There were quite a few dark elves in the clearing. Possibly everyone but the
children.
They always gathered here for meetings.
But this clearing was not on the ground. It was like a tray suspended in
the air, attached to the bridges between trees. That hardly seemed ideal if it
was raining, but there was nowhere else to meet. No elf tree could handle
this crowd. Possibly there were smaller meetings that took place in some elf
tree or another, but now was not the time to ask.
Ainz had joined the meeting as an adviser.
This was the last role he wanted to play.
He preferred to avoid anything resembling responsibility. He wasn't
getting paid a consulting fee, so why would he be happy?
He'd have preferred to join in as an observer, but they'd wanted an
adviser instead. Ainz was interested enough in the content of this meeting to
fret about it for a long, long, long moment and finally nod.
He was primarily interested in the outcome. Knowing that would make
all the difference.
It might also be helpful to know who'd been for and against certain
proposals. And what the mood of the discussion had been. The things you
couldn't learn from the meeting minutes…or by hearing about it
secondhand.
Even if the village reached a consensus, there might be those nursing
resentment or who were just plain unconvinced. Ainz hadn't decided what
they'd do with this village in the future, but it couldn't hurt to dispose of
those who wouldn't benefit Nazarick and take in those who would.
Perhaps Albedo or Demiurge could have joined the meeting
surreptitiously, but Ainz was better off just inviting himself along.
Glancing around the crowd, he found himself remembering his days in
Ainz Ooal Gown. Faces hadn't moved in that virtual world, but during
meetings, you'd sensed things anyway.
But that didn't change anything. The guild had decided things through
majority vote, so it didn't really matter if you could pick up on a vibe. Here,
it did.
This might be a better position than I thought. If I depart midway,
leaving the decision to them, I can avoid taking the blame. And I don't have
many chances to attend meetings where I'm only moderately influential.
Honestly, he didn't really get meetings. He'd been in his share of them.
Satoru Suzuki had been an office drone. Few companies could avoid having
meetings entirely. But those he'd joined had been all things he'd had no
vote in. Meetings designed to pass down what the higher-ups had already
set in stone. He'd just warmed a seat.
But once in this world?
Meetings in the Great Tomb of Nazarick were pure hell.
He was their ruler, and no matter how wrong he was, they took his word
as gospel. He couldn't afford to make mistakes. But his guardians believed
he was their absolute ruler, a genius capable of plotting everything out to
perfection—and constantly asked for his views on things. The resulting
pressure steadily ate away at him.
But here, nobody's deferring to an absolute ruler. Maybe I'll actually
learn something about meetings. Nazarick ones just end with a plan of
action based on whatever I suggest.
He wasn't sure what he could get out of it or even what he wanted.
Perhaps just a broader perspective.
At last, the elders arrived.
They stood at the center, with the dark elves assembled in a semicircle
around them. Ainz was off to the side of the elder zone.
Hmm, I might have messed this up. I ended up spending so much time at
my temp master's place that I don't really know who's who.
He'd said hi to plenty of villagers whose names eluded him.
Ainz had made a point of trying to learn about the village leaders. But
that had not extended to a solid grasp of who they surrounded themselves
with.
He considered that a lost cause. No matter how hard he tried to make
friends, he hadn't been here long enough for anyone to really open up.
Grown-ups…all have baggage. I hope the kids aren't the same.
From what little he did know, the standing arrangements were not
particularly significant. Friends, family—people just stood with those they
were close to.
Wishing they wore name tags, Ainz settled for making his facial illusion
look grave and waited for the meeting to begin.
"Let's get started," one of the elders said—the younger man. "I'm sure
everyone's heard already. But in the interest of accuracy, let me explain
again. A messenger from the elf king arrived today. He said a human
country to the north is advancing on the elf capital. Yes—"
Lots of people looked at Ainz here.
Likely thinking the same thing as the man who'd come by the
apothecary. Should he deny it immediately? Letting confusion fester was
not good.
"Sorry," Ainz said, raising a hand. There was no such rule, but he was
interrupting an elder here. Best to look mindful of that. "Just to be clear, this
is not the country I'm from. The invading country is exclusively human—a
single-race country that regularly enslaves elves."
That word sure got a hostile reaction. But he also heard a number of
meaningless whispers. "Elves," or "I knew that." Didn't seem like they
discouraged chatter much.
"Like I said before, the place where I live has all sort of races in it.
There are laws forbidding the residents from fighting or attacking one
another. Uh, no one race gets targeted by others. There's not much crime,
but…well, there's always some. Walking somewhere dangerous alone…I
can't say it's entirely risk-free. Sorry, I'm getting off topic."
Ainz bobbed his head to the elders, and they returned the favor.
"So to fight these invaders, they've requested that the dark elves muster
soldiers."
"It wasn't a request," a younger man said, scowling. "It was an order."
Several grunts of agreement rang out.
The elders made no attempt to stop this. They likely felt much the same.
"We called this meeting to discuss what we should do. Once we reach a
conclusion here, we'll consult the other villages, too. In other words, our
decision may not become the decision of all dark elves. We can take our
thoughts to the other villages, but they may not accept our proposal and
may not reach any conclusion at all."
Another elder took over here.
"I'd wager that's actually very likely. We all know one another here, but
even we struggle to reach a consensus." At this point, he glanced at Ainz.
"It's not necessarily bad that opinions are divided. Just try not to get caught
up in your own point of view. Listen to what others have to say and
examine their perspectives. Be aware that you must make your choice while
taking into account everyone else's circumstances."
Ainz had been a guild master, and he had some doubts about this
approach.
Should a leader really be letting conflicts fester and encouraging
everyone to go their own ways?
If people went against the guild's decision for selfish reasons, then there
was no point in forming a guild in the first place. Their strength lay in unity.
Divided, they could be taken out one at a time.
But Ainz left this unsaid.
It was not the time for an outsider to impose their ideology. How would
he feel if their positions were reversed?
And the woods were a dangerous place. Perhaps that had led to them
prioritizing self-determination.
Even the week he'd spent here had been enough to leave Ainz with the
impression that dark elves took a lot more responsibility for their own
actions than humans.
A philosophy arrived at over decades and centuries would not be
disrupted by the voice of one lone visitor—if it did, that was a problem in
and of itself.
Besides…
Infighting among the dark elves is good for Nazarick.
"For that reason, we asked someone who knows more about the world
outside to join us."
He hadn't expected to be roped in yet but managed to avoid acting
flustered.
"I'm not sure how useful I'll be, but I'm certainly happy to share what I
know."
An appreciative murmur went up, and one dark elf threw out a question.
"What are your thoughts, elders? We have no 'troops,' but are we
sending someone?"
"We think we should," the female elder replied. "We've heard of no dark
elf villages being attacked, but that could simply be because they haven't
been targeted yet. I'm sure you're all aware, but we're on the outskirts of
the elf country. The southeast edge of it. If these invaders march steadily
forward, we'd be the last they reach."
"And if they wipe out the elves, then we'd likely not escape unscathed.
In which case, it'd be a good idea to help drive them back now."
"…That's my concern, elders. Just because the elves are getting
attacked, does that really mean we would be?"
Fair. From what Ainz—and Nazarick—had discovered, there had been
no dark elves sold as slaves.
"In fact, if we join the elves in the war, that might convince these
humans the dark elves are their enemy. Worse—can we even beat these
humans?"
A ripple ran through the crowd.
A natural question.
This invasion was knocking at the door of the elf capital. It would be
hard to turn things around. Anyone could guess this was a losing battle.
"I agree with the elders," a dark elf said, looking displeased. "Melon,
when we fled to these woods, the elves took us in. You intend to forget that
debt?"
Melon appeared to be the previous speaker. He hastily corrected himself.
"Nah, I didn't mean that. To fight or not to fight ain't our only options. Off
the top of my head, we could invite the elves to run with us. The forest ain't
exactly small. I dunno the first thing about humans, but I bet they're not
built for living here the way we are. If we head farther in, they might not
chase after…and there's always the option of moving to a forest that's even
farther away. Why are these humans attacking the elves anyway? For all we
know, the elves started it."
"…In that case, it serves them right," the apothecary master muttered.
Not that loud, but loud enough to make an impact.
"Yes, the cause of this conflict is a concern. Do humans dwell in these
woods, too?" The elder looked at Ainz.
" I'm afraid I don't know the cause of the war. I wasn't even aware
their invasion had made such significant inroads. But I can say the human
country lies outside the forest. I don't believe this is a war over the
necessities for survival."
"Understood. This forest is so vast, even we do not know the extent of it.
And the world outside is larger still. So what do you think we should do?"
Huh? I'm an outsider; you're gonna ask me that? Uh-oh. Well, it's not
like the dark elves are a particularly vital race…
The elf trees themselves and what the apothecary master knew were
things he'd like to have, but he didn't need them.
But it's not like I want them to die off, either. Let's avoid lying and direct
them to a less permanent solution.
Aura's and Mare's faces floated across his mind's eye.
He wasn't sure his plan was going well, but perhaps they'd be sad if the
children they were playing with died.
Ainz thought a moment, considering his answer.
Mm. Can't really provide guidance here. I don't have the data available.
He wanted to avoid hastily throwing together a messy plan and having it
lead to disaster. Best to just go with his gut.
"I'd say if you owe them, you can't afford to abandon them here. If you
do, they'll deem the dark elves untrustworthy and refuse to help you when
you need it."
The elders nodded.
"But there's no guarantee you can win. By that I don't mean what the
elves believe, but a rational conclusion based on evidence you've gathered
yourselves. Without that, sending everyone off to fight would be downright
reckless."
The younger villagers nodded.
"So I'd recommend neither option."
Everyone looked puzzled. Feeling their eyes on him, Ainz remembered
a guild war back in Yggdrasil, where he and his guildmates had played both
warring sides against each other so they could profit no matter who won.
They'd employed some vicious strategies, but those had taken advantage
of their unique position—that approach wouldn't work for the dark elves.
"First, each village should send a handful of reinforcements. Those
people are highly likely to die in battle. But they have to go. The elves may
grumble that you aren't sending enough, but if you say that's all you can
afford without risking the safety of your village, it should silence them. You
have nominally contributed, after all. Then those who remain should
evacuate."
As he wrapped things up, he heard approving voices. And a few
suggesting it wasn't exactly playing fair. But the majority seemed in favor
of the idea.
"City life has served you well," an elder said. "We would never have
thought of that."
Ainz made his illusory face wince.
That didn't feel like a compliment…
But the elder wasn't being spiteful or sarcastic, either.
That was the first thing I thought of—if they really couldn't manage that,
does that mean they are really that inexperienced? But I feel like the
lizardmen adopted similar tactics… Oops, almost forgot to respond!
"I think it's less about city life than natural cunning."
"I wouldn't say that," the apothecary master said. "Cut away a piece to
save the whole—common enough in gardening."
Several dark elves looked shocked by this. Perhaps he rarely spoke at
these meetings—or even bothered to show.
"Thanks, Provisional Master. And I forgot to add something important—
make sure you remember it." Ainz double-checked all eyes and ears were
on him before continuing. "This is just a suggestion. My opinion and mine
alone. This is your village's problem, and the final choice should lie with
you. Your lives are your responsibility."
This had to be said to drive the point home.
Ainz was not about to take the blame for his proposal.
If they ran with it, quite a few dark elves would lose their lives. Their
deaths would help sell the other elves on the meager reinforcements. But
the bereaved might hold a grudge against Ainz.
Thus, he had to ensure this was their decision. So he could insist as
much later.
That won't work against anyone vindictive, but there's no need to
maintain cordial relations with people like that. Squishy Moe once said it
was impossible to have everyone like you. If they send the parents of the
kids Aura and Mare are playing with, that could leave a bad taste…but it
wouldn't be a good idea for me to stick my nose in any further. I'll have to
check up on that later…although we may not have time.
There was no huge benefit to Nazarick here. If there was one, he
would've spoken up, lay claim to anything worthwhile, and help keep the
villagers alive. But the dark elves just weren't worth the effort. If their loss
was no big deal, then why lift a finger?
It had occurred to him to suggest they surrender to the Theocracy, but
that was not for him to say. He had no clue if that would actually save their
lives or lead to any happy outcome.
"Your input is greatly appreciated," the elder said, turning away from
Ainz to the assembled crowd. "Does anyone else have something to say?"
No one argued.
Looked like they were going with his proposal.
They moved on to how many they should send and who and where the
rest should go.
Since they'd mentioned consulting the other villagers, perhaps it was too
soon to settle those questions. But once the other villages were on board, it
would be too late.
Ainz stood watching this, unsure how he should feel.
Having his idea adopted was satisfying on some level, but it failed to
bring the joy of a successful pitch. Perhaps because he'd had no clear goal
in mind.
He wasn't leading them toward anything that would benefit Nazarick;
he'd just been stuck in a position where he had to say something. He'd
prefer to back out here and leave the rest of the decision-making to them.
And—time was running out. He wanted to get going.
" If you'll excuse me, I think my role here is done. I'll go check in
on the kids."
"You've been a great help to us," the eldest elder said. "We'll hash out
the details here and then relay the proposal to the other villages."
No need to be obsequious about it, Ainz thought.
"May I ask that you not include my name?" he said.
"Wh-whyever not?"
"If they learn the suggestion came from someone who's not from this
village and has little to do with this forest's dark elves, there may be those
who reject the idea out of hand."
That was not the real reason. He simply wanted to avoid incurring
unneeded grudges.
"They would never! Our forests may be different, but our ancestors are
the same. No one would think less of your ideas. But—I'll do as you
suggest and leave your name out."
"Glad to hear it. Well, it's a little sooner than expected, but I think it's
high time we left the village and headed on home."
"What?!"
"An abrupt departure, I realize, but if anything happened to the kids, I'd
be letting their mother down."
"…If they're making you this cautious, Fior, I take it these humans are
powerful indeed?"
This momentarily baffled him, but then he realized that given their skill
levels, the implication that they were fleeing the war had suggested they
feared the Theocracy's might.
"That, I can't say. I'm pretty sure we could handle most threats, but it's
not like I know every champion the humans have or can predict the
outcome of a major conflict like this. I'm simply avoiding any risks we
don't have to take."
The elders nodded.
"It's a shame to leave, but once we're packed, we'll be on our way."
"Then…at least a farewell dinner…? We never even held the welcoming
one, so it would shame us to let you leave without any show of hospitality."
"No, no, don't trouble yourselves. The situation being what it is, we
couldn't possibly add to your burden."
They went back and forth a few times on this point, and finally he
scored a victory by insisting this was hardly the last time they'd meet.
Blueberry was doing a weird dance in the corner of his vision—perhaps
he'd planned to show that off during the banquet.
Ainz made to walk off, but the eldest elder stopped him.
"Um, Fior, I meant to ask this away from prying ears, and it's unrelated
to the matter at hand, but do you mind?"
"What?"
"Are you married?"
Ainz blinked at him.
"If not, are you at all inclined to wed someone from this village?"
A quick glance around found no dark elves opposed to the notion. The
women actually looked rather hopeful. It wasn't that they were willing to
sacrifice themselves for the sake of the village—they were outright in favor
of the idea.
Ainz didn't know a lot about women. Actually, he knew nothing about
them. But he felt quite sure these smiles were not just for show.
"N-no, thanks. Honestly, I have a number of girls interested in me
already. It's a real hassle, ha-ha."
This ambush had rattled him, and he wasn't exactly picking his words
carefully. The elder appeared unperturbed.
"Is that so? Well, it's only natural a man of your considerable skills
would capture the interest of many ladies."
Talent certainly affected people's prospects in human society, too.
Judging by the reaction here, that was even more pronounced in this
dangerous locale. But his excuse seemed to have convinced everyone.
There was only one last thing to say.
"We may be leaving here, but if you chose to abandon your village and
flee to my city, I wouldn't mind lending a helping hand. You only need to
say the word. Might be a few months from now, but I plan to come back in
due time. If you've been forced to leave the place behind, bury a map of
your new location outside the tree I borrowed."
"...We're all hoping it won't come to that, but if it does, thank you."
The elders bowed their heads, and the rest of the dark elves followed
their lead.
Once their heads were back up, Ainz said, "Then this is me," and bowed
his head once, followed by a deeper bow to the apothecary master.
Then he walked away.
No one called after him—he hadn't expected anyone to—and he kept
going until he was out of sight.
There, he found Aura and Mare waiting, obviously done pretending he
was their uncle. They were clearly back in floor-guardian mode. Aura even
gave him a quick look over, her eyes watchful.
"Lord Ainz, I'm glad you're safe. Did they do something to you? I
caught a strange vibe from you shortly before you headed our way. Like a
hunter nocking a bow."
He could think of only one reason.
"Uh, there was an awkward moment. The ladies may have set their
sights on me. But don't worry—I talked myself out of it."
"You…did? I'm still sensing a strange tension… It might even be
getting stronger…"
Ainz frowned. He'd thought the women looked convinced, but perhaps
he'd misread things. But he didn't know what else to do. They were
leaving. No better approach existed.
"I should probably have asked this first, but is anyone monitoring us
now?"
"No, we're fine," Aura declared.
That meant they were in the clear. Aura had known that, which was why
she'd acted this way.
" I'm sure you heard the discussion?"
"Yes, Lord Ainz. I've already relayed the matter to Mare."
Better to head back to the house they'd borrowed than talk here. But it
was possible the two of them had picked up on something Ainz had missed.
If so, it would be egg on his face, but he might have to turn back and rejoin
the discussion. In which case, heading to their tree would delay that even
further. For that reason, it was worth the risk of talking here.
"Anything catch your attention? Feel free to share."
The twins exchanged glances.
"Nothing seemed noteworthy. Your proposal was ideal, Lord Ainz."
"Y-yes. When Aura told me about it, I thought the same thing."
Mm? Have they not realized the children they were playing with might
be about to watch their parents head off to die in battle? Or have they
noticed and aren't in a position to argue with my idea? He studied their
expressions. I'm not sure. Perhaps I should double-check?
If it was the former, this might make them sad and cause fractures in
their newfound friendships. It never hurt to ask.
"They might end up sending the parents of the children you played
with."
Both looked confused. The twins glanced at each other and then back at
him. Aura spoke for them both.
"That's true. What of it?" She looked genuinely baffled. "Is that a
problem?"
"…No, not at all."
Ainz didn't ask why they'd reacted that way.
He just assumed they hadn't made friends.
Or like how my friends wound up prioritizing real life, these two always
place Nazarick first. In which case, what should I do?
He hesitated, but then Aura put a hand to her ear, listening to something
distant. Were they saying something important? Ainz and Mare stayed quiet
so as not to interfere.
"Lord Ainz, they're discussing you."
"Can you hear what they're saying?"
"Yes, more or less this—" Aura changed up her voice, doing a (bad)
imitation. "You ask why we must keep it secret that this proposal came
from him? He hails from a land near this human country. If word reaches
the humans that he proposed this, might that not cause problems for him in
the future? Do you think that might happen, elders? We can't be sure. But
it's our duty to take precautions against the possibility Other villagers
are agreeing with that. They intend to keep the secret."
"I see. Thank you, Aura."
"Er, um…this way nobody will find out you manipulated them?"
He hadn't manipulated anything, so why did Mare think this? He
considered asking. He'd merely offered a suggestion. But there were more
pressing matters at hand.
"As long as mind-control spells exist, death is the only way to
completely contain information."
"Should we?" Aura asked.
"No, we shouldn't. There's no benefit to doing so. Or let me put it this
way—there's no downside to the Theocracy learning about what happened
here. They're already a potential enemy. We have no plans to ally ourselves
with them, and supporting the enemy of your enemy is only natural. In fact,
that's the upside—my name and face are lies. They might end up fruitlessly
searching for a man who doesn't exist."
Ainz paused to gauge their reactions.
"…Still…it's a shame. If the Theocracy had attacked this village
directly, we could have profited further."
The twins looked at each other, lost. Mare asked this time.
"Er, um, Lord Ainz? Why didn't we make them attack this village? Like,
um, killing Theocracy soldiers disguised as a dark elf and then leading them
here."
Good question.
That would have been far more beneficial to Nazarick. Ainz was well
aware. Conceptually, it was similar to baiting monsters into other parties.
The reason he hadn't…
I didn't want to.
Ainz had enjoyed his time in this village. And he was reluctant to set the
place aflame himself.
This sentiment was only natural. No one wanted to do unpleasant things.
But that was a luxury not afforded to the ruler of the Great Tomb of
Nazarick. As their leader, he must always prioritize his organization's
profits. But this time, he'd gone with his gut.
Perhaps that amounted to betraying Nazarick.
I talked about them making friends, but I had all the fun.
He would have to ensure this did not happen again. He would make
Nazarick's gains his top priority and act accordingly.
That was his duty as the sole remaining guild member, the master of the
NPCs.
Swearing a solemn vow inside, he waffled on how to answer Mare.
Perhaps it was better to just admit he'd made the wrong call.
"…Yes, I considered it. Perhaps for Nazarick, we should have. Yet, my
own weakness stayed my hand. Unbefitting of Nazarick's ruler. It shall not
happen again."
They both looked shocked.
"Er, um…I don't think that's true!"
"Yeah, everything you do is right, Lord Ainz!"
As they consoled him, they reached the home they'd been borrowing for
a week. They merely had to gather up the things left here and they'd be
ready to pull out.
They hadn't brought all that much, so this took no time. Baggage in
hand, they stepped outside. Aura looked up. Ainz followed her gaze and
spotted the apothecary master running their way.
His weeklong master soon reached them.
He was slightly out of breath. Given his apothecary skills, he was
probably high level, but his physique was not impressive. It was hard to
judge what classes he'd taken, but his stats were likely not much different
from an arcane caster's.
This did not seem to be a parting gift. He'd come directly here from the
meeting. A last good-bye?
"What's wrong? Forgive me for not directly saying farewell—"
"No, I figured I should do my provisional student one last favor. Several
of the women are intent on accompanying you back to the city. I saw them
racing off to their homes. If you don't plan on entertaining their
companionship, you'd better leave quickly."
"Huh?"
"Huh, my ass. They're likely not just trying to hang off your coattails,
but you'll be the only person they can rely on in a whole new town, and
they know that might help seal the deal. And in our culture, many wives or
many husbands are perfectly acceptable as long as you can provide for
them. And you're from a clan that split off from ours; it wouldn't hurt to
bridge that gap. If the other villages knew… Well, I'm on your side, but you
get my drift."
This was a disaster.
If they laid so much as a single hand on him, his disguise would be
ruined. And he couldn't be sure these ladies wouldn't try.
The elves saw undead as mortal enemies, and dark elves likely shared
that attitude.
Ainz could not reveal himself until he had fully placed the dark elves
under his wing. And since he had plans to do so eventually, he couldn't
exactly harm the women intent on leading the way.
"Uh, did you seriously not see this coming? Not even a bit? Come on,
man! You're supposed to be smarter than that! I thought you realized that
this could happen, but just didn't think they'd be this quick to act. Get a
grip. Be grateful I warned you."
Ainz had only one option.
"...Come on, kids! Move out! Bye, Provisional Master!"
Time to run for the hills.
Without a further word, the three of them raced off.
They were soon in the woods and kept on going. They ran until they
were sure they'd not be followed and at last drew to a halt.
"…We're good. No one's coming after us. Are we going back to
Nazarick now?" Aura asked.
Relieved by this news, Ainz grinned. Well, his face didn't actually
move. He hadn't even bothered manipulating the illusion.
"We will not. Going back to Nazarick and procuring troops would have
its advantages, but I don't want to waste the opportunity. The three of us are
going to pull off a trick Squishy Moe once taught me."
"A-and what is that?!"
Mare's eyes were sparkling. Ainz was quite pleased with himself. If
their reactions had been dismissive or uninterested, his emotions probably
would've triggered the automatic calming.
Proudly, he answered.
"A variation on a kill steal."