Текст книги "Overlord - The Men in the Kingdom - Part 1"

Автор книги: Maruyama Kugane

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Sebas left her with only those words and exited the room. Solution did not bother to stop him as she began to check the girl’s condition.

After stepping out into the hallway, Sebas muttered quietly so that it would not reach Solution’s ears.

“A foolish endeavor.”

Sebas unwittingly stroked his beard. Why did he save her? He himself could not explain clearly.

Perhaps this is what it means for a hunter to not slay a bird that came to him of its own accord.

No, that wasn’t it. Why did he save her?

As the butler who was also tasked with the role of house steward, his allegiance was with the 41 Supreme Beings. At present, his guild leader, the one who took on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown was the being whom he owed the entirety of his allegiance.

There was not even a shadow of falsehood in his loyalty. He believed that he had always served diligently and would not hesitate to lay down his life in service.

However– if he had to pledge his loyalty to only one among the 41 Supreme Beings, Sebas would choose without hesitation. Touch Me.

He was Sebas’ creator and the strongest existence of ‘Ainz Ooal Gown’, holder of the World Champion class and in a different league altogether.

As part of the first nine, he gathered the original members of Ainz Ooal Gown before it grew in power through every possible means, including PK.

No one would believe it if they were told that his reason was to help the weak. However, it was the truth.

He helped Momonga when he was about to quit the game in frustration from being PKed continuously. When Simmering Teapot could not find a party to adventure with because of her appearance, he was the one who approached her first.

The thoughts that person left behind became the invisible chains wrapping around Sebas.

“Could this be a curse…?”

What vile words. If a different person from Ainz Ooal Gown– a member of Nazarick created by the 41 Supreme Beings– had heard him, they may have called him a blasphemer and attacked.

『 Feeling pity for a being who is not of Nazarick is unacceptable. 』

Those words were most obvious.

With a few exceptions– those whose settings were established to be such by the 41 Supreme Beings, head maid Pestonya S. Wanko for example– excluding people like her, the members of Nazarick all believed that those who do not belong with Ainz Ooal Gown should immediately be cast out.

For instance, he had heard from one of Solution’s reports that a member of Battle Maid Pleiades, Lupusregina, was on friendly terms with a girl from Carne village. But he knew very well that depending on the situation, Lupusregina would abandon her without a second thought.

It was not because she was heartless.

An order from the Supreme Beings to die meant that you must die. Likewise, even if she was a friend, an order to kill her would be carried out swiftly. That was true loyalty. A fellow denizen who did not understand this would be looked on with pity.

Judging humans with useless sentiment, that in itself was unacceptable.

Then what about him? Was his current course of action acceptable?

As Sebas bit his lips, Solution walked out through the door. Her face was emotionless per usual.

“How is she?”

“… On top of syphilis, she has two other venereal diseases. Several of her ribs are cracked, as well as her fingers. The tendons in her right arm and left leg have been severed and she is missing her top and bottom front teeth. It appears that her internal organs are failing as well. There are lacerations in her anus and it is possible that she is addicted to some drug. She has countless contusions and cuts on her body. Considering her current state, I believe that I can leave out the rest…. Would you like me to explain further?”

“No, there is no need. There is only one thing that is important. —Can she be healed?”

“Of course.”

Sebas had expected her prompt answer.

Using a healing ability can fix even amputations. If Sebas were to use his qigong, it would also be easy to completely fix bodily injuries. In truth, if he wanted, he could have easily healed the old woman’s sprained ankle on the spot. He did not do so in order to save it for emergencies and to prevent leaking information.

But even if qigong helped recover one’s strength, it could not heal poisons or diseases. Sebas never learned such skills. That was why he needed Solution’s help for the recovery.

“Then I will leave it to you.”

“Would it not be better to call for Pestonya-sama for healing magic?”

“That will not be necessary. Solution, I believe you have a healing scroll?”

Confirming that Solution nodded her head, Sebas continued.

“Then please use that.”

“…Sebas-sama. This scroll was given to us by the Supreme Beings. I believe that it should not be used on the likes of humans.”

It was a reasonable argument. He had to consider a different method. First, heal her injuries and save her from the danger of death. They could then heal the poisons and diseases at a later time. However, he was not certain that they could afford to delay. If it were the poisons and diseases that was killing her, endlessly restoring her health would prove useless.

After some hesitation, in the end, he spoke to Solution in a steely voice that would not betray his inner thoughts.

“Heal her.”

Solution’s eyes narrowed and at the same time, something dark red stirred within her pupils. But that change could not be verified any further due to Solution bowing her head.

“…I will carry out your order. Restoring her to normal condition– in other words, will it be fine to restore her body to the state before the injuries were inflicted on her?”

Seeing Sebas give his affirmation, Solution courteously bowed her head.

“I will begin immediately.”

“And once her treatment is finished, will you please fill the tub with water and bathe her? I will leave to purchase a meal.”

There was no one in this residence who needed meals or could cook. And as long as they did not have an extra of the magic item that rendered meals unnecessary, the girl’s meals had to be prepared.

“…Sebas-sama, although it is easy to heal her bodily wounds… I cannot heal her mind.”

Solution’s words came to a stop, and after a brief pause, she stared intently at Sebas and asked.

“I feel that calling Ainz-sama will be the best way to heal her mind. Will you not do so?”

“...This is not a matter significant enough to warrant contacting him. There should not be a problem even if we leave her mind as is.”

Solution bowed deeply. She silently opened the door to the room and stepped inside. Sebas watched her go and then slowly leaned his back to the wall.

What to do about the girl—.

Once she’s healed– while the man escapes, release her at a place of her own choosing. That was the best way. At the very least, it should be somewhere far from the capital. Releasing her here was both dangerous and cruel. It would be no different than not rescuing her in the first place.

But for Sebas Tian, the butler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, was that really the right course of action?

Sebas breathed a heavy sigh.

How comfortable would he feel if he could expel everything that was mounting in his mind, just like this sigh? But nothing had changed. His mind fell into confusion and his thinking was filled with noise.

“Foolish, all because of one human…”

Rather than asking questions that he could not answer, he had to start simple. Although it would only serve to buy him time, from his point of view, this was the best course of action in his current situation.

♦ ♦ ♦

Solution changed the shape of her skinny fingers. They grew longer and transformed into tendrils that were about a few millimeters thick. Originally, Solution was a formless slime and could drastically alter her outer appearance. Something like transforming the tip of her hands was simple.

She glanced over at the door and having keenly sensed that Sebas’ presence had disappeared outside, quietly walked over to the girl lying on the bed.

“Since Sebas-sama has given his permission, I will finish this bothersome task as quickly as possible. That would be in your best interest as well. You probably will not even be awake through it.”

Solution spread her palm and pulled out the scroll that she kept stored in her body.

This scroll wasn’t the only thing Solution kept in her body. On top of consumable magic items like the scroll, she also had various weapons and armor. Considering that she could easily swallow several humans, something like that was not out of the norm.

Solution stared at the unconscious girl.

She had no interest in the girl’s appearance. Rather, only one thought crossed her mind.

This human did not look tasty.

The empty shell of a body did not seem like it would thrash around very much even if she were to melt it with acid.

“Though I could understand his actions if he wanted to give this to me as a toy after it recovered…”

Knowing his personality, she knew he would not allow it. Aside from when they were attacked during their travels, Sebas, the boss of Battle Maid Pleiades would never permit feeding on humans.

“If the Supreme Being had ordered that the girl be saved, I would have no choice but to accept it... But are the likes of humans truly worth saving even at the cost of a valuable treasure granted by the Supreme Being?”

Solution shook her head and thought out loud.

“…I may just devour you before Sebas-sama returns.”

She released the seal and opened the scroll. The magic contained within it was ‘Heal’, a tier 6 healing spell that greatly restored health and removed bad status effects like diseases.

A normal scroll could only be used if the person possessed a class that could use the same branch of magic as the scroll. In other words, in order to use a scroll of a faith based magic caster like a priest, one had to obtain a faith based class. To explain further, the spell had to exist on the list of learnable magic for that class. However, some thief based classes have a skill that can disguise this list and deceive the scroll.

As an assassin, Solution possessed several thief based classes. It was why she was able to use the ‘Heal’ scroll that she would normally be barred from.

“First, put her into a coma just in case, then…”

Solution used a skill to combine a powerful poison that induced sleep and a muscle relaxing poison. She then moved to cover the girl’s body.

♦ ♦ ♦

Mid Fire Month ( 8th Month , Day 26, 19:37

Sebas returned with the meal just as Solution stepped out of the room. She held a steaming bucket of water in both hands, with several towels in each bucket.

The water in both buckets was dark and the towels were dirty as well, showing just what sort of unsanitary conditions the girl lived in.

“You’ve worked hard. The recovery… it seems that it was completed without a hitch.”

“Yes, there were no problems, only that there was no suitable clothing for her so I changed her into whatever we had on hand. Was that acceptable?”

“Of course, it does not matter.”

“Is that so… The effects of the sleeping poison should have worn off by now. … If there is nothing else then I will take my leave.”

“Good work, Solution.”

Solution bowed and walked past Sebas.

Sebas saw her off, and then knocked on the door. Although there was no reply, he felt movement from within and quietly opened the door.

Inside, a girl was sitting up on the bed. She wore a vacant expression, as if she had woken only recently.

She was truly unrecognizable.

The dirty and withered blonde hair now shined with a beautiful luster. In that short amount of time, her sunken, scrawny face had been vitalized and regained its original appearance. Her once shriveled, cracked lips now shone with a pink glint.

To describe her appearance as a whole, rather than calling her beautiful, it was more fitting to call her as a girl who possessed an adorable charm.

It was also easy to get a general idea of her age. Although she looked like she should be in her late teens, her hellish daily life gave her face a dignity that extended past her years.

Solution had put her into a white negligee. However, it was of a simple design, lacking the usual laces and frills that were the norm.

“You should have recovered completely, but how is your condition?”

There was no reply. Her vacant eyes did not show any signs of looking in his direction.

However, as if he did not take that to heart, Sebas waited for her to speak. No, he did not expect much from the beginning. He had realized that her vacant expression was that of a person whose heart was no longer here.

“Are you hungry? I’ve brought you a meal.”

He had purchased it from a restaurant, bowl and all.

The wooden bowl held a stew that was made from slightly seasoned meat broth. The oil added to the stew to accentuate its scent released a smell that stimulated the appetite.

Her face moved slightly, responding to the smell.

“Please help yourself.”

Sebas thought that she had not yet completely walled herself off in her own world. He held out the bowl along with the wooden spoon in front of her.

Even when the girl did not move, Sebas did not try to force her.

After a certain amount of time had passed, enough to make others feel anxious, the girl slowly moved her arm. Her movement was nervous, one that feared pain. Even if her injuries had been healed completely, the memory of the pain remained untouched.

She held the wooden spoon and lifted a small amount of the stew. She then brought it to her mouth and swallowed.

The stew was watery and thin. Sebas had intentionally ordered it to be prepared that way, thinly slicing fourteen types of ingredients and cooking them for a long time so that there would not be a need to chew.

Her throat moved and the stew traveled down into her stomach.

The girl’s eyes moved ever so slightly. That tiniest of movements was the transformation from an elaborate doll to a human being. Her other hand moved, trembling as it accepted the bowl from Sebas.

While carrying the bowl, Sebas moved it to the place where she seemed to want it placed.

The girl stuck the wooden spoon into the stew, hugging the bowl closer to her with her other arm, and ate with an overflowing vigor.

She ate so fast that if the stew had not been cooled to be just right, she would definitely have screamed out in pain from the burns. The girl did not even seem to mind that the chest area of her negligee was being dirtied by the stew trailing out of her mouth. It would have been more fitting to say that she was drinking it, rather than eating it.

After finishing the stew blindingly quickly, the girl drew the empty bowl close and breathed out a sigh.

Having returned to being human, her eyes shut heavily.

The feeling of being full, the clean and soft clothes, the softness that had returned to her body, all of these synergized together to relax her mind and began allowing her body to accept the feeling of drowsiness.

But as her eyelids began to form a line, in the next moment, the girl opened her eyes wide and cowered in fear.

Perhaps she was scared to close her eyes, or maybe she feared that her current situation would vanish like an illusion. Or perhaps she had another reason, Sebas, who was watching her by her side, could not tell. Perhaps she herself did not know the reason.

That was why Sebas spoke to her in a gentle voice in an attempt to calm her.

“Your body is seeking rest. Do not push yourself and sleep. I guarantee that you are in no danger here. You will still be in this bed when you open your eyes.”

For the first time, the girl’s eyes moved and stared directly at Sebas.

There was barely any light in her blue eyes; no strength could be felt from them. Only that they were no longer the eyes of the dead, but the living.

Her mouth parted slightly and– closed. She opened her mouth once more and– again, closed.

That was repeated several times over. Sebas watched gently and did not try to pressure her. He merely stared in silence.

“Th…”

At last, the lips parted and a tiny voice leaked through. The words that followed came quickly.

“Th…tha…nk… you…”

Her first words were those of thanks rather than questions about her current situation. Having caught a glimpse of her personality, Sebas smiled, not the fake one that he wore so often, but a genuine smile.

“Please do not worry about it. Now that I have brought you under my wing, I will guarantee your safety to the best of my ability.”

The girl’s eyes widened slightly, her lips trembling.

Her blue eyes grew wet and spilled drops of tears. She then opened her mouth wide and cried like something was released inside of her.

At last, her curse spilled out, mixed in with the sound of sobbing.

She cursed her own fate; she hated the one up above who dealt her such a hand. She resented the fact that up until now, no one had bothered to help her. That feeling of resentment then turned to Sebas.

Why didn’t he come to her sooner?

Sebas’ kindness– because she was treated as a human, everything that she had been enduring all this time had come crumbling down. No, it would be better to say that because she regained her human heart, she could no longer endure all of those memories.

The girl pulled at her head. With a tearing sound, strands of her hair were ripped free. Countless gold threads became entangled around her thin fingers. The bowl that carried the stew fell off the bed along with the spoon.

Sebas watched over her madness without a word.

Her resentment was sudden and clumsy, she was pushing herself. Depending on the person, they may have found her resentment offensive and raged at her. However, there was no anger in Sebas’ expression. Instead, his wrinkled face carried something akin to benevolence.

Sebas reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Like a father hugging his child, an affectionate embrace with no ill intentions.

Although her body momentarily stiffened, the embrace that was different from those of the men who lusted after her slightly relaxed her frozen body.

“It’s okay now.”

He softly patted her on the back as he repeated those words like a chant, like consoling a crying child.

A hiccup– and as if she were trying to cling onto Sebas’ words, the girl planted her face into his chest and cried even louder. However, that cry was different than the one from before.

♦ ♦ ♦

As time passed and Sebas’ chest became completely damp with the girl’s tears, the sound of her cries finally came to a rest. The girl slowly separated herself from Sebas and lowered her head in an attempt to hide her bright red face.

“I’m… sorry…”

“Please do not let it bother you. It is a great honor for a man to lend his chest to a crying woman.”

Sebas pulled out a freshly washed handkerchief and handed it to the girl.

“Please use this.”

“But… it’s so clean… if… I…”

Sebas held the stammering girl’s chin and raised her face. While the girl grew stiff as she wondered what was going to happen, he gently brought the handkerchief to her remaining tear marks.

This reminds me; Solution just recently used ‘Message’ and had a long conversation with Shalltear... It seems she was boasting about how Ainz-sama wiped away her tears.

He wondered just what sort of situation would end up with Ainz-sama doing such a thing. He was unable to even picture the image of Shalltear crying. Despite his confusion, Sebas did not stop his hands and finished wiping the tears from the girl’s face.

“Ah…”

“There, please use it.”

Sebas closed the girl’s hand around the now slightly damp handkerchief.

“A handkerchief that cannot be used is a sad one indeed, especially one that cannot even wipe away a person’s tears.”

Sebas smiled and stepped away from the girl.

“Now, please get plenty of rest. Let us discuss what to do from now on once you awake.”

Because anything was possible with magic, her injuries were healed through Solution’s treatment and all of her mental fatigue was gone. That was why she should now be able to move normally. However, it was only a few hours ago that she was in hell. There was a concern that talking for too long may cause her mental injuries to reopen.

In reality, like how she cried just recently, the girl’s mind was still unstable. Although magic could temporarily heal her mind, it did not treat the root of the problem. Unlike bodily wounds, it was not possible to treat injuries that were not plain to see.

Among the people Sebas knew, the only one who could completely heal an injury of the mind was his master and possibly Pestonya.

Even though Sebas tried to get the girl to rest, she hurriedly opened her mouth.

“From… now on?”

Sebas briefly hesitated over whether it was alright to keep conversing like this. But since the person in question wished to talk, he decided to continue the conversation while keeping a close eye on her condition.

“You would no doubt be too nervous to remain in the capital. Do you have a place that you can trust?”

The girl lowered her face.

“I see…”

He did not bother to state the obvious. She did not.

—This has become quite troublesome.

However, it was not as if they had to take action immediately. The man from before should not be caught any time soon, and it should take some time for the search to arrive at Sebas.

Although that may just be wishful thinking, he wanted to believe that there was no reason to panic. At the very least, not until the girl regained her health.

“Then, let’s see. First, could you tell me your name?”

“Ah… I’m… Ts… Tsuare.”

“Tsuare, then. Ah, I still have not given my name. My name is Sebas Tian, please call me Sebas. I serve the master of this mansion, Lady Solution.”

That was their setting.

Although Solution wore the white dress instead of the usual maid uniform in case of sudden visitors, while the girl was here, it would be necessary that he have her maintain the role of the master.

“So…lu… sama.”

“Yes. Solution Epsilon-sama. But I do not think that you will have that many opportunities to see her.”

“…?”

“She is quite picky.”

As if to indicate that he could say no more, Sebas closed his mouth. And after a brief moment of silence had passed, he spoke.

“Now, rest for today. We can save the discussion for what you will do next for tomorrow.”

“Yes…”

After confirming that Tsuare had laid down on the bed, Sebas picked up the bowl that had carried the stew and left the room.

When he opened the door, as expected, Solution stood outside. Although it was most likely to eavesdrop, Sebas did not go out of his way to admonish her. Solution as well, she showed no signs that the possibility she could be scolded even existed. That was why she simply stood outside without hiding her presence or her body. If she truly wanted to hide, as an assassin class, she would have concealed herself more skillfully.

“What is it?”

“…Sebas-sama. In the end, what will you do with that?”

Sebas directed his senses to the door behind him. Even if it was shut tight, it did not block out sound completely. Some of what is said here would be overheard.

Sebas walked on with Solution wordlessly following him from behind.

He stopped where Tsuare would not be able to hear them.

“…You are talking about Tsuare I see. For now, I am planning to make the decision tomorrow.”

“A name…”

She did not continue, but as if she made up her mind, Solution opened her mouth once more.

“Although it may not be my place to say, there is a very high chance that that thing will become an obstacle. It needs to be disposed of as soon as possible.”

What did she mean when she said dispose?

Hearing Solution’s heartless words, Sebas thought that it was to be expected. This was Nazarick– for one who served the 41 Supreme Beings, it was the soundest way of thinking when it came to those who did not belong with Nazarick. Sebas’ actions were what was strange.

“You are right. If she were to become an obstacle to Ainz-sama’s orders, then she would have to be dealt with swiftly.”

Solution looked at him strangely. It was a face that was asking why he had brought her if he already knew.

“She may prove useful to us. Since I already picked her up, I need to think of a way to put her to good use rather than simply throwing her away.”

“…Sebas-sama, I do not know your reasons for bringing that with you. However, those injuries mean that there are circumstances that followed. And I doubt that the ones who inflicted those injuries will look kindly on the fact that the thing is still alive.”

“There will not be any problems on that front.”

“…Do you mean that you’ve already taken care of them?”

“No, that’s not it. Only that should it appear that there will be a problem, I will use a certain method. That is why I wish for us to maintain appearances until then. Do you understand, Solution?”

“….I will carry out your order.”

As Solution watched Sebas walk away, she suppressed the small anger rising within her.

Having been told as much by Sebas, her immediate superior, she couldn’t speak out against him despite her numerous complaints. And if no problems arose, then it would be of no consequence if the matter was overlooked.

But even so—

“How could he use the property of Nazarick on the likes of a human…”

Everything in the Great Tomb of Nazarick belonged to Ainz Ooal Gown and by extension, to the Supreme Beings. Could using them without permission be tolerated?

No matter how much she thought it over, the answer did not come.

♦ ♦ ♦

Lower Fire Month (9th Month), Day 3, 9:48

Sebas opened the door to the residence. He was returning from his usual duty of visiting the Adventurer’s guild early in the morning to make note of the requests that had been put up before the adventurers could accept them.

He recorded every piece of information on paper, even rumors circulating around town, and delivered all of them to Nazarick. Analyzing the contents proved quite difficult and was left to the sages in Nazarick.

He passed through the door and stepped inside the residence. If this was a few days ago, Solution would have been there to greet him. However—

“Wel…come… back... Seba…-sama.”

Currently, that task was given to the muttering girl wearing a maid uniform that extended all the way down to her feet.

The day after taking in Tsuare, they held a discussion and decided to have the girl work at the residence.

Although they could have her stay as a guest, Tsuare was against it. She did not want to be treated as a guest on top of being given help. Even if it wouldn’t be enough to repay them, at the very least, she wanted to work.

Sebas saw that the other side of her motive lied in her anxiety.

In other words, she knew very well that her dangerous circumstances will soon bring a troublesome incident to this residence. She was trying her best to contribute so she would not be thrown away.

Needless to say, Sebas had reassured Tsuare that he would never abandon her. If he was going to throw out someone who had nowhere else to go, he would never have brought her with him in the first place. However, it was also true that he was not convincing enough to heal the wounds of her heart.

“I’ve returned, Tsuare. Were there any problems?”

Tsuare shook her head.

Different from when they first met, the white brim on top of her neatly cut hair wobbled.

“There… no… problems.”

“I see, that’s good.”

The atmosphere around her was still dark and her difficult expression remained unchanging.

However, her voice sounded like it was gradually growing louder, as if the thing that was eating away at her body was becoming undone, little by little.

Then the only problem remaining would be…

As Sebas walked onwards, Tsuare followed beside him.

To walk next to the butler, Sebas– a direct superior, it was an unacceptable behavior for a maid. But Tsuare would be ignorant of the maid etiquette, having never been educated as one. Sebas too, had no intention of teaching her that lifestyle.

“What is on the menu for today?”

“Yes. It’s…potato… stew.”

“I see. I am looking forward to it. Tsuare’s cooking is delicious, after all.”

At the words that Sebas spoke with a smile, Tsuare grew bright red and lowered her face while squeezing her maid apron with both hands.

“T-that’s…not… true.”

“No, no, of course it’s true. It’s quite fortunate since I cannot cook whatsoever. But are you fine with the ingredients? Please tell me if you are missing something or have something that you wish for me to buy.”

“Yes. I will… check… next time… and tell… you.”

Although Tsuare could act normally in the house and with Sebas, she still showed an adverse reaction to the outside world. She could not handle any tasks that required her to leave the residence and as such, jobs like procuring ingredients fell to Sebas.

There was nothing lavish about Tsuare’s cooking. They were simple home-cooked meals.

For this reason, they did not need expensive ingredients and the shopping could be taken care of quickly. Sebas as well, he was able to learn about many different ingredients and managed to acquire information on the foods of this world. He considered it killing two birds with one stone.

All of a sudden, Sebas proposed an idea.

“…Shall we go buy them together?”

Tsuare’s face showed great surprise. Then, growing scared, she shook her head. Her complexion turned for the worse and she began to sweat heavily.

“No, I’m… kay.”

Sebas thought it was to be expected and did not let it show on his face.

Ever since she started working, Tsuare never tried to do the tasks that required her to go outside. She locked up her terror by regarding this residence as the absolute castle walls that protected her. In other words, she was only able to move after drawing a line separating here and the outside– the world that hurt her.

However, at this rate Tsuare would never be able to step foot outside. And they could not hide her forever.

Considering Tsuare’s mental condition, Sebas knew that it was cruel to tell her to go outside after only a few days. The safer option would be to give her more time so she could slowly adapt.

However, that was for when they actually had the time to spare.

Sebas had no intention of settling down and spending the rest of his life in the capital. He would always be a stranger to this land, who was only here for information. If his master were to order that he withdraw…