Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

What should he say then?

Sebastian's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but he quickly suppressed his unease.

He told himself.

Now is not the time to worry about that.

Sebastian met Rune's gaze.

The young lord was looking at him, his eyes filled with genuine gentleness.

“Sebastian, I know this has put you in a difficult position,” Rune said with sincere apology. “But please understand, I just want to protect Touchmy.”

Sebastian opened his mouth, as if to say that he didn't find it difficult.

Rune raised his hand to interrupt him: "However, I have also thought carefully about what you said, Sebastian."

Sebastian was slightly taken aback.

“If the forces behind you truly value your companions and cherish each other, as you say…” Rune paused, carefully choosing his words, “then it might indeed be a good place for Touchmy.”

Sebastian's eyes lit up.

Rune continued, "But I still hope that it is Tapchimi who makes the choice."

“That child is not mature enough yet, and his judgment needs to develop. Let Tapimi make the decision on such an important matter himself.”

“So,” Rune solemnly promised Sebastian, “how about this. Three years from now, when Touchimi turns eighteen, if he still wants to know about the forces behind you, Sebastian, I can let him go.”

He paused, "But before that, Sebastian, you must promise me that you will continue to keep Tapchimi's identity a secret."

Sebastian remained silent.

Three years is indeed not a long time.

If Lord Touchme had been able to establish contact with Lord Ainz before that, given Lord Ainz's tolerance and kindness, Lord Touchme would surely have developed a sense of belonging to Nazarick.

At that time, Lord Tapimi will willingly return to Nazarick.

Sebastian's gaze fell on Rune's face, sensing the genuine concern he felt for Touchimi.

Lord Rune was indeed thinking of Lord Touchimi's best interests.

He didn't want to keep Lord Tapimy by his side forever; he just wanted the child to grow up to be able to face the future, as an older brother.

Sebastian could not refute this consideration.

He nodded slightly: "I agree, Lord Rune."

Rune's brows finally relaxed completely, and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.

"That's good," he said. "Then it's settled."

Looking at his smile, Sebastian felt a slight relaxation in his tense state.

Three years later, what Lord Tapimy will see is a home worth returning to.

Looking at Sebastian's relieved expression, Rune suddenly felt a strange mix of emotions.

He certainly knew what Sebastian was thinking.

But... Sebastian will probably realize the key to it soon.

If Sebastian reveals Touchi's identity to Ainz, given Ainz's personality, he will most likely help revive Reno.

After all, that was someone cherished by "Touchimi's reincarnation," and Ainz had no reason to refuse.

But now, Sebastian must keep it a secret.

He couldn't reveal Touchimi's identity to Ainz, yet he also had to keep his promise to resurrect Reno. With these two things combined, only one path remained.

Sebastian must lie to Ainz.

'So, even an upright person like Sebastian...can he gradually fall into depravity?'

Chapter 104 Retreat

The night was deep, and the campfire at the edge of the camp had burned out, leaving only dark red embers flickering in the night wind, occasionally bursting into a spark or two, which were then blown away by the wind and disappeared into the boundless darkness.

Sebastian stood outside the Tachimi tent, peering through the gaps in the tent flap to confirm that the boy was fast asleep.

Touchimi placed Leno's body on the makeshift bed, then sat down beside him and fell asleep. His brows were still slightly furrowed, as if he couldn't find peace even in his dreams, and his lips occasionally moved as if he were still murmuring a name.

Sebastian's gaze lingered on the boy for a long time.

He wanted to go in and cover the boy with a blanket, but he was afraid of waking him. In the end, he simply lowered the curtain and turned to step into the night.

Sebastian moved quickly, the hem of his black tuxedo billowing in the night wind like a silent flag.

He has made his decision.

Lord Tapimi was so badly injured.

When Sebastian arrived at the camp, he saw the boy lying in a pool of blood after unleashing his [Innate Ability], and his heart almost stopped beating for a moment.

He thought he was going to lose Lord Touchme again, having just found him, only to lose him once more...

Although it was precisely because of this that he was able to find Lord Touchme again, Sebas still did not appreciate the Orc King's kindness.

The Orc King must pay the price.

Sebastian's eyes turned colder, and he quickened his pace, speeding towards the direction where the remnants of the orcish army were stationed.

The night wind swept across the valley between the hills, carrying the scent of dust and withered grass. In the distance, a faint, dark red light flickered, probably from the campfire of the orc remnant army's camp.

Sebastian crossed the last hill, and the camp of the orcish remnants came into view.

It wasn't quite what he expected.

The campsite was even more dilapidated, with some tents collapsed and lying haphazardly on the ground.

The campfires were sparse, and their light cast a gray, somber glow on the dejected faces of the orcs.

The groans of wounded soldiers echoed from every corner, mingling with the howling of the night wind, reverberating throughout the empty camp.

Sebastian slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping over the devastated scene. These orc soldiers, once invincible predators to humans, now resembled a flock of sheep without a shepherd.

But what caught Sebastian's attention most was the flagpole in the center of the camp.

A thick wooden stake stands in the center of the camp, with a head hanging from its top.

The golden lion's mane swayed slightly in the night breeze. Its eyes were completely closed, and its eyelids were not perfectly closed, as if it still had some resentment before it died.

Dried blood trickled down the severed neck, leaving several dark red streaks on the wooden stake.

The orc king's head was hung on the flagpole.

Sebastian stopped and silently stared at the head. Although he had only seen it once from afar on the battlefield, the unique and enormous lion's head confirmed to Sebastian that it was indeed the head of the Orc King.

He originally thought he would need to find the Orc King's location. Perhaps the king was hiding in his tent, or perhaps he had escaped back to the heart of the Orc kingdom. He might need to go through some trouble to find him.

But at that moment, the head hung there on the flagpole, swaying gently in the night breeze.

The sinner who harmed Lord Tapimit is dead.

A complex light flashed in Sebastian's eyes. His anger over Tapchimi's injury suddenly lost its outlet, like punching cotton.

The curtain of the main tent was lifted.

Bazel practically tumbled out, as if he had just been startled awake from a dream. He hadn't even had time to put on his leather armor and rushed out with his upper body bare.

"Lord Sebastian!"

Bazel's voice was hurried, but he still tried to put on a fawning smile. His tiger-like face looked both comical and humble in the embers of the campfire.

He stopped in front of Sebastian and performed a gesture of respect, pressing his forehead to the ground with his paws on the earth, a perfect posture as if he had practiced it countless times.

"My lord, what brings you here so late at night?"

Bazel's voice remained as rapid as before, but his tone had become extremely humble, and his tiger tail was tightly tucked behind him, signifying complete submission.

Sebastian's gaze passed over Bazel and landed on the head that was hanging high.

Bazel followed his gaze, as if he had just noticed Sebastian's focus. He gave a look of sudden realization, then changed to an indignant tone.

"My lord, this is the price of dishonest conduct! The Orc King, by resorting to a sneak attack, offended you and has been executed by all of us orcs! His accomplices have also been executed!"

As he spoke, he gestured toward the camp behind him.

Several tiger-headed orcs immediately emerged from the shadows, carrying something in their hands. They walked to the flagpole and threw the object on the ground.

Sebastian's gaze swept over and landed on several lion-orc heads.

Seeing Sebastian's gaze fall on the severed heads, Bazel quickly added, "These men were all accomplices of the Orc King. Our Orc Kingdom has thoroughly eradicated these scoundrels; Your Majesty can rest assured!"

Sebastian remained silent for a moment.

All the orcs who harmed Lord Touchimi are dead.

Sebastian could only respond calmly, "I understand."

Bazel breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile returned to his tiger-like face, but then he remembered something and quickly knelt down.

"My lord! The Orcish Kingdom is currently drafting a detailed surrender document! Please give us a little more time, and we will certainly write the surrender document to your satisfaction!"

As Sebastian watched him kneel on the ground admitting his mistake, the frustration he felt over not being able to avenge Lord Touchmy himself gradually dissipated.

“Get up,” he said.

Bazel stood up cautiously, but still bowed, his posture extremely humble.

Sebastian said nothing more, turned around, and walked back the way he came.

Bazel stood there, watching the figure in the black tuxedo disappear into the night, before finally daring to straighten his back.

He let out a long breath, looked around the entire orc camp, and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"We...survived."

Bazel muttered to himself, his voice filled with the relief of surviving a disaster, and a hint of desolation that he himself did not realize.

The following morning, as the first rays of dawn broke through the darkness.

When Sebastian lifted Rune's tent flap, Rune was sitting at the simple military table with a map of the Dragon Kingdom's borders spread out in front of him.