Special Short Story: Demiurge Fishes the World
Since Lord Ainz arrived in this world, he has introduced various new trials for his servants. One such trial is the concept of "holidays"—time off. For the denizens of Nazarick, this is nothing short of agonizing. Though it is the will of the Supreme One, the inability to work for his sake is a grueling penance. However, I have found a glimmer of light. I awoke before the sun crested the horizon and finished dressing.
"Right... this should be adequate."
I wore black trousers, a black shirt, a crimson jacket, and a matching hat. I carried a cooler box, a rod case, and a tackle box filled with lures and rigs. My preparations were flawless. According to Lord Ainz, a holiday is a day intended for hobbies, reading, and resting the body to ensure one can work at peak efficiency later. From a servant's perspective, however, our only true desire is to serve Lord Ainz and Lord Kawasaki. The prospect of these mandated days off used to fill me with melancholy... until the day I accompanied Lord Kawasaki and Pandora's Actor to the sea to gather ingredients for sushi. I heard that Lord Ainz was deeply pleased with the fish we caught that day.
(Therefore, the best way to spend a holiday is to search for offerings for the Supreme Beings!)
Lord Kawasaki had also mentioned that he would always welcome rare or unusual fish.
"Let us be off, then."
Albedo, Shalltear, Pandora's Actor, Sebas—all the servants struggle with this. What should one do on a day off? I have found my answer. Offering rare fish to my masters is the only endeavor worthy of my time.
+++
"As this is my first solo venture, this location seems most appropriate."
As the sun began to rise, turning the surface of the lake into a shimmering mirror, I set my gear down. I chose a specific area of the lake currently governed by Cocytus and the Lizardmen. However, I avoided the settlement, opting instead for a pristine, crystal-clear region where the meltwater from the Azerlisia Mountains flows in. I had considered the ocean, but I recently heard an interesting rumor in the village.
"Rare fish? In that case, you want the Bourun," a Lizardman named Sukyu Juju had told me. He was a unique individual with a different skin color than his kin. Cocytus's rule was going exceptionally well; the Lizardmen had fully integrated as subjects of Nazarick, even erecting statues of Lord Ainz and Lord Kawasaki.
"The Bourun?" I had asked.
"Yes. They only live in a few spots where the mountain meltwater is strongest. In the summer, they're dark with ring-like patterns on their sides. But when the snow starts to fall, they turn a brilliant, dazzling gold."
The mention of a "golden fish" piqued my interest. Since it was said to taste excellent as well, I decided to attempt a catch before the true winter set in. I sat on my cooler box, attached the reel to the rod, and threaded the line through the guides while observing the water.
(The areas with submerged deadwood and the spots where overhanging trees cast deep shadows... I wonder about the depth.)
The point where the meltwater enters was incredibly deep. The Lizardmen rarely ventured here, as it was home to several species of massive predatory fish. It was not uncommon for young Lizardmen, desperate for winter stores, to lose their lives in these waters. Even with my enhanced vision, I could not see the bottom. The air temperature was noticeably lower here.
"A test run first."
Assuming there were many predators, I selected a lure from my tackle box. It was a spinnerbait—a V-shaped wire frame with a rotating metal blade on top to create vibrations and a hook hidden beneath a rubber skirt. Despite its size, the skirt made it resistant to snagging on submerged roots. I attached it to my line with a swivel, put on my sunglasses, and stood up. I saw no silhouettes near the surface. Suspecting the fish were deep due to the cold water, I made a light cast.
The reel gave a smooth whirring sound as the spool spun, followed by a soft plop as the lure hit the water.
(One... two... three... four...)
I counted as it sank. It was remarkably deep. I passed ten, and the lure was still descending.
(Crankbaits would be useless here.)
Lures meant to bounce along the bottom would be lost instantly to the submerged branches. Even if I got a strike, the line would likely snag and snap. I would have to focus on topwater lures, weedless worms, or live bait.
"Thirty-four... thirty-five... thirty-seven... finally."
I felt the lure hit the bottom and began to turn the handle. The water was so cold I could feel a strange resistance through the line—there might even be patches of ice in the depths. I brought the spinnerbait up from the bottom, through the mid-section, and toward the surface. The blades spun, creating a rhythmic splash-splash that echoed across the silent lake.
Just as the lure passed a cluster of deadwood—GLOOP!
The lure vanished beneath the surface.
"Fish on!"
I set the hook and raised the rod. The tip bowed deeply toward the water, pulsing with weight. I used the rod's elasticity to counter the fish's attempt to dive. Its initial burst was weaker than a saltwater fish, but it was heading straight for the submerged trees. I shifted my footing and angled the rod to pull it away.
SCREECH-SCREECH-SCREECH! The line screamed off the reel. I loosened the drag slightly, and suddenly, the tension vanished.
"Did I lose it?"
I wondered if the hookset had been too shallow. I reeled in quickly, only for the weight to return with a vengeance. It was surfacing! The fish breached the water—a one-meter, stout, rounded white fish. It didn't match the description of the Bourun. It seemed I had caught a "trash" fish.
"Hmph. Not bad, I suppose."
It splashed back down and began a series of frantic thrashings. I couldn't help but smile at the raw power, but then—
"Wait!?"
The moment it hit the water, it leaped again, thrashing its body in mid-air. The line went slack. The fish vanished back into the depths.
"Good grief... look at the hook."
The metal had been bent straight, unable to withstand the fish's power. It seemed I would need to upgrade my tackle. I sat back on the cooler, swapped out the hook, and cast again. The fact that I had a strike on the first throw proved the area was active.
Again, the surface erupted with a GLOOP, and the lure disappeared. This time, I wouldn't let it go. I hauled the rod back in a massive arc, burying the hook deep into the creature's maw.
"Nngh... this one is substantial."
The struggle vibrated through the line. This fish didn't run sideways; it dived vertically with terrifying speed. Based on the power, it was larger than the previous one. I kept the rod high, obstructing its dive and forcing it to work against the tension. For every turn of the handle, the fish took two turns of line. We traded ground for nearly twenty minutes until the fish finally surfaced.
"There. It is over."
I raised the rod, forcing the fish's head above the water to weaken it. I reeled it in and reached down to grab its jaw, hauling it onto the bank. The hook was buried firmly in the corner of its mouth. Short of the line snapping, there was no escape.
"One meter, fifteen centimeters... roughly."
It was a brilliant silver fish with a long, snake-like body and membrane-like fins. It bared sharp fangs, looking every bit the savage predator. I dispatched it with a knife and tossed it into the cooler. One down... but it wasn't the Bourun. I cast the spinnerbait once more.
+++
"Hmm... nothing at all."
After the snake-like fish, I caught two more of the same species. Then, I found a school of fat, round fish that were born with vertical stripes but developed horizontal ones after a few moments on land. I landed four of them, the largest being eighty centimeters. The haul wasn't bad, but they were all the wrong kind.
GLOOP! My reflexes kicked in and I set the hook, but the way it immediately bolted sideways told me it was another one of those striped fish.
"The fight is pleasant, at least."
Wrestling with such power was enjoyable, but the lack of my target was frustrating. I parried its rushes and reeled in whenever it paused. I hauled it up.
"Again..."
Another massive, color-changing fish. They were easy to catch and strong, but they weren't what I came for. I sighed and dispatched it.
"Is it the lure? Or the location?"
If I was only catching these, my strategy was flawed. I sat on the cooler and observed the lake, recalling what Sukyu Juju had said.
(Omnivorous. Eats insects and small fish. Very fast due to the number of larger predators.)
To survive the snake-fish and the striped-fish, the Bourun had a habit of accelerating to top speed the moment it felt threatened. If it ate insects, perhaps the spinnerbait was too aggressive.
"...Hmm."
The water was clear. I saw small splashes—small baitfish jumping to escape something.
(Wait. I have been going about this the wrong way.)
I stood up. If the Bourun was hiding from the predators I had been catching, throwing my lure into the middle of the feeding frenzies was a mistake. Casting into the "boil" is basic fishing logic, but it wouldn't work for a prey species.
(How could I forget something so simple?)
I opened the tackle box and swapped the spinnerbait for a topwater pencil bait made of floating material. If it ate insects, a smaller profile was better. I set my sights on the deep shadows cast by the overhanging trees.
(There.)
Deep among the shadows, I saw a ripple entirely different from the ones in the center of the lake. I was certain—that was the Bourun. I made a side-arm cast, landing the lure perfectly in the shade. I reeled slowly, occasionally twitching the rod tip to mimic a struggling, weakened insect. A healthy fish swimming perfectly would look suspicious.
(...Here!)
The moment the lure drifted out of the shadows, a silhouette darted out. GLOOP! I tried to set the hook, but—
"So fast!?"
True to its reputation, the fish hit top speed instantly. It bolted with such force that I didn't even have time to raise the rod.
"Ngh! It has completely taken the initiative!"
The sheer power of its run was beyond my imagination. At this speed, if I tried to force the rod up, the line would snap instantly. I opened the drag, letting the line scream out into the lake.
(This is unexpected.)
I had thought Sukyu Juju was exaggerating, but this was no ordinary fish. Until its initial burst ended, there was nothing I could do.
"Oh...!"
The fish leaped. A seventy-centimeter, dark-colored body soared through the air. It had a noble face and distinct ring-like patterns. It leaped a second time, then a third.
(If I lose this one, the spot will be ruined.)
The commotion had likely scared away any other fish. Whether I caught it or lost it, this would be my last chance here. I moved the rod in harmony with the fish, refusing to force the issue. After several more jumps, the run finally stopped. The Bourun was weakening. Realizing this was my only window, I began pumping the rod and reeling in the line. It had incredible power, but its stamina was limited.
"What!?"
Just as I thought it was finished, it breached the surface and began thrashing its tail, literally "standing" on the water's surface. I was bewildered by the move, but the power behind it was real. I waited for it to tire itself out. It "walked" for several seconds before splashing back down. I decided I had seen enough—I raised the rod high and reeled in the remaining line in one continuous motion.
"So, this is the Bourun..."
A magnificent predatory fish. It was more powerful than anything else I had caught today. It had the ring patterns on its side, along with a faint red band.
"Oh...?"
Upon closer inspection, the underside of its body was tinged with a faint gold. I watched the colors shift until the brush behind me rustled.
"Lord Demiurge. Good day."
"Sukyu Juju, I presume?"
The Lizardman stepped out and looked at the Bourun in my hands. "Incredible. You actually caught one."
"Yes. It was quite a struggle."
I began bleeding the fish with my knife as Sukyu Juju smiled.
"With your skills, Lord Demiurge, perhaps you could catch the Seven Great Fish of legend."
"The Seven Great Fish? What are those?"
He explained that they were seven legendary, massive fish hidden throughout the world, each possessing a special power. It was said that anyone who captured all seven would obtain unimaginable strength.
"My great-grandfather said that somewhere in the icy underground lakes of the Azerlisia Mountains, there lives a creature called the Flame Atlantica."
"I see. A most intriguing tale."
The Seven Great Fish... I doubted their power could ever rival Lord Ainz, but the hunt was enticing. I turned my back on Sukyu Juju as he began setting his nets and departed. I decided then and there: on my next holiday, I would find that icy lake and claim the Flame Atlantica for Nazarick.
+++
"Are you kidding me? These look exactly like hairtails and bonito... why is saltwater fish living in freshwater in this world? This world is insane... Was this whole area an ocean once?"
As Kawasaki received the fish from Demiurge, he couldn't hide his shock at the bizarre biology of this new world.
***
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