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PrologueWhat sort of residence would befit Momon, the Adamantite-ranked adventurer — an adventurer of the highest rank, a hero possessed of both strength and renown?An elegant mansion towering over vast gardens.A luxury home furnished with only the finest of fittings.A graceful small castle combining both sturdiness and aesthetics in its construction.It would be natural to imagine such lavish accommodations, with servants, maids, or staff in attendance—Anyone would agree that such a residence would be commensurate with the abilities of an Adamantite-ranked adventurer, capable of supporting a lifestyle befitting their glory. Indeed, it would be stranger to consider any alternative.Yet where did Momon — Ainz — actually live? In a modest cozy house, one just slightly — but only ever so slightly — more expensive than that of the common man. It was a home suitable for a family without children."It is unbefitting of someone of your stature, sir.""While not in a shady part of town, one can hardly call it a prime location either.""There are far better mansions available."The guide had gently suggested he reconsider several times with such phrases, but Ainz ultimately chose to rent this residence for two reasons. It was about a week after the demon Jaldabaoth had rampaged through the Royal Capital that the then-city-mayor Panasolei introduced this property to him. The identity of his guide was the first reason.The deposit, key money, broker's fee, security deposit, rent — though they weren't actually called such — would be completely waived regardless of which house in the city he chose to rent, revealing Panasolei's intentions.He wished to make Momon indebted to him by offering a favor — and to make it a substantial favor by offering such a well-located mansion — while also hoping to keep him in the city long-term by providing satisfactoryaccommodations.As Ainz, he could easily ignore such a favor and do as he wished. However, for the hero Momon, the reputation of being "one who returns a favor withingratitude" was to be avoided. He couldn't afford to damage the reputation he had so carefully cultivated up to that point.Thus, his current living situation was the result of trying to keep any favors he received small.Of course, there was also the option of not accepting any favors — declining to rent a house. However, even Ainz could predict that if he did so, they would try to create obligations in other ways — ways that were far more subtle and difficult to refuse, with the magnitude of the debt only becoming apparent in hindsight. A straightforward, material favor like the current arrangement was much easier to handle.When it came to intangible debts — such as those involving honor — it was unclear what would constitute "repaying a favor with ingratitude," and dealing with that would require Ainz to cram various kinds of knowledge — like theunwritten rules of the Kingdom's noble society — into his head.The other reason was his commoner's intuition that "too large a house would be uncomfortable" and "the utility costs for a mansion would be ridiculous." Though he had grown accustomed to his private room in Nazarick, which was far more luxurious than any building in the Kingdom, it seemed the core of Suzuki Satoru remained unchanged. Indeed, the first mansion he was shown had a magnificent garden with a profusion of flowers in full bloom, perhaps thanks to magical means — but the commoner-minded Ainz's first thought wasn't how beautiful but rather the pragmatic concern of how troublesome it would be to sweep up fallen leaves and pull weeds.To begin with, thinking that a large residence meant troublesome cleaning was quintessentially a peasant mentality. This was because such mansions employed people to handle the cleaning. Were he to choose that mansion, they could simply hire several gardeners, and if he asked Panasolei — for whom it would be nothing — he would handle everything from introducing reliable gardeners to paying their wages.Every property he was shown had a seemingly excessive number of rooms or separate buildings, leaving him wondering what all those rooms could be used for. The answer was, of course, "for the servants."It took a vast number of people to manage an estate and attend to its master. Even cleaning alone required over a dozen personnel. For them, it would beunthinkable to trouble the master with such tasks. At most, some lords might personally tend to their treasure rooms and collections, but even these were most often entrusted to reliable servants.In fact, Ainz's room in Nazarick was cleaned by the regular maids, and Ainz never did a lick of cleaning himself. That he didn't immediately realize this, despite it being something obvious when given some thought, was probablybecause this was from before the birth of the persona known as the Sorcerer King, when the remnants of Suzuki Satoru, representative of the common man — though he had been barely middle class in his world — were still strong. Now that he had grown somewhat accustomed to being waited upon, he might have realized it sooner. Of course, this was just conjecture, and there was a good chance he wouldn'thave noticed anything different. After all that back and forth, he ended up renting this place, and for Ainz, who didn't want to accept outsiders into his living space, this small house that he andNarberal could handle completely by themselves wasn't a poor choice. However, he could have gone with something a bit larger.This was because he only later realized his mistake in responding "That's fine" while renting the place when told "The bedroom is so small it can only fit onebed."He had replied that way partly out of spite, thinking I'm sure you wanted to sell me a big favor, what a shame — as one would expect, being dragged around to be shown mansions that failed to spark even a sliver of interest had naturally led to mental fatigue and a poor attitude — and partly because he thought that since he didn't sleep anyway, he could give the bedroom to Narberal while he read a book in another room or enjoyed some precious alone time.However, he felt something was off about the guide's expression at the time of "Oh, I see, so that's how it is." And when he thought about it a bit later, he understood why they had made such an expression and recognized he had made a major mistake.Certainly, in the eyes of an objective third party, this wouldn't be considered a major blunder.The common perception was that it wouldn't be strange for Ainz and Narberal — properly speaking, Momon and Nabe — to have that kind of relationship.Momon (Ainz) had been taken to certain establishments before by those who wanted to tie him to this city — offering women was a natural approach — but if it became known he had such a relationship with Nabe, it would serve as a strong deterrent against such seductive schemes.Anyone trying to attach a woman to Momon would think they needed someone superior to — or at least approaching — Nabe in appeal. However, Nabe was extolled as a woman of unparalleled beauty after all. Not only would those making the attempt hesitate, but any woman ordered to seduce Momon by pushing Nabe aside would find it difficult.Even if the woman was confident in her looks and could rival Nabe in beauty, Nabe was an Adamantite-ranked adventurer. In other words, she was one who stood at the pinnacle of violence. It was impossible to steal a man from that kind of woman without feeling dread.Still, for Ainz, who felt like he had been entrusted with his friend's daughter, having such speculations made about them was quite an unpleasant feeling — it was a failure.Whenever they stayed at an inn, they always shared the same room, so some might be tempted to ask "Why worry about it now?" However, he had always made sure to choose a room with two beds. One room, two beds. That should be acceptable. Everyone would surely smile and nod.Even if he told the guide that it wasn't that kind of relationship, they would certainly just smile along while keeping their real thoughts of What are you talking about, there's no point in trying to deny it to themselves. He couldn't think of any words that would change their conviction.Honestly, he had even considered using [Control Amnesia], but Narberal had convinced him not to.So what was Ainz doing now in the house he had rented under such circumstances? As usual, he was clad in full plate armor — more precisely, fluted armor — created by magic.Common sense would dictate that someone who was fully equipped in their own home — in the living room no less — was rather insane. Of course, it would be another matter if they were about to set off on a journey, but there was no such luggage placed on the table before Ainz. As for the armor, if it were chain mail or some other light armor, there might be some eccentrics who could accept it if they took two — no, maybe three — steps back. However, the armor Momon wore was full plate — heavy armor.However, this was not because Ainz had gone mad; naturally, there was a proper reason for it."Momon-sa—n."Thinking that still hasn't changed I see, Ainz nodded for Narberal to continue speaking."Regarding Albedo-sama's visit to the Adventurer's Guild today, what sort of matter is it?"Today, instead of leaving it to Pandora's Actor, Ainz himself was playing the role of the hero Momon to meet with Albedo at the Adventurer's Guild. Since he had gone straight into preparations after only telling her that much, she had probably been waiting until he was done for a chance to ask questions.It was a natural question from Narberal, who hadn't been told anything.There was no reason why Narberal needed to be kept in the dark. Even before that, he hadn't intended to keep it secret. He had simply thought "I'll answer if asked" with that level of casualness. Rather, Narberal's attitude of not taking Hō-Ren-Sō[1] lightly made him feel a bit self-conscious. Following the steps to Report, Inform, and Consult was very important. Or in other words, he shouldn't have waited until the day-of to tell her.With feelings of guilt in his heart, Ainz, having finished his preparations for the character of Momon, answered."Albedo will be making a request to Momon to investigate the Katze Plains.""…A request? Then, Momon-sa—""—In this place, I will allow you to call me Ainz. I too shall call you Narberal rather than Nabe.""Thank you very much. Then, Ainz-sama… has your undercover identity as Momon not become a subordinate of the great Sorcerer Kingdom?"The question was probably why Albedo, as Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom, would be making a request rather than giving an order to a subordinate.Ainz concurred.1. Hō-Ren-Sō is a mnemonic acronym in Japanese business culture, used to promote smooth communication. It abbreviates "report," "inform," and "consult," and is memorable as a homonym of hōrensō, meaning "spinach.""That is indeed how it's supposed to be." It had been arranged that Momon would bend the knee so that the Sorcerer Kingdom could rule E-Rantel peacefully. "—However, if Momon were to respond to Albedo's words with 'Yes, I understand. Please command me as you wish,' it could cause the assessment and reputation of Momon as an Adamantite-ranked adventurer to drop."Narberal looked genuinely puzzled as to how obeying the Sorcerer Kingdom's orders could be a factor in lowering one's reputation.…Sometimes, too much loyalty can be a problem.Smiling wryly under his helmet, Ainz explained."Not a dog wagging his tail, but a hero who reluctantly bowed his head. That is how I want the people of this city to continue characterizing Momon's existence. That's why such a troublesome charade is still necessary.""That means we cannot yet lower his evaluation?""That would be impossible. The character of Momon still has value. No… Momon will likely become even more important in the future. The same goes for you too, Nabe."He did not address her as Narberal, but rather by the name of her character in the Kingdom."Yes!""Momon has only one companion…" Suddenly, Hamsuke's face flashed through his mind. "…Only one, hmm. The character of Nabe may also become increasingly important in the future. Therefore, we must avoid any action that could give Nabe a bad reputation, to the best of our ability. Do you understand? Narberal."After hearing Narberal's respectful acknowledgment, Ainz continued."Please take care even when Pandora's Actor is playing the role in my stead. I believe Pandora's Actor fully understands the importance of the character Momon and won't make such mistakes, but a third-party observer might notice something.""I understand. —Then after your meeting with Albedo-sama, will Pandora's Actor-sama resume playing Momon as usual?""For today… or more precisely, until the investigation of the Katze Plains is complete, I plan to continue playing Momon myself."Narberal slightly knitted her brows."Even though Ainz-sama is better known than before, is it not dangerous to play Momon while venturing into unknown territory? Will there be guards besides myself to protect you?""No, there won't be. If there are powerful beings around Momon — those with the presence of Nazarick — it might prevent us from catching those we might otherwise lure in.""Those we might lure in?" After thinking briefly, Narberal posed a question. "…People from the Theocracy?""No. Well… I can't say no for sure either. For now… you know about the rumor that there is a ship that sails across dry land in the Katze Plains, right?""Yes. I have heard of it. However, it is only a rumor, and the account of the one who supposedly witnessed this ship is unreliable, or something like that?"That was it exactly. When Ainz had investigated out of interest, he found the rumor amounted to nothing more than someone claiming to have seen a shiplike shadow moving through the thick fog of the Katze Plains, with no detailed information about what kind of ship it was.Since the Katze Plains were an area where undead frequently appear, it was called "the Ghost Ship of the Fog." Multiple sightings would increase a rumor's credibility, but there was only one sighting report. Furthermore, the sole witness had already retired from being an adventurer, so it wasn't possible to question him directly.Because he was a trustworthy adventurer both as a person and in terms of ability — apparently having been a Mythril-rank adventurer at the time — the information was regarded as unverified rather than fabricated, which wouldn't have been the case if it had come from an adventurer of lower repute. This was because follow-up investigations of the area failed to discover any such Ghost Ship."That is correct. It is a highly unverifiable story. Generally speaking, the idea of a ship traversing such plains is too far-fetched. However," Ainz said, "that is precisely why I can believe it."Ainz explained his theory to Narberal, who had a puzzled look on her face."Thinking logically, if someone had intended to deceive others, they could have come up with any number of better lies than this fanciful story. And yet, they still claimed it was a ship? A kind of ship that advances over land — a land ship, perhaps? Unless there was a precedent of such ships being used in neighboring countries, but such a thing hasn't been confirmed even going back through historical records. Why would anyone tell a lie that everyone would doubt? What benefit would there be in that?"It was also possible they simply wanted to tell an outrageous lie. There were storytellers who relied on the power of alcohol everywhere, and he had seen people who couldn't distinguish between a little mischief and a prank gone too far. But this adventurer had deliberately reported the sighting to the Adventurer's Guild. Would a Mythril-ranked adventurer do something as destructive as falsifying such a serious report?"So then… Ainz-sama believes the rumor to be true?""That's right. Of course, he may have just misidentified something else. B, broc[2]…? What was it again? Well, whatever. Regardless of whether it was an actual ship, he probably spoke about something he genuinely saw, or at least, genuinely believed he saw. And if we assume it actually exists… while I considered the possibility of a magical item, I have a strong suspicion that it is a golem. Unless it's a combination of a magical item and undead — a variant of a Ghost Ship, where a Flying Ship magical item crashed and its crew, now undead, continue to operate it.""A flying ship… is it…? Does that mean exactly as the words suggest, a ship that flies through the sky?"Narberal asked with wide eyes, apparently finding it too far-fetched. This was a natural response, given that he had reached such a conclusion based solely on one eyewitness account.Normally, one would assume that the adventurer mistook something else for a ship in the fog. It was also entirely possible that the adventurer had some set of circumstances that compelled him to concoct this fairy tale. Ainz's belief in the story and speculation about what it might be was the unusual approach. However, Ainz had his reasons for suspecting the adventurer's story might be true."Indeed. While I don't know of it either, and haven't heard even rumors of such things, it wouldn't be strange for such a thing to exist in this world."He had never seen or heard of such things during his time in YGGDRASIL. But he wouldn't be surprised if something like that could be made in this world.While YGGDRASIL had a high degree of freedom, it was still impossible to do anything beyond what was allowed by the game system. However, this world was developing new magic that wasn't possible in the game. Therefore, it wouldn't 2. Ainz is trying to recall the phenomenon "Brocken spectre," where the enormously magnified shadow of an observer is cast mid-air upon a cloud opposite a strong light source like the Sun.be strange if the inhabitants of this world had independently developed things that didn't exist in YGGDRASIL.For example, the spell called [Floating Board] that had transported Ainz and Nabe to the Royal Capital.Couldn't similar magic be applied to make massive structures float?One might wonder if there were things Ainz could conceive of which the inhabitants of this world could not. Despite his lacking education, Ainz still possessed knowledge of common sense, civilization, and technological products from beyond this world. This knowledge composed the foundation that allowed him to be skeptical and consider various possibilities.Though one wrong step was all it took for his theories to be called the delusions of a madman.Ainz recalled what he had thought when he heard about the ship.Assuming what was observed was either a golem or magical item, the biggest advantage of taking the form of a ship would be cargo capacity. Additionally, the ability to utilize existing shipbuilding expertise for manufacturing, deployment, operation, and management would massively reduce costs.Still, the fact that such a functional design had not yet been implemented meant either the world had yet to reach that concept, there were technological hurdles preventing its creation, or it was being manufactured but kept hidden as a military secret.If a distant country built it and it crashed in the Katze Plains during its maiden voyage… and then the project was frozen in the aftermath, that wouldn't contradict any of the facts… and besides, this is a world where monsters roam the sky. Making something large like a ship might be dangerous since it would stand out from far away.It was also possible that training people to control monsters like Wyverns, Hippogryphs, and Gryphons might be more cost-effective.However, these were all just Ainz's speculations and couldn't serve as evidence for the Ghost Ship's existence. Yet it would also be premature to dismiss the sighting report as a lie or misidentification and declare investigation unnecessary. The Katze Plains had become territory of the Sorcerer Kingdom. Whether it was a ship or not, whether it existed or not, they needed to eliminate the possibility of something unidentified wandering around in their backyard.Initially, he had considered going with Cocytus and Demiurge.However, that proved difficult. He just couldn't find time in Demiurge's schedule.No, if Ainz said something, Demiurge would make time, but that would weigh on his conscience. It would be like a company president telling a busy subordinate "Drop what you're doing and come help me move house." Or perhaps it was more like "Drop what you're doing and come hang out with me.""As expected of Ainz-sama. To have considered things so far ahead… doing so must mean there is some reason to conclude that it is a golem?"Ainz raised a bony finger while explaining his theory."Yes, to begin with, let us consider four possible identities: a land ship that doesn't rely on magical power, a Flying Ship magical item, a normal ship that became undead, and a ship-shaped golem."Ainz continued while folding his raised fingers one by one."First, the land ship. As I mentioned earlier, there are no records of such things ever having existed throughout history. The same goes for Flying Ships. While I'm not sure if normal ships — as inanimate objects — can become undead, but either way it's hard to imagine there being a normal ship this far inland. There are no nearby rivers or lakes, and no indication that this region was once an ocean."Ainz crooked his little finger last and concluded, brimming with confidence: "Then it must be a golem. This way it wouldn't be randomly attacked by the undead, and since it can move autonomously, we can't entirely rule out that it didn't drift in from somewhere else."This was a process of elimination based on the extremely weak evidence of "we can't rule it out." But even so, Narberal showed no doubt and whispered in admiration, "As expected of Ainz-sama."The undead hate the living and attack them.For example, assuming the magical item "Flying Ship" really existed, it would require a crew to operate. Any living beings aboard would be inevitably sensed by the undead and attacked. On the other hand, an artificially animated construct like a golem would not be actively targeted by unintelligent undead."And if it is a golem, that means there might be a power capable of creating large-scale golems either in this region or nearby. This is how the character of Momon comes into play. If that power is hostile to or feels threatened by the Sorcerer Kingdom, they might try to make friendly contact with Momon, who presumably pledged an unwilling allegiance. If they want to take a stance aligned with the Sorcerer Kingdom, they will likewise engage in peaceful dialogue with Momon, who has come under the Sorcerer Kingdom's control. In this way, it would be safer to advance matters with Momon rather than with Ainz Ooal Gown — with the Sorcerer Kingdom."If there was a power that possessed unknown technology in the vicinity, caution was necessary."I don't think there is any such a power nearby…""Perhaps so. I may be worrying too much. However—" As an impossibly remote possibility, Ainz was also considering the prospect that this was something left behind by a Player.YGGDRASIL allowed for a wide variety of playstyles. While most were adventurers like Ainz and his friends, others devoted themselves entirely to agriculture, and some earned in-game currency by accompanying other Players and recording their battles. There was also constant demand for creating "joke equipment" with gimmicks that produced strange effects, and items withincorporated audio and visual effects — like the famous Zubabaan Sword[3] and its derivatives — were beloved by some people.Among the joke equipment videos Ainz had watched, there was one where a Player doing the Man of the Sea pose[4] would cross his arms and give an intense glare with a "Ki!" sound effect, triggering visual effects of a ship flying a big catch flag over rough water.No, even he had to admit that was a bit much.Even Ainz thought this was purely in the realm offantasy. However, if by somechance this wasn't just his imagination, it would mean the shadow of a Playerhad fallen over this land. Though it was a bit embarrassing that what led him toinvestigate this matter, even using himself as bait, was prompted by a joke videothat Touch Me had shown him saying "Take a look at this!""—It might be the case that a power so distant we haven't gathered information on them has chosen this region to test operate a new type of golem. If they can use teleportation magic like [Gate], then it's entirely feasible."If Ainz had to confirm all of Gargantua's combat capabilities without Nazarick, he too would choose to carry out his tests somewhere far away to minimize impact. "Whatever I can do, my opponent can too." This notion was 3. Likely a reference to Zubaban (ズバ蛮), a swordsman character from the manga Zubaban andViolence Jack. The mangaka Go Nagai is famous for his other works, including Devilman andMazinger Z.4. The Man of the Sea pose (海の男ムーブ) consists of propping a leg up on a belaying cleat,resting an arm on your propped leg, and leaning forward while gazing out over the sea.one of the major pillars of Ainz's behavioral principles."Certainly, it is as you say.""If it is a golem, I wish to capture it if possible. I want to use it to diversify our fighting force. So, if we encounter it, refrain from attacking immediately.""Understood. If it is a golem, what should we do if we discover someone giving orders nearby, or if it's a magical item with a crew inside?""That… I won't be able to judge until the time comes."Though he had a strong desire to take it even if he had to kill for it, making enemies of an organization whose details were unknown — about which Ainz and his faction had no information — would be the height of foolishness."However, in such cases, we would strongly assert that the Katze Plains are under the control of the Sorcerer Kingdom, seize them, and then negotiate with their organization. After that, we will return them.""Return them?""It can't be helped. With insufficient data, we can't risk making enemies, even if they're small. We can take a strong stance since they are operating in another country — in the Sorcerer Kingdom's territory — as if they own the place, but even so, we will have no choice but to back down without any information on the other party. Well, we can drag out the negotiations and investigate them in the meantime. I can leave that part to Albedo."Ainz couldn't handle such negotiations. So it was better to leave it to someone who could."Understood. Then is it right to say we need to handle this in a way that doesn't cause major damage?""That's—"Just as Ainz was about to agree, the sound of someone repeatedly and forcefully banging the front door knocker echoed through the house.Narberal frowned in displeasure at the loud, relentless knocking. This was the first time anyone had knocked so noisily on the door to the residence of the Adamantite-ranked adventurers Momon and Nabe."Calm down, Nabe. I know exactly how they feel."After Narberal lightly bowed to show her understanding, Ainz instructed her to guide the visitor to the living room where he currently was.As Ainz had expected, the person Narberal brought back with her was a receptionist from the Adventurer's Guild.She didn't show any sign of surprise when she saw Ainz fully equipped in his living room. No, she probably had no room for such thoughts."Ah, ah, hah, ah, um, hah, hah—"Her ragged breathing continued, unable to form words. Her face was bright red, and her forehead was drenched in sweat. She must have run here at full speed, a speed beyond her limits. Though he offered her a chair and encouraged her to calm her breathing, she showed no signs of recovering.Considering the distance from the guild to this point, Ainz realized that it was only natural for an ordinary woman to end up like this. Honestly, why didn't she ask some adventurer who was probably nearby to run for her instead?"Nabe. Please bring some water."The receptionist weakly raised a hand in protest, but Narberal ignored her entirely and left the room. Rather than agreeing with the receptionist, Narberal's attitude suggested that Ainz's orders were overwhelmingly more important than the receptionist's wishes.After drinking the water Narberal brought, the receptionist finally regained enough composure to explain her purpose."Ah, the Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom Albedo-sama ordered me to summon Momon-sama… I beg of you, will you please come with me!"So that's why she couldn't ask an adventurer, Ainz realized, and then wondered, Why would Albedo order a receptionist to do this?However, he couldn't find an answer. There was no way Ainz could figure out how much thought a clever person like Albedo put into her words.It seemed that Ainz's silent contemplation had been taken the wrong way.The receptionist looked physically unwell. Was this because she had run here at full speed?Or was this because of her fear of Albedo — was she thinking about what might happen to her if Momon didn't come?"Um, umm…"Ainz answered the receptionist's pleading tone as planned: "Let's go right away."Since he had already made his preparations, they could leave immediately.After parting ways with the visibly relieved receptionist in front of the house, Ainz and Nabe headed toward the Guild. At first, they had intended to go together with the receptionist, but she had become unable to stand due to extreme fatigue and needed some time to recover. Thus, following the receptionist's natural suggestion that "It would be too presumptuous— no, too frightening to keep the Sorcerer Kingdom's Prime Minister Albedo-sama waiting," the two of them ended up going by themselves.Ainz muttered to himself repeatedly.Before long, the guild came into view.Four Death Knights stood in front of the guild. He had thought there might be a crowd of curious onlookers forming a human fence, but the street facing the guild was deserted, with not a soul in sight.This must be a testament to how much Albedo — no, in this case, how much the Sorcerer Kingdom — was feared.If this started happening after I walked around with angels in tow, that would mean it was a big mistake… perhaps the fact that I'm undead makes it even more frightening…?Passing between the Death Knights, Ainz and Nabe opened the door to the guild.The first thing that caught his eye upon entering was Albedo. She stood in front of the guild's counter in her usual attire, and by the wall were the two Death Knights serving as her escort. Of course, there were probably other things lurking there that were her actual guards. But Ainz, who hadn't pursued any rogue-type classes, couldn't tell for certain.On the other side of the counter, the receptionist — naturally a different person from the one who had come to summon Ainz — who seemed to be attending to Albedo, slightly relaxed her stiff expression upon seeing Ainz enter. Standing next to her, Guildmaster Pluton Ainzach wore the same expression.It was nostalgic.This must have been the first time since he visited the Empire that he'd seen him. No, Pandora's Actor disguised as Momon had probably met with him in the interim."You're late."Ainz exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders at Albedo's threatening voice."—I came as quickly as I could. If you didn't want to be kept waiting, you should have made an appointment in advance."Ainz could see the faces of the receptionist and Ainzach visibly stiffen."~Ara, such an attitude! Is this arrogance towards your client due to the privileged position of being an Adamantite-ranked adventurer?""—Client? Apparently, the Sorcerer Kingdom's Prime Minister-kakka isn't aware. For non-urgent requests, the guild usually sends an investigation team first. Only after they determine what rank of job it is do adventurers act. In other words, even if you bring a request, it hasn't been decided that I will accept it.""This is a designated request.""—Again?""You don't seem pleased. But you have no right to refuse. …The Adventurer Guilds within this city, within the Empire— all will be placed under the control of the Sorcerer Kingdom, in time. Know that the words of the state — no, of Ainz-sama — take precedence over everything else."No, no. I can understand if it's an order from the state, but I don't think my opinions need to be given such priority…Almost letting his true self show, Ainz firmly held back. There was no room in his head for unnecessary thoughts. If he allowed them in, the lines he'd worked so hard to memorize would slip right out and disappear."I shall relay to you His Majesty the Sorcerer King's words. Go to the Katze Plains and solve the mystery of the ship said to exist within the fog. …I permit you to be moved to tears of gratitude at receiving this royal command.""But I refuse."Ainz's quick response made Ainzach and the receptionist turn pale."Ara, ara~"Albedo smiled sweetly. It was a beautiful smile that even Ainz found somewhat frightening."I said earlier that you have no right to refuse, didn't I? Hmm? His Majesty the Sorcerer King found value in you, but did that make you conceited? Or did you just get carried away? Which is it, I wonder? Won't you tell me?""—I certainly bent my knee to the Sorcerer King. However, I won't stand for being treated like a convenient tool. And while you first said it was a designated request, you just called it a royal command, didn't you? Well, let me hear it. Which is it? Of course, judging from the context, it can be interpreted that the Sorcerer King has issued an order, and you are trying to pass it off as a request. But… is that so? Really? You wouldn't be trying to blur the lines between designated request and royal command, would you? You wouldn't be attempting some petty trick to establish a precedent— one where I act on the Sorcerer King's orders, would you?"Two sharp intakes of breath could be heard — from the receptionist and Ainzach."—If you want me to act, make a proper request through the Adventurer's Guild. Don't try to get me to accept informally; make a proper contract."Ainz and Albedo stared silently at each other."…So Momon will take such an attitude even when told the guild will be placed under the Sorcerer Kingdom's control?"Eh? Hey! I don't need that kind of ad-lib!Ainz felt put on the spot, but took care not to show it."I understand."Without waiting for Ainz to reply, Albedo gave a mysterious nod.Wh-what should I do?Ainz watched for Albedo's next move, but her demeanor indicated she had thrown the conversational ball to his side of the court.The faint sound of fabric rubbing against skin as she moved slightly. A silence so profound was created that even such minimal sounds could be clearly heard. And it was Ainz who broke it. Of course, Ainz didn't want to be the one to break it, but he had no other choice."—If you make a formal request and offer suitable compensation, then there's no doubt that I will accept. However, I must have you promise not to harm the people of this city while I'm away.""…The latter is not a problem. If the person has committed no crime, they will not be needlessly harmed. They are His Majesty the Sorcerer King's precious property, after all.""—Then I'll have you deposit the standard payment with the guild. With that, I will specially— yes, specially accept this in the form of a designated request.""…Receptionist. I'm not confident I can provide the appropriate sum at this moment. Will this suffice?"One of the Death Knights stepped forward and placed a leather bag on the counter with a thud.The sound of coins clinking together could be heard."—I'll make preparations. I am sure the Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom wouldn't appear here with anything less than the prescribed amount. Guildmaster, please gather as much information as possible pertaining to the Katze Plains as quickly as you can.""Indeed. Let this matter be carried out promptly. It's not good to keep His Majesty waiting for even one second, Worker.""That is—!"Ainzach started to shout, but Ainz raised his hand to stop him from saying anything more."I swear it on my name, I shall handle this matter."Ainz turned around and started walking.Needless to say, this piece of theater had been staged by Albedo. The flow of events from beginning to end had all been decided in advance. Though Albedo had more ad-libs than expected, Ainz had memorized the lines he was given word for word.The existence known as Momon must not be seen as a dog of the Sorcerer Kingdom. The Sorcerer King must not be thought of as his master and owner. That was why it was necessary to put on this little act.While the tempo may have been a bit slow since Ainz was desperately trying to remember the proper sequence of events as he spoke, no one seemed to have noticed that anything was off.For that reason he didn't understand why Ainzach had almost shouted, there was no need for any weird ad-libs.The next time we do something like this, I should prepare some notes that I can properly review. Well, I'll need to find a time to actually read them, though.

ographically for the two armies to confront each other, and they couldn't ignore the risk that if they were to pile mountains of corpses and shed rivers of blood elsewhere, those places might also end up as cursed lands like the Katze Plains.But the problems didn't end there.If the undead were left unchecked, there was a tendency for stronger undead to emerge.As a matter of fact, very few undead wandered out of the fog, and there had been almost no casualties to date. Conversely, this meant that the undead that emerged in this area would continue to accumulate within the fog — in the long run, creating a breeding ground for more powerful undead to appear. And powerful undead often possessed high intelligence. Unlike the lower-ranked chaff that instinctively remained in the fog, they might venture outside the Katze Plains in an attempt to kill the hated living.The first to be attacked would be one of the several countries that bordered the Katze Plains, including the Kingdom and Empire. Even if both nations directly responsible managed to avoid any damage, it was clear as day that they would face condemnation from the surrounding countries that suffered casualties due to their continued stoking of this flame.Therefore, the Kingdom and Empire jointly established a city dedicated to the suppression of the undead. Funds from the temples also flowed into this city. This was why adventurers were not permitted to freely use healing magic —much of the offerings and compensation received when temple priests provided healing magic and other priestly services were channeled there. Simply put, business competitors were unwanted.And so, a city was built near these Katze Plains.A city that, while receiving funding from both nations, belonged to neither.And a frontline city for protecting the living and fighting against the undead.It was named the Free City of Vadis.This city wasn't particularly large of scale, and its population was surprisingly small.However, surrounded by sturdy walls — with copper plates and other materials built into the interior — to guard against undead attacks, the city befitted its role as a strategic base for the undead suppression efforts in the Katze Plains, and housed various individuals skilled in fighting the undead. These included the forces of the various temples, adventurers, a century of Imperial Knights, mercenaries, and others.The entrance to this city, a set of thick but modestly sized doors engraved with the holy symbols of the Four Great Gods — the most widely worshipped deities in both Kingdom and Empire, the Fire God, Water God, Wind God, and Earth God — and their subordinate minor gods, opened slightly to reveal the figures of a party of men.Beyond the doors, outside the city, spread the reddish-brown soil of the Katze Plains, looking as if fresh blood had been mixed into the soil.Inhaling the fog from the plains made their nostrils quiver with the faint smell of wet earth, mold, and death — the scent of a graveyard.The sky hung low.It was as if the clouds that should have been suspended high above had fallen toward the ground. The boundary between fog and clouds appeared to be nonexistent.The group passed through the gate without hesitation into this alien landscape where a white world spread above and a crimson earth dominated below. There were ten of them in total. For a party heading into the Katze Plains, this number was neither particularly small nor large.Moreover, none rode horses or other mounts, or even used them for transport. This was due to the ability of some undead to instill fear in animals, meaning that depending on the kind of undead they faced, horses and other animals might panic and become a liability to handle.It would be no laughing matter to have horses bolt while under attack by the undead, requiring their attention to be divided. Of course, since there were undead with the ability to instill fear in all living beings, both horses and humans alike, it was difficult to judge which was better, but between a horse galloping at full speed in the wrong direction and a not-so-strong human running at full speed, the latter was at least easier to catch.Therefore, if they were unable to command magical beasts, it was common for those who set foot on the Katze Plains to hire people to serve as Porters.Porters were, as the name suggested, those who carried essential supplies like food and water. While it was possible to create water and food through magic, it was natural to carry such supplies in anticipation of an emergency — like the injury or death of a magic caster.Furthermore, having someone who could run communications during a critical situation was invaluable.The party was arranged with two people in front, two at the rear, and the remaining six in the middle. Four of the six in the middle were Porters carrying large bags. Of the two non-Porters in the middle group, one was a Worker, while the other was an Inspector.An Inspector's job was to count the undead defeated in the Katze Plains and ensure the proper payment of subjugation bounties. Most Inspectors were retired adventurers, former nobility from the Empire or Kingdom (or those unable to inherit the family title), or priests.The formation, divided into three separate clusters, appeared spread so far apart that it might lead one to think they didn't get along, but there was a good reason for this. It was to guard against area-of-effect spells like [Fireball] or special abilities such as an aura of fear.Of course, if they spread too far apart, they might not be able to provide support in time when under attack. While finding this balance was difficult to the uninitiated, it was second nature to those who earned their living in this land. Indeed, this party's spacing was exemplary.From positioning alone, those with knowledge could immediately identify the strongest members of this company. Naturally, it was the four guarding the front and rear — the crucial positions to defend. But that wasn't all. There must be someone to buy time if the middle was attacked. So it was safe to assume there were one or two such individuals stationed in the middle.In fact, five people in this party were renowned Workers.Workers.This referred to those who had dropped out of — or sought greater freedom than — being adventurers.Normally, job requests were collected by the Adventurer's Guild, investigated, and then assigned to adventurers of the appropriate rank. In other words, the Guild investigated in the initial stage whether a job was appropriate. Therefore, all unduly risky job requests — such as those involving criminal activity — were rejected without fail. For example, the Guild would use its power to prevent jobs like the procurement of plants used in the production of narcotics from being accepted.Furthermore, the Guild also refused jobs that would destroy the balance of an ecosystem. For instance, they wouldn't proactively kill monsters that occupied the highest trophic level in certain forests. This was to avoid situations where killing such monsters disrupted the balance of power, resulting in other monsters venturing outside the forest. Of course, it would be a different matter if an apex monster left the forest to encroach on human living spaces.In other words, adventurers were like the allies of justice.However, the world could not run on such pretty words alone.There were those who desired wealth above all else. Some sought dangerous jobs for greater rewards. There were even those who simply enjoyed killing monsters.Those who were drawn to the darker aspects of being an adventurer rather than the good. Adventurer dropouts — such people were both derisively and warily called Workers.However, not all Workers were such individuals.For example — suppose there was a severely injured boy in a village. Would it be okay for a passing adventurer to use healing magic to cure the boy's wounds for free?The answer would be "No."It was forbidden by adventurer rules to perform healing magic for free — that is, without collecting the prescribed payment.Generally, healing magic fell under temple jurisdiction, with spells being cast in exchange for an offering. If adventurers were permitted to perform healing for free, the temples would lose their livelihood.Therefore, the temples had firmly instructed the Adventurers' Guild not to allow such practices.If one could not accept such guild rules, there was no choice other than to become a Worker.While the temples might seem like corrupt organizations from this description, it was precisely because they could secure this revenue that they were able to distance themselves from politics and work for the sake of the people. Moreover, they used such funding to train priests and strived to save as many people as possible. This also allowed them to bankroll the operating funds that flowed into the Free City of Vadis.Thus, every coin had two sides. The same went for Workers.Even if motivated by profit, there might be cases where overharvesting medicinal herbs could benefit the people by allowing for cheaper production of medicine.Of course, few aimed to become Workers from the start. Since Workers didn't enjoy the protections of the guild, they needed to handle everything themselves. Because to this, they might easily die due to lacking vital information, and there were many cases of Workers dying within their first year of becoming a Worker.But this party was different. They had been working as a team for several years already.While individual strength certainly played a role, this was largely possible due to the presence of the man walking at the front.This was Antwali, the leader of this Worker team.And he was strong.Anyone who saw him would have that first impression.He stood at around two meters tall, but it wasn't just his height that caught the eye. It was his entire body.Just incredibly thick. His chest, arms, legs — and his neck.Though his physique made it easy to believe he had mixed-race blood, he was purely human. He was simply born blessed with an exceptionally sturdy frame and superior physical abilities.His wild features visible beneath his helmet, while not hideous, suggested something bestial and inspired wariness in observers.He wore unusual armor with a howling wolf's head protruding from the breastplate, under which chain mail hung like a surcoat or curtain down to his feet. His arms were fitted with a macabre pair of gauntlets that seemed to be fashioned from the hide torn off some beast — undoubtedly magical items.In his right hand he gripped a Footman's Flail, its striking head being a fearsome metal rod fitted with vicious spikes."What's going on up ahead?"Antwali stared through the thin fog, calling out to the man beside him. He wasn't asking about what lay a few dozen meters ahead in the fog. He was asking about what awaited them beyond that, over a hundred meters ahead where no ordinary person could see through the obscuring fog."Hmm. No signs of undead. Let's keep going! You don't sense any danger either, do you, Antwali?"The man questioned — Bunaz — answered.When the two stood side by side, they gave off the impression of the beauty and the beast. Bunaz's refined and slender features appeared almost feminine, although he was definitely a male. His elegant features suggested that noble blood flowed through his veins.He wore gray leather armor interspersed with patches of golden hair, and in one hand he carried a massive bow as tall as he was. Though his quiver contained only two arrows, these too were abnormally large. They were closer in size to spears rather than arrows, which was the reason behind his epithet "Long Spear.""No, I don't sense anything like that.""Aalllrighty! Then that's it, then. By the way, the plan remains unchanged—we head to our original destination, the First Broken Tower, clean up the surroundings, and then call it a day, right?"The Broken Towers were a series of collapsed towers scattered throughout the vast Katze Plains.These ruined towers — seven confirmed in total — were numbered one through seven in order of proximity to the Free City, and served as landmarks. They had been reinforced by human hands to serve as emergency strongholds, so a basic strategy for exploring the plains was to first secure a safe base by hunting undead around the First Broken Tower."After that, we use it as a base camp and finish this hunt with a major cleanup of the area? No change of heart?"Being the First Broken Tower — the closest to the city — undead extermination was frequently carried out here, so there likely weren't any strong undead nearby. However, that didn't mean they could let their guard down, since undead might wander in from the depths — the unexplored interior of the plains — where hunting hadn't reached. This was especially true because, unlike magical beasts, it remained unclear how the undead handled the concept of territory.For the distant Broken Towers — numbers four through seven — it was standard practice for multiple teams of Workers or adventurers to cooperate and form larger parties. Therefore, it would be quite risky to head there with such a small group as they now had."Yes. It won't change no matter how many times you ask. As you know, this time we negotiated until the very last minute but couldn't get any of the other teams to work with us. I'm sure you're disappointed that your earnings will be low, but we'll end our hunt around here. …Going in too deep would be dangerous."Bunaz narrowed his eyes. His well-formed features made his expression seem almost frightening. No — perhaps this was an expression befitting the resolve of a top-tier Worker. Noticing his expression, Antwali felt reassured."It's dangerous further in? Is that your intuition speaking? Or is it just common knowledge?""Don't worry. It's not intuition."As Antwali spoke, Bunaz's expression eased, and his usual handsome looks returned. Something that could be interpreted as either carelessness, composure, or relief seemed to dominate his mind. However, from Antwali's perspective, this wasn't a particularly good expression either. This was, after all, dangerous territory.Still, he understood how Bunaz felt.It was one of the reasons this team had survived for so long.It was Antwali's intuition at work — his bad feelings tend to be quite accurate. Probably stemming from an innate special ability, Antwali had exceptional aptitude for preventing enemy surprise attacks. The fact that he walked in the front rank as a second check alongside the skilled ranger Bunaz, despite having no scouting skills himself, was solely due to this ability."Well, that's good—"Before he could finish his words, a loud shout came from behind."Antwali! Undead reaction up ahead! Seems to be low-rank!"In an instant, tension spread among the group — more accurately, among those in the center.Even though it was low-rank undead, that was relative to Workers like them. Though the Porters steeled themselves to encounter undead when entering these plains, they were barely more capable than ordinary people. Even if they used magic to ward against fear, it couldn't completely erase the terror welling up from within.Antwali and Bunaz exchanges glances, each with grim expressions. What was their little exchange about "no undead" and "no danger" just now? This was beyond embarrassing.Since it could even cause those who overheard them to doubt their abilities, it made them want to grumble "He should have just quietly told the two of us in secret." But expecting such tactful consideration from the man who had shouted — especially when the undead were involved — was a mistake.The one who had shouted was Candelon Gaelian.One of the two in the rear rank, he was an expert in slaying the undead, a priest and a warrior who held the job of Undead Buster.His sturdy physique, rivaling Antwali's, was covered head to toe in full plate armor — complete with a full-face helmet — and in his hand was a large mace. The heavy head of the mace bore his god's holy symbol. This was what he used to crush the skulls of the undead — that was the kind of priest he was.Normally, undead detection wouldn't work on these plains.This was because the fog that blanketed the plains gave off undead reactions, so activating such abilities would detect undead reactions coming from all directions simultaneously.However, those who took up the job of Undead Buster continued to serve their god even while fighting the undead. The zeal with which they exterminated the undead took the form of magic, piercing through even the fog of this cursed land. Thus, Candelon's detection spells were enhanced to be able to detect undead reactions even within this fog."We can't see them… Bunaz? What do you think?""Like I said, there's no sign of undead up ahead." His face shifted, turning toward the sky. "Same goes for above. I don't sense any movement."Incorporeal undead became difficult to spot when not moving, but that didn't mean it was impossible to do so. With Bunaz's perceptive abilities, he should be able to detect something if it was there. In that case, it seemed more likely this was something completely outside his field of vision."Then… either invisible undead, or they're hiding underground.""That's possible. Or maybe undead more skilled at stealth than I am. They're not entirely non-existent, you know.""In that case… everyone, come here."As he called out to those behind, the team members gathered around."Really now. He knew we'd call them over. He could have just given us the warning in a quieter voice after he got here, damn it…""Antwali, you know it can't be helped. That's just the way Candelon is."While Bunaz thought the loud warning from behind was intended to alert everyone about the imminent encounter and prepare the non-Workers for battle, Antwali believed otherwise.He was certain that Candelon was so excited about the prospect of fighting the undead, everything else had completely slipped his mind."..."A man wearing full plate armor like Candelon silently walked up to them.He carried a large shield called a tower shield and a mace. On his back was strapped a spear, which gave the impression that it had seen better days.If Antwali was this team's sword, then he — Dietz Elderwood — was their shield. He was an excellent warrior with strong defensive capabilities thanks to his sturdy equipment, and he could also use blessing spells.Unlike paladins who served a holy faith and its righteous law, he was a crusader who advanced toward his own holy cause — his own righteous purpose.Because he tended to prioritize his own justice over the law, he occasionally attracted trouble. However, since he was fundamentally a good person, one couldn't help but acknowledge that his actions were reasonable, which was troublesome in its own right. If not for this — or if he was inferior in terms of ability — they would have chosen to cut him off for the sake of the team."Haa, haah, no, it's too tirin' to walk this far without stoppin'. S'all Uncle who's lost his stamina can do to keep up with you younger folk."The last to appear, muttering complaints as always, was Envario. The oldest member of this Worker team, he was in his mid-forties.He had scruffy stubble and dull skin. He hid his thinning hair under a hood, but he would look even more pathetic without it, and many might look down on him.However, his equipment was magnificent. An immaculate set of yellow robes, a staff with four faintly glowing yellow gems set in its tip — every piece of equipment radiated magical power that even an ordinary person could sense. In particular, from the plain silver ring on his finger, mana could be seen rising like ripples in the air.His skill with arcane magic was first-rate, and he was capable of casting even fourth-tier spells. However, as if in exchange, his physical abilities weren't very high — in fact, they were quite low. He was perhaps only on par with a novice adventurer in that regard.Antwali the Warrior, known as "Howling Wolf."Bunaz the Ranger-cum-Archer, known as "Long Spear."Candelon Gaelian, the Divine-Caster-cum-Warrior.Dietz Elderwood, the Crusader.Envario the Arcane Caster, known as "the Worn-out Old Man."These five were the members of the Worker team known as Fist."Now then, you probably heard, but Candelon reported an undead reaction. …However, Bunaz and I can't see anything. We're thinking they might be invisible or hiding underground, is there anything else you can think of? —Envario.""Without knowin' how far… but even with all these livin' people here, they haven't attacked us yet, which makes Uncle think they're the ambushin' type. So, don'tcha think they're most likely hidin' underground?""Candelon. Your thoughts?"After closing his eyes and activating his ability, Candelon spoke."I agree with Envario. To add a bit more, these are undead that the two of you can't detect, and they don't seem to be approaching us. …If they were incorporeal, it wouldn't be strange for them to come at us directly. So rather than incorporeal undead, it's more likely to be undead that burrow into the ground."Antwali shifted his gaze to Dietz, who silently shook his head."Next, then. Assuming they're an ambush-type, do we fight or avoid them?"The most frightening scenario was being attacked by other undead while already engaged in combat. In a sense, the non-combatants in their party were a hindrance, so they'd prefer to avoid unnecessary battles. Getting caught in a pincer attack would be a nasty development.Moreover, without having seen them — without knowing the enemy's true nature — the danger level was high. There was a tacit agreement in this land that teams that discovered undead should only engage them within reasonable limits — in the sense of preventing the emergence of stronger undead — but there was no need to strictly follow this. The most important thing was the lives of their comrades.He looked back.Though the city they had departed was completely hidden by the thin fog, they hadn't traveled far. In other words, this area was regularly cleared, so the undead probably weren't that strong.Ignoring the man excitedly swinging his mace while chanting "Fight! Fight!", the four of them exchanged glances."—We'll fight. Let's go with the usual routine."There were no objections to the leader's decision. The other four nodded silently — one nodded particularly vigorously — and set down their bags.Only the Worker team would participate in combat.Since the current matter couldn't be considered an emergency, it was normal for the others accompanying them not to lend a hand. That was in the terms of their contract to begin with.As luck would have it, the one serving as Inspector this time was a priest —incidentally, the worst kind of Inspectors were former nobles from the Kingdom or Empire — who showed no sign of anxiety despite setting foot in the dangerous Katze Plains. However, he showed no indication of wanting to offer help either.There was a good chance that he wouldn't help even if their team was completely wiped out. That was because his role was to report what had happened back to the city.Rather than risking his own life trying to save nine people, bringing back information — like the appearance of a powerful undead that could kill nine people, including a Worker team — would be more important, something that everyone — not counting the dead — would understand.Seeing that Antwali's group had begun preparing for battle, their traveling companions set down their packs and arranged them in a circle, taking a formation where they could hide behind their cargo. Though thin, the Porters' carrying frames contained metal plates, allowing them to be used like tower shields for complete cover. Since aspiring adventurers sometimes took these dangerous jobs to buy equipment, it was quite a practiced, confident stance. Even those young enough to be called boys showed tension but no fear. In a sense, you could say they were prepared.In the center of the formation stood the Inspector. He probably intended to use magic if necessary. Holding a holy seal in one hand, he surveyed the surroundings. There was no telling whether other undead might attack while Antwali's group was fighting the enemies in front.Of course, Antwali and his team had no intention putting on such a disgraceful display. Having casualties among their companions would be tantamount to failing the job. The Inspector being required to use magic would be seen as making him work beyond the scope of his duties — imposing an extra burden on him. Anyone would naturally give a harsh evaluation to the responsible party if made to do work outside the terms of their contract.If there were any casualties among the Porters, it would spread a bad reputation. In a sense, it would be treated as a failure to protect those under their guard. If that happened, they'd find it difficult to hire Porters in the future — after all, who would want to be hired if they thought they might be the next victim — and rumors would spread among Workers and adventurers alike about the team's inadequacy. That would be a significant disadvantage for finding future work, particularly in this area."Well then, I'll go lure them out."Declaring this, Bunaz ran alone in their direction of travel — in the direction where the undead reaction was reported. His movements were agile and swift, with no sign of hesitation.When he reached a certain point, the earth cracked around Bunaz. And hands emerged.Many, many hands.The bizarre sight of multiple hands protruding from the ground like swaying stalks of seaweed might paralyze those faint of heart. But Bunaz was a veteran Worker. Without any magical effects at work, this level of display wouldn't faze him.No doubt using some special ability, six undead emerged from the ground around Bunaz with surprising speed.They appeared to be squat masses of earth with thick, stubby limbs sprouting from them. Their eyes and mouths were gaping holes, with red points burning in the depths of their eye sockets. While they might look like golems at first glance, they were unmistakably undead."Grave Dead, huh?"Envario exhaled a small sigh of relief as he uttered the name of the undead.An atmosphere of "well, that's nothing" spread among Antwali's group. This was not an attitude one should have when their companion was surrounded by enemies, but it was because they understood the difference in combat ability between them and their foes that it was acceptable. If evaluated by the difficulty rating that adventurers used for monsters, Grave Dead would be around a difficulty rating of 15.The undead that appeared on the outskirts and just inside the Katze Plains were mostly low rank. Most ranged between difficulty rating 1 and 30. However, that was no reason to let their guard down. Though they emerged rarely, stronger undead might still appear. And the longer an area went without being cleared, and the deeper ventured into the interior, the stronger the undead that would appear.The misshapen undead moaned and trudged toward Bunaz with sluggish movements befitting their appearance.The Grave Dead had some resistance to physical attacks and possessed the ability to slowly regenerate so long as their feet were in contact with the ground. They were troublesome opponents for teams that relied on purely physical attacks, and those adventurers who made their living killing Skeletons and Zombies would have no choice but to flee. But what was most frightening was what happened when they grabbed ahold of you. True to their name, their skill [Burial] allowed them to sink their victims into the ground as if it were water. Of course, they didn't bury you very deeply, so if you could quickly dig up the earth temporarily softened by the undead's ability, you would be saved. However, should a companion be buried and incapacitated, there was no doubt that your team's combat strength would be dramatically reduced.However, for Antwali and his group, these enemies couldn't even be considered a threat.With a series of nimble maneuvers, Bunaz guided the Grave Dead away from the group.The Grave Dead, not possessing high intelligence, straightforwardly followed after Bunaz, intent on burying this hateful living being in the ground and killing it."[Widen Magic – Fireball]!"Then — a soaring [Fireball] impacted the ground, the expanding flames instantly engulfing the undead.The undead, their false life burned away, collapsed and returned to the earth as ashes.And that was the end of it.While Antwali cautiously surveyed the surroundings to check if any undead were drawn in by the light of the earlier [Fireball], Dietz poked him in the ribs.At the same time, he sensed footsteps from behind. Looking back, he saw the person he expected to see was approaching.Beyond him, through the thin fog, he could see the four Porters wearing expressions of respect. They had probably gathered information about Fist's reputation before they were hired, but seeing it firsthand made it real. The sight of them annihilating their enemies with a single [Fireball] must have been particularly impactful.Being able to cast [Fireball] was proof of a highly skilled magic caster. And since team members were generally all about the same strength, it meant that those who didn't participate in the battle must be equally as strong. This was why the Porters breathed sighs of relief. They knew that the information they had collected was true, and that their chances of returning home safely were high.Feeling the tension dissipate, Antwali nodded internally.This was the routine.They defeated opponents that they could have otherwise ignored not only to earn a little coin, but more importantly to demonstrate their strength and inspire trust in their team.When fierce battles occurred in the future, having their companions' trust would make a big difference.So when accompanying new companions, Antwali's team always performed this kind of routine."Amazing… though perhaps saying that would be discourteous to veteran Workers like yourselves?"Envario responded to the Inspector's question as he walked up."No, no, at my age, I don't get a whole lotta compliments. So, it makes Uncle very happy.""That's good. …Just to confirm, there were six Grave Dead… is that correct?""That's correct."This confirmation check was necessary because some monsters might look similar but be different variants, or even be completely different species —especially among insectoid-types, where certain species were distinguishable only by subtle differences.After Antwali answered affirmatively, the Inspector posed his next question."Can I assume it's safe here for now?""Should be fine, right? What do you think, Candelon?"Candelon nodded at Bunaz's words as he rejoined the group."If you all agree, then it must be safe," the Inspector said, pulling out a thick sheet of paper, a portable inkwell, and a quill pen from his pocket. He began to write down the name and number of the defeated undead."…Do you mind if I also ask you a question?""What is it?"Antwali questioned the Inspector, who replied in turn as he put away his finished writing. Though he would have preferred to ask him this within the Free City, he chose a place without eavesdroppers due to various concerns."What will happen to the Free City from here on out?""Ah. The temple higher-ups are in turmoil. At present, we've been absorbed into the territory of the Sorcerer Kingdom, where that accursed undead rules as king. By any normal standards, this isn't a good turn of events. So, the natural thing to do would be to withdraw from the Free City. After all, considerable funds flow from the temples to maintain and operate the Free City, which could be seen as indirectly supporting the Sorcerer Kingdom and the undead, couldn't it? Whether we fight here or withdraw, either way we're benefiting the undead, which is infuriating."He answered without hesitation. It was the kind of casual openness that made Antwali wonder if he would have spoken just as freely even within the Free City."However, completely withdrawing could be seen as tacitly allowing the danger posed by ceding control of this cursed land to that undead. Plus, it would become difficult to monitor what it plans to do. Which option do you think is more beneficial for us members of the temples?""I dunno about the temples, but for us old folk, carryin' on as before would be nice, though I suppose that's impossible.""The rumors about the Kingdom and Empire withdrawing their funding now that the Katze Plains have become Sorcerer Kingdom territory are true, right?"When Envario and Bunaz — the two members of this Worker team that excelled at gathering information — spoke up, the Inspector laughed tiredly."It's true. With both nations withdrawing, it will be very difficult for the city to survive on support from the temples alone. We will have no choice but to cut bounties and such. And skilled Workers like yourselves will surely leave the city to seek better paying opportunities elsewhere." The Inspector held up a finger and twirled it in a circle. "Then cleaning up the undead will become less effective, the rate at which powerful undead appear will increase, and we will be driven into a situation where we are forced to abandon the city… perhaps. A vicious cycle. A tragic future indeed. Well, the prevailing opinion among us is that we should wait to see how the Sorcerer Kingdom intends to handle the Free City and understand their actions before making any decisions."It was a wait-and-see approach. However, rewards would undoubtedly be reduced. If they couldn't provide compensation commensurate with the danger, there was little merit in fighting here. They were Workers. Reward was their absolute belief."What a shame. Looks like this will be our last time."As Antwali muttered those words, Candelon said nothing, but his face strongly betrayed his feelings of discontent."While I'm suuuper interested in all this talk, it seems weird to have a long conversation here, and we're almost at the Broken Tower. Shall we get moving?"No one could object to Bunaz's entirely reasonable suggestion. The group reformed their ranks and set off again.It wasn't as though Antwali had no complaints about the situation. There were a certain number of Workers who initially became adventurers because they admired the heroes of fairy tales, and Antwali was one of them. Though various circumstances had led him to walk among the shadows, the fact that he was protecting the peace in this city by defeating the undead was a definite source of pride.If he could live by eating fog alone, he might have stayed in the Free City of Vadis and continued his activities. However, there was no helping the fact that Antwali was still only human. He had to earn to live, and he could never become a hero like those in fairy tales. And "happily ever after" endings, it seemed, only existed in fairy tales.