The sun was significantly less bright this next day, a fair indicator of the mood of the group. Light glances were thrown at Momon and yourself time and time again. Fear, worry, guilt, they all landed the same.
Ninya had tried to apologize to you two earlier that morning, an attempt met with cold silence from your friend and a simple nod from you. Ninya had made an honest mistake, and only wanted to comfort you. That was something they'd have no problem moving past in your eyes.
In order to break the impending silence, Lukrut turned to the group, walking backwards as he did.
"This area has such a great view." He pointed out.
"There's probably no need to walk in formation like this!" He stated, relaxed.
"It's important to be on guard." Peter insisted in response, walking to the left of the horses.
"So true! The greatest enemy is carelessness." Dyne agreed, to the right of the horses.
"A dragon could suddenly launch an attack on us." Ninya reminded Lukrut. In your years of playing Yggdrasil, you never really had to worry about dragon ambushes. That was another game about dragons, fantasy and magic...
"Seriously. Do you really think that would happen, Ninya?" Lukrut asked his teammate.
"Around the area of E-Rantel, there are legends of a dragon that could freely control nature." Ninya stated. After that point was made, they looked to everyone's left, at the distant mountain peak on the horizon.
"And, to the north of the Azerlisia mountains over there, I've heard that there are quite a few living frost dragons." They informed everyone. So the possibility of dragon ambush was real, but as real as the risk of being struck by lightning.
Momon, hearing these words, was of course caught on the legends of the nature controlling dragon. He suddenly cleared his throat and cleared his way into the conversation.
"Ah, do you know the name of the dragon that freely controls nature?" He asked, curious.
"Huh? Oh, not it's name. I will check when we return to town." Ninya promised the Knight. You could check as well with your delivery of books, but it may take a bit.
"Yes. Can you do that for me, Mr. Ninya?" Momon requested. Hearing the sincere request from someone who had just donned a foul, tone-setting mood spread a smile across Ninya's face, their eyes suddenly shining with happiness.
"O-Of course, Mr. Momon!" The whole interaction seemed to spread a positive air through the mortals present in the caravan, before Nphirea spoke up.
"It's just a bit farther to Carne Village!" He announced. You nodded, allowing this new mood to spur on the adventurers, towards Carne Village.
"Huh? That's strange." Nphirea suddenly spoke up with the confused statement as the group crested one of the final hills in the trek.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, allowing himself to get back on guard.
"There wasn't such a strong looking fence there before." Nphirea told him, referring to a large, wooden wall that expanded well past the village itself. Sharpened logs made the top of the fence, discouraging climbers, and as you approached, you noticed shapes behind it, scurrying around in response to the approaching group.
As everyone approached the open gate of this wall, a few armed goblins rounded the sides, weapons out.
"Aren't those goblins?" Lukrut asked, drawing his bow. In response, the goblins that appeared hefted their weapons, ranging from short swords to bows.
"Who the hell are you guys!?" One of the goblins barked out. Just from their voices, their actual clothes, hell, just their eyes, you could tell these goblins weren't the same ones you fought. Those were the eyes of intelligent creatures with a drive, a genuine reason to do what they did.
Even as several goblins appeared from the long grass around you, weapons drawn and ready, you and Momon stood aside as the adventurers were left to heft their weapons in shock.
"Put down your weapons." One of the goblins requested.
"These guys..." Besides you, you caught Momon's whisper.
"Um, guys. We don't want to fight if we don't have to." The goblin in armor, probably the lead one, assured the group.
"Especially the full-plated guys. You two give off real dangerous feelings." He told you and Momon. Ahead, Nphirea grit his teeth, a million emotions and thoughts running through his head at once.
"Who are these guys?!" Peter asked, confused.
"Mr. Goblin, what's going on?" Behind the wall, a female voice called out to the goblin speaking to you all. From behind him strode...
"Oh, boss!" The goblin greeted the very same girl you and Ainz had first saved in Carne village.
"Enri!" Nphirea called out, relieved to see her. Attention taken from the goblins, Enri looked up to the alchemist. Happily, she brought her hands up with a clap.
"Nphirea!"
"Oh! That girl!" Everyone started visibly relaxing at the sight of Enri.
"Definitely." Dyne slung a mace over his shoulder, his previous aggression gone with the wind.
Those goblins were likely summoned by the horn Ainz had first given the two girls. Now that you thought about it, she did also mention her pharmacist friend who came to the village to perform magic. It's really a small world, huh?
Currently, you stood on a hill with the graves of the victims of the knight's attack you and Ainz had quelled. Standing above the village, you looked down as members of the local populous hefted bows at a training dummy for target practice. Every few seconds, directed by Enri's goblins, a wave of arrows flew out, turning the hay target dummy into a pincushion of arrows.
"I admire their improvement." You spoke aloud to Ainz and Nabe, whom you stood beside.
"Is that so?" Nabe asked in response.
"Indeed. From helpless housewives and farmers to archers capable of striking a target consistently in a matter of ten days? It is an admirable change, even if they don't have the greatest skill with their weapons yet." You stated.
"They watched their friends, children, and parents get murdered. Now, they work hard to make sure it doesn't happen again. We must admire them for that." Ainz added. Nabe nodded, turning to bow her head to you.
"I'm very sorry. I did not think that deeply about it." She told you. Before you could assure her of her innocence in the matter, a voice called out.
"Mr. Laurence! Mr. Momon!" You looked down the hillside to see the alchemist, Nphirea, running up towards you.
"Do you have some business with us?" Momon asked.
"Mr. Momon... Mr. Laurence..." Nphirea paused, out of breath from his running.
"Are you two Mr. Ainz Ooal Gown and Mr. Paleblood?" He asked, sweaty and nervous.
"Wha-!" Ainz paused, taken aback as Nabe stiffened, a serious look adorning her face. That seemed to be all the answer Nphirea needed.
"Thank you very much for saving this town, Mr. Gown and Mr. Paleblood!" Nphirea told the both of you.
"No, I'm..." Ainz tried to intervene to deny Nphirea's words before you took out your sword, planting it on the ground to lean on.
"Ainz, please do not deceive the boy after he deduced our identities." You chided him.
"Huh-?" Nphirea paused, taken aback by the sudden sound of a voice from the previously mute warrior.
"And you, do not concern yourself over my voice." You requested. Nphirea slowly nodded as you looked back at Ainz.
"We are keeping our names hidden for a reason, Young Alchemist. Surely, you know and understand that much, no?" You asked, turning back to the alchemist.
"Y...Yes. You have my silence." Nphirea assured you.
"And you have my thanks. Now, what business do you have that would concern us?" You questioned.
"Well, this village... No, I wanted to thank you for saving Enri." Nphirea told you. After a second, a wife smile crossed his face as a small blush set in.
"Thank you very much for saving the woman I love!" He told you, bowing his head.
"Your thanks remain wasted on me, Young Alchemist. Suffering is not something I wish upon the weak and innocent. Please, raise your head." You beckoned.
"Yes, Mr. Paleblood." Nphirea stood straight, facing you.
"And, actually, I've been hiding something from you." He admitted with a sigh. You watched him with curiosity as Ainz turned towards Naberel.
"Nabe, can you leave us alone for a moment?" At the request, Nabe lost her glare.
"Understood." Without another word, she turned away, walking off as Nphirea approached.
"Actually, the red potions you gave to the lady at the inn are very rare and cannot be made using normal methods. That's why I wanted to know what kind of person created it." Nphirea told you. You and Ainz looked at each other, curious as Nphirea continued.
"Also, I wanted to learn how it was made. That's why I requested for Mr. Paleblood." He revealed.
"I see..." Nphirea looked up in surprise at Ainz's dull words.
"I'm very sorry!" Nphirea bowed his head again with a shout.
"What have you to apologize for?" You asked for, bringing a 'huh?' from Nphirea again.
"Your request was a method to contact me, no? What provides such a situation for you to apologize? What I would like to hear from you, is what you would plan with such a potion." You told the boy.
"Huh!? I didn't think that far." Nphirea admitted.
"I just wanted the knowledge." He told you.
"An excellent response. You were raised well, Young Alchemist. Never stop your pursuit for knowledge, learn all you can, alright?" You told him.
"Y-Yes... You're both amazing. I can see why Enri admires you..." Nphirea told you, properly amazed by your words.
"By the way, are you the only one who knows who we are?" Ainz asked.
"Yes, I haven't told anyone!" Nphirea promised.
"Your character is remarkable, Young Alchemist." You told the boy, a light laughter evident in the tone of the fleeting whispers passing through his mind.
"You continue to pleasantly surprise me with your actions and deduction. Remember, we are adventurers called Momon and Laurence right now. It would please me even more if you committed that to your memory." You stated.
"Yes, I thought that's how you'd want it, both of you. Still, thank you for saving Enri and this village!" With one last bow of the head, Nphirea turned again, running back towards the village, and the woman he loved. Beside you, Nabe walked up in response to the concluded conversation.
"Lord Y/n, Lord Ainz, I am very sorry." She told you, taking a bow at your feet.
"That's right. It is because you spoke Albedo's name." Ainz recalled.
"I will apologize with my life." Nabe decided.
"That is unnecessary, Dear Nabe." Your words stopped her just as she drew her blade in a flash, just before she could slice her neck open. Gently, you grabbed her wrist, drawing the blade away.
"We are all victim to mistakes. All I ask of you is to remember your mistake and do your best not to repeat it. You are entirely forgiven, my Dear Nabe." You assured her. She slowly lowered her blade as you took her face in hand, comforting her with your presence alone.
About an hour or so had passed when you, Momon, and the whole adventurer group gathered in front of a massive forest, led by Nphirea.
"We'll be entering the forest from here. Please guard me well." Nphirea requested.
"Well, I'm sure we'll be fine with both Mr. Momon and Mr. Laurence here." Peter remarked.
"Um, sirs..." Nphirea called out to you two, catching your full attention.
"If the Wise King of the Forest appears, please send him away without killing him." He requested.
"Huh!?" Peter let out a quick sound of surprise as Momon responded.
"Why is that?" The armored warrior asked.
"The reason monsters haven't attacked Carne Village until now, is because this is the Wise King of the Forest's territory. If you defeat him..."
"That's impossible, even for them." Lukrut insisted.
"We understand." Momon plainly replied.
"Huh!?" Lukrut reeled back, shocked by the monotonous agreement.
"The opponent is a legendary magical creature that's lived hundreds of years!" He protested.
"Only the strong are allowed an attitude like that." Dyne stated, smiling at the two strongest adventures in front of him.
"So, I have a suggestion." Momon spoke up to Nphirea.
"Feel free, Mr. Momon." Nphirea told him. In response, Momon extended a hand to his side, gesturing at the maid with you two.
"Nabe can use magic similar to Alarm and I'd like the three of us to survey the area around us." He requested.
"I don't mind. But please don't separate from us for too long." Nphirea requested in turn.
"Of course."
Now alone in the dark thickets of the woods, you strode alongside Ainz, with Nabe trailing behind you.
"This area is good." Ainz decided to stop in a slightly more open area. He set his gaze slightly up, raising his voice for his next sentence.
"Now, let's talk about how to spread our great names." He spoke.
"Yes!" A familiar, high voice shouted out in turn, prompting Nabe to turn suddenly and prepare a magic attack at none other than her superior.
"And so, I'm here!" Aura announced from the branches of a large tree. The light from Nabe's magic faded as she drew her hand back.
"Lady Aura! Please don't scare me." She told the dark elf.
"Sorry." The elf called out in response.
"How long have you been here?" Nabe asked Aura as the latter stood up on the tree branch.
"Hm? Since you, Lord Ainz, and Lord Y/n entered the forest." She answered.
"I didn't notice at all." Nabe sighed as Aura spoke up.
"So, I need to find this Wise King of the Forest and send him to you, right?" Aura asked Ainz.
"That's right. Can you do it?" Ainz questioned.
"Yes, of course. I think I know who they're talking about." Aura pondered over it, a hand to her chin.
"All right. It's all up to you, Aura." Ainz encouraged the floor guardian.
"Yes!" With the shout, Aura leapt off the branch and out of sight.
"Momonga, please let me know of your plans." You requested.
"I will fight with the Wise King of the Forest." He answered.
"I see. Battling the ogres wasn't enough in your eyes." You concluded.
"No. For spreading rumors of the adventurers Momon and Laurence in town, defeating the Wise King of the Forest is on a different level than just killing ogres in one hit." Ainz explained.
"I see, I see." You nodded, walking alongside Ainz with your usual upright stance. If Ainz wanted to defeat a legendary creature, who were you to stop him?
It was not much longer that you stood over the Swords of Darkness and Nphirea as the former watched over the latter picking herbs. As Nphirea plucked a few green stems, a sudden rumbling reverberated through the air. In the distance, a black swarm of birds took to the sky, startled.
"Huh?" Nphirea and the others looked up at it, suddenly concerned. Lukrut kneeled down, putting his ear to the ground, closing his eyes to concentrate.
"This is bad." He concluded, standing up again.
"Something big is coming this way." He announced.
"Could it be the Wise King of the Forest?" Nphirea asked. Meanwhile, you and your company stepped forward, leaving your backs to the others.
"Please leave the rest to us." Momon requested.
"Please." Peter nodded.
"We shall depend on you." Dyne added.
"Mr. Momon, Mr. Laurence." You and Momon looked back at Nphirea, who called out to you.
"What is it?" Momon asked. After a second...
"Please don't push yourselves too much." Nphirea requested. You nodded in response.
"Yes. Get out of the forest quickly." Momon ordered. The others did not waste time in following that order.
"I said that, but without any witnesses, they won't know it was the Wise King of the Forest." Ainz spoke aloud, looking back.
"Should I cut off one of it's legs?" He asked. Beside him, Nabe drew her short sword as you hefted the Moonlight Greatsword in front of you.
"I would not recommend that course of action, Mononga." You told your friend. In front of you, a massive cloud of dust began to form, following the sound of stampeding footsteps.
"Looks like our guest has arrived." Ainz noted. As the dust cloud drew closer and closer, Ainz took a single step forward, drawing both of his blades.
After a tense few seconds, a glow flashed from the cloud of dust, and Ainz crossed his sword just in time to block a massive, scaly, green tendril that thrashed against the warrior's blades.
Even your nearly immovable comrade was pushed back a few feet, leaving dark trenches where his feet moved, before the attacked ended, and the tendril whipped back into the darkness of the trees.
And just like that... silence. Well, there was silence, until...
"You were able to completely block my first attack. Admirable, it is." A strange, echoing voice bled through your surroundings.
"It speaks in inverted syntax." You noticed.
"Inverted what?" Ainz looked back at you before the creature spoke again.
"Now, trespassers of my territory. If you leave now, I will not give chase in respect of your admirable defense. What action do you wish to take?"
"A foolish question." Ainz spoke up, putting aside his earlier question to respond.
"Do you not show your face because you lack confidence? Or are you shy?" He challenged.
"Such cocky words, those are." The voice responded.
"Then, feast your eyes upon my form and tremble with awe!" As those words were spoken, the ground began to shudder as a shape approached from the tree line.
You both watched in silence as the creature approached, marked by fiercely glowing eyes. A dark claw appeared at a tree, holding on to boost the creature forward. You hummed, eyes locked on the massive beast as it moved itself into the clearing you all stood in.
A massive, rodent-like shape towered above your body, eyes flashing light and massive green tail lashing from side to side.
"I-I can't believe it..." Ainz muttered at the creature. The Wise King of the Forest chuckled, his tail moving faster to show his amusement.
"I sense the dismay and fear from underneath your helm, I do." The Wise King stated.
"That is notably not inverted syntax. You have a strange way of speaking, creature, but I have an inquiry for you instead of over-analysis." You told the beast. You looked it up and down one more time, cementing your question.
"Are you not a Djungarian hamster?" At the question, the Wise King lost his threatening attitude and intense glows, all malice instantly replaced by curiosity.
"What!? Could it be you know of my species, that you do?" He asked.
"Indeed. I recall an old friend who once had a pet who looked just like you." You recalled. Nabe and Ainz looked over to you as you took lead of the conversation.
"Alas! If there are others of my species, I want to know, that I do. If I don't make offspring, I fail as a living creature..." The hamster told you. Black, beady eyes eagerly watched your still frame, tail waving behind white fur.
"Taking your size into account, copulation with that specimen would be impossible." You stated. In response, the hamster sighed, leaning over.
"I see, that I do." It stated, visibly bummed out.
"How unfortunate, that it is." You watched the beast, curious as Ainz cleared his throat.
"We are... sorry to disappoint." He told the hamster. He shook his head in response.
"It's fine, that it is. More importantly, we should stop the useless banter and fight for our lives, that we should!" The beast regained it's fighting composure, tearing up to fight. You sighed, shaking your head.
"To think a Wise King would merely fight..." You sighed, putting away your sword as Ainz simply tapped his against the ground.
"Trespassers of the territory I rule! Become my food, that you will!" The beast threatened.
"Ainz, can you tell me of any Wise King that resorted first to war?" You asked.
"What are you doing, that you are?" The beast asked, watching you turn your back to speak with your friend.
"None. By the way, while we're doing this... would you please explain Inverted Syntax? I swear I've heard it somewhere before." Ainz requested.
"It can't be that you're surrendering before we even fight!" The hamster bellowed as you started your explanation.
"Inverted syntax in poetry and prose is change in a sentence's structure. Used heavily by William Shakespeare, notice how this thing said 'such cocky words, those are,' instead of 'those are such cocky words.' That would make a suitable example." You informed Ainz.
"I see, I see... but what exactly is prose?" Ainz asked.
"Quite literally all words that aren't poetry." You answered. Ainz nodded as the hamster tried to cut into the conversation again.
"Now, let's fight seriously! A fight for our lives, that this is!" The Wise King insisted.
"I do not feel that this would be a very fair fight if we wanted to even clash. Momonga, would you kindly?" You requested. Nodding, the armor-clad magic caster hefted his sword.
"Skill: Aura of Despair. Level one." In response to the words, a small black orb formed at the tip of Ainz's massive blade. It burst into a light wave of black light, and a second later...
"EEEEEEEEE-!" The beast shrieked in terror, falling backward.
"I surrender, that I do! It is my loss, that it is." He admitted, staying down.
"In the end, he is merely a beast. I can't say this surprises me." You stated, looking down at the Wise King.
"Are you going to kill him?" You all looked up at Aura, who was on a tree, legs swinging.
"If you are, I was thinking I'd want to skin him. I think his skin would make a nice hide." She said.
"N-No way!" The hamster cried out, tears brimming. You didn't think of killing him, but the best thing you and Ainz could do with it would be....
"This is..." Nphirea stood shocked at the sight before him, at the edge of the woods.
"...the Wise King of the Forest!?" The rest of the swords of darkness called out in surprise.
"Please be at ease." Momon told the group, one arm on the hamster's head.
"He is under our command and will not lash out violently." He assured them.
"It is as my master says, it is." The Wise King agreed.
"This Wise King of the Forest will follow these Masters down their path. I will not cause trouble to all of you, that I will not!" He assured the group as well.
"Amazing! What a giant magical beast!" Ninya marveled.
"Huh?" Momon looked over, surprised by the change in reaction.
"I feel great strength and wisdom from him!" Dyne added. Momon began to look from the hamster to the party and back.
"You've accomplished so many feats. I can see why you take Nabe around with you." Lukrut nodded at his own words.
"We would have been massacred. As expected of Misters Momon and Laurence. Amazing." Peter put a hand over his heart, humbled.
"Nabe, what do you think?" Momon finally went to one of his comrades for their thoughts, asking an opinion.
"Putting his strength aside, his eyes seem to gleam with power." Nabe agreed, a light smile on her face. Momon paused, staring at the hamster. He was likely confused at how it could hold such strength after submitting to a level 1 spell.
"Mr. Momon, Mr. Laurence. If you take that magical creature from this area, won't monsters attack Carne Village?" Nphirea asked, drawing the attention of the others. Momon turned to the wise king for an answer.
"Well?" He asked the hamster.
"There's a chance, there is." He responded.
"No way. Th-Then... Mr. Momon, Mr. Laurence..." Nphirea bunched up his shoulders, stumbling over a few words.
"Can I become a part of your team?" He asked.
"Huh?" Momon looked back at him, again surprised.
"I want to protect Enri and Carne Village! Please teach me even a sliver of your strength!" He nearly begged.
"I have confidence in pharmacy and I can carry your things! So, please!" You and Momon looked at each other, considering his request.
"In other words, you want to get stronger as a magic caster?" Momon reiterated.
"Yes!" Nphirea confirmed. After a second of thought, Momon began to chuckle. His laughs went on for a few seconds before he held up a hand, stopping himself at the sight of the other's expressions.
"No, excuse me. I'm not laughing at your determination. I understand how you feel and will remember it. However, you cannot join us." He informed the boy. At the word, Nphirea's expression fell, as his eyes turned to the ground at Momon's feet.
"I see." He sighed.
"However, we will lend our strength to protect this village. We may need your help as well." He told the boy. Without hesitation, the boy's face hardened again, taking on a new determination.
"Yes! Please let me help!"
That day soon passed, just as any other would, ending with a return to the city of E-Rantel alongside the Swords of Darkness and Nphirea. The group stopped outside the gates to bid farewell, however temporary or otherwise.
"We will go to Nphirea's house to drop off his things." Peter told you. You bowed in response, both hands folded at your waist and sword on your back.
"We understand. Once I register this magical creature with the guild, we will head that way." Momon promised.
"I was able to gather a lot thanks to you two. I will be sure to add a bonus to the payment." Nphirea promised in turn.
"—Much was gathered with my help, it was." The Wise King pointed out.
"—See you soon!" With a crack of the reins, Nphirea was off on horseback.
"Nabe, we'll be separated for a little bit." Lukrut lamented.
"I hope you won't be lonely. Let's party it up later" He told her.
"Water flea! I will crush you beneath my feet." Nabe told the adventurer.
"Hurry up and go!" Dyne told his hornier companion, delivering something between a shove and a slap to hasten Lukrut.
"Then, see you." Ninya told you all, walking away with them with a wave farewell.
Any city-dwellers were treated to the very unusual sight of an adventurer in dark armor riding a massive hamster as it waddled through the streets, tailed by two companions.
In the meantime, a group of adventurers tailed the city's most famous alchemist to his home, and to their very graves.
~ASnazzyGuy
~4511 Words