The Deception Begins

Higashino Makoto rose to his feet, searched the adventurers, found several gold coins, and casually tossed them onto the counter. He then gave a few of them a careless kick. "Consider this compensation for the damaged tables and chairs. If it isn't enough, take the rest from this pile of trash."

"Ah... y-yes, yes!"

The tavern owner scooped the gold coins into his arms, a radiant smile spreading across his face.

Even after deducting the cost of the tables and chairs, this was still equivalent to two or three months of his income.

When he had seen how strong Higashino Makoto was, yet knew he could not afford to offend those Gold-ranked adventurers either, he had already resigned himself to taking the loss. Who would have thought things would take such a turn, and he would actually make a profit?

Naturally, he had no objections.

"This is enough—more than enough!"

"What would you like to eat? I'll have someone prepare it right away."

Higashino Makoto paid no mind to the tavern owner's obsequious manner.

He had noticed earlier the adventurer clad in pitch-black armor—Momon, who was the Bone King, along with his subordinate Nabe.

The ruler of Nazarick, the King of the Undead, the protagonist of the original anime—Ainz Ooal Gown.

Though his target had already appeared, Higashino Makoto did not step forward to strike up a conversation.

One should not seem too eager.

Higashino Makoto lifted his spear, tapped the floor with its butt, spun it in a flourish, then rested it on his shoulder as he turned to leave.

"No need. Just remember to keep an eye out for any news of Ainz Ooal Gown."

"Rest assured, if you truly get any information, come find me directly. I won't short you even a single copper coin."

With that, he turned and walked away, seemingly without the slightest hesitation.

He had only taken a few steps when Ainz Ooal Gown's voice came from behind him.

"My friend, I heard you are looking for Ainz Ooal Gown. May I ask what it is about?"

"To be honest, I do have some connection to him."

Higashino Makoto paused, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

He had taken the bait.

He slowly turned around. Beneath his helmet, his gaze swept over Momon's pitch-black armor before shifting to the cold-tempered Nabe behind him. His tone was calm, yet carried a hint of amusement.

"Oh? You have a connection to him?"

Ainz—no, Momon at this moment—gave a slight nod. His voice was deep and steady. "You could say we are old acquaintances. If you have business with him, perhaps I can pass along a message on your behalf."

Higashino Makoto did not answer immediately. Instead, he lightly tapped the ground with the butt of his spear, as though considering something. A moment later, he suddenly gave a soft laugh.

"Old acquaintances, huh..."

He took two steps forward and leaned against a nearby pillar, his posture casual but his gaze quietly appraising.

"Then tell me—what does the name Ainz Ooal Gown represent?"

Without waiting for Ainz to respond, Higashino Makoto lightly offered several choices.

"Don't say I'm bullying you. I'll give you a few options. If you choose correctly, I can hand the money over right away.

"First, the name of a human. Second, the name of a place. Third, the name of an item."

"As for the fourth..."

Higashino Makoto raised a hand, extending one finger for each option. A smile tugged at his lips as he paused for several seconds.

"...the name of a guild."

Ainz's skeletal body stiffened slightly.

The detail was exceedingly subtle. Had Higashino Makoto not been prepared, it would have been almost impossible to notice.

The undead did not breathe or have heartbeats, but that faint hesitation exposed the other party's wariness.

"How about we talk somewhere else?"

Ainz's voice remained steady, revealing none of the panic or urgency in his heart.

"This is not a convenient place to discuss it. Let us find somewhere quiet and talk properly, shall we?"

"Please rest assured, my goal is not gold. As long as I can confirm that you bear no hostility toward Ainz Ooal Gown, I will let you meet him even without payment. How does that sound?"

"No problem. I rented a private courtyard nearby. If you aren't afraid, follow me."

After saying that, Higashino Makoto turned and left the tavern.

Ainz and Nabe exchanged a glance, then followed without hesitation.

Once they arrived at the courtyard, Higashino Makoto sprawled carelessly onto a sofa.

"What's your answer?"

"The fourth. Ainz Ooal Gown is the name of a guild. Am I right?"

After getting his answer, Higashino Makoto stared at Ainz and Nabe for two seconds. Then he suddenly reached up and removed his helmet, revealing a young, handsome face. His smile was as bright and easygoing as that of the friendly guy next door.

"Congratulations, you got it right!"

"Fine. Since you know him, I won't beat around the bush."

He planted his spear in the ground, then crossed his arms without the slightest guard up. "My name is Higashino Makoto. I'm an old friend of that bastard birdman, Peroroncino."

"Back when we played games together, he promised that once I became a working adult, he'd let me join Ainz Ooal Gown. He even said he'd introduce me to his gorgeous older sister, Bukubukuchagama, who worked as a voice actress."

The smile on his face remained unchanged, but his tone carried a trace of gritted resentment.

"Then, after I turned down several classmates who pursued me and finally became a working adult, that guy actually just quit the game!"

Ainz's heart churned like a raging sea.

Bukubukuchagama. Peroroncino.

How could he possibly not know those two names?

The former held the title of "Slime Shield," while the latter was one of the guild's finest marksmen.

They were both founding members of the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild, comrades who had fought alongside him in that game world for nine years.

And this person before him claimed to be their old friend?

"Peroroncino..."

Ainz spoke slowly, his voice carrying complicated emotions he had not even realized he felt.

"He isn't someone who would casually abandon his friends."

"Ha!"

Higashino Makoto dramatically spread his hands.

"You think so too, right? That's what I thought back then too! But what happened?"

"He said he'd wait two years for me, so that after I graduated, I could join the Ainz Ooal Gown Guild and play with him. But then he just quit the game?"

"Since you know Peroroncino too, that means that guy really did get transported here as well... Forget it, it's nothing. Take me to him first. We can talk about the rest later."

He took a few steps forward, his gaze burning as he stared at Ainz.

Nabe's eyes turned cold, and her hand had already settled on her sword hilt. But Ainz slightly raised a hand, stopping her.

"So you were looking for Ainz Ooal Gown only to ask about Peroroncino's whereabouts?"

"What else would it be?"

Higashino Makoto looked at him as if he found the question baffling.

"I'm not familiar with anyone else. If I hadn't happened to hear the name Ainz Ooal Gown, I would've thought he hadn't come to this world like I had."

Ainz fell silent for a moment, his thoughts racing.

It was not strange for this man who called himself Higashino Makoto to know the names Bukubukuchagama and Peroroncino.

But not only had he mentioned both names, he knew the details with such precision—Bukubukuchagama was a female player, and Peroroncino was a birdman marksman.

That information was not exactly top secret, but the fact that Bukubukuchagama was a voice actress was not something just anyone could know.

More importantly, he even knew that the two were siblings in real life. That was absolutely not something the enemies who had attacked Ainz Ooal Gown could have known.

Moreover, Higashino Makoto's tone, mannerisms, and utterly unconcerned attitude toward "Ainz Ooal Gown" all made it seem as though he had no designs on him.