My family runs an adventurer's guild.

Sitting in the carriage hired by the Adventurers' Guild in Totoro Town, Ainz ate and drank heartily while lost in thought.

On the small table in front of him were all sorts of food: grilled fish, fried shrimp, roasted potatoes, roasted corn, kebabs, small cakes, vegetable pies, cantaloupe, coffee, beer... Although they were just ordinary items bought from street vendors, Ainz still ate happily.

Because he hadn't had a proper meal in ages!

Let alone after he became Ainz Ooal Gown, even when he was still Suzuki Satoru, a 22nd-century office worker, his diet was appalling.

—On that dystopian nightmare Earth where natural resources are depleted, space travel is hopeless, and the environment is so polluted that normal farming is impossible, fresh, natural fruits, vegetables, and meats can only be produced in ecological cities that resemble giant greenhouses. They are extremely expensive and are the privilege of the rich.

As for the lower and middle-class civilians who are isolated outside the eco-city, they can only barely fill their stomachs with artificially synthesized foods.

At the time, Suzuki Satoru, a salaryman, spent all his meager salary on in-game purchases, forcing him to cut his personal expenses to a minimum. He lived in the most dilapidated old house and ate the cheapest synthetic nutritional meal packs, which weren't even solid and tasted like clumps of glue and paste.

In such a harsh and impoverished living environment, he naturally couldn't taste any delicious food.

When he transmigrated to the world of "Overlord" and became the mighty Ainz Ooal Gown, although he could easily obtain all kinds of fine wine and food, his skeletal body prevented him from eating or drinking. Even when his butler Sebastian brewed him the finest black tea, Ainz could only smell its aroma.

Can you imagine the agony of having a table laden with fine food and wine, delicacies you've never tasted before, yet being unable to eat a single bite or drink a drop? It's pure hell!

So, as soon as Ainz stepped out of the Temple of Sleep and smelled the delicious aroma wafting from the food stalls outside, he felt a surge of hunger and could no longer move. He had no choice but to beg Firi to buy him a lot of food and drinks to take into the carriage so he could enjoy them slowly along the way.

Across from Ainz, Shalltear, who had become human in this world, was also eating pudding and cake while covering her nose.

Seeing how much she enjoyed her meal, Ainz couldn't help but feel a little curious.

"...Shalltear, why do you seem to be enjoying your meal? Didn't you eat and drink just as well in the Great Tomb of Nazarick?"

“…Yes, in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, I would occasionally go to bars. But back then, I didn’t find human food particularly delicious; only drinking blood brought me pleasure… But here, after changing bodies, eating these things feels completely different!” Shalltear said somewhat shyly, picking up her coffee.

Chapter 200, The Golden Dragon King's Summoning

So it turns out that even Shalltear, who seems to have a physical body, is just like me; after becoming a ghost, she can no longer enjoy delicious food!

It seems that even vampires, who look very much like humans, are still a kind of undead creature after all!

As Ainz pondered these thoughts, he glanced out the car window out of the corner of his eye and saw Kurasuke's cheeks bulging from eating.

Ah, while the two of us were having a meal in the car, the big hamster Cangzhu outside seemed to be being fed all the way and was eating happily!

—As a living body pillow ordered by Princess Catherine of the Golden Dragon, Kousuke also "had the honor" of coming to Firi and the others' world. At this moment, it is following behind the carriage that Ainz and Shalltear are riding in, heading to the royal capital, Thousand Sails City, while enjoying the attention and feeding from the onlookers along the way.

In fact, in the fortress city of Ye-Lantir in the world of "Overlord", the fluffy hamster Kurasuke would cause a sensation every time he went out, with crowds of citizens coming to watch.

However, at that time, the citizens of Ye-Lantir City who came to watch the spectacle only cautiously watched Kurasuke strutting confidently down the street, whispering among themselves with tones of surprise, admiration, and fear, praising him as "a truly remarkable magical beast," and saying things like "you can feel its immense power just by looking into its eyes." But they didn't even dare to touch him, let alone feed him.

However, on the streets of Totoro Town, whether it was humans, elves, cat people, dwarves, or any other race, everyone who saw Kurasuke, this fluffy hamster, would come up to him with curiosity, rubbing and touching him, even using a large brush to stroke his fur. At the same time, they would take out a lot of potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, bread, cabbage, and salted fish and put them in front of Kurasuke to feed him. Although hamsters should theoretically like to eat nuts and seeds, for Kurasuke, whose body is as big as a bear, nuts were only good for filling his teeth.

Furthermore, Ernest, the fake dragon owner of the Gladiator's Tavern, generously offered a barrel of nearly spoiled wine for Kurasuke to drink. However, to prevent Kurasuke from becoming a "Kung Fu Drunkard" and causing trouble throughout the town, Phil firmly stopped him.

Ah, Totoro Town is such a nice place! The residents are all so warm and generous, offering food to everyone they meet!

Unlike those misers in the fortress city of Ye-Lantir, who wandered the streets several times without finding anyone willing to treat them to a meal…

As Kurasuke crunched away at the large pumpkin, he happily thought to himself, occasionally letting out a few adorable squeaking sounds.

However, if Kurasuke could understand the whispers of the cat people in Totoro Town, he probably wouldn't be in such a good mood.

"...What a fat rat! If we roasted it, it would be enough to throw a feast for the whole town!"

"...Looking at its round and plump shape, it'll definitely be very juicy when it's baked! *slurp*"

"...If you were to serve a whole roasted rat at a banquet, it would be far more impressive than any whole roasted pig or lamb!"

"...I guess only a whole roasted whale could be bigger than it? But nobody knows how to make a whole roasted whale, meow!"

"...Don't even dream about it! This giant rat is a pet reserved by Her Highness the Lord (Princess Catherine). How dare you even think about eating it?"

"...It's alright, young girls are all fickle...We can wait until His Highness no longer wants to keep them before we buy them! My daughter used to have a little rabbit that she would sleep with every day last year, but this year she already slaughtered it herself and made rabbit soup for a treat..."

"...So, His Highness will roast it himself, and we still won't get to eat it!"

"...That's true! But dragons probably don't like eating mice, right?"

Fortunately, this isn't the Overlord world where all intelligent races speak the same language and even goblins can communicate with humans. And Firi hadn't cast the [Language Proficiency] spell on Kurasuke, so the giant hamster couldn't understand what the residents of Totoro Town were saying at all…

Let it leave this "hospitable" town in a pleasant mood!

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Besides eating and drinking, Ainz also observed other aspects of the town and discovered many traces of Overlord.

For example, outside the Adventurers' Guild in Totoro Town, there's a billboard advertising the game "Overlord" featuring characters like Ainz Ooal Gown and Princess Lana.

"...For whom do the bugles sound? Why do we fight?"

The large-scale war instance in the game "Overlord"—[Kingdom Civil War]—is now open, awaiting the brave to join!

You can become a follower of the Queen and save the declining Kingdom of Riyestege;

They can also become rebellious ambitious individuals who see war and turmoil as stepping stones to advancement.

You can become a hero of justice, a kind warrior who protects civilians;

They can also become bloodthirsty overlords, displaying their heroic spirit amidst the flames of war.

The flames of war have been lit, the drums of war have sounded! Quickly don your cloak and armor, pick up your sword and wand, and head to that otherworldly realm of swords and shadows to forge your own empire and write your own heroic legend!

Additionally: To facilitate game strategies for our customers, our guild has recently released supplementary resource collections, "An Introduction to the Geography and Culture of the Kingdom of Riyestege" and "Genealogical Records of Major Noble Families in the Kingdom of Riyestege," complete with numerous exquisite images. Stock is limited, so purchase quickly…

Looking out the car window at the billboards advertising the game *Overlord*, and at the *Overlord* brochures held by passersby, Ainz felt a rather strange feeling. Although he already knew that the "Kingdom of Nazarick" he had created in that world was actually a beginner's village in the game, and he had often interacted with players from that world, seeing himself now as an NPC in the game on those billboards…

How should I put it? I wouldn't say I dislike or hate it, but it just feels a bit strange.

"...It seems that the game 'Overlord' is being promoted quite well here?" After thinking for a moment, he tentatively asked Phil.

"...Ah, not bad. In just a few short months, the number of registered players has reached 50,000, and there are tens of thousands of regular players."

Phil replied, "...It's incredibly popular! With a little more effort, we might reach 100,000 players!"

"...What? Only 50,000 players?" Ainz asked, somewhat surprised. "...That's considered popular?"

"...Mr. Ainz, you can't compare this place to Earth! The total population of the Golden Dragon Kingdom is only three million!"

Phil spread his paws helplessly, "...Having tens of thousands of players log in is already a remarkable success!"

“…I see…That makes sense, your population is rather small.” Ainz nodded. “…So, Senior Firi, what is the reason that the King of this country has summoned me? Could you give me some information first, so I have some idea?”

"...Don't worry, it's definitely good news! My silver dragon mistress has already inquired and found that Princess Catherine and the entire royal family are very satisfied with your work in the Overlord world, so His Majesty the Dragon King plans to reward you!"

Phil smiled reassuringly and said, "...Of course, there will probably be some things to be aware of, and I'll discuss them with you then..."

Chapter 201, The End of the Overlord World

Perhaps for reasons of secrecy, King Alaric Ingram, the "Builder" of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, did not allow Ainz's carriage to enter the palace in the capital city of Thousand Sails directly. Instead, he arranged the meeting place in a royal hunting ground on the outskirts of Thousand Sails.

In this beautiful and scenic forest, His Majesty Alaric Ingram, accompanied by his queen, princesses, and princes, received a living version of Ainz, as well as the cat-like Firi and the silver dragon Lulutia—the actual operators of the game OVERLORD.

During this audience, the two sides had a very frank conversation, exchanged their views fully, and greatly enhanced their mutual understanding.

King Alaric stated that this "dreamlike" otherworldly adventure game, jointly developed by the Adventurers' Guild of Totoro Town and the Church of Hypnos, not only provides the kingdom's three million subjects with a novel form of entertainment but also has excellent training and educational value.

Currently, the Adventurers' Guild in the Golden Dragon Kingdom has begun using the game "OVERLORD" as a platform to train novice adventurers, so that they won't, like in the past, recklessly venture into the wilderness without any experience and then lose their lives to goblins, wolves, or even getting sick from rain, food poisoning, or diarrhea. For the vast and sparsely populated Golden Dragon Kingdom, every able-bodied young adult is a precious resource.

However, since this is a guild-organized training session, it should be as close to real combat as possible. At the very least, novice adventurers shouldn't be allowed to freely spend money in the game to buy powerful items. Otherwise, while the combat might be exciting, wouldn't they be doomed when actually adventuring outside the game without the items they acquired through in-game purchases?

Furthermore, experience from the game world cannot be directly applied, as there are still significant differences in the types of magic and monster ecology between the two sides.

Meanwhile, the army of the Golden Dragon Kingdom was also experimenting with using the game "OVERLORD" for combat training. On one hand, it was to train new recruits, allowing them to become accustomed to blood and death in the game, so as to avoid panic in the face of real battles; on the other hand, it was to use the otherworldly battlefield to test various tactics and cultivate a group of officers who truly possessed command abilities, rather than those who only knew how to talk about war on paper.

Even the civil servants and noble lords of the Golden Dragon Kingdom wanted to use the game "OVERLORD" to train newly recruited rookies and noble heirs in administrative management, letting them practice how to adjudicate cases, collect taxes and labor, and organize projects. If this were done in real positions, any mistakes would often lead to a major disaster that would cause everyone a lot of headaches.

However, in a game, it's just a matter of spending a little money to learn a lesson.

King Alaric even wanted to let his other children try managing a piece of land in the OVERLORD game world before granting them fiefdoms, so as to gain some basic experience and avoid any embarrassing mistakes or chaos after they were actually granted fiefdoms.

In response, Ainz stated that he would do his best to cooperate in the Kingdom of Nazarick and provide opportunities for special players who need them to gain practical experience, as the Great Tomb of Nazarick is currently lacking in reliable civil servants. However, he also hoped that the "internship" in the Golden Dragonflight Kingdom wouldn't go too far.

Of course, OVERLORD is ultimately a form of entertainment, and compared to the "traditional entertainment" of a magical medieval feudal kingdom, such as gambling, gladiatorial combat, alcoholism, and visiting brothels, it can be described as a safe and cost-effective "Buddhist-style entertainment."

It won't lead to drunken brawls, and the cost is far less than gambling. Even if you're partying every night in an "online brothel" in another world, there's no real risk of contracting venereal diseases. The only price to pay is for players to sleep more at home or in the Temple of the Sleeping God.

For rulers, otaku who are used to staying at home are much easier to manage than biker gangs and hippies who like to do dangerous things.

For elderly people who are feeling empty, lonely, and bored all day due to mobility difficulties, this game greatly enriches their later years.

However, just as the widespread adoption of computer games in modern Earth society has caused numerous social problems, the more realistic time-travel game *OVERLORD* has also led to some undesirable consequences in the Golden Dragon Kingdom.

For example, some players cannot accept the gap between the game world and real life after logging off—in the world of OVERLORD, he is a powerful and number one player, but in real life, he is a poor person who is bullied every day, and as a result, he can't stand it and starts to cause trouble.

Other players, due to excessive addiction to the game "OVERLORD", have become estranged from their families, neglected their work, and caused family discord.

Some players, after having a blast leveling up in the game "OVERLORD," simply follow the game's experience and, without registering with the Adventurers' Guild, confidently grab a longsword and head to Westfall to fight monsters... However, in reality, players don't have the pay-to-win skills and items from the game "OVERLORD," and the monsters in the two worlds have slightly different strengths and habits, often resulting in disastrous defeats.

Some players, after participating in several wars and raids in the game "OVERLORD", even went so far as to ambitiously form bandit groups and thief guilds, adding a certain degree of security pressure to the law enforcement agencies of the Golden Dragon Kingdom.

In response, Ainz said he didn't have a good solution either, and could only strengthen communication between the two sides to deal with the issue gradually in the future.

In conclusion, although some regrets and troubles remain unresolved, the talks have largely achieved their objectives.

—After this meeting, in order to reward Ainz for his contributions to the Golden Dragon Kingdom, His Majesty the Dragon King Alaric conferred upon Ainz Ooal Gown the title of a court viscount without territory and bestowed upon him a seaside villa in Totoro Town as his residence in this world.

(Even in the Middle Ages, court titles without land or stipends were quite cheap; France once granted a court dukedom to a pope's illegitimate son. Another example is the famous Count of Monte Cristo, whose title was bought with money and who didn't actually have any substantial land or subjects.)

The cat-like Firi and the silver dragon Lulutia, who also attended the audience, were later bestowed titles—Lulutia was granted the title of Countess of the Court, while Firi, being both a magical pet and a minor, only received the title of Knight, albeit a knight with a fiefdom. However, until he came of age, Firi's fiefdom existed only in the court's records; he would only be formally granted the title upon reaching adulthood.

In any case, from now on, Phil can rightfully be complimented as the Cat Knight or Cat Lord!

Thus, His Majesty Alaric's plan was a complete success, not only further strengthening the royal family's control over the "fantasy online game," but also bringing Ainz Ooal Gown, a destabilizing factor, into the Golden Dragon Kingdom's system.

Of course, this is actually a good thing for Ainz as well...

Chapter 202, Let's begin preparing for a new adventure! (Part 1)

In the Golden Dragon Kingdom, in Totoro Town, the seaside villa bestowed upon Ainz by His Majesty the Dragon King Alaric.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the clouds in the sky red, as well as the beach and forests below.

Two or three seagulls circled and cried out between the vast sea and sky, bathed in the twilight.

Having just finished another afternoon rest, or rather, vigorous exercise, the living Ainz carefully climbed off Shalltear, afraid of waking her—after a vigorous night of lovemaking, the adorable gothic lolita was still fast asleep, her cheeks flushed with an alluring blush.

Then, Ainz draped a loose silk nightgown over himself, drew back the curtains, and squinted at the beautiful beach view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The azure sea, illuminated by the setting sun, was as captivating and dazzling as a jewel under the lamplight.

If you look closely, you can also see a fishing boat returning fully loaded, bobbing up and down on the waves of the blue sea.

On the main road right next to the beach, several soldiers in leather armor were chatting and laughing as they passed by, their long spears gleaming in the setting sun.

Before me lay a magnificent sea view, beneath my feet a luxurious villa, I wore a silk robe, the living room was filled with fine wines and delicacies, and in the bedroom lay a stunningly beautiful woman.

Beautiful women, mansions, fine clothes, gourmet food, fame, status... Ainz seems to have obtained everything that mortals want to pursue.

Even in terms of power, he is the supreme ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick in the world of Overlord.

Powerful beings capable of conquering an entire continent worshipped him as their lord, while a small but fascinating kingdom revered him as its king.

As for further expansion in the Overlord world... to be honest, just managing this "city-state" Nazarick Kingdom, or rather, the game's starting village, is already making Ainz, a king-level village chief, feel somewhat mentally and physically exhausted, and a little tired of it. If he were to govern a larger territory, a larger population, and more complex races... he truly doesn't have the ability, nor the interest.

For otaku with low desires, enough money is enough. For Ainz, having his current territory is already satisfactory.

Even the food, drink, and women he couldn't enjoy in the Overlord world because he was a skeleton, he can now enjoy them in the Golden Dragon Kingdom with a living body. He can even bring his favorite girls from the Overlord world with him. And the price is nothing more than kneeling and submitting to the kings and gods here... For Ainz, who has been a corporate slave and a subservient servant for so many years, this is really no big deal.

Perhaps, if given the chance, I could venture into this world just like I did in exploring the world of Overlord?

Given that, he shouldn't have any complaints. But why... does he still feel a little empty inside?

"...If I stayed on Earth, even if I worked my whole life, I probably wouldn't be able to live in a house like this or appreciate such beautiful scenery. I certainly wouldn't attract the attention of any beautiful women. But...does that mean I'll only be able to live in these two worlds forever and never be able to go back?"

Ainz sighed and muttered to himself, a sense of melancholy welling up inside him for some reason.

Just then, a pair of delicate white hands suddenly appeared and hugged him from behind.

"...Master, you were so amazing just now," Shalltear said coquettishly with a satisfied look on her face. "...I want more! I want to have your babies!"

Hmm? Have a child with Shalltear here? Start a family?

That sounds pretty good.

Compared to that, let those fleeting thoughts and feelings, and the reminiscences of the past, just go for now...

"...Then let's do it again, Shalltear! Give birth to my child here!"

Feeling the smooth skin pressed against his back, Ainz decided to stop thinking about it and turned around again, pinning Shalltear down on the sheets...

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Totoro Town, Lord's Castle, Princess Catherine's bedroom