Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

"Lord Tapimi, how are you feeling?" Sebastian asked, his voice slightly hurried, but he was also worried about startling Tapimi, so he forced himself to soften his tone.

“I…” Tapimy opened his mouth, his voice a little hoarse, “Lord Sebastian, I’m alright now.”

He tried to sit up, supporting himself with his arms, but Sebastian quickly supported his back, his movements as gentle as if he were holding a fragile piece of porcelain.

After settling in, Tapimy didn't check his injuries. Instead, he eagerly raised his head, his azure eyes scanning the camp rapidly.

"Leno..." Tapchimi's voice was filled with barely suppressed anxiety, "How is Leno?"

Sebastian paused for a moment.

Leno.

The name was unfamiliar to him.

The excitement and joy that had just filled the old butler's wrinkled face were replaced by a faint sense of confusion and slight grievance.

Sebastian looked at Rune not far away, hoping Rune would give him an answer.

Rune noticed Sebastian's gaze.

He paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

Tapchimi also saw Rune's movements.

The boy's face, which had just regained its color, turned even paler in that instant.

Sebastian felt a sharp pang in his heart as he looked at Tapchimi's appearance.

'Is your injury not fully healed yet?'

He thought anxiously to himself.

Or is there some internal injury that I haven't detected?

The old butler didn't have time to think much; his free hand had already reached into his robes.

He took out a glass bottle.

The bottle is crystal clear, and the liquid inside sways gently, shimmering softly in the light.

Rune recognized the item that Sebastian had taken out.

Treatment solution.

Moreover, it's not the kind of ordinary product that's available on the market.

Judging from the texture of the bottle and the color of the liquid, this should be YGGDRASIL's mid-level healing potion.

It might not be much in Nazarick's treasury, but Sebastian probably only carried this level of healing potion.

Sebastian carefully tilted the bottle.

"Lord Tapimi, please treat me again."

His voice was very low, almost pleading.

Tajimi did not refuse.

He didn't even notice what Sebastian was doing.

The boy's gaze was fixed on the direction where Leno had fallen, and the light in his azure eyes was slowly fading.

Looking into Tapimi's eyes, Sebastian felt an even stronger sense of inexplicable grievance.

But Sebastian did not stop.

One bottle wasn't enough, so he pulled out a second one.

Then came the third bottle.

The treatment liquid was sprayed all over Tachimi as if it were free.

Rune stood a little distance away, watching the crystal-clear bottle shimmer in the sunlight. He silently estimated the value of the potions; it should be enough for him to buy half a house in the heart of the capital.

He glanced at Sebastian's demeanor, which seemed to say, "I'd do anything to empty the entire medicine storehouse of Nazarick if it meant getting Lord Touchmy fully healed," and his lips twitched slightly.

Rune even felt a little sorry for Ainz, who was thrifty and hardworking.

'Sebastian has probably pulled out all his inventory.'

Chapter 98: The Beginning and the End (Part 2)

The surrender negotiations in the makeshift tent had been going on for some time.

Sebastian sat upright on the animal skin carpet hastily laid out by the orcs. His black tailcoat was without a single wrinkle, and his gray hair gleamed with a silvery sheen.

His hands were on his knees, his back straight, and he did not become arrogant even though his opponent was no match for him.

On the other side, the tiger-headed orc Bazel's face was plastered with a fawning smile.

His tiger-like eyes narrowed slightly, and he controlled his smile to a degree that wouldn't seem too obsequious.

But if he discovers that this dragon enjoys flattery, he'll definitely grin from ear to ear.

The leader of this tiger-headed orc tribe has given up his obsession with humanity.

No matter how strong the desire, it can be restrained in the face of absolute power.

Although this defeat meant that the Orc King would bear the brunt of the people's anger.

However, as the representative of this surrender, Bazel still tried his best to optimize the surrender terms from some other aspects.

In this way, he can use this opportunity to promote himself, leveraging his achievements in the negotiations and the support promised by the Orc King.

After the Orc King abdicates, he will be a strong contender for the new Orc King.

Barzel knew he couldn't refuse the three conditions Sebastian had proposed and had no choice but to accept them all.

However, there is still considerable room for maneuver.

“Lord Sebastian,” Bazel said with unusual deference, “our Orcish Kingdom will naturally accept all three conditions you have proposed. This is your kindness, and we Orcs were ungrateful before.”

As he spoke, he lowered his head, his forehead almost touching the low table in front of him.

His orange-black tiger-striped face looked somewhat comical under the oil lamplight, but the sincerity in his tone was impeccable.

Sebastian nodded slightly but did not reply.

Bazel straightened up and secretly observed the old man's expression. Seeing that he did not show any impatience, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

'Just as I thought.' 'This dragon... it's the kind that responds better to gentleness than force.'

“However,” Bazel’s tone shifted, his smile turning into a troubled expression, “as you know, my lord, the Orc Kingdom is so vast, and the situations of each tribe are different. Returning the Dragon Kingdom’s territory… cannot be accomplished overnight.”

He stretched out his thick, tiger-like paw, gesturing with a tone full of helplessness.

“Those orc civilians who have already settled in the Dragon Kingdom’s territory, they have families to support. We can’t just kick them out like that, can we? We have to give them some time to pack up their belongings and find a new place to settle down.”

Sebastian's brow twitched slightly.

Seeing this, Bazel quickly continued, "There's also the matter of releasing humans and amending the laws. My lord, you don't know how powerful the conservative forces in the Orc Kingdom are. Those old fogies have been proud of eating humans for generations. Trying to get them to change too quickly will only backfire."

As he spoke, he lowered his head again, his voice choked with emotion.

"Although the Orc King is the king of the Orc Kingdom, he doesn't always have the final say. It takes time to do ideological work to change the majority of people."

Sebastian remained silent for a moment before hesitantly speaking.

"Chief Barzel, do you mean it takes time?"

“Yes, yes, yes!” Bazel nodded repeatedly. “Time, as long as you give us a little more time, I promise…”

"how long?"

Bazel was stunned.

He didn't expect that just by playing the victim a little, the dragon would relent.

Prior to this, even Bazel's offer of gold coins and orc beauties had failed to persuade Sebastian to agree.

'Good heavens, it's a benevolent dragon that's neither greedy for money nor interested in women.'

Bazel suddenly realized that perhaps he had too many stereotypes about dragons, and that this dragon in front of him could not be judged by common sense.

He gritted his teeth and decided to take a gamble; relying on the Orc King's promise was not as good as relying on the benevolent dragon before him.

Bazel suddenly raised his head, and the fawning expression on his tiger-like face suddenly turned into an almost tragic and resolute look.

"My lord, let me tell you the truth."

His voice deepened, and a complex light flickered in his tiger-like eyes.

"The Orc King is not truly committed to your terms right now. He's only agreeing to buy time. Once he catches his breath, he'll definitely find a way to back out, and might even... launch another attack on the Dragon Kingdom."

Sebastian's brow furrowed instantly.

Seeing the change in the old man's expression, Bazel gritted his teeth and pushed all the chips onto the table.

“Actually, I’ve long since stopped eating humans.” He puffed out his chest, his tiger eyes filled with sincere light. “Humans are intelligent beings, just like us orcs, they can cry and laugh. How can they be food? But… under the tyranny of the orc king, in order to fit in, I can only pretend to love eating and follow along.”

He paused, then took a deep breath.

“Lord Sebastian, if you are willing to support me in becoming the new Orc King, I assure you that I will execute your three conditions in the fastest and most thorough way.”

The tent fell silent.

Sebastian fell into deep thought. He didn't know whether he should trust the tiger-headed orc in front of him, or whether he should wait and ask Lord Rune for his opinion before making a decision.

“Chief Barzel,” he said calmly, “I need to consider your proposal.”

Bazel's heart sank, thinking this was just the dragon's excuse, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Of course, of course." He nodded quickly. "Such an important matter naturally requires your utmost care. I can wait..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

A [Message] spell entered Sebastian's consciousness.

"Lord Sebastian!" It was the voice of the priest accompanying the Aindora tribe, urgent and almost cracking. "The camp has been attacked by a large-scale orc raid! Lord Aindora is fighting a bloody battle and requests your immediate support!"

Sebastian's expression froze for a moment, and the temperature in his eyes plummeted to freezing.

Before Bazel could react to what was happening, he saw the old man opposite him stand up.

The movement was so fast it was like teleportation; one second he was sitting upright, and the next he was already standing in front of him.