Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

The fifth level of Nazarick is an extremely cold region designed with the concept of a glacier in mind.

Those blue and white icebergs, seemingly radiating a faint light from within, stood like tombstones on the boundless white earth. Thick clouds shrouded the sky, and falling snowflakes danced in the cold wind carrying icy moisture.

Ainz's robes fluttered in the biting wind. He glanced at Albedo beside him and asked, "Aren't you cold? You can put on your armor if you need to; we still have some time."

Any ice-based attacks are completely ineffective against Ainz; he doesn't feel cold at all.

But Albedo was different. Although this chill shouldn't have been a problem if she were fully equipped, she was only wearing a white dress. Ainz had asked her before teleporting, but he still felt that she might just be putting on a brave face.

Albedo smiled gently at him: "Thank you for your concern. It's alright, this chill is nothing."

Ainz nodded. "I see."

This area was originally designed to inflict ice damage and slow effects, but it is currently disabled because activating it requires gold.

Is this good fortune brought about by the decision made back then, or does Albedo herself possess magical items or special skills that can resist ice damage?

Ainz is not omniscient about the weapon configurations of NPCs; only a handful of people, such as Pandora Act, are confident that they have a complete understanding of them.

Ainz looked at the magnificent two-story building in front of him. In this snowy landscape, only this building exuded an unusual atmosphere.

It resembled a building straight out of a fairy tale, yet its surface was covered with a thick layer of ice, exuding a cold and unsettling atmosphere. This building was called the Frozen Prison, where all those who opposed Nazarick were imprisoned.

"Let's go."

Ainz finished speaking succinctly and pushed open the icy door. The door opened easily, as if welcoming a visitor.

The moment the door opened, a chill even more biting than outside rushed out. Albedo shivered from the gust. Seeing this, Ainz took out a deep red cloak from his storage space, the hem embroidered with patterns mimicking flames.

"Wear this, Albedo. It doesn't have much magical effect, but it'll be more than enough to keep you warm."

"You have bestowed upon me such a precious gift! I am extremely grateful! I will treasure it for the rest of my life."

Ainz had no intention of seeing her off, but seeing Albedo's smiling face, he didn't say anything more and turned his gaze to the doorway.

"It feels so warm, just like being hugged by Lord Ainz... Hehehe."

"...Really? That's great."

"How could you possibly feel warm being held by my fleshless arms?" But Ainz, of course, wouldn't say it aloud. He chased Albedo, who was wriggling and wrapping herself tightly in her cloak, out of his sight and slowly started walking.

"What are you doing? Time is running out. This situation is special."

"Yes, yes!"

"...Albedo, we're almost at your sister's room. Are you ready?"

Albedo, who had been beaming with joy, instantly turned serious. "Yes, sir. I'll retrieve the doll right away."

"Okay, give it to me."

Albedo reached out towards the wall, and a white, transparent arm emerged from the wall, placing a doll in her hand. It was a doll the size of a baby.

Ainz took it and examined it closely: "How disgusting." The shape was exaggerated and distorted, as if the Cupid doll had been completely deformed, especially the big, round eyes, which were particularly unsettling.

Ainz frowned and looked towards the end of the passage, where a huge mural centered on the door depicted a mother and baby. Due to its age, the paint had peeled off, and it had become a pitiful sight.

Ainz pushed open the door.

The cries of babies could be heard, dozens or even hundreds of cries merging together. Yet, no baby could be seen in the room.

In the center of the empty room sat a cradle, which was being gently rocked by a woman dressed in black mourning clothes.

"It's about time to begin, isn't it?"

"That should be the case, please keep an eye out."

As if signaled by their conversation, the woman's movements suddenly froze. She slowly reached into the cradle and took out the baby doll inside.

"No, no, no."

She threw the doll away with all her might, and it crashed into the wall and shattered into pieces.

"My child, my child, my child!"

The woman let out a bloodcurdling scream. Signaling this, the cries from the floor and walls suddenly intensified, and a translucent, infant-like mass of flesh slid out—a rotting flesh infant, a monster of about level twenty.

"The Jade Record actually has so many monsters here... How much did it cost?"

As Ainz was marveling at this, the woman produced a large pair of scissors from somewhere and held them in her hand. Beneath her disheveled hair, her sharp eyes glared at Ainz and the others.

"You, you, you! You stole, you stole, you stole my child, my child, my child!"

"...It really is your sister. She looks just like you."

"Huh? Is that so?"

The woman seemed to interpret their conversation as a malicious provocation, charging towards them with murderous intent. She closed the distance in a few steps, wielding a large pair of scissors and viciously stabbing at Ainz.

"Your child is here."

Ainz handed the doll to her. The woman froze instantly, put away her scissors, and carefully took the doll.

"Goodness gracious!"

She held the child with loving tenderness, as if she would never let go.

The baby was then placed back in the cradle, and the long hair covering the face was brushed aside, revealing a face without skin and with exposed muscles. The teeth, without lips, were like pearls, and the eyeballs, without eyelids, shone brightly. Each was beautiful on its own, but together they seemed eerie.

"Lord Momonga, and my lovely little sister, how have you been?"

"Long time no see, Nicole. You seem to be... well, I'm so glad."

Ainz was able to handle the situation so calmly because he had already witnessed this scene in the game. He fondly recalled the time when his guildmates called him to see a new character, and everyone screamed in terror, joining forces to attack Nicoled.

"Sister, it's been a long time."

Nicolae is Albedo's older sister, and was also created by the player Emerald Book.

"So, Lord Momonga, what is it?"

"Ah, sorry. You weren't in the throne room then, so you didn't know I'd changed my name. Now I'm called Ainz Ooal Gown. Just call me Ainz."

Nicole gasped and slowly raised her head: "Yes, Lord Ainz."

"Nigride, I've come to ask for your help. Could you lend me a hand?"

"My abilities? Are they biological or non-biological?"

"...Let's call it a biological entity...it should be a biological entity, right? To put it bluntly, the target is Shalltear Bradfordren."

"Floor Guardian?...Excuse me. Since it is Lord Ainz's order, I will act immediately."

Although her tone was questioning, Nicole immediately agreed.

"Please, sister."

Albedo playfully gave a thumbs-up.

Nicoled began casting several spells, a wide variety of them, many of which Ainz had just seen Narberal use the previous night.

As a magic caster, Nicoled holds the highest rank in Nazarick, with her class specializing in intelligence gathering. Ainz came for this very purpose.

However, Nicoleid's abilities seem to have stopped working.

Nicoled was unable to locate Shalltear.

Within the Holy Land of the Theocracy, Icarus' Feather emitted a faint glow.

This is a powerful artifact that Rune left for Sirsha during the YGGDRASIL era, similar to a "breakup fee".

Yet, in doing so, he indirectly protected Rune in this world.

"I apologize, Lord Ainz, I am incompetent."

Nicole's voice came from that lipless mouth, filled with genuine remorse and self-reproach. She lowered her head, her disheveled hair falling down to obscure her muscular face.

Ainz stood still, without saying a word.

Silence spread through the frozen prison room, like some kind of viscous liquid, irresistibly seeping into every corner.

The rotting flesh children had retreated back into the walls and floor at some point, and the baby's cries had ceased.

The room was so quiet that you could hear the faint creaking of the cradle rocking gently, and the occasional whimper of the doll in Nicole's hands.

Ainz stood there, the dark red light in his eye sockets flickering uncertainly.

Undetectable.

They couldn't even find Shalltear's location.

What does this mean?

This means he couldn't even complete the first step of intelligence gathering. He didn't know where Shalltear was, who was with her, or what her condition was.

I know nothing.

The unknown is always more frightening than the known.

Suzuki Satoru understood this principle even before he came to this world from the future. The unknown bosses encountered in YGGDRASIL, and the sudden PvP events without any prior information, were often more terrifying than any known challenge.

And now, Shalltear's betrayal is such an unknown.

No, he couldn't even be sure if it was "betrayal".

Countless possibilities flashed through Ainz's mind.

Let's assume Shalltear is under mind control.

But she is completely immortal and should be completely immune to mental attacks.

If some force in this world could truly break through this immunity, what would that mean? It would mean that all the guardians of Nazarick, including himself, could face the same risk.

If Shalltear betrayed out of her own free will.

That makes the problem even more serious. What is it that's making her dissatisfied? Her treatment? Her status? Or... has there been a crack in her faith in the "Supreme Being"? If it's the latter, will this dissatisfaction spread to other NPCs?

Each possibility points to a different way of coping.

He didn't even have the most basic information.

Unable to determine.

Unable to make a decision.

Unable to move.

Ainz slammed his fist into the wall beside him.

"boom--"

A dull thud echoed in the room, and the exposed knuckles on the wall trembled slightly. Not from pain, but from a restlessness welling up from the depths of his soul.

"Lord Ainz!"

Albedo immediately knelt down.

The white dress skirt spread out on the cold ground, her forehead almost touching her knees, her posture humble and devout.

"Please calm down!"

Her voice was filled with genuine panic, and even trembled slightly.

"It is my incompetence that prevented me from keeping track of Shalltear's movements in time, causing Lord Ainz such worry. I assure you—"

She raised her head, and something intense burned in her golden vertical pupils.

"I will definitely find Shalltear Bradfordren."

Her voice was very low, and each word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

"Then, kill her with your own hands."

When she said the word "kill," Albedo's lips curled up slightly, a hint of personal grudge in her expression.

Ainz noticed this keenly.

Shalltear and Albedo's relationship was never exactly harmonious. Ainz was not unaware of the competition between the Guardians, the struggle for Ainz's attention, the undercurrents of rivalry, and the verbal sparring.

Could this be the reason for Shalltear's rebellion?

Just as that anxiety was about to surge up again,

A cool sensation suddenly washed over Ainz's mind.

That was the forced calm of the undead.

Like a bucket of ice water poured over my head, it instantly froze all those surging emotions. Fear, anger, anxiety—all human emotions were suppressed, replaced by an almost mechanical rationality.

The dark red light in Ainz's eye sockets stabilized again.

He slowly withdrew his fist from the wall.

"No need for that, Albedo."

Ainz's voice returned to calm, as if the punch had never happened.

He turned around and looked at Albedo kneeling on the ground, his golden vertical pupils still retaining a lingering fanaticism.

Get up.

"Lord Ainz..."

Albedo hesitated for a moment, then slowly stood up, her gaze never leaving Ainz's face.

Ainz began to think.

First, it needs to be clear that the fact that Nicoled couldn't locate Shalltear is itself a piece of information.

If Shalltear's betrayal was not voluntary, but rather she was controlled by some force...

For example, things like "innate superpowers" or "martial arts skills" are unique to this other world.

These otherworldly powers were able to control Shalltear, who should be completely immune to mental attacks.

Therefore, it is reasonable that innate abilities or martial arts skills can block Nicoleid's detection magic.

Ainz suddenly realized a problem,

He sent Shalltear to capture people who could use [martial arts], intending to learn about the [martial arts] of this world through her.

But now, Shalltear is gone.

If Shalltear's rebellion was caused by being hit by a special [martial technique] during her capture...

A faint red light flickered in Ainz's eye sockets.

He suddenly realized that he might have underestimated the world's martial arts from the very beginning.

Not the power that's on the surface. Clementine's so-called "martial arts" that he supposedly entered the "Hero's Realm" is nothing special in his eyes.

And those hidden martial arts techniques that are not recorded in any documents.

Perhaps this is the true power of this world.

Even Rune didn't expect that.

After Shalltear's betrayal, Ainz could not find her.

This series of chain reactions will cause Ainz Ooal Gown to become influenced by the martial arts techniques of this world.