“However, Zenberu, there is one thing you should not forget. Cocytus will feel guilty because of the shameful tone you take with me.”
Zenberu’s body shuddered, possibly out of fear.
Are these pre-battle tremors?
“…My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. Your servant has overstepped himself.”
“—It is fine, You should be grateful to Cocytus, the administrator of this village. Because of him, I will not harm it directly… hm, it seems I have said something pointless. Shall we begin discussing the Dwarven Kingdom?”
“Before. That. Will. You. Not. Take. A. Seat. Ainz-sama?”
Ainz was mildly discomforted by Cocytus’ suggestion.
Ainz did not feel fatigue, so he did not need to sit down. However, he could not simply ignore a valuable suggestion like that.
“Indeed. Let us do so. Cocytus, don’t use something too decadent. Anything I can sit on will be fine.”
“Understood! Then. Please. Excuse. Me.”
Cocytus went to his hands and knees, prostrating himself on the ground.
The image of Shalltear overlaid itself on Cocytus from Ainz’s memory.
“…I think I know what is going on, but it might be best to ask, just in case. What are you doing?”
“I. Heard. That. Shalltear. Once. Did. This. As. Well. Therefore. I. Sought. To. Imitate. Her.”
“That was a punishment for her. There is no need for you to do this.”
“But. The. Lizardmen. Under. Me. Have. Spoken. Disrespectfully. To. You. Ainz-sama—”
“There is no need to bring up the past. I already said I did not mind. Did you not hear me?”
“That. Is. True. But—”
Haa—
Ainz had tried to talk him around, but Cocytus was proving unexpectedly stubborn. Despite the fact that the undead did not get tired, fatigue filled Ainz’s soul. Sensing difficulty all around him, Ainz decided to abandon his resistance and made a pronouncement.
“—Ah, that’s enough. Then, I shall be taking a seat, Cocytus.”
“Understood!”
His reply was quite forceful.
Sitting down like this in front of others was very — well, to some extent, it was embarrassing.
Still, the others would find it strange if he hesitated here. What he should have done was to adopt the air of an absolute ruler and matter-of-factly sit upon the body of his vassal.
Ainz bent at the waist. In truth, it was very uncomfortable. In truth, it was very uneven. And in truth, it was very cold.
On top of that, Cocytus seemed to be huffing and puffing in excitement, leaking an ever-thickening white mist, so it looked as though someone had sprinkled water on dry ice and the vapors were billowing out from between Ainz’s legs. It looked like some cut-rate special effect used to make someone look more impressive, and it made him feel like he was sitting on a bed of nails.
“Does. It. Please. You. Ainz-sama?”
Crap. He could not be honest here.
A bizarrely curious part of him wanted to know what would happen if he did speak his mind, but the thought of Cocytus’ reaction was too frightening.
“Mm, it’s not bad…”
Will I sound like a pervert if I say that, Ainz frantically thought. However, he could not think of anything else to say.
“Then. May. I. Know. Whether. You. Prefer. Shalltear. Or. Myself?”
“…”
Ainz was struck dumb. How should he answer?
“Eh… Why, why do you want to know?”
“Yes! I. Feel. That. I. Must. Practice. For. When. I. Must. Someday. Bear. My. Master. Upon. My. Back.”
“…Eh?!”
What the hell was he talking about?
Was Cocytus of a species which allowed the female to mount them during reproduction? Or was he just a sexual masochist?
Takemikazuchi-san!
No, he should have been more decent than that. He might have loved fighting, but he should have been a good man who rarely gave people trouble.
But why did Cocytus turn out this way? Ainz was shaken to the core, as though he had discovered someone else’s secret fetish.
“Is, is that so. That’s good.”
Although, Ainz did not know whether it was good at all.
“Yes! Then. Dare. I. Ask. What. Your. Answer. Is. Ainz-sama?”
“It’s slightly uneven, but not to the extent that I can’t sit down. In that sense, Shalltear is slightly better.”
“Is. That. So…”
“No! No, I mean, you have your advantages as well. Ah, how shall I put this, cold… yes, this cool sensation would be best on summer days.”
Ainz could not help but wonder why he was so desperate to comfort Cocytus.
“I. See! However… Mm.”
While silently rejoicing that Cocytus had fallen silent to think, Ainz addressed the Lizardman.
“Th-then! Pay no attention to what is happening over here. Come, Zenberu, tell me.”
“Ah, yes.”
According to Zenberu, he had climbed up and down slopes and peaks to find the Dwarves, spending a month in a fruitless search. It was only when he was about to give up that he encountered a Dwarf who came out to explore the surface. After that, various things happened, and he earned the Dwarves’ trust and was brought to their city.
His appearance had not done him any favors at first, but he had apparently gained their trust after baring his heart to them.
After that, he had learned martial arts in the Dwarven city. He left once he gained enough confidence in himself and returned to the Lizardman village.
The most important thing among all this was whether or not Zenberu could lead Ainz and his party to the Dwarven city.
Zenberu looked a little uncomfortable, but in the end he replied that he could probably do it.
The Dwarven city was underground, in the depths of a cavern, so he should be able to lead him there as long as the mountain’s terrain did not change. When he heard this, Ainz was reminded of the underground cities in YGGDRASIL, and he could not help but get excited.
The last thing he asked about was the distance to the Dwarven city.
Zenberu replied that the journey back from the Dwarven Kingdom had taken about a week along the mountain trails. That had brought him to the northernmost tip of the lake.
Given the Lizardmen were not used to walking on land, a week’s journey on foot roughly translated to about 100 kilometers.
Unfortunately, they had to rely on Zenberu’s memories, so they could not plot the shortest course on a map.
I should be prepared to stray off course repeatedly.
It made him think of his adventures in YGGDRASIL, and Ainz smiled broadly.
“…Is this information useful to you, Your Majesty?”
“Of course. I welcome expeditions in the dark with only a feeble lantern to light the way. That is what they call excitement, no?”
Perhaps they thought Ainz was making a joke, but quiet laughter came from the ranks of the Lizardmen.
Ainz did not intend to correct their mistake. People who did not know YGGDRASIL would find it hard to understand.
“Then, I shall appoint Zenberu as my guide, and we shall prepare to set out according to what he has told me. Aura and Shalltear will arrive soon with their followers in tow, so you should get yourself ready too.”
“I hear and obey, Your Majesty.”
Ainz nodded graciously to him, and then rose from Cocytus’ body.
He paid no heed to the quiet, mournful sound from below him.
Chapter 2: In Pursuit of the Land of the Dwarves
1
Shalltear and Aura gathered at the lakeside near the Lizardman village, accompanied by their hand-picked followers.