Threat

"Knock, knock, knock—"

"Lord Ainz, Lord Higashino requests an audience."

The door to Ainz's private room was knocked upon. Yuri Alpha, the refined and intellectual-looking headless knight maid, had brought Higashino Makoto here.

"Ah... Higashino? Let him in."

After receiving the reply, Yuri nodded to Higashino Makoto before turning and leaving.

Pushing open the door, Higashino Makoto found a room dominated by black, ancient and imposing in style.

Ainz, who had absolutely no need for sleep, sat on the sofa and looked at Higashino Makoto with the crimson glow in his eye sockets, his tone carrying a trace of panic.

He had just happened to be practicing dignified poses before the mirror, suitable for the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

Fortunately, a skeleton could not show any expression at all. Otherwise, his embarrassed state would definitely have been obvious.

"Higashino."

Ainz spoke.

"What did you need to see me about? If you're uncomfortable with your accommodations, please tell me directly."

"After all, you're Peroroncino's friend. It wouldn't be good if he found out I had neglected you."

Higashino Makoto sat across from Ainz, casually reclining halfway as he shook his head in denial.

There had indeed been some probing, but his living arrangements had truly been quite good.

In his previous life, enjoying service like this for a single day would have cost at least several thousand.

If Higashino Makoto had not crossed over with Novas Aetir and had been alone, staying in Nazarick indefinitely would actually have been a decent choice.

"Ainz, do you remember the True Dragon Lords I mentioned before?"

The light in Ainz's eye sockets flickered. His skeletal hand rose and rested beneath his chin.

Of course Ainz had not forgotten. As enemies who might threaten the Great Tomb of Nazarick, he had already sent Sebas and Pandora out to gather intelligence.

Naturally, he had not forgotten Higashino Makoto's warning about Players and World Items either, and had each of them carry a World Item.

"Could it be... Higashino, have you already found relevant information?"

Higashino Makoto nodded, his expression grave.

Staring directly at Ainz, he answered seriously.

"That's right. Northwest of the Great Tomb of Nazarick lies a country called the Re-Estize Kingdom."

"And northwest of that kingdom lies a country called the Argland Council State. It is said to be a multi-racial nation formed by various demi-human races after the battle between the Demon Gods and the Thirteen Heroes two hundred years ago, with only a very small number of humans living there."

"Its rulers are five dragons led by one of the True Dragon Lords, the 'Platinum Dragon Lord'—Tsaindorcus Vaision—who hold positions known as Eternal Councilors."

Ainz's jaw opened slightly, as though he were processing the information. The crimson light in his eye sockets flickered; it was an unconscious sign that he was thinking.

"The Platinum Dragon Lord..."

He repeated the name, his clearly jointed fingers lightly tapping the sofa's armrest.

"...Higashino, how much do you know about that country?"

Higashino Makoto shrugged and shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Not much more than you. I didn't dare have Muninn investigate that country too closely. After all, you know how powerful dragons were in YGGDRASIL."

Ainz nodded. Of course he knew.

Dragons were so overwhelmingly powerful that the developers had made them one of the races Players were not allowed to choose.

And the World-Class Boss known as the "Eight Dragons" had been among the strongest bosses in the game.

Higashino Makoto shook his head and continued.

"However—the important thing isn't that. It's the Council State. Five Dragon Lords are stationed there, and the Platinum Dragon Lord is said to possess a World Item, likely one left behind by the Player group known as the 'Eight Greed Kings.'"

Ainz stopped tapping.

Players. World Items!

Those words fell like a heavy hammer into the silent room.

"Are you certain?"

"The source is reliable."

Higashino Makoto did not elaborate.

In truth, Higashino Makoto had never arranged for Muninn to investigate the Council State.

This was merely a half-true, half-false conjecture pieced together from the information Muninn had brought back before, combined with memories from his previous life.

After all, if True Dragon Lords had killed Players, how could they possibly not have World Items in their hands?

The Deep Darkness Dragon Lord even possessed one of the Twenty.

Ainz rose to his feet and walked toward the enormous floor-to-ceiling mirror on one side of the room—the very mirror before which he had been practicing his dignified poses moments ago.

The mirror reflected a skeleton clad in magnificent robes, its hollow eye sockets appearing especially deep at that moment.

"You don't need to worry too much. They're just a native race that was beaten into barely clinging to life by players. They should be weaker than players with properly built classes."

Higashino Makoto reassured him.

"I've been thinking..."

Ainz turned around, his entire being seeming exceptionally gloomy.

"Does the True Dragon Lord already know of Nazarick's existence?"

Though the possibility was low, Ainz would never allow Nazarick to face any threat!

"So?"

Higashino Makoto asked in return.

Ainz abruptly turned around, black aura surging forth.

"I've decided to hunt down every True Dragon Lord!"

The hand holding Higashino Makoto's teacup paused, and he raised his eyes toward Ainz. The black aura churned through the room like a living thing, while the ornaments beside the sofa gave off faint tremors—an obvious manifestation of Ainz's emotional agitation.

"Hunt down every True Dragon Lord?"

Higashino Makoto set down his teacup, his tone calm.

"Are you sure?"

The red glow in Ainz's eye sockets burned ever more fiercely, his skeletal face appearing particularly grim amid the shadows.

"No."

He was unexpectedly frank, and the black aura slowly receded.

"But at the very least—I need more intelligence. The Platinum Dragon Lord you mentioned, and the other dragons of the Council State—what is their relationship? How large is the gap in their strength? Are there any conflicts we can exploit?"

Higashino Makoto leaned back against the sofa, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers.

"Those five in the Council State are nominally ruling through cooperation, but in reality..."

He paused.

"Dragons have always been arrogant. For them to sit together and negotiate, either they share a common threat, or the Platinum Dragon Lord is strong enough to suppress the other four."

"A threat."

Ainz immediately caught the keyword.

"That's right."

Higashino Makoto nodded.

"Two hundred years ago, a war against the Evil Deities took place in this world—or rather, against the 'Evil Deities' fought by the Thirteen Heroes. As far as I know, the true forms of those Evil Deities were very likely monsters from the game as well. And there were players among the Thirteen Heroes."

Ainz lightly tapped the bones of his fingers against his knee, producing a series of soft clicks.

Only after a long while did he speak again.

"Could even game bosses have come to this world?"

If a World Boss had appeared in this world...

Ainz's heart was filled with worry.

A World Boss that required thirty-six top-tier players to possibly defeat—even if only one appeared—could pose a lethal threat to Nazarick.