QUICK NOTE BEFORE READING:
Alright, remember guys, this is FAN-FICTION so let's not just comment to say nonsense like "that's not how that character would act" or "The world's rules prevent (INSERT WHATEVER) from being possible." I'm sure there'll be some inaccuracies to the lore. I'm writing this for fun and cause I love Overlord so read with a grain of salt.
And, yes, this MC isn't from Nazarick. He's a New Worlder...
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I yawned.
The sun was shining into my eyes and as much as I tossed and turned and squeezed my eyes shut, it's awful shine couldn't be escaped.
As tired as I was; as grumpy as I was it was time to get up.
With a groan, I dusted the dirt and bugs from my body using my tail. While a cursed feature; it had its uses. I leaned up from my makeshift bed; a poor construct of leaves and dead brush. My eyes fluttered, to which I stuck a finger in each and forced out the fresh wax.
In the distance, I could hear laughter and jolliness. The grumpy attitude afflicting me vanished as soon as the delightful smell of baked treats and roasting meat filled my nostrils.
The Harvest Festival. At long last Autumn had come and to celebrate its coming a lovely festival with treats from all sorts of parts. While the village I camped out of was just that: a village, it still had a decent flow of traffic on a daily basis considering it's location wasn't far from the Kingdom's capitol, Re-Estize. Adventurers, workers, mages, figures of all kinds of backgrounds would pass through Syruptown. But no other day would there be as many humans as there would be today. Which both increased the risk and rewards factor of today's task.
The people were troublesome. Quite rude, if I'm being honest. But... their food is beyond description. Such delicious and mouth-watering dishes and delights would be brought from all corners of the known world. The Empire, Theocracy, Re-Estize itself, and even the Dragonic Kingdom had citizens who made the journey to Syruptown for the festival.
The festival, while heavily populated with sellswords and adventurers, the fruits of success were well worth all the risk. The cooked food could last me days with perseveration magic, but the breads, fruits, and raw meats would last me even longer! The small-time raids on Syruptown wouldn't be necessary for months if I could succeed.
First, the storehouse would be raided and, hopefully, with the guards and people in an uproar, I would be able to swipe some goodies from the dozens of booths decorating the streets.
Stealing is wrong, of course it is. But morality could easily be numbed with a simple whiff of the pies just sitting on the sill, cooling and lying in wait for me to snatch them...
Prepare, humans of Syruptown! For today, the Great Fox of the North Y/N L/N will descend upon you with malicious intent and ravenous hunger! All your pies will bow before me!
I hopes out of my 'bed.' And with a smile stretched across my face, I hurried to Syruptown to commence my operation. The lovely music put a skip in my step and filled me with hopeful visions of a plentiful feast and a filled belly.
But, on that fateful day, the entirety of my life would change. Not only would I return with an empty stomach, having not even licked a droplet of frosting, but I would bring about the end of my quiet, lonely life in the Northern Forest.
And it all started with my first ever encounter with a human being. At least, I thought he was human.
Timeskip
The pleasant atmosphere of the Harvest Festival filled my heart with warmth. To be surrounded by so many happy faces, all sharing in their desires for peace and prosperity, was a wonderful feeling. But, I could only be drunk on the joy for so long.
Reality set in. Bringing about a frown on my face. The whole reason I had donned a cloak was to not stand out but being the only glum person in a joyful crowd made me just that.
"Smile, buddy! It's a festival! Join the fun!" commented a passerby.
Would you still say that if I took off the cloak?
He would holler. Or maybe just draw his sword and strike me down where I stood. All it would take was the undoing of a single bind and all would be revealed. They only smiled at me because they thought I was one of them.
I practically was though. Excluding the fox ears and tail, I thought I acted pretty human. I ate human foods (that much is obvious) and in terms of strength we weren't that different, either. I could cast up to Tier 5, quite an impressive feat in the human world but not nearly impressive enough for any sovereign to treat me as anything less than a 'savage subhuman.'
If Tier 5 is impressive, imagine if I was a full-blooded fox demon? Tales say that no human, elf, or any mortal could prove victorious. If those tales are to be believed... then, unfortunately, I've inherited none of my ancestors strength. That's mostly because I'm a half-human.
Demon seems like an unnecessary addition to my title.
I know not for my ancestors but I've never devour souls like a demon nor feast upon the flesh of my victim like some ogre, yet, I'm treated in the same category as those vile creatures.
Foolish humans, I wish you would all die... but leave your recipes.
Ahead of me, I could see the townhall. For the event, the large wooden building meant to hold over 200 citizens was used instead to store supplies, ingredients, and many, many delicious treats!
The plan was simple: enter the storehouse via the magical waypoint I've previously set in there.
Placement Teleportation is one of my special talents. Bu marking the places I've been with my own magic sigil, I can thus teleport between that point and any other placed waypoints within 100 miles.
The Tier 5 spell Teleportation could be utilized but cost mana while my skill didn't. It was always best to keep mana reserves at their highest peak in case of attack of immediate retreat.
A second waypoint was placed by at basecamp weeks ago. Now, all I needed to do was sneak in then I could teleport myself and all that I could carry as many times I wished!
By sundown that makeshift storehouse would only hold dust and cobwebs.
Guards were stationed on all sides of the storehouse, even on the sides that were only solid brick and bore no entrance or windows. Clearly, the officials wanted this festival to succeed so security was top-notch.
Top-notch security meant top-notch food. Needless to say I wasn't deterred by their presence. Some of the groups hoarding around the storehouse were simply chatting and drinking, but with my keen eyes could I spot glimpses of silver and bronze.
I had never fought a human. Much-less an adventurer. I wasn't fully aware of the adventurer hierarchy but the silvers and bronze never seemed that strong. Attacks easily evadable and their magical prowess never exceeded Tier 2 so I felt little threat.
I shuffled past the hordes of humans and concealed myself in an alley. Once devoured by the shadows, I activated my skill and vanished. The once clean, sweet air was replaced and the dust-filled air of the storehouse smacked me like a brick.
But... the food. Oh my word, the food! The town-hall originally had rows and rows of booths of townsfolk to gather and sat before their chief for discussions. But those booths were now gone and replaced with what seemed like endless piles of food, either fresh, sealed, pickled, baked, it was all there and mine for the taking!
I was completely wrong. With this kind if supply, I could easily last till Spring! I was set for the winter months with this supply, so neatly gathered for me by the foolish and abominable humans of Syruptown.
Celebrations were in order and a fresh piece of sourdough seemed like the perfect way to kick it off! I grabbed that fresh piece of bread, giddy like a school girl and tail wagging like a happy puppy.
But, tragically, before I could rip apart the baked grain and indulge myself... the heavy doors to the storehouse, usually require two sets of hands to push, swung open and the shadow of a singular man filled the room.
I heard his footsteps. But before the light had the chance to even shine into the darkened storehouse was I already hidden behind a crate of fruit.
The doors shut behind him, seemingly on their own.
"That was quite the interesting technique." He praised. "Clever enough to not disappear in the midst of a crowd but not intelligent enough to cast anti-detection magic."
Who the hell is this human?! And what is he rattling on about?! Anti-detection magic?! Of course I considered it but... it should've been unnecessary. There are no humans who should be able to cast past the 4th Tier! Much-less up to the 5th!
"There isn't any use in hiding. I know you're here..."
"And when I vanish out of this room like I did the alleyway, what are you going to do?"
My question was laughed at.
"You really wouldn't want to find out. Come out and let's talk face-to-face. Though some of my subordinates enjoy it; Hide & Seek is childish to me."
I tried to remain confident. Sure that I still had some sort of advantage but as the man's footsteps grew louder, drawing ever closer to my location, sweat dripped endless from my face.
"Yo-You have no idea who you're speaking to, human!" I snapped.
His footsteps ceased.
"Is that so? Then why not come out and show me as to who I'm chatting with? Here I was thinking you were the human."
What the hell does that mean?!
"If you don't come out then I'll assume the time for talk has ended. My blade confronts you next."
I swallowed my breath and stood up from the crate, my cloak drawn back and my ears exposed. I felt like someone had a grasp if my heart. Their cold hand tightly clasped around it, squeezing it gently with earning. If I had remained hidden... I would be crushed.
"Oh? A beastman? A fox-type at that? Rather uncommon... where did you come from?"
"This is my home, human! These lands were my ancestors far before these humans got here!"
"I see... how many more of you are there in these parts? Do you have a family? A mother or father? A wife, perhaps?"
"M-My relationship status is of no concern to you, human!"
The man's tone and attitude remained completely solid, like stone. Nothing I said or spat made him flinch. His grip remained solid as iron upon the mighty sword he pointed at me and not a moment did his gaze give.
Either this was the pinnacle of humanity itself; all they could ever hope to achieve or be... or this man was a monster among monsters. His strength was immense. No skills or magic needed to discern that. The hairs on the back of my heck were stiff as ice and I couldn't get a firm grasp of my own voice anymore, only able to spew weak and stammering responses.
"I heard of a demon in the woods. The Great Fox Demon of the Northern Woods... you must be him." He declared.
My nerves eased. For some unfathomable reason... pride swelled in my chance at this nobody of a man's recognition.
"Yes! You are correct, human! I am Y/N L/N, the Great—!"
"Utterly disappointing."
A sinister silence fell.
Finally, the man's mood shifted from one of a relaxed and disciplined warrior to that of a spoiled child.
"The tales of a demon caster able to use up to the 5th Tier was intriguing. The legends of immense power and gut wrenching cruelty were quite the read. It was why I made the trip."
"I don't ca—"
"I was confident you weren't a Player and I remain certain you aren't. Still, I thought there was something to be gained by encountering you. But how disappointing to find that the legendary Great Fox Demon of the North is just a measly raccoon scrounging for scraps!"
"These are not scraps! This is an empire, human! Clearly one you're just too stupid to appreciate it!"
He chuckled.
"You're quite the jester, I'll give you that." He reached up to his helm, merely touching it with the tips of his armored fingers before the entire thing vanished into specks of light.
I should've turned away when I had the chance. I should've teleported home the moment the door creaked open and ran for the Azerlisia Mountains and hid myself in the deepest, darkest cave. And I most certainly... should NOT have called that thing stupid!
Before my eyes stared back the face of death. I saw no life or hope within those empty sockets. Only an endless black void and a single raging hellfire looking to consume all with flesh and life in each socket.
"Y/N L/N, you said your name was? A pleasure to meet you." he said, smiling a fleshless smile. "The name I travel by is Momon of the Swords of Darkness. But I would prefer you address me as Ainz Ooal Gown."
"Ai-Ai-Ainz... what the hell do you want from me? I-I'm sorry I called you stupid, ok?! I shouldn't have said anything! I'm sorry!"
He seemed unmoved by my words. He showed neither disdain or approval.
"An easy thing to forgive," he said calmly. "As for what I desire from you is simplistic, I suppose. Knowledge."
"Of what?! I know only of the woods and this town! I know little of my ancestors! I'm sorry!"
"Regardless of what you know. There's still plenty to be learned from you. The traditional fox beastmen I'm familiar with are quite different in appearance to you. Larger and less humanoid. A beastmen halfling is an uncommon find. Especially one of a rare form of beastmen. It was my understanding that your species couldn't reproduce with humans."
I have to escape.
This was death itself. Only misery and agony awaited me if I let that monster have his way with me. That much was clear. Placement Shift was my best bet but I couldn't concentrate enough to use it. I was too fucking scared of this creature.
"If you were to come quietly, I can guarantee a peaceful experience." He said.
"A peaceful experience...? What kind of phrasing is that?!" I cried.
The thick stench of death finally left my nostrils. The smell of the autumn leaves provided momentarily relief as I crumpled to the dirt, breathing intensely as my encounter with death played on repeat in my head.
Ainz P.O.V
I cast Message, utterly unfazed but the sudden disappearance of the beastmen halfling. A true surprise would've been if he hadn't tried to flee.
"Yuri."
"Yes, Lord Ainz." she replied elegantly.
"The Great Fox Demon has returned to its den as planned. Again, I want you to engage and subdue him. Please, make a point of this to your sisters." I stated.
"He will be retrieved alive, My Lord. My sisters' bias towards humans will not hinder our duties and obligations to Nazarick, I swear." She declared.
"Good. Report back when the job is done." I said.
A beastmen-human halfling might be the first step towards solving Demiurge's interspecies breeding problem, at least that's what he believes. Even if that doesn't work out, a halfling would make a good addition to Carne and would allow the world and other Players to see that even halflings have a place in the country I'll build.
Perhaps it was unnecessary to dispatch the entirety of the Pleiades (excluding Narberal who was acting as Nabe to humans outside), but I found it wouldn't hurt to ensure the safety of the combat party in case the Great Fox Demon had any kind of magical items. Though, after that interaction, I'm sure he had none.
This was the first time I've ever encounter a New Worlder who can user magic up to Tier 5 and I should've felt on edge... but after witnessing that raccoon try to stuff his face with bread, I was confident he would be no threat at all.
How embarrassing... I'm actually hoping that fox turns out to be a decent opponent! Otherwise, how will I explain to Albedo and Demiurge that I used the Pleiades to catch a mere raccoon?!