Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

The light in the reception room was dimmer than before.

The rain and mist silently spread outside the window, covering the hedges in the courtyard with a layer of gray dampness.

Occasionally, a breeze would slip in through the cracks in the window, carrying the fresh scent of earth and grass after the rain, gently rustling the edges of the curtains.

Rune remained seated, watching Sebastian return to his chair opposite him.

He didn't rush to speak, but instead picked up the cup of completely cooled black tea and took a small sip. The cooled tea melted on his tongue, leaving a slightly astringent aftertaste.

"Mr. Sebastian."

Rune put down his teacup. His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet reception room.

How much do you know about the Dragon Kingdom?

Sebastian shook his head slightly, his wrinkled face devoid of any extra expression, simply waiting quietly for Rune to continue.

Rune's gaze fell on the gray, misty rain outside the window, as if he were recalling something distant.

"The Dragon Kingdom is located in the southeast of the kingdom."

His voice was slow, as if he were telling a story.

"To the north, it faces the Bahars Empire across mountains and the Kaz Plains; to the southwest, it borders a large lake and the Slane Theocracy. To the east…" Rune frowned slightly, "...it borders a small orc nation."

Rune continued speaking.

"The Dragon Kingdom has a population of only a few million, the smallest among the surrounding countries. Its ruler is Queen Drodelon Auriclus, who possesses dragon blood."

He paused, a subtle meaning creeping into his voice.

"Although she possesses dragon blood, this queen's personal strength is no different from that of an ordinary person. The Dragon Kingdom's only trump card is a team of adamantite-rank adventurers called 'Crystal Tears'."

The rain and fog outside the window grew thicker, blurring the view in the courtyard as if it were seen through a semi-transparent curtain of water.

"Due to the continuous attacks from that orcish nation, the Dragon Kingdom has lost nearly half of its territory."

Rune's voice trailed off.

"That orcish nation attacked the Dragon Kingdom not only to plunder its land, but also for another purpose..."

Rune paused for a beat.

"Plundering people and treating the humans of the Dragon Kingdom as food."

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the reception room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Rune didn't look at Sebastian's face.

He only lowered his eyes slightly, but Rune could sense it.

Those subtle changes.

Something new has appeared in the air.

Rune's eyelashes twitched slightly.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip of the now-cold black tea.

When he looked up again, his gaze inadvertently swept across Sebastian's face.

Sebastian's expression remained calm, his wrinkled face showing no change whatsoever.

But in those light gray eyes, anger was being suppressed.

In an instant, Sebastian lowered his eyes and suppressed his emotions.

"In fact."

Rune's voice broke the brief silence, his tone tinged with bitterness.

"I have been leading the cavalry in my territory to support the Dragon Kingdom for several years now."

Sebastian raised his eyes and looked at him.

Rune twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a somewhat forced smile.

"The incident Mr. Sebas mentioned earlier, where I used [martial arts] to kill the orc powerhouse, also occurred during this period."

He spoke softly, as if recounting a trivial matter. But in his light green eyes, there was something akin to helplessness and self-reproach.

"but."

Rune's voice lowered.

"The orcs have far more powerful warriors than the Dragon Kingdom. I alone... simply cannot save more of the Dragon Kingdom's citizens."

The reception room fell silent for a moment.

The rain and mist outside the window continued to spread silently, and the whole world seemed to be soaked in a layer of gray, damp air.

Sebastian's voice rang out.

"Mr. Rune."

His voice remained steady, with a hint of reassurance.

"You don't need to blame yourself."

Sebastian looked at him, his eyes shining with a gentle and sincere light.

"Helping the weak is itself a commendable act. Your kindness is already deeply moving."

"Mr. Sebastian is right."

Rune took a deep breath, as if suppressing all the surging emotions. Then he raised his head again, his expression returning to its usual composure.

"However, regarding the information Mr. Sebastian wants about dragons..."

Rune's tone became more serious.

"It happens to be related to the Dragon Kingdom."

Sebastian's eyes flickered slightly.

"This kingdom was founded two hundred years ago by a powerful true dragon king."

Rune's voice was slow, and he pronounced each word clearly.

"And the current ruler, Queen Draco, has one-eighth the blood of a true dragon king."

He paused, then met Sebastian's gaze.

"Some of the hidden information I learned about these powerful dragon kings was obtained by chance during the process of assisting the Dragon Kingdom."

The rain and mist outside the window seemed to have thinned a bit, and the outlines of the flowers in the courtyard became clear again. Fine water droplets clung to the petals, shimmering in the dim light.

"so."

"As long as Mr. Sebastian is willing to aid the Dragon Kingdom, some information about the dragons can be obtained immediately."

Rune looked at Sebastian with a calm gaze.

"With a strongman like Mr. Sebastian around, we will definitely be able to protect more citizens of the Dragon Kingdom this year and prevent them from being eaten by the orcs."

The words were spoken sincerely, without any trace of scheming.

Sebastian remained silent.

The reception room was so quiet that you could hear the raindrops sliding down the eaves outside the window. One drop after another fell onto the stone floor, making a soft, crisp sound.

Rune did not urge him.

He knew what Sebastian was thinking.

This dragon-man, with a justice value of +300, could not possibly remain indifferent when he heard that humans in the Dragon Kingdom were being eaten by orcs.

That compassion for the weak was something etched deep in Sebastian's soul.

But Sebastian could not agree to it on his own.

He was Nazarick's steward, and such important decisions had to be approved by Ainz Ooal Gown.

Rune's fingers gently rubbed the rim of the teacup.

really.

After a moment of silence, Sebastian spoke.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rune."

Sebastian's voice carried a hint of genuine apology.

"This matter requires my young lady's consent."

He spoke calmly, but Rune could hear the helplessness in his voice.

Sebastian really wanted to agree and go help the humans being ravaged by the orcs. But duty prevented him from making the decision on his own.

Rune showed no disappointment.

He simply nodded slightly, his tone conveying understanding.

"Of course. After all, Mr. Sebastian is Miss Solixiang's butler, and such an important matter certainly requires Miss's approval."

Sebastian raised his eyelids and glanced at Rune.

"I will try my best to persuade my young lady to agree."

Sebastian's voice carried a newfound certainty.

"I believe that with Miss's kindness, she will agree."

Rune smiled and didn't say anything more.

Sebastian stood up.

"Well then, Mr. Rune, I'll take my leave now."

He bowed slightly to express his gratitude.

Rune also stood up and returned the greeting.

"Take care, Mr. Sebastian."

He did not try to stop him.

Sebastian turned around and walked steadily toward the door.

Rune stood there, watching the upright figure disappear into the shadows of the porch.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

The reception room fell silent again.

Rune sat back down in his chair and picked up the cup of black tea that had gone completely cold.

The sky was a bit brighter than before.

Rune finished the last sip of the now-cold black tea.

The tea was icy cold, with a slightly astringent aftertaste, sliding down the throat and leaving a cool sensation in the chest.

------------

Inside another mansion.

Suo Liuxiang sat by the window, with a copy of "The Travels of Aindora" open in front of him.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the page as she turned it, the paper making a soft rustling sound.

Suo Liuxiang's expression clearly showed his disgust.

His brows were slightly furrowed, the corners of his mouth turned down, and his eyes swept over the lines of text with an almost agonizing patience.

It's like being forced to eat a dish that doesn't suit your taste; every bite is hard to swallow, but you have no choice but to.

This is Sebastian's order.

Before she set off, the meticulous Nazarick steward called her to his side and calmly explained the matter to her.

Since the intention is to impersonate an imperial noblewoman interested in Mr. Rune's works, then at least some knowledge of the contents of these books is necessary.

In case Mr. Rune asks, we must not reveal any flaws.

Soliu Xiang wanted to retort immediately. Why should she, a battle maid of Nazarick, a level 57 being, waste time reading a boring travelogue written by a human?

Suo Liuxiang finally agreed.

In order to complete the task assigned by Lord Ainz, Miss Soluka made a sacrifice.

But that doesn’t mean she can’t be picky.

Suo Liuxiang's gaze fell on a description of a sunrise in a valley.

What about "the morning light cascading down like a golden waterfall," what about "all things awakening in the light," what about "at that moment, I felt the sacredness of life"?

She rolled her eyes.

Humans are such boring creatures. It's just the sun shining on a rock, yet they have to write so much meaningless nonsense.

If these words were describing the screams of someone on the verge of death, they might be more interesting.

But she continued reading anyway. The pages turned rhythmically between her fingers.

Just as she felt she was about to be overwhelmed by these words, footsteps sounded in the corridor.

A familiar rhythm. Steady, with a certain composure characteristic of an old-fashioned gentleman. It was the sound of Lord Sebastian's footsteps.

Suo Liuxiang closed the book almost instantly.

The book, "The Travels of Aindora," was slammed shut, squeezing out the air between the pages and creating a slight breeze.

She placed the book on her lap, folded her hands over it, and switched her expression from disdain back to that of a maid.

The door was pushed open.

Sebastian walked in.

Suo Liuxiang raised her eyes and looked at her superior at the door, her eyes filled with a relieved anticipation.

Those eyes were clearly saying, "Can this end now?"

Sebastian glanced at her, his gaze lingering on the book on her lap, his wrinkled face expressionless.

But he nodded slightly, as if to confirm that Suo Liuxiang hadn't been slacking off.

Then he spoke.

"Soluxiang, contact Lord Ainz."

Suo Liuxiang's expectant expression vanished instantly, replaced by the respect and seriousness befitting a combat maid.

"Yes."

She took out a magic scroll and activated the [Message] spell.

A moment later, the communication was established.

Sebastian lowered his head slightly, connecting his consciousness to the [Message] connection.

"Lord Ainz."

His voice echoed in my mind, carrying the same unwavering respect for Lord Ainz.

"Are you contacting me now because there's been progress in intelligence gathering?"

Ainz Ooal Gown's voice came from the other end of the communication, deep and authoritative.

"Yes, Lord Ainz."

Sebastian's voice was steady as he began to report methodically in his mind.

After Sebastian finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication line.

Next, Sebastian offered his own suggestions.

"In my opinion, accompanying Mr. Rune to the Dragon Kingdom is the best choice."

Silence fell again on the other end of the communication.

------------

The Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Throne Room.

Ainz Ooal Gown sat on the throne, the dark red light in his eye sockets flickering slightly.

Ainz raised his head and looked down at the throne.

Albedo was standing there.

The pure white dress's skirt, like a carpet of snow, shimmered softly under the magical light.

Her hands were folded in front of her, her posture dignified and humble, but her golden vertical pupils were staring straight at Ainz, filled with an undisguised infatuation.

Albedo had been staring at him like that ever since she started.

Ainz was already used to this kind of gaze. No, it should be said that he had learned how to maintain the demeanor befitting a "Supreme Ruler" under such gazes.

But deep down, the part of him named Suzuki Satoru would occasionally feel a little uneasy under such gazes.

But now is not the time to worry about that.

"Albedo, what do you think of the message from Sebastian?"

Ainz's voice echoed through the throne room, and he also established a [Message] connection for Albedo.

Albedo blinked, as if she had just been awakened from a beautiful dream. She tilted her head slightly, a thoughtful expression appearing on her exquisite face.

After a moment, she spoke.

"I think it would be simpler to just capture Rune and hand him over to Nirost Payinkil for interrogation."

Nirost Paynkiel.

Nazarick Special Intelligence Collector.

Deep within the "Frozen Prison" on the fifth underground level, he controls the torture chamber known as the "House of Truth." He has a bizarre appearance, with swollen, corpse-like, murky white skin and octopus-like tentacles on his head, yet he is extremely narcissistic.

Overall strength level is only twenty-three. Race level: Brain Eater Lv 7, Priest Lv 3, Doctor Lv 10, Divine Hand Lv 3.

Among the many powerful beings in Nazarick, such a level is almost insignificant.

However, its methods of torture were extremely cruel.

Inside the "House of Truth," almost all the enemies sent inside preferred to die.