My family runs an adventurer's guild.

Chapter 143, The Astonishment of the Young Pharmacist Enfield

Ever since he was ambushed and kidnapped in the village of Kahn, the young pharmacist Enferea Barreya has been in a daze.

Who are the kidnappers? Why did they kidnap me?

Also, they kidnapped me, but then just left me there. What was their purpose?

In fact, as a descendant of a "god-man" (player) with supernatural abilities and the heir of a famous family of apothecaries, Enfilea is a minor celebrity in the fortress city of Ye Lantier on the border of the kingdom, and even has some connections with the upper class in the city.

In this medieval country with its aristocratic feudal system, it was already very enviable for an ordinary commoner to have such a status.

Moreover, Enferea possesses the extremely rare innate ability to "use any item." Even the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital occasionally have to politely send him gifts and ask for his help in appraising some magical items of unknown origin.

—Because many precious magical items circulating in the market are either restricted to a certain non-human race or can only be activated by someone with the bloodline of a certain royal family, human buyers who manage to acquire them are quite troubled.

Enferea's innate ability allows him to use any magical item, ignoring all the prerequisites and restrictions attached to it.

Therefore, although he was young and not a nobleman, the young apothecary Enfilea-Barreare was actually considered to be of the upper class.

In short, about ten days ago, Enferea-Barreare, as usual, hired several adventurers in the city to escort him to the village of Kahn, which is close to the Great Forest of Duwu, to buy and collect herbs from the forest. The adventurers here would act as both guards and laborers to carry the goods.

To save money, Enferea usually hired the cheapest bronze-level adventurers for such matters. However, the surrounding countryside had been unsettled lately, with reports of knights from the Bahars Empire harassing villages, burning and killing, causing widespread fear among passing merchants. For safety's sake, Enferea decided to splurge this time, hiring a four-person silver-level adventurer team, the "Black Sword," believing it would ensure everything went smoothly.

And indeed, there were no problems on the way from the fortress city of Ye Lantier to the village of Karn. Although they encountered an attack by goblins and ogres along the way, the Black Sword adventurer group fought bravely and completed the journey safely.

It wasn't until Enferea arrived at Kahn Village and saw the villagers busily erecting fences and digging trenches that she learned with surprise that Kahn Village had recently been attacked by Imperial knights, suffering extremely heavy casualties and nearly being massacred. Fortunately, a group of powerful foreign adventurers had stayed overnight in the village and volunteered to help the villagers repel the Imperial cavalry, allowing Kahn Village to barely escape the calamity.

Nevertheless, the villagers couldn't guarantee they wouldn't have such good luck again, so they had no choice but to quickly strengthen their defenses.

Then, to the relief of the young apothecary Enferea, his childhood friend and secret crush, Anri, a girl from Carne Village, was unharmed in the midst of the war. Tragically, however, Anri's parents and younger sister all perished at the hands of the "Imperial Knights."

Seeing his beloved Anri, who had suddenly become an orphan, squatting listlessly in the empty house all day, looking like a walking corpse, the still innocent young man Enfield couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Just as the young apothecary Enferea was privately pondering whether he should try to persuade Anri to leave Carne Village with him and return to the city to live together (as a child bride?) after finishing his herb-gathering work, he encountered the group of foreign adventurers who had saved Carne Village in the forest.

However, before Enferea could exchange more than a few pleasantries with them, the "foreign adventurers" suddenly turned hostile, knocking him unconscious with a blow and capturing him. The four silver-ranked adventurers from the [Black Sword] were also wiped out before they could even put up a fight.

Next, Enferea and the four silver-ranked adventurers from the Black Sword had their luggage and weapons confiscated and were imprisoned in some unknown jail. At first, they thought about whether they could escape, but apart from an iron fence on one side and a lit alley behind it, the cell didn't even have a window. They didn't know where to start their escape, so they quickly had to accept their fate.

After all, although the cell was dark and gloomy, it was at least clean, without any musty or rotten smells. Their kidnappers hadn't tortured them; they'd simply thrown them into the cell and left them alone. Maids brought them bread and soup every day, and occasionally meat… With no hope of escape, these five unfortunate souls could only try to find some humor in their misery, treating it as a vacation.

However, after a long period of such boring days, even without suffering any hardship, they couldn't help but start to have wild thoughts.

"...Young Master, tell me, what exactly did you do to be captured by such a powerful expert?"

Lucrete, a scout from the Black Sword, casually asked, "...Did they kidnap you for ransom? Or are they enemies?"

"...You've asked this question countless times already! As for the current situation, I know absolutely nothing, just like you!"

Enferea replied with a troubled expression, "...I was knocked unconscious in the forest, and when I woke up I was already in this cell..."

"...You really don't recognize any of the murderers who killed us?" Lukelut asked suspiciously, clearly not believing him.

"...I don't know them, I really don't know them, not a single one! I've never seen a mage who can bring along orc followers!"

The young pharmacist, Enferea, shook his head frantically. "...Speaking of which, I still want to ask you where I'm being held right now!"

"...We don't know where we are either." Captain Peter shook his head. "...We were also thrown in while unconscious."

"...Hmm, I feel like this windowless cell is underground, maybe a private dungeon in some noble mansion..."

The old druid of the Black Sword frowned and speculated, "...But the air in the cell is always fresh, never damp, which means this dungeon is probably very large...Could it be in the palace of some country?"

"...Hmm, perhaps only royalty could afford to have such stunning beauties as maids!"

Recalling the beautiful appearance of the maid who used to bring him meals every day, Lucrete couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Before he could finish speaking, a series of crisp footsteps echoed from the end of the passageway outside the iron fence. Lucrete immediately adopted a cheeky expression and called out with feigned laughter, "...Pretty maid! Why is the mealtime earlier today?"

However, what appeared before them was not the familiar maid, but a man in a suit with dark skin... no, this guy was clearly no longer human! Because he had a metal-encased tail with spikes at the end!

Behind him, faint, dark demonic flames surged, and despite his gentlemanly attire, he could not conceal his terrifyingly evil aura.

The man first looked around at the prisoners, pleased to see the terror on their faces, before loudly announcing:

"...Feel honored, you lowly ants! The great and supreme being summons you!"

Chapter 144, Ainz Ooal Gown is turning in his grave!

The tall and wide corridor seemed to stretch on forever.

Although there were no windows on the walls on either side, the entire corridor was illuminated as brightly as day by luxurious chandeliers.

The dazzling array of glittering decorations, from murals to sculptures to tapestries, is breathtaking and exudes an aura of opulence.

Carefully following behind the devilish gentleman with a lizard tail, the young apothecary Enfilea and the four silver-ranked adventurers of the [Black Sword] adventure group tiptoed along the glittering, luxurious corridor, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Because the unparalleled scenery that unfolded before their eyes along the way had almost completely captivated them.

Even the candlesticks were cast from ores, and the picture frames were covered with expensive fine steel!

Such an extravagant building could probably be called the abode of the gods.

Faced with a scene as luxurious and magnificent as a mythical world, it would be abnormal for these ordinary people to remain calm.

Therefore, whoever they were, hunched their shoulders, acutely aware of their own insignificance and vulgarity.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a huge door appeared at the end of the corridor. A goddess was carved on the right side of the door, and a demon statue was on the left.

"...This is the Throne Hall. The Supreme Being awaits you there!"

Pointing to the gate ahead, the demon strategist Demiurge announced this.

Then, as if they were waiting for his words, the two heavy doors slowly opened without anyone's intervention.

The high ceilings and the vast halls suddenly came into view.

The white walls, golden reliefs, and towering dome are breathtaking.

Several magnificent crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, crafted from colorful gemstones, emit a dazzling, dreamlike glow.

Huge and magnificent flags hung from the ceiling on both sides. In the center of the hall, a long, bright red carpet was laid out.

Although Enferea had seen some truly luxurious aristocratic mansions, compared to this place, it was far inferior even to a doghouse.

The terrifying aura emanating from inside the door caused Enferea and his group to turn deathly pale in an instant!

His body was trembling slightly, his jaw was chattering, large beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and he was almost about to let out a cry of anguish.

—Standing inside this gate are powerful beings whose indescribable might can be felt with just a glance!

Demons, dragons, orcs, armored golems, bipedal insects, dark elves, vampires... their races and forms are diverse, but most of them possess extraordinary power that inspires fear at first glance, making it impossible to muster the courage to oppose them.

Nevertheless, driven by the demon strategist Demiurge, they shakily entered and knelt in the center of the carpet.

After catching his breath for a moment, Enferea cautiously raised his head and followed the crimson carpet forward. He saw a short, orange-haired cat-person and a beautiful woman with black wings on her back, curved horns on her head, and wearing a pure white dress.

Her face, adorned with a faint smile, resembled that of a goddess, but her golden, vertical pupils sent chills down one's spine, as if being stared at by a ferocious beast.

On the crystal throne further inside was a black-haired man wielding a giant magic wand (Ainz Ainz in human form).

He wore a magnificent crown and a luxurious black robe. Several rings on his fingers shimmered with a captivating magical light.

Although his face was ordinary, his eyes shone with a blood-red light that instilled fear in those who looked at him.

The aura surrounding him was so terrifying that people almost dared not look him in the eye.

It is like a transcendent being that has gathered and condensed all the darkness, comparable only to the gods.

And so, Enferea and the four silver-ranked adventurers of the [Black Sword] adventurer group knelt fearfully in the center of the carpet for a long time before they heard the black-robed king on the crystal throne speak in a majestic tone:

"...Adventurers! I am the master of this Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Sorcerer King who has slept for a thousand years, Ainz Ooal Gown!"

"I slept for a thousand years, but now I have awakened, ready to rise from my tomb and rebuild my kingdom of Nazarick!"

"...Uh, Your Majesty, we are honored to have an audience with you. However, is there anything you need our help with?"

Seeing his companions, all pale-faced, drenched in sweat, trembling, and nearly fainting from fright, Peter, the captain of the [Black Sword] adventurer group, had no choice but to steel himself and say, "...If there's anything we can do to help you, please don't hesitate to let us know..."

"...There is only one thing I need you to do, and that is to return to the fortress city of Ye Lantier and bring me a message!"

Ainz Ooal Gown declared, "...Tell the world that I, the Sorcerer King who has slumbered for a thousand years, am coming soon! If you do not wish to suffer a pain worse than death, kneel and surrender before my banners when my army reaches the city walls!"

"...This...Great King! We are happy to serve you, but the people in the city may not believe us..."

Captain Peter said somewhat awkwardly, while the female steward Albedo, standing next to Ainz Ooal Gown, immediately stepped forward and sternly rebuked him:

"...You lowly ant, do you intend to defy the will of the Supreme Being?"

“…No…I didn’t, I didn’t…” Peter was so frightened that he became incoherent and waved his hands repeatedly.

"...No need to be so demanding, Yalbed. It's just a declaration of war. As long as they get the message across, that's enough!"

Ainz gestured for Albedo to step back, "...Of course, as a generous monarch, I won't let you work for nothing."

With a wave of his hand, a small pile of treasure suddenly appeared on the carpet. Among them were an ebony staff inlaid with jade, a hunting dog statue made of obsidian, a candlestick made of pale amethyst, a tapestry depicting a black dragon in flight, a small gold bottle decorated with gemstones, and countless gold ingots, silver rings, and steel blocks of various sizes... all gleaming under the light, causing Peter and the others to stare wide-eyed.

"...Each of you may choose one item from here as payment for having me deliver your message."

Ainz said, as if showing off his wealth, "...Take the things and leave quickly! Demiurge will escort you out."

However, when the four adventurers each chose an item, and Enferea wanted to join in, Ainz stopped her.

"...However, this young apothecary cannot leave for the time being; I have other plans for him..."

Chapter 145, The World Cannot Be Governed Immediately

After the four adventurers of the Black Sword each took a valuable item and left, and the dejected Enferea was escorted back to her cell by several vampire brides, Ainz on the throne finally breathed a sigh of relief and then asked Firi, who was standing next to him.

"...By the way, Philisan, why are you so insistent on recruiting this boy named Enferea? Although he claims to be an apothecary, I checked the homemade potions he carries with him before, and their quality is far inferior to the lowest-grade healing potions produced in the Great Tomb of Nazarick!"

Ainz said suspiciously, "...While there's definitely a need for potion vendors in the starting area, his skill level is just too low, isn't it?"

"...I know, the Great Tomb of Nazarick has its own alchemy workshop that can produce all sorts of low-level items and potions. In terms of effectiveness and quality, they are far superior to the products of the native humans of this world, so it seems there's no need to recruit native apothecaries anymore."

The problem is that the healing potions produced in the Great Tomb of Nazarick require materials unique to the game [YGGDRASIL], and we currently have nowhere to replenish these; we can only use our existing stock, which is essentially depleting as we use them.

Firi explained to Ainz, "...while the potions made by that young man Enfield are less effective, they only require herbs produced in this world as raw materials, and theoretically can be produced indefinitely. Therefore, they are more suitable for beginner villages where low-level potions are consumed in large quantities..."

“…I see…” Ainz nodded. “…Indeed, beginner villages don’t need high-level potions…”

"...Moreover, recruiting this little brother Enferea has another advantage: it can serve as a benchmark for recruiting traitors."

The silver dragon, Lulutia, emerged from behind a screen and said to Ainz, "...After conquering the fortress city of Yelantier, we'll definitely need the cooperation of the local dignitaries to establish a stable order of rule. This young man, Enferea, is a minor celebrity in that city. If he could serve as a role model and take up an official position here, more talented people would follow suit and join us..."

"...Recruiting defectors? Is it necessary?" Ainz asked. "...Isn't the military strength of the Great Tomb of Nazarick already sufficient to conquer the continent?"

"...The problem is, we can conquer the world while riding a warhorse, but we can't govern the world while riding a warhorse, meow!"

Firi replied, "...With our military superiority, conquering a city is easy, but governing it is much more troublesome. Look at the Great Tomb of Nazarick, how many people are capable of being civil officials, collecting taxes, and maintaining order? It seems like only Sebastian and Demiurge are capable, right? Hmm, the Terror Lord might be able to manage the demi-human race, and Albedo has to stay behind to manage the internal affairs of the Great Tomb; he can't be sent out casually..."

"...Wait a minute, can't we appoint players as civil servants?" Ainz Ooal Gown retorted. "...That old Kunkka seems to be a retired official, right? I just talked to some of the new players and found that there are quite a few retired officials among them!"

"...Letting players manage the occupied territories is certainly an option. But can you accept a group of subordinates who are absent from work for more than twenty days every month?"

Phil sighed, "...Although they have experience as civil servants, they come here to play games and relax, not to continue working hard! Unless we pay them to be hired, we can't get them to log in on time every day like they're going to work."

Unfortunately, our company doesn't have that much capital right now, so we need to win over the local forces for the time being..."

"...Ahem! It seems being a ruler is quite a headache! Oh well, let's deal with the future later!"

Ainz Ooal Gown sighed, "...Our mission now is to march out and take down the fortress city of Elantil!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The fortress city of Yelantil sits atop a gentle hill, surrounded and protected by three layers of tall, sturdy walls.

This is the only border between the kingdom and the empire, and the only way for the enemy country in the east to invade the kingdom. It can be compared to the Khyber Pass in ancient India, or the Iserlohn fortress in "Legend of the Galactic Heroes". Therefore, it has always been heavily guarded and impregnable.

In ancient Chinese military terminology, this was a triple-walled "barbican," or more commonly, a "city within a city," meaning that another ring of walls was built inside the city to enhance its defensive capabilities. Yelantil, possessing these triple walls, not only spared no expense in constructing two more cities within the city itself, but also deliberately avoided placing the gates of each inner city at the openings of the outer walls. This forced enemies who had finally breached the outer walls to undertake a circuitous journey before finding the gates of the second layer of walls.

A city with this structure is undoubtedly a nightmare for any siege attacker. Imagine, after overcoming countless hardships and finally breaching one wall, only to be met with another wall, even taller and thicker than the first. Such a stark contrast is enough to drive any elite soldier to despair. And during a siege, this shock might even occur twice.

Moreover, the fortress city of Ye Lantier needs to guard against enemies not only from outside the city, but also from within the city walls.

Between the outermost and second layers of walls of Yelantil lies a large, special area surrounded by high walls and watchtowers. Unlike the fortified inner city, the stone walls and watchtowers surrounding this area, while equally sturdy, are not directed outwards, but rather inwards.

—It's a very strange design. It's not for defending against external enemies, but for protecting the people inside. It feels like a prison, a prisoner-of-war camp, or a concentration camp.

But this place is not actually a place to imprison living people, but a public cemetery for the fortress city of Ye Lantier.

The cemetery of the fortress city of Yelantil was built with such heavy security, resembling a prison or concentration camp, to prevent the emergence of the undead. Or rather, to prevent the dead from rising from their graves and disturbing the world of the living.

Although there is still no definitive theoretical explanation for the existence of the immortals in the academic circles of this world, the people of this world at least know that unclean beings called spirits are often born at the place of death of all living beings.

Among them, those who died violent deaths or were left unattended—those burdened with resentment at the time of their death—have the highest probability of being reborn as undead creatures. Evidence of this is that groups of undead frequently roam freely in battlefields and ruins.

Chapter 146, The Funny Sister's Annoyance