Research Underway

Great Forest of Tob, on the edge of a small hollow.

Higashino Makoto stood before the crack, gazing at the distorted space.

The crack was small, only about two meters long and half a meter wide, like a wound that had been cut open from the inside by something.

Alice Kuonji stood behind him, looking like a doll with a blank expression.

Ainz stood beside him, wearing a classic black robe, with a skull face and scarlet eyes.

"Higashino, can your little world stabilize?"

Give it a try.

Higashino Makoto closed his eyes and extended his perception into the small world.

The Creator's space, with a diameter of 7,778 kilometers, is stable, complete, and orderly.

He extended the rules of the small world into the void, attempting to smooth out the distorted spatial patterns.

The distorted patterns trembled slightly.

He opened his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed.

"No, it won't be very effective."

"Not very effective?"

"Yes. This space is too unstable, and my little world is still in its developmental stage, so it can't withstand this level of distortion yet."

Ainz remained silent for a moment.

"What should we do then?"

"Let's wait and see. Maybe my little world will stabilize a bit more in time, or maybe the emptiness will calm down on its own."

Higashino Makoto stared at the crack.

"Forcibly intervening now could make the situation worse."

Ainz nodded.

"Then we'll just wait."

What about your side? Are you still keeping those things?

"Keep them. They're being looked after by immortals, so there won't be any problems."

Higashino Makoto glanced at him.

Don't keep too many.

"... Um."

Higashino Makoto reached out and took a crystal container from Ainz's hand.

The container is small, about the size of one person.

Inside was a creature with a wolf's head, dragonfly wings, a snake's tail, and bird's claws, similar to the one kept on the outskirts of Nazarick, but much smaller.

It curled up in the crystal container, its yellow vertical pupils staring at Higashino Makoto, and let out a low growl.

"Just this one?"

One is enough. We don't need more for research purposes. We can talk about it if we need more.

Higashino Makoto put the crystal container into his backpack.

Thanks.

"You're welcome. Tell me what you've figured out. I have a feeling this thing is somewhat similar to the products of those outrageous pharmaceutical companies from my past life."

"Yeah, I feel the same way. This doesn't seem like something that comes naturally."

Higashino Makoto turned around, stretched out his hand, and made a light slash in the air.

A pitch-black spatial rift appeared before the three of them, and from the other end of the rift came Novas Etier's artificial sunlight.

"Ainz. Be careful not to let those things escape. They're nothing to us, but if they get into the human world, that would be a disaster."

"... I see."

Higashino Makoto stepped into the crevice, with Alice Kuonji following behind him.

The rift closed quietly after the two people passed through.

Ainz stood there, gazing at the vanished door, a complex light flickering in his crimson eyes.

That thing reminded him of some unpleasant memories from his past life.

Novas Etier, Seventh Floor, Research Laboratory.

The crystal container sat on the stone platform.

"Study its structure, characteristics, infection mechanism, recovery mechanism, and weaknesses."

"Yes, sir. Is it urgent?"

"There's no rush, we can study it slowly."

"Understood."

Nodding to the mercenary monster, Higashino Makoto turned around and walked out of the laboratory.

"Higashino."

"Um."

"You're very interested in that creature."

"Not really, it just reminded me of some movies or games from my past life. The results of my research were always either escaped or caused some kind of huge disaster."

"Is that so?"

"Well, but Novas Etier should be fine. I'm just a little worried about Ainz; those guardians might cause trouble."

"What if that really happened? It would cause enormous human casualties."

Higashino Makoto glanced at her.

"Rescue them, then find a way to get Nazarick far away."

"My lord, you really do have a fondness for humans."

Alice Kuonji's tone was calm.

"But I believe in you. You've dealt with far more dangerous things— the Sin Archbishops, the Witch of Envy, the Dragon King... Compared to those, this is nothing."

"Yeah, but that's not wrong either..."

Higashino Makoto chuckled softly.

"Alice Kuonji, have you gotten used to being with me?"

Alice Kuonji remained silent for a moment.

"... I'm getting used to it, it'll be soon."

Higashino Makoto reached out and gently took her hand.

Alice Kuonji's fingers trembled slightly, then slowly relaxed.

"Alice Kuonji, the tea you brew is the best."

"... Thank you for the compliment."

Looking at the girl's red ears, Higashino Makoto was in a good mood.

Teasing the guardians is indeed a good pastime.

"Haha, so cute."

Alice Kuonji remained silent.

For the next period of time, the Guardians submitted reports every day. The reports were filled with dense data, which Higashino Makoto couldn't quite understand, but he could understand the conclusions.

"Infection mechanism: Blood contact or ingestion by flesh. High transmission efficiency. Extremely fast cell regeneration rate; requires destruction of the brain or heart for complete eradication. Its main weakness is fire."

Alice Kuonji stood behind him, holding a teapot in her hands.

"Higashino, aren't you going to deal with the void?"

"No rush, let's wait until the small world stabilizes a bit more."

"So you've been staying here the whole time?"

"Mmm, this is comfortable."

Alice Kuonji did not press the matter further.

She simply stood behind him, occasionally pouring him tea.

Higashino Makoto leaned back in his armchair, flipping through his research report on slimes.

"A combination of genes from multiple common organisms, under the influence of some unknown substance, broke through the limits..."

The more I look at it, the more familiar it seems.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the artificial blue sky.

"Never mind, no rush."

"Wait until everything is ready, until the small world stabilizes, or until the research yields results."

He paused.

"Then go check the other side."

Alice Kuonji looked at him.

"You seem to be in a bit of a hurry?"

"A little bit. Looking at that thing, I always feel like the other side is a post-apocalyptic world where society has collapsed and humanity is barely surviving."

Why are you so concerned about this? It's a completely unfamiliar world.

Hearing Kuonji Alice's somewhat indifferent words, Higashino Makoto didn't care.

After all, the aloof personality was something she set for herself.

"Because I am a gardener. If weeds appear in the Garden, I must pull them out. Even in an unfamiliar Garden, I will want to take care of it and see if I can find beautiful flowers."

Alice Kuonji remained silent for a moment.

"... You're right."

Higashino Makoto turned around.

Let's go.

Where to?

"The cafeteria is serving fish today, Daphne."

"... good."

Alice Kuonji thought of those fish that died with their eyes wide open, and gave a somewhat forced response.

The two walked out of the study. In the hallway, sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting their shadows onto the floor, where they overlapped.

In the distance, Daphne's voice could be heard coming from the kitchen.

"Higashino Makoto —the fish is ready—come quick—!"

"They've arrived."

Higashino Makoto quickened his pace, but in his mind he was thinking about how to improve Daphne's cooking skills.

The food she cooked was hardly delicious.