Even at the Golden Gleam, considered a luxury inn for humans, the food felt like ash compared to the delicacies of Nazarick. Solution Epsilon looked down at her plate with disgust.
"Sebas. That is enough. I cannot eat this," she said, overturning her plate with a sharp clatter.
As she turned to retreat to her room, the door opened. Solution froze. A man stepped in, wearing pristine white clothing adorned with gold embroidery. He had brilliant blonde hair and eyes as blue as a summer sky. The female guests in the inn let out audible gasps of admiration at his radiant presence.
Solution looked at Sebas, who had his eyes cast downward in somber silence.
It's him... Master Kawasaki.
Even in this human form, she knew him instantly. Behind him stood a man with spiky blue hair and eyes—Cocytus in human form—and Shalltear, whose eyes had been changed from crimson to a soft jade green via illusion magic to hide her nature.
"Solution. What do you think you're doing?"
Kawasaki's low, resonant voice carried a weight of irritation that chilled her blood. Solution, the predatory maid of the Pleiades, felt her consciousness flicker back to her role as a "spoiled daughter."
"My Lord... please, calm your anger," Sebas said, stepping between them and bowing deeply. "The fault is mine. I have failed to manage her temperament."
"I know she's spoiled, Sebas," Kawasaki said, stepping closer. "And I know she has high standards for food. But there are lines one does not cross."
He stood directly in front of Solution. She gripped the hem of her dress, unable to look up.
"Food is not a right; it is a blessing," Kawasaki continued. "To throw it away is to insult the one who made it and the life that was given to create it. Do you understand?"
"Yes..." she whispered, tears pricking her eyes.
Suddenly, a hand rested on her head. Kawasaki ruffled her hair with a rough, yet strangely kind gesture. When she finally looked up, his expression wasn't one of pure rage, but rather the weary look of a father dealing with a difficult child.
"I suppose I'm partly to blame for making your palate so sensitive," he sighed. "Sebas, take her to the room. I'll be there shortly."
As Solution was led away, she heard Kawasaki addressing the inn staff. "I apologize for the disturbance. Please accept this as a token of my sincere apology."
To see a Supreme Being bow and apologize to humans on her behalf filled Solution with an unbearable mix of shame and confusion. However, once they were in the room, Sebas whispered to her.
"Do not worry too much, Solution. Master Kawasaki mentioned via Message that your outburst provided him with the perfect excuse to leave Nazarick and join us. He isn't nearly as angry as he looks."
"But... because of me, he had to humble himself before mortals!"
"That, too, was part of the performance," Sebas assured her. "Prepare yourself. We depart for the Royal Capital immediately."
***
In the heart of Nazarick, Demiurge presented his final plan for the Black Scripture to Lord Ainz. He had spent days simulating every possible outcome.
"Hmm... I see," Ainz said, setting the documents aside. "It's a solid plan."
Demiurge clenched his teeth, bowing his head. Solid. Not 'perfect.' Not 'magnificent.' Just 'solid.'
In truth, Momonga was staring at the complex graphs and flowcharts with total incomprehension. I have no idea what any of this means, he thought, but if I say that, he'll probably kill himself out of shame.
"Lord Momonga!" Pandora's Actor shouted, striking a pose. "Demiurge's strategy is a work of art! Surely you have some thoughts on its brilliance!"
"Indeed," Ainz replied, trying to sound regal. "Demiurge, explain the core of it to me in your own words."
"As you wish!" Demiurge straightened up. "We shall use high-level insect minions to surround them. These creatures trigger anti-teleportation barriers and magic-sealing fields upon death. We will also deploy Shalltear's Einherjar—her Einherjar clone—to bait their World Item, Downfall of Castle and Country. Once their trump card is revealed, we move in with World Item protection of our own."
"And if they have 'God-kin'—descendants of Players?"
"Then we deploy the heavy hitters: Shalltear, Cocytus, and Pandora's Actor disguised as the hero Touch Me. They cannot possibly break through such a line."
Ainz nodded. "You have my permission to use Touch Me's likeness, but you are not to remove his original equipment from the Treasury. Use the legendary-grade substitutes."
"I understand," Pandora's Actor replied.
"One more thing," Ainz added. "Clementine mentioned a seer called the Thousand Mile Astrologer. If you encounter her, take Clementine with you. They are friends. If we can recruit her without bloodshed, her prophetic abilities will be a massive asset."
As they left the study, Demiurge turned to the Doppelganger. "I wish to speak with Clementine myself. I need to know the temperament of this astrologer."
***
While the strategists talked, Kawasaki was already on the road in a carriage with Sebas, Solution, Shalltear, and Cocytus.
CRACK!
The sound of a fist hitting flesh echoed through the forest. Kawasaki had just leveled a man dressed in bandit gear with a single punch.
"Gah... huff... blegh!" The man collapsed, vomiting from the force of the blow.
"What's wrong? I thought you were 'Death-Spreaders' or whatever," Kawasaki spat, looking down at the groveling thieves.
Earlier, they had come across a group of bandits attacking a merchant carriage. Kawasaki hadn't even waited for his guards; he had leaped from his own carriage and started cracking skulls.
In his human form, Kawasaki was a beast. He didn't have the magical power of the others, but he had something else: technical combat experience. In the real world, he had fought off countless thugs and corporate goons trying to muscle him out of his shop. Now, with a human body at the level cap, those movements were lethal.
"Shalltear, tend to those women by the trees," Kawasaki commanded. "Cocytus, Sebas, help me finish these trash-heaps."
Solution watched in awe as Kawasaki moved. He didn't just swing wildly; he parried knife thrusts, twisted arms out of sockets, and shattered noses with surgical precision.
"Resistance is futile," Sebas added, his own movements a blur as he assisted. "If you surrender now, the pain will be brief."
It didn't take long. The bandits were soon a pile of broken bones and bloody teeth. The merchant, himself badly injured, stumbled toward Kawasaki.
"You... you saved us. Thank you."
"Sebas, give him a potion," Kawasaki ordered. "It's the blue one we got in the city."
The merchant drank and sighed in relief. "I can't believe the 'Death-Spreading Sword Band' was taken out so easily."
Kawasaki's eyes narrowed. "Where is your hideout?"
The merchant begged him not to go, but Kawasaki ignored him. Using Shalltear's mind-control magic on a surviving bandit, they extracted the location of the base.
"Master, are you serious?" Shalltear asked. "You want to wipe out the whole nest?"
"I hate bullies," Kawasaki said flatly. "Shalltear, Cocytus, we're going to the lair. We take them alive if we can—they might have information—but if they resist, break them."
***
They stormed the bandit cave. Kawasaki's fury reached a boiling point when he found several captive women in the back of the cavern. He stopped holding back. He shattered swords with his bare hands and sent men flying with kicks that literally created miniature shockwaves.
"I want to join in!" Shalltear whined, watching Kawasaki work.
"Patience," Sebas advised. "He is in his element."
Finally, a man with blue hair and a long katana stepped out to face them.
"You've certainly made a mess of my men, stranger," the man said.
"And you are?" Kawasaki asked, walking toward him without a weapon.
"I'm the muscle here. I'm just looking for a challenge."
Kawasaki chuckled. "A battle maniac, huh?"
The man drew his blade. "You're mocking me? Approaching a swordsman empty-handed?"
"I can't hit you if I don't get close, can I?"
The man's hand blurred. An iai strike—a lightning-fast draw. Kawasaki leaped, the blade whistling inches beneath his feet. He landed, sprinted forward, and grabbed the man by the shoulders.
THUD!
Kawasaki delivered a brutal headbutt. The man staggered back, blood pouring from his nose. Shalltear looked like she was about to pounce at the scent of blood, but Cocytus held her back.
"You're fast," Kawasaki said, dodging a desperate follow-up swing, "but you're arrogant. I hate kids who think they're strong just because they can bully the weak."
He landed a heavy punch to the man's gut, sending him to his knees.
"What's your name?"
"B-Brain... Brain Unglaus..." the man wheezed.
"I can't hear you! Who are you?!" Kawasaki roared, his voice radiating a divine authority that made the cave tremble.
"I AM BRAIN UNGLAUS! THE MAN WHO WILL BE THE STRONGEST!"
Kawasaki grinned. "That's the spirit. You've got fire in you even after getting your ass kicked. I like that."
Kawasaki reverted to his Cookman form for a brief moment, then back to human. Brain's eyes went wide. "Monsters...?"
"Monster, demi-human, it doesn't matter," Kawasaki said. "What matters is that we are stronger than you. And we can make you stronger than you ever dreamed. So, Brain. You want to stay here and rot, or do you want to come with us?"
Brain looked at his broken sword, then at the orange creature who had just outclassed him.
"I'll go," Brain whispered, before collapsing into unconsciousness.
"Sebas, Cocytus, Shalltear—tie up the rest. Send them to the log house on the Sixth Floor for 'processing.' I'm taking Brain with us. He's a fighter; he'll be useful for the leveling experiments."
Kawasaki wiped his hands on a cloth and looked toward the cave entrance. "The carriages from E-Rantel will be here soon. Let's move out. We've got a Royal Capital to visit."
Next — Menu 17: Cream Stew
Would you like me to continue with the next chapter, or should we look into how Brain Unglaus reacts to his first meal in Nazarick?
***
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