A waste of breath… well, I could think of it as being fine in resurrecting them right? I was planning to deliberate over it more, I have made too many mistakes recently.
With no other choice, Ainz had to weigh the pros and cons from his own standpoint.
“…We had decided to rule over the lizardmen, but do they have a suitable representative? Or a group that could represent them?”
“No, but they do have a suitable representative.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“The white lizardman that didn’t took part in the battle earlier. She seemed to possess the power of druids.”
“Oh, that one! Hmm, that could work…”
If it was her, she could be of use— Ainz thought. He could use her to spy on things.
However, implementing the idea Ainz had in mind might make Cocytus who will be ruling the lizardmen feel troubled. So what should he do? Ainz suddenly had a moment of brilliance.
…Wouldn’t it be faster to just ask? Although I didn’t get any useful answers just now…
Ainz shared his plans with Cocytus, and Cocytus expressed his acknowledgement.
It was hard to judge whether Cocytus said that to accommodate his master, but Demiurge and Albedo didn’t have strange reactions either when he glance at them. This made Ainz relaxed and assured him that it shouldn’t be a problem.
“Very good. How long will you need to bring her here?”
“Pardon my impudence, I thought Ainz-sama will ask for her, so I ordered her to wait in a room nearby.”
Ainz couldn’t help looking at Demiurge and saw him shaking his head.
Awesome, he handled it well, without any instructions and it didn’t seem to be someone else’s idea.
This must be how a superior feels when he sees his subordinate mature as he had hoped for, Ainz thought with a face of satisfaction. But his head was a skull so it didn’t really moved.
“No no, well done Cocytus. Wasting time is foolish, your judgement is on point. Alright then, bring her over.”
“Erm, please wait!”
“What is it, Aura?”
“I don’t think a shabby place like this is good enough. Even though we are hosting people who are submitting to us, it is too run down for Ainz-sama’s status. I feel that the meeting should be done in the throne room of Nazarick.”
All the other Guardians except Mare nodded gently in agreement.
“…My apologies. I miss out on this point, please forgive me!”
“Ahhh…”
Ainz never thought about that. He then thought about how to react. Suddenly, he remembered something. In that case—
“— Aura.”
“Yes!”
“I told you that this place you built— the place filled with your feelings and emotions, is as good as Nazarick right? I really mean it. Cocytus, bring her in. I will hold the audience here.”
“Ai-, Ainz-sama!”
“Aura, back down.”
“Albedo!”
Aura protested with her face red, saying “Why are you stopping me?” However, Albedo merely glance at Aura before ignoring her fixing her sight at the door. The one answering the emotional Aura was Demiurge.
“…Anything Ainz-sama says is the law. Since Ainz-sama said this place is as good as Nazarick— “
“—It must be true.”
Shalltear continued.
I don’t think my words are ironclad laws. Although I don’t want to be thought of like that… but just this one time, it is a big help.
“Aura, I will say this again. As my most trusted subordinates— one of the Guardians, this place you put in so much effort to build is on the same level as Nazarick. It is true even now when construction works are ongoing… Do you understand?”
“…Ainz-sama, thank you very much.”
Aura deeply lowered her head and the other Guardians did the same.
There is no need… to be so emotional… This is embarrassing.
“Well then, usher her in, Cocytus.”
“Yes!”
In a short moment, Cocytus brought a pure white lizardman into the room.
The lizardman knelt before Ainz and lowered her face to the ground.
“State your name.”
“Yes, Supreme Overlord of Death— Ainz Ooal Gown. I am the representative of the lizardmen, Crusch Lulu.”
What an incredible title. He was curious as to who came up with this title, but Ainz acted like a calm king and said.
“… Hmmm, well met.”
“Yes. Gown-sama, please accept the oath of fealty from us, the lizardmen.”
“Hmmm…”
Ainz watched Crusch closely.
The scales were pretty. They shone brightly under the illumination of the magical light. I wonder how they would feel like if I were to touch them., Ainz was academically curious.
As he stared closely, he realized Crusch’s shoulders were trembling. Cocytus should have deactivated his freeze aura ability, so it must be due to some other reason.
Ainz pondered shortly and found the answer, it was obvious.
If she made Ainz unhappy, all the lizardmen would be massacred. That was why she was so careful in her speech. For Crusch who was under such crushing pressure, Ainz unnatural silence planted a seed of terror.
Ainz didn’t have the hobby of taking pleasure in bullying the weak. If it was for the good of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, he was willing to do anything no matter how cruel it was, but he won’t perform such destructive actions needlessly.
“The lizardmen will be under my rule. However, Cocytus will be the one ruling in my place. Any objections?”
“— None.”
“That is all. You may leave.”
“Eh? Is that all?”
Crusch said in a surprised voice while she remained bowing. Like a person who was entrusted with unreasonable request who might go insane at any moment.
“For now. Crusch Lulu. Your lizardmen will be ushering an era of prosperity now. Future generations of lizardmen will be thankful for being my subjects.”
“We dare not, we are already thankful to the Supreme Being for granting us mercy even after we resisted with violence.”
Ainz got up from the throne slowly. He walked to Crusch’s side, squatted down and place his hand on Crusch’s shoulder.
Ainz could feel a tremor coming from Crusch’s body.
“I have a special task for you.”
“As Gown-sama’s faithful servant, I will do anything I can…”
“Not as a servant, I want you to do something for me— in exchange for Zaryusu’s resurrection.”
After speaking the name he heard from Cocytus, Crusch lifted her head immediately, her face twisted from shock.
Gleeful from this ‘jackpot’, Ainz continued observing Crusch. She was probably trying to hide it, but her expression was wavering. It was hard to judge as her emotions as her facial expression was very different from humans, but it should shed some clue.
“Something like that…”
“I am the one who controls life and death. To me, death is but a state of being.”
When he heard Crusch’s voice that was tapering off, Ainz answered.
“It is the same for poison and sickness, but I can’t extend the lifespan of mortals.”
It might be impossible through normal means, but with the Super-tier magic ‘Wish upon a Star’, it probably could be done… Although it might be possible, it was better not to sound it out loud.
“… What do you wish of me, your humble slave?… My body?”
Ainz was speechless.
“No, that’s a bit…”
A reptile was a bit too much. Ainz wanted to back away immediately, but he pushed himself to play his role. As for the sound of teeth grinding that came from somewhere, he would just ignore it for now.