The most likely outcome was that they would deem the Sorcerous Kingdom an evil empire, and use that as a rallying cry to make war on them.
On the flip side, what would they do if they heard that the Sorcerous Kingdom had signed a treaty of friendship with the Dwarven Kingdom, like a proper, decent nation?
Some people might think that it was signed under duress or that it was gunboat diplomacy. However, on the surface it would appear to be a fair and normal treaty.
Hypothetically speaking, if a player decided to wage war on the Sorcerous Kingdom, that player would certainly invite entities on his level — most likely other players — to join him in his crusade. However, some of these people might think of the Sorcerous Kingdom as a decent nation. These war-averse people might cite the Dwarven treaty as a reason to stay out of the conflict.
Granted, this was a presumptuous conjecture, but he might even be able to strike while the foe was in disunity and defeat them, whereupon the bombshell of “That’s why I didn’t want to fight” would go off and tear the enemy apart.
This was the reason why he wanted to place himself on the moral high ground.
After all, the only thing Ainz feared was a group of players, not just one or two other players.
It was true that players with World-Class Items were fearsome, and so were players with very powerful classes, like World Champion. That said, if they were alone, they would not be able to defeat Nazarick without using one of the Twenty.
“So you can be at ease.”
“—I understand that now.”
“Umu. That is for the best. Can I entrust that task to you then, Zenberu?”
“I understand, Your Majesty. I will take you to that cave city of the Dwarves where I once briefly resided.”
Ainz nodded in satisfaction, and then turned to Zaryusu.
“Good, I will address Zaryusu now. Please accept my felicitations on the birth in the family. Are both mother and child well?”
Zaryusu nervously(?) answered:
“Yes, Your Majesty. They are doing fine. It seems my child is about ready to start walking.”
“That’s fast!”
That said, his investigations revealed that the human children in this world developed faster than those in Suzuki Satoru’s world in all aspects, be it in terms of teething, speaking or walking on their own. Of course, that was merely something he had come up with after comparing his observations to his recollections of what Touch Me had said in the past.
“Is that so? I feel it is quite normal…”
“Ah, I see. I seem to have considered that from a human’s point of view. Children… hm. Currently, I am in the process of building a nation composed of beings from various species working together. If I asked you to live in a nation of humans under my rule for the purpose of advancing that agenda, would you accept?”
“I cannot refuse Your Majesty’s orders.”
“Oh, don’t be like that.”
While Zaryusu might not have intended it to come out that way, it sounded like mockery.
The same thing happened with Ainzach earlier, Ainz mused as he continued speaking.
“I wish to hear your opinion on the matter. Having left the Lizardmen as a Traveler, you should have experience with this sort of thing, am I wrong? In other words, you should be able to think in ways that differ from regular Lizardmen. Because of that, I would like to hear what you think and feel about the ever-changing world that lies ahead of you.”
“I became a Traveler because I felt that things could not go on as they had. I was forced to do so by my circumstances.”
“Even if that was the case, your perspective should have been broadened by seeing the world. If possible, why not substitute yourself with a regular Lizardman and thus evaluate the merits of Lizardmen travelling to a human nation?”
“Yes…”
After thinking briefly, Zaryusu spoke once more.
“Personally speaking, I would not want to travel to a human city. I would feel uneasy about doing so with a wife and child in tow. Even if it was a country ruled by Your Majesty… it would be quite difficult.”
Having to abandon familiar surroundings and travel to a completely different environment was deeply distressing. It was only natural that one would want to preserve the surroundings which they were used to. This was especially true for Zaryusu, who was a man that had to shoulder the burden of a family.
There might be some people who did not want to be protected for their entire lives. But Ainz felt that people who could not accept protection when the circumstances called for it were weak, be they PKs or PKKs.
“I see. Then… Is it possible for the children to become accustomed to that sort of thing?”
“Does that mean you only intend to take the children, Your Majesty?”
Ainz sensed faint criticism within those words.
Zaryusu must have thought that Ainz would forcibly separate the children from their parents.
“Don’t let your imagination run wild. I intend to build a nation where different races can coexist in harmony. The first step of that is to create a place where the children of Lizardmen, humans, Goblins and so on can come together and play happily. That is all…Still, I trust that all of you do not intend to live and die in this tiny little world of a lake, but that you plan to step into the world at large?”
The faces of the Lizardmen filled with complicated expressions.
“Do you mean… You want more people to become Travelers?”
“I take it the job of Traveller is not very glamorous among the Lizardmen, am I wrong? I am simply saying that you should broaden your minds…I am not quite clear on this, but could it be that you and your wife do not intend to grant your child a wider view of the world?”
A strange look crossed Zaryusu’s face.
“That… is hard to say. I would like to have our children live in a village that is safe and does not lack food, but times are different now.”
He must have been speaking in his capacity as a parent. This was little different from how Ainz wanted the NPCs to live in happiness. As he mused on that, Ainz began feeling a certain kinship with Zaryusu.
“I understand how you feel. One cannot expect change from those who are set in their ways. The quicker the change, the more the older generation will whine and reject it.”
Ainz shrugged while Zaryusu and Zenberu smiled.
“It is as Your Majesty says,” Zaryusu replied. “The elders still complain every now and then.”
“Doesn’t that mean you’re one of those old folks then, Zaryusu?”
Zaryusu looked at Zenberu in bafflement, but even Ainz had picked up on it.
“Parents with children, then? — Yes. Exactly.”
Ainz looked fondly upon Cocytus, who stood by his side.
“Well, it seems I will have to make this point clear. Cocytus, I shall now give you an order.”
“Understood!”
“Even if Zenberu chooses to oppose me, you are forbidden to harm his friends within this village.”
“I. Hear. And. Obey. Oh. Supreme. One!”
Ainz nodded in satisfaction to the deeply bowing Cocytus, and then looked back at Zenberu.
“Then, Zenberu. I would like to know everything you know. Tell me where you met the Dwarves, what sort of life you had with them, what sort of gifts please them, and so on. Tell me everything.”
“No problem, Your Majesty.”
“Such. Rudeness—”
“It’s fine, Cocytus. He would lose his head for something like that under official circumstances—”
Ainz looked around.
“However, this is hardly a formal setting. I shall allow this to go unpunished. I believe I am capable of that much.”
Ainz chuckled, and Cocytus spoke again, confused.
“Ai-Ainz-sama…”
Ainz reached out to interrupt Cocytus, and then glared coldly at Zenberu. Then, he used a move he had practiced countless times before the mirror.