He probably couldn't do anything about this kind of kowtowing. After being treated as subordinates of the twins' for so long, they couldn't possibly say something like, "Dark Elves are an inferior race after all." Rather, it would be scarier if they were the kind of people who could say something like that.
"As I have mentioned before, I want to open diplomatic relations with the Elf country. I also want to entrust this to the twins. That's why I want to know how Elves as a whole look at Dark Elves. I don't want them to be mistreated if Elven society holds negative opinions of Dark Elves. So what do you think? I need an honest answer."
The elves looked at each other.
"Honestly, as our village did not have any dark elves, we've only met them here for the first time. That's why we didn't have any opinions about them. The most we know was that they migrated from the north to the great forest."
"We've heard of their dark skins from hearsay and were surprised to see that was true."
"I don't remember the villagers saying anything bad about the Dark Elves, but I would ask you to keep in mind that this is only about our village."
It looked like they were no longer trying to flatter him or tell any lies. So the younger (maybe calling them young was stretching it a bit) Elves didn't have any bad opinions against Dark Elves.
Even though they were a minority, it looked like they weren't being persecuted. Perhaps it was because the Elves didn't have the leeway for such things when they were being threatened by an external force–the Theocracy. Or perhaps the forest was just that much of a difficult place to live in.
"…by the way what about the undead?"
"Enemies that sully the forest."
"Disgusting beings."
"We rarely encounter any though."
"Ah, yes."
Immediate answers.
While Ainz wondered why they weren't taking into consideration the feelings of the twins' master, he couldn't say that out loud.
He certainly asked them to speak honestly just now, but this was too honest.
These girls were the type who would get fired because they truly believed in the CEO's words when they were told to be informal.
Still, with that established, he was now certain that he could not be the emissary. Maybe this was for the best. He could use this as an excuse to not be the emissary. It was certainly not because Ainz wasn't talented enough.
Or should he take the steps in proper order—dispatch diplomats, start diplomatic relations, and then head over to the Elven country.
But we don't have such diplomats. …The fact that we can't trust the human officials in charge of internal affairs is a weak point… Or maybe there are some and I just don't know about it. In that case, how about asking Albedo to dispatch adventurers? No…that system isn't stable enough yet to send them out to represent the nation…or maybe I am wrong. After all, it's me we're talking about.
If he informed Albedo about this, she would probably say that the adventurers would work just fine. But—
—the critical issue here is the lack of time.
Due to the hostilities with the Theocracy, the Elven country was pretty much pushed into a corner. This had been the case since before these elves were captured. If things went badly, it was entirely possible that the Elven country would be destroyed soon.
The collapse of the Elven country was not a setback for Ainz, because they would be far more effective in establishing diplomatic relations if the Sorcerer Kingdom could extend their help in that scenario. So, would it be better if they just waited for the collapse? That was not the case.
They didn't have the luxury of watching the situation from the sidelines, especially because he highly valued the rarity of the Dark Elf lives.
Maybe I should just send the two of them ahead—no, I can't do that. I don't feel comfortable sending them alone into an unknown place. Although I understand that they are level 100 NPCs and are not children…we should just ignore the stuff on international relations and concentrate on getting them friends. I should also go with them just as I have planned .
He had no plans to join in the war with the Theocracy and save the Elven country at this point in time. Ainz didn't want to turn the Theocracy into the Sorcerer Kingdom's enemy due to his independent action.
He wanted to know Albedo and Demiurge's thoughts on this matter, but he feared that they might find out his skull was empty if he did that. If Ainz couldn't manage the conversation, his idiotic utterances might end up being taken seriously and cause damage to Nazarick in the future.
It's not a bad idea to tell them to evacuate just the dark elves after visiting the Elven country. In that case…is there a need to take someone along other than the twins?
It was better to take stealthy guards like Hanzos along instead of leading something like an army in case he did decide to take someone along.
Like that time in the Dwarf Kingdom.
"I see…"
Ainz stared at the three elves. They would be in that lizardman's position this time.
"I-is something the matter?"
"Nothing, I am just talking to myself."
He could take one among the three with him, leaving the other two here. As long as he held them hostage, the lone elf probably wouldn't do anything that would be negative to Ainz.
Not bad at all.
Even if they understood that they were being held hostage, he could insist that was not the case.
Ainz looked over to the twins. They immediately understood his intentions.
Aura, Mare, and Lumière returned to the table.
"By the way, what kind of gifts would make Elves happy? Things like gold and gemstones?"
"We don't use metal currency so I don't think gold would work…"
"I think our village would be most happy about the food and maybe rare herbs. Minor scrapes and such can be healed by magic but poison and disease need a talented druid to cure them. So portable herbs are highly valued."
"Not clothes, since we also make them from Elf Trees"
"Homes, arrows…and even clothes. Looks like Elven druid magic is very convenient. You can't do that, right Mare? "
"Eh? Ah, y-yes. I can't use such magic."
Perhaps this peculiar brand of druid magic itself was a mark of Elven progress.
He wanted those techniques if possible, but Nazarick's residents probably wouldn't be able to use them. This reaffirms the fact that making the residents of this world prostrate before Nazarick and bringing them under its reign would be the main factor that could tip the scales of victory in a hypothetical guild war.
But—
I should assume there were guilds—those who were teleported in the past—who already did this. I should tell this to Albedo and have her look into rethinking our national strategy on war.
It stood to reason that if someone like Ainz could think of this, other Players could as well. Only idiots would think of themselves as someone special.
Maybe it will be a good idea to transport large amounts of food through [Gate] upon reaching the Elven villages to make them more friendly to the Sorcerer Kingdom.
He remembered it being effective in the Dwarf Kingdom. Things would go smoothly if he could just remember his experiences in the Dwarf Kingdom and build on them.
I also felt like wanting to run away then too, didn't I…
"…the best way to do this is to first find the crescent lake, visit the royal capital that was said to be on its shore to collect information, and then head to Dark Elves' village."
"We are going to a Dark Elf village?"
Aura looked like she wanted to say something, but she probably couldn't ask in detail in front of the three elves.
If possible, Ainz didn't want to tell them they were visiting the Dark Elves' village to find them friends. He didn't want them to make friends just because he ordered them to.
"That's right. That's what I intend to do. I am going to need your help there."
He deliberately ignored Aura's behavior, but he still got a pair of energetic affirmations in return.
What should I do next…persuade the others? I can't make the same excuse I used for the dwarven expedition…
He wasn't confident about the next step, but he had to succeed here because he also wanted to use this as the groundwork to bring the concept of paid vacations to Nazarick.
At that point—maybe they were waiting for the conversation to die down— the dishes were brought over.
"Well, enjoy yourselves."
With Ainz encouraging them, the elves took to the food with relish.
-x-X-x-
What would a person do when faced with a challenge?
There were many methods suitable for overcoming one and this time Ainz chose to use the advantage of numbers and location.
With Aura and Mare flanking him, Ainz sat down on the throne in the audience hall prepared by the guardians, finally holding the original Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown after a long time.
The ultimate form of the absolute ruler of Nazarick and the guild leader Ainz Ooal Gown, so to speak.
Still, his victory against the opponent that would be appearing soon was not a certain thing. The opponent was the true last boss. A boss more fearsome than something like the Devourer of the Nine Worlds, Ainz thought as he gulped with his non-existent throat.
He had already gone through the simulations multiple times, but Ainz was just an ordinary person. He likely doesn't even reach the foot of the mountain that was his opponent's intellect.
So—
There's nothing else to do…except leaving it all to luck!!
He was placing his hopes on his ad-lib skills. He was sure his future self would pull through.
Lumière, who had been waiting before the entrance, announced the opponent's arrival.
"—very well. Let them enter"
"Understood, Ainz-sama."
Everyone should have understood who the opponent was by now.
It was none other than the last boss AKA Guardian Overseer, Albedo.
The moment she noticed Ainz, Albedo switched from her usual smiling face to a serious expression.
"Please forgive me for making you wait."
Seeing Albedo bowing deeply near the entrance, Ainz ordered her to lift her head up.
"Don't worry about it, Albedo. I was already informed that you would be late. So you can even say that you are on time."
When contacted through [Message] beforehand, Albedo informed him that because she was doing something in the Frozen Prison, her appearance might not be suitable for an audience. So, she requested some time to make herself presentable.
With no reason to refuse her request, Ainz designated this time (30 minutes more than what Albedo requested) to meet him here. The fact that Albedo still arrived ten minutes before the designated time was likely due to her personality.
Or maybe it was just an iron-clad rule for working adults to always arrive before time.
Albedo lifted her head, walked before the throne, and kneeled.
Ainz informed her immediately.
"Albedo. I am taking a paid vacation starting right this moment"
He could make any number of excuses, but every time he did that, the conversation tended to go in weird directions. So he felt it was better to directly state his goal here. Demiurge was absent this time, so it is unlikely to lead to some strange development.
Albedo scrunched up her brows slightly while lifting her head up to look at Ainz. She then cast her gaze to the left and right of him, probably checking Aura and Mare's reactions to those words.
Ainz continued to observe Albedo, worried about her reaction. She replied with a serious expression.
"Including Nazarick, everything in the Sorcerer Kingdom belongs to Ainz-sama."
—what?
He couldn't understand what she was saying at all.
No, not one bit.
How could one arrive at such a response?
What leaps of logic, what train of thought would lead one to such a conclusion?
How should Ainz respond?
He could immediately think of two replies.
"What the hell are you saying?" was one, the other was "Yes, just as you have surmised." Of course, he would apply a coat of varnish over those words to make them sound regal.
Ainz started churning his imaginary brain matter at full power, but there wasn't enough time. Albedo had already thrown the ball into his court, he needed to send it back as soon as possible.
"…It seems like you are misunderstanding something, Albedo. That's not what I am trying to say."
He decided to be honest. Would it have been better if he put on an act like he usually did?
—yeah, probably.
Anyhow, he managed to protect the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, the absolute ruler of Nazarick, for now.
…By sacrificing Suzuki Satoru's heart.
Albedo made an expression like she realized something.
"P-please forgive me for my mistake, Ainz-sama."
She bowed again in panic.
"No, it's not like I am angry. You don't need to bow."
Only scum would enjoy having someone bow their heads for no fault of their own.
"It seems like the term 'paid vacation' caused a misunderstanding."
Nazarick did not have salaries or day-offs. It stood at the pinnacle of black companies. Therefore, it was highly likely that she thought the term "paid vacation" was a metaphor for something else. You could say this was Ainz's fault because he had yet to implement such a system in Nazarick. Of course, Ainz would want to vindicate himself by pointing at the NPCs' obstinance and demand for more work.
The following was just Suzuki Satoru's personal experience, but however bad a company might get, employees could usually tolerate a lot as long as their interpersonal relationships were good. On the other hand, if these relationships were bad, it wouldn't matter how well the company might treat their employees; they tended to break down quickly.
Perhaps Nazarick was running smoothly because the interpersonal relationships between its denizens were great.
"It was a mistake on my part. Forgive me."
Ainz lowered his head as well.
"A-Ainz-sama! Please raise your head!"
Ainz lifted his head at Albedo's flustered words.
"…Anyhow, as we have both bowed, can I be considered forgiven?"
"There's no need for Ainz-sama to…"
"—If there comes a day when I can't bow to you people, then that day will be the end of me. That person will no longer be me."
Albedo gasped with her eyes wide open and then bowed deeply.
The disturbance by Ainz's side was likely caused by the twins' surprise at Albedo's reaction.
Before Ainz could ask her what the matter was, Albedo lifted her head.
"Ainz-sama said that it's a paid vacation, but is there a plan to head somewhere with the two of them in tow?"
As expected of Albedo.
To have noticed that Ainz was planning to travel just from the phrase "paid vacation," Albedo was quite fearsome. If it was Ainz in her shoes, he would have probably said something like, "as the two of them are here, are you planning to spend some leisure time on the Sixth Floor?"
"I am planning to head to the Elven country in the south with these two."
"So it's the Elven country…" Albedo pondered for a while before speaking again, "I see…"
What do you see?
Maybe she was thinking that Ainz was heading over there for diplomacy. He had to make sure.
"…don't be hasty. I am not going there for diplomatic reasons. I just want to observe their state of affairs."
"Understood."
A simple reply. Ainz thought she was going to say more…
This was way scarier. He had the feeling that a critical misunderstanding was taking root.
"…So I will be going on a journey to the Elven country with these two.If there's something urgent, contact me with [Message]. I will be back immediately…that's all there is, alright? I don't plan on doing anything else, okay? I really, really don't.
Understood?"
"Understood. So will you be setting out soon?"
"Y-yes, That's right" He hadn't thought that far ahead, but considering the Theocracy's advances, it would be better for them if they started early. "I intend to, but Aura and Mare have to prepare right?"
"I think those two will have no issues. If Ainz-sama decided to set out this instant, then it would be natural for them to complete their preparations immediately."
Ainz wanted to reproach her for saying such things, but the twins also concurred with her.
"Mmmmmm—"
If those two were saying that it's not a problem then it was not Ainz's place to object.
"—I want to be certain about something. Not just Albedo, but Aura and Mare as well. I have a question for all of you. The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick established the Sorcerer Kingdom, made the Empire its vassal, extended its control over the demihumans of the wildlands, and had just recently destroyed the Re-Estize Kingdom. You could say the size of the organization grew following the expansion of its territory. Well then— I have some apprehensions. Our organization has expanded, but do we have a corresponding expansion in personnel?"
An organization wasn't something that would stop working just because a person or two were taking a rest.
Aura and Mare were certainly part of the top brass. If we were to consider Nazarick as a company, they would be its executives. Normal employees could let their peers substitute for them, but executives did not have that luxury. As such, it would be bad if the organization ground to a halt just because the two of them took a rest.
In that case, the plan had to be put on hold and perhaps altered.
"—I am worried about that. We might need to take some drastic measures if that's the case."
"I don't think there will be any problems. And, if it came down to it, there's always me and Demiurge. If we also have Pandora's Actor's cooperation, there will be no issues at all."
"I see. As expected of Albedo. So there's already a solution in place for my misgivings. Splendid work, worthy of being the mo- one of the most intelligent beings in the Nazarick and the holder of the title of Guardian Overseer.
Absolutely brilliant. I am highly impressed."
He praised Albedo with all his heart.
Unlike Ainz, she was diligently managing the organization. If she did not deserve such praise then no one did.
"—I am sincerely grateful for your kind words."
Albedo regained her posture after a deep bow, but her expression was a little stiff.
Another question popped into Ainz's head as this happened.
"It's Aura and Mare this time…but would everything work without issues if you and Demiurge were the ones to take a vacation?"
Albedo faltered for a bit but immediately answered.
"I believe that even if we were to be absent, the others would be able to substitute for us without issues. They would do their best to meet Ainz-sama's expectations."
"Ummm…Albedo. It's not about what you believe. What I want to know is whether or not they could handle it without a problem…of course, it is hard for you to express doubt about the abilities of the Floor Guardians—your comrades, and I do understand that it's painful for you. But, can you tell me if they can do it, without your emotions getting in the way? If the answer is that they cannot, then we will have to train them and restructure the organization when we have the leeway to do it. Well…if even someone like me could foresee this, Albedo has probably already looked into it."
"E-excuse me, Ainz-sama…sorry for interrupting…but."
"What's the matter, Mare"
"Eh, umm, s-sorry but, I am n-not confident about being able to do the aamazing work that Albedo-san does…"
After a short silence, Albedo's prickly voice echoed in the hall.
"—Is that all you have to say?"
What is this?
He didn't feel like any of Mare's words just now warrants Albedo's anger. In fact, Ainz was in complete agreement with him.
"Mare!"
Mare flinched as Albedo shouted. She was seriously angry.
Before Ainz could stop her, Albedo continued. "Did I hear a Floor Guardian, an elite among elites, say that he can't do the work that's expected of him by a Supreme Being?"
"Albedo!—Don't be so loud. What's the problem with someone saying that they cannot do something when that's the truth? In fact, it would be more of a problem if they say that they can, even when they cannot"
.
"Forgive me for my insolence, but let me continue."
Despite Ainz's reprimand, Albedo continued in an even louder voice. But, as it seemed like she was no longer directing her anger at Mare, Ainz let her continue.
"There's no problem with someone saying that they can't do something, but they should also suggest how they could work towards being able to do it! A Floor Guardian cannot be permitted to say that they are unable to do something a Supreme Being expected of them and end their words with that."
Guh, Ainz groaned inside.
He couldn't say that Albedo was wrong. What Mare said was certainly not good from that point of view.
"…Ainz-sama, I think Albedo is right. Mare should retract his words."
Aura said coldly. Being scolded by his own sister, Mare let out some pitiable sounds.
"As a Floor Guardian—"
"Stop!" Ainz shouted angrily to stop Albedo from continuing on. Of course, it was just an act, he was not really angry. The fact that his emotional suppression did not kick in was proof of that.
Ainz released his aura along with his voice. He had just used the aura's visual effect to take control of the conversation, not to debuff others. He chose to use it because he knew Aura, Mare, Albedo, and even Lumière were equipped with items that granted immunity against mental status effects.
He didn't know what Albedo would have said if he let her continue. Maybe she would have gently explained it to Mare later, but as long as there was a chance that it could result in their relationship breaking down, Ainz could not stand aside.
"Mare. What Albedo said is reasonable. If you express your inability to do something you should also suggest ways to remedy it."
"P-please forgive me."
"Be that as it may, Albedo. Don't you think there is a problem with a superior who forces their subordinates into doing something they are unable to?"
"…I cannot say there are no problems"
"I think both of you were at fault this time. I am glad for your loyalty, but anyone could make a mistake. You have to be gentle in correcting them the first time around so that they won't hide their mistakes or repeat them."
Honestly, Albedo was just too loyal and too able, so she tended to be hard on others. He thought the only reason it didn't cause any major problems up till this point was because he rejected most of her suggestions on how to deal with others. If Albedo ever received full authority, it would probably end in wide-scale purges.
Although I think that's a groundless fear…maybe…
"Yes. I felt like I was a bit too angry as well. Forgive me, Mare."
"Eh, Ah, no, there's no need. Albedo-san was right. …I was in the wrong. I am terribly sorry."
After they bowed to each other (with Mare taking a deeper bow from the waist), this incident could be considered resolved for now.
"…So, where were we at? Ah, that's right. As I will be heading to the Elven country for a paid vacation with these two, I want the twins to make sure that their substitutes will be in place. First of all, transfer your work to the substitutes within three days. If possible…entrust it to the Area Guardians under you instead of the Floor Guardians. If that's not possible—"
Ainz thought it would be hard for Albedo, as it has been only a short while since the destruction of the Kingdom.
"Discuss it with Pandora's Actor, all right?"
He got an energetic reply from them.
"So what about Ainz-sama's retinue? Will it be Hanzos?"
That's not a bad idea, or rather, Hanzos were just too convenient to use. To be honest, he wanted to summon more if money and data weren't an issue. The Hanzo mercenaries' data was used up, but there was data for other ninja-type monsters in the library still. It would be great if he could use those but—
—I would rather not use the assets in the treasury if possible, so I'll have to bear with this until I can save up enough personal wealth. Or, should I prioritize strengthening Nazarick defenses first? I should think about this on the way to the Elven country. Aaah,
I want money…Money I am free to use however I want…I wonder if there's someone with some treasure stashed away. The kind of person who can't complain even if I steal it.
"…Ainz-sama?"
"Hmm? …Ah, sorry. It seems like I was lost in thought for quite a while. About the retinue—"
Ainz stopped himself before saying "Hanzos will do." It was generally said that excellent employees were all good at reading the mood. Although Ainz was a mediocre employee, perhaps he had rolled a crit just for this moment, because his intuition told him to shut his mouth for a moment.
It is because he managed to read some slightly different emotions than usual in Albedo's tone.
"—No, I did not originally plan to take Hanzos along, but is there some work you wanted the Hanzos to do?"
"Ah, no, as you don't plan to take Hanzos this time, it's not my place to object to Ainz-sama's decision…" Albedo hesitated for a bit as she tried to read Ainz's mood from his face. "Some have been vocally complaining that the Hanzos were the only ones being called upon so much…there are a lot of people who want to work for Ainz-sama, so I wanted to ask if they could be given a chance."
As Ainz started to contemplate it, Albedo immediately shook her hands in a fluster.
"It's already good enough that Ainz-sama is now aware that there are people eager to serve given the chance."
Ainz mentally facepalmed while responding with an "umu."
Ainz—Suzuki Satoru was just an ordinary person, so he never imagined that such a problem could exist.
He was using the Hanzos a lot, for sure, but to let others have such an impression was pretty bad.
Favoritism would always exist within a company. It was natural that it would be easier for people who were liked by their superiors to be promoted even if their talent was a little inferior compared to their colleagues. That said, favoritism would cause the social relations inside the company to worsen.
That was not good. Was he not just thinking that even though Nazarick was a black company, it was somehow running smoothly because of the strength of its internal social relations?
He couldn't say, "I will just take the Hanzos" in such a situation.
"Well, let's just decide the retinue later—no, we should at least inform them soon. It'll be interesting to see who I choose and how you prepare so that my choice wouldn't matter, don't you think?"
Ainz gave a smile, while feeling entirely different in his heart.
Albedo bowed her head with an expression that said, "I see. As expected of Ainz-sama".
"Understood. I will immediately inform all the denizens of Nazarick."
"Umu. I am relying on you."
Ainz stood up and left the room with only Lumière following him. He then let out a large sigh like a salaryman who had just ended his workday.
-x-X-x-
Albedo lifted her head on hearing the door close and her eyes met with the other two who had lifted their heads at the same time.
"About that, Albedo. I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
Albedo responded as she stood up.
"Although Ainz-sama said he is visiting the Elven country on paid vacation…what do you think is his goal? There's no way he is just thinking about enjoying himself right?"
"—of course."
"Eh? I-is that so?"
The supreme ruler of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown, was a wise king whose every single move might contain many meanings behind it. One should think there were at least three goals behind each of them.
One's position as a king was not a thing to be taken lightly. It's not like a coat that one could don and doff according to their mood.
Even if he said that he was on vacation—even if the other countries believed it—he was still the illustrious king of the Sorcerer Kingdom at the end of the day. Each and every movement of his could be thought of as having the Sorcerer Kingdom's agenda behind them.
Any idiot could understand that.
Therefore, it stood to reason that there was another meaning hidden in his act of taking a paid vacation to the Elven country.
"Then what do you think Ainz-sama's goal is?"
"As he mentioned, improving the organization was probably a part of it, but collecting intel is probably the main goal." Albedo said as she pondered. "I think Demiurge could probably give a better answer…the Theocracy should be deploying a large-scale offensive against the Elven country right about now."
"Y-you mean that T-theocracy?"
Information regarding the Theocracy was circulated around Nazarick, so there was no need to explain the fundamentals.
"Yes. After finding out that their hypothetical enemy, the Sorcerer Kingdom, has entered into conflict with the Kingdom, they would naturally try to finish their war with the Elves once and for all."
"Because it would be bad to fight on two fronts, right?"
"That's right. Although the Theocracy is not at war with us right now, considering the future situation, it's best not to divide their forces between the northern and the southern fronts. In that case, it's highly likely that they are moving out a large force to attack the Elven country. It's hard to think they will have peace talks at this point, but I am not sure."
For Albedo, it was not a problem if the Elven country was destroyed by the Theocracy. On the contrary, it was even better for them if the Theocracy enslaved the Elves so that they could gain the great Casus Belli to liberate the Elves. That could increase the amount of options they had against the Theocracy, but it seems like their Master thought differently of the situation. Perhaps he was going there because he wanted to gain more information before making a decision.
Demiurge would have probably answered with certainty if he was here.
Albedo had a leg up over Demiurge when it came to internal affairs, but she had to concede to him on military issues. She had always lost to Demiurge in that subject. While this thought formed in her head, she tilted her head wondering why Demiurge was so silent regarding this matter.
Is Demiurge making moves while keeping it a secret from us? Is he planning something by collecting intel on the situation within the Elven country secretly? I don't think that's the case but…
As Demiurge often worked outside of Nazarick, he received more discretionary powers compared to the other Floor Guardians. Or rather, it was more accurate to say that the other guardians didn't use their privileges as much. That said, he always described the information collected and his actions in very detailed reports (which always ended up being hefty and a bother to read) to their master, which passed through her. That was why Albedo believed that he couldn't be up to something without her noticing it since she didn't receive any reports regarding the Elven country.
Considering Demiurge's personality, it's unlikely that he was hiding things. He probably just didn't get around to doing it yet.
However, the truth was she couldn't be completely sure about it.
She should probably go and meet him immediately after leaving this place.
No—she should summon him over. She shouldn't have the talk in his domain, but if she had her subordinates wait at their side during their talk, it was likely that Demiurge would try to sound out her intentions.
But if he was to bring his devils along…no, would he even take such short-sighted actions? Is he doubting me? He hasn't made a move yet so the problem is—
"A-are we going to fight the Theocracy?"
"Eh? Ah, yes, about that. We don't know if it will happen. Maybe even Ainzsama isn't sure and that's why he is using a paid vacation as an excuse."
Albedo quickly replied in a fluster, jolted out of her thoughts by Mare's question. Even though she pondered for quite a while, there was no suspicion in the twins' eyes. She decided to save her thoughts on Demiurge for later.
Perhaps this time their master was thinking of traveling not as the ruler of Nazarick, but just as an undead on a paid vacation. That way, even if the worst were to happen, the damage to Nazarick would be minimized.
"Maybe just this once, there were some elements that even Ainz-sama wasn't sure of, so he is trying to make moves independent of Nazarick."
"No way!"
"Eeeh? You are t-talking about that Ainz-sama, y-you know?"
The two elves raised their voices, filled with surprise, and looked at Albedo with eyes filled with disbelief.
Their master's wisdom had managed to read and control everything until now.
They saw many times when one of his unremarkable moves ended up being the fatal strike for the opponent. According to what they've heard, he already had a general idea of the next thousand years and was making moves accordingly.
It was natural to doubt Albedo, who said that their Master could be uncertain about something.
"…As expected, even Albedo couldn't completely read through our master's intentions——"
Albedo directed a bitter smile at Aura, who spoke with her hands crossed behind her head.
"First of all, it's impossible for anyone to see the depths of Ainz-sama's great plans. That is something I have experienced repeatedly till now…frankly speaking, I still don't understand the reason why Ainz-sama used the word "paid vacation". Just keep in mind that as you are going to the Elven country, it's highly likely that you will have to face the Theocracy."
The two guardians nodded with serious expressions.
"A-are we allowed to take along our own subordinates…"
"Other than those selected by Ainz-sama you mean…"
Albedo considered Mare's suggestion. While it could be taken as an affront to their master, it could also possibly make him happy that they prepared some on their own.
"If Ainz sama wants a small elite force…no, wait," Albedo started to consider the matter on a deeper level.
"Select a group for the smaller retinue and another one in case it's large, tentatively…on my side I will discuss with Demiurge about Ainz-sama's goals and inform you later."
The way Ainz-sama was extremely worried about the deterioration of Nazarick's organizational capacity. Is that also one of the factors this time?
Upon informing him that there was nothing to worry about, she was answered with sarcastic praise. It was probably because of her failure to understand the full extent of his unease and her inability to answer the trust placed in her.
He was especially worried about that point…
For the time being, they had acquired someone who rivaled them in terms of intelligence to work under them. Did he intend to say that even that is not enough? Or was it something else…
Albedo spoke after she heard the twins' acknowledging her suggestions.
"I think we will get a hint of Ainz-sama's intentions from his choice of personnel for the retinue…but I expect the work this time to be of an extremely high level. Take notice of everything without lowering your guard and keep your wits about you at all times."
The two guardians gave a spirited response to Albedo.
Considering their combat strength, she was sure that they would be able to protect their master, but one should never be careless.
She should discuss with Demiurge and prepare for the total mobilization of Nazarick just in case.
Even though it will slow down dealing with the remnants of the Kingdom, we should prepare for it just to be sure.
Albedo left the room with the other two while arranging the order of her duties inside her head.
.