The Great Tomb of Nazarick, Level 9, Ainz's private room.
Ainz sat on the sofa, his skeletal fingers crossed on his knees, his crimson eyes staring at the ceiling.
Narberal stood behind him, her arms crossed over her stomach, without her usual wariness.
After all, this is the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the safest place in the world, bar none!
"Lord Ainz."
"Um."
"Do you... really trust Higashino Makoto?"
Ainz was silent for a moment.
"Have no idea."
He said it honestly.
But I want to trust him.
Narberal did not press the matter.
She simply stood there, silently guarding her master.
Ainz stared at the ceiling, the image of Higashino Makoto appearing in his mind.
That face standing in front of the pancake shop, with sugar smeared on the corner of its mouth.
That face, with its eyes closed, feigning sleep, inside the carriage.
That face in the main hall, the one that annihilated the Primal Earth Elemental with a single blow.
"Higashino..."
He murmured the name, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Three months later, in the Dolor Desert."
He paused.
"See you there!"
The night wind blew across the ground entrance to Nazarick, swirling up a few withered yellow blades of grass.
The moonlight spilled across the earth, turning everything into a silvery white.
Deep underground, in the palace of the Overlord, a skeleton sat on a sofa, its crimson eyes staring at the ceiling, awaiting the appointed time three months later.
An adventure awaits, the outcome of which remains unknown.
Waiting for someone who might become a friend.
Waiting for someone who might become family.
A tavern beside the official road on the border of the Slane Theocracy.
The carriage was parked in front of the tavern, and the driver was dozing off against the edge of the carriage.
The horses lowered their heads to eat hay, occasionally swishing their tails to shoo away the buzzing insects around their ears.
Higashino Makoto sat at a wooden table in the corner of the tavern, with a glass of warm mead in front of him.
He didn't drink it, but just stared at the Kohaku liquid in the glass, his gaze somewhat lost in thought.
Kurumi sat opposite him, holding a book in her hands.
It's that same novel I found at the Divine Capital Bookstore; I think I'm almost finished reading it.
The black cat "Zafkiel" perched on her shoulder, its tail swaying gently, its golden eyes curiously surveying its surroundings.
The tavern wasn't big, with about ten tables, and it was about 60-70% full.
Most were merchants, travelers, and occasional adventurers passing through.
The air was thick with the smells of beer, barbecue, and sweat, and the cacophony of voices echoed from the low ceiling, creating a buzzing white noise.
Higashino Makoto took the six-sided die from his pocket and placed it on the table.
The six faces of the die were originally inscribed with the words "Re-Estize Kingdom", "Dragon Kingdom", "Holy Kingdom", "Baharuth Empire", "Slane Theocracy" and "Elf Kingdom".
Now, three of the sides --
The "Holy Kingdom," "The Slane Theocracy," and "Elf Kingdom" were painted black with ink, indicating that these places no longer needed to be visited.
"I've been to the Slane Theocracy, the Kingdom of the Elf Kingdom, and the Holy Kingdom."
Higashino Makoto tapped his fingers lightly on the dice.
"Now, it's time to choose the next one."
Kurumi looked up from the book, her right eye half-closed, a half-smile playing on her lips.
"Sir, do you really believe in fate?"
"I don't believe it."
Higashino Makoto's answer was concise and to the point.
"Then why do you still roll the dice?"
"Because there are too many choices, I'm too lazy to think."
Kurumi tilted her head, and her black braid slipped off her shoulder.
"So you're leaving the choice to luck?"
"It's not about leaving it to luck."
Higashino Makoto picked up the dice and weighed them in his hand.
"I let luck make the decision for me. The difference is that the former is passive, while the latter is active."
Kurumi blinked.
"I don't quite understand."
"No need to understand."
Higashino Makoto's lips curled up slightly.
"All you have to do is watch me roll the dice."
He tossed the dice gently into the air.
The six-sided die tumbled in the air, the words on each face flashing under the light—"Re-Estize Kingdom," "Dragon Kingdom," "Baharuth Empire," "Re-Estize Kingdom," "Dragon Kingdom," "Baharuth Empire."
The dice landed on the table, bounced twice, rolled a little over half a circle, and finally came to a steady stop.
The side facing upwards is--
"Re-Estize Kingdom".
Higashino Makoto looked down at the result and remained silent for a moment.
"The Re-Estize Kingdom... the Re-Estize Kingdom Ri Yestege."
He pronounced the name in a flat tone.
"That country, constantly suppressed by the Baharuth Empire, plagued by internal strife among its nobles, and ruled by a weak and incompetent king."
"Does the adult seem reluctant to go?"
Kurumi asked.
It's not a matter of whether I want to go or not.
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, his right hand unconsciously fiddling with Kurumi's ponytail.
"That country just didn't have anything particularly appealing to me. The human race was pretty much the same as other human nations."
"Moreover, humanity really can't be too complacent. Security hasn't brought development, but complacency has bred corruption. I always feel that after a trip there, my opinion of humanity would drop significantly."
He paused.
"But since the dice have chosen it, let's go take a look. We have nothing else to do anyway."
Kurumi nodded without saying anything.
The black cat "Zafkiel" jumped off her shoulder and landed lightly on the table. It squatted next to the dice, tilting its head to look at the word "Re-Estize Kingdom" on them, seemingly deep in thought.
Higashino Makoto reached out and patted the black cat's head.
"Zafkiel, what do you think of the Re-Estize Kingdom?"
Meow~
"You think it's good?"
"Meow."
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
Kurumi watched this scene, her right eye curving into a crescent moon.
"Sir, you even listen to the cat?"
"Sometimes cats are more reliable than people."
Higashino Makoto said it was only natural.
At least cats don't lie.
Kurumi chuckled softly but didn't reply.
Higashino Makoto picked up the mead, took a sip, and then put it down.
"Kurumi, pack your things. Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
Kurumi closed the book, stood up, lifted her skirt, and walked towards the counter to pay.
The black cat "Zafkiel" jumped off the table and trotted to her feet, its tail held high.
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, gazing at the sky outside the window.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on his face and making his dark eyes shine exceptionally bright.
In the distance, the border of the Slane Theocracy was faintly visible in the morning light.
"Re-Estize Kingdom..."
He murmured the name, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
"Hopefully it won't be too boring."
Just then, a noisy conversation came from the next table.
Higashino Makoto didn't pay much attention at first, since noise in pubs was the norm and not worth listening to.
But his perception was too strong, so strong that even if he didn't want to hear it, those sounds would automatically enter his ears.
"Have you heard? Something big has happened in the Dragon Kingdom."
"What's up?"
"The Orc have attacked. Not the usual small-scale skirmishes, but a full-scale invasion. It's said that one city has already fallen, and the entire population has been—"
The speaker paused, lowering their voice even further.
"They've all been eaten."