The Two Leaders

“It is as you say. It might be easy to think of her as insincere due to her way of speaking, but it’s an act. She is an excellent maid who is brutal and cunning.”

Calling someone brutal and cunning was hardly a compliment. Ainz glanced over at Nabe’s face to make sure it was not something she said because she did not hold Lupusregina in high regard, but saw only respect and admiration.

“Then is it alright to head to the Adventurer’s Guild, my lord?”

“Of course. You know the place, right? Then Nabe, hop on behind. There’s no need to take out

“Statue of Animal: Warhorse” again.”

As soon as Ainz grabbed Narberal’s hand and pulled her up, Hamsuke launched forward as if she had been waiting for it. Ainz no longer felt ashamed of riding Hamsuke around the city. He rather liked how he could talk and give commands to it. It felt like a taxi.

The Adventurer’s Guild came into view, as well as the sight of Enri entering with her cart.

“...Guess it can’t be helped. We’ll use the back door. Hamsuke, go around the back.”

“As you command, my lord!”

Normally, adventurers were not allowed to use the back door, but adamantite adventurers were allowed to do pretty much anything they pleased. It was still the first time he used the back door though. Excessively using his privileges just because he was special would only tarnish his reputation.

He asked the first guild clerk he met after going through the back door to be guided to the guild master. Fortunately, or not, the guild master was in his room.

“Oh, Momon! Welcome!”

The guildmaster, Ainzack, welcomed him with arms wide open. He grabbed Ainz just like that and hugged him. It did not matter too much since he wore his armour and helmet, but if he had worn thin clothes, it was the kind of passionate embrace that he wanted to avoid for more than one reason.

There was a light pat on the back before the guildmaster slowly broke off.

“It’s been lonely because you haven’t come around recently. Now, now, take a seat. We’ll talk for a bit while we wait for the members to arrive for the meeting.”

The guildmaster pointed towards the couch with an expression of greeting an old friend.

“Thank you.”

After Ainz had sat down, the guildmaster sat beside him. The distance between the two of them was short and it felt like a suffocatingly short distance, with their knees almost touching each other.

“Momon, we’ve known each other for a long time now. How about speaking informally now?”

“No, there needs to be formality even amongst friends. I was taught that this was something very important.”

When he was actually at work, he responded more kindly and even talked informally to show some familiarity, but Ainz had no intention to do something like that with the guildmaster. He decided it was the right answer to keep their relationship strictly professional.

Being too closely entangled with an organization will cause problems. As an adventurer, I don’twant to be too closely associated with a city. It’s about time that I found somewhere else to be. Butbefore that…

Ainz peered at the guildmaster through the slit in his visor.

Why does he have to sit beside me? Isn’t that normally Narberal’s place? Having him sit there isweird.

Their proximity made Ainz feel uncomfortable, and it made him question the guildmaster’s sexuality.

I heard from the leader of the Magician’s Association that the guildmaster has a wife… or is thatjust a sham? Although it seems like he’s just trying to deepen our relationship… there must be somekind of ulterior motive behind it. Or maybe he thinks I play for the other team?

The very thought made Ainz break out in nonexistent goosebumps.

Ainz was strictly heterosexual… or rather, he used to be. As an aside, Suzuki Satoru was a fan of big breasts. That trait endured even into his current existence as an undead being. Rather than, say, Cocytus, Ainz felt more desire for Albedo.

Ainz shifted his seat away from the guildmaster and turned so that he was looking the man face to face.

“Forgive my rudeness. In truth, I came here to ask a favour of you. One of my friends has come to the Adventurer’s Guild with a request. Could you tell me what that request is about?”

“About that… well, by the rules, we’re not allowed to disclose the details.”

“Even so, I still need your help. I know this is unfair of me, and I know that rules exist for a reason.

But still, I hope that you—”