Chapter 33
The tour of the Royal Kingsland Academy took a good amount of time .
There"s a number of dedicated facilities with a large area, and there were many things that Ainz had never seen before, and Dill, knowing this, gave him a detailed explanation .
「Well, that"s all for the tour of the major facility groups」
「Thank you . I never thought there was so many facilities, but I guess, I might not even use some of it though」
「Yes, that"s true . However, the magic training facility in the library is convenient, so it will be easier for you to use it rather than doing research in the castle」
The academy has a huge library, which is one of the largest in Ishtalica in terms of size and the amount of books it holds .
「There"s even an area that can only be used by the first group, so why not take a look at it next time」
「Hee, is there even a book that"s not exist in the castle?」
「There is, Rather, it"s even stored in a valuable archive that only has one copy in Ishtalica . It"s heavily guarded, and magic is used to keep it from deteriorating」
Ainz thought that there might be some clues about Dullahan and the unidentified magic stone .
Since it was a free cla.s.s system, he decided to take advantage of it and do some research .
「I"ll go there next time then」
「Don"t forget your student ID Card . You won"t get in without it」
「Understood . Oh, by the way, is Dill going to be my escort the whole time I"m at the academy?」
「I"ll be around as much as I can, though not always . I"m also in the first group, so I"m free to go to cla.s.s or not . But, by being in the highest group . I often feel like I can"t get out of cla.s.s even though I"m free」
The escort in the academy is also Dill"s apprenticeship test . This academy was a very safe place, as it was called a royal academy . From the standpoint of the crown prince, ideally, it would be better for him to be by his side at all times . However, it was difficult for Dill, who was also a student at the academy to be by his side at all times .
Ainz is optimistic and thinks it"s not a problem, considering that he has some time to spend alone .
「It"s okay . My grandfather said it"s reasonably safe here . And those people over there, I don"t know which years they are, are they from the first group too?」
「That"s right . Basically, those of us who are free, regardless of their years, are from the first group」
「Is that so, but speaking of which . . . 」
Ainz glanced around and saw the students spending their free time outside . What he saw now were two female students .
There were still so many things he didn"t know about Dill, so he decided to talk about something he didn"t usually talk about .
「Which one do you prefer, Dill?」
He asked Dill as he looked at the two girls .
「M-my preferences huh . . . . ?」
「Yes yes, I wanted to get to know Dill by asking you about these things once in a while」
「Hmmm, hmm . I see, well, now that you mention it」
Ainz was pleased to see that Dill seemed to be able to give him an answer without any particular reluctance .
「It"s fine, right, because I"m the only one here . Just tell me」
「 . . . . . . Neither of them is my preferences」
「Eh? Really? But I think they"re quite cute though」
Both of them are pretty in looks and not bad in style . I"m told that neither of them is his preferences and I wonder if he had a rather higher preference .
「Well, that"s fine . So, what kind of person does Dill like?」
「 . . . . At the very least, I like a woman stronger than me」
「Eh?」
「If possible, I would like her to be as tall as my father the grand marshal . It would be even more attractive if she had the same muscular physique」
Ainz could not immediately respond to the unexpected answer, but he was able to reply after a delay of about three tempos .
「So you"re saying you like women with strength and bodies like Lloyd-san"s?」
「It"s as you said . I"d like to be pinned down」
「Aa, ahh is that so . . . . It"s going to be hard to meet someone like that, but I"m rooting for you」
「Thank you, Ainz-sama! Most of the time when I tell people about this, they say it"s impossible」
I suppose that"s true, Ainz agreed . He wondered where he could find a woman as stout and muscular as Lloyd .
「It"s a little early, but let"s go to the lounge and have a light meal . It"ll be a ha.s.sle if we wait for people to arrive」
「Yeah, Let me guide you there」
Thinking that it would be a troublesome if he delved into this topic even more, Ainz decided to move on and muddle the tea .
It was still a little early for lunch, but that wouldn"t be a problem . He decided to have a light meal before the peak hour .
Chris would pick him up in the afternoon, so Ainz would have to kill a little time before he goes back to the castle .
Since Dill had to stay at the academy in the afternoon, Ainz was the only one going home .
＊＊＊
「Yes, I am from the countryside . I"m very happy to be able to work hard with you in such a prestigious and wonderful academy」
It was the same time when Ainz was being shown around the academy by Dill .
At the nearby Liebe Girls" Academy, Claune, who had been admitted as a transfer student, was talking with the female students in her cla.s.s .
「Well . If a person like Claune-sama says so, it will make us look hazy」
「Yes, you"re right . I"m so happy to be friends with someone as beautiful as you, Claune-sama」
「I heard that you was recommended by Warren-sama the Prime Minister . We were all looking forward to the day when we would be able to meet you, Claune-sama」
How much of it was flattery and how much was genuine? Having lived in an aristocratic society until now, Claune couldn"t help but think about such things .
「If you don"t mind, I"d like you to meet my brother . I"m sure he"d like you very much!」
Oh, so the same trouble exists here too huh . That"s what Claune thought, she"s used to dealing with the opposite s.e.x .
The other party was a n.o.bleman, and the prestige of the Augusto family, the n.o.bility of Hyme, would not work here . That"s why Warren"s prestige creates a big impact .
「Oh, no . A mere commoner is no match for a n.o.bleman . It"s a great honor, but I"m still lacking in many things as a lady」
「That"s not true . You"re someone who had Warren-sama approval, so there"s no way for someone as beautiful as Claune-sama going to disrespect anyone」
It"s nice to be complimented on your beauty and cuteness, but I don"t feel very happy when they say this to me .
It"s no different than any other party interaction I"ve ever had .
「I am honored to hear you say so . However, if I were to do something wrong, it would cause trouble for Warren-sama as well . . . . . 」
If she said this, she wouldn"t be able to come on strong . At least, it"s not a lie that she is under Warren"s protection .
「Hey, you . I"m sure Warren-sama has his own thoughts on the matter, and I"m sure Claune-sama would be confused if you strongly suggested it」
「You are . . . . . probably right . I"m sorry, Claune-sama . I was just hoping to make some kind of a connection」
「No, It"s fine . I"m just glad you think so well of me」
She thought she was going to give me as a concubine . There was no way she would take a woman who was not a n.o.blewoman as her brother"s wife .
It was a good thing that the conversation was settled so easily, even though Claune did not want to deal with it from the start .
When she was in Hyme, there were plenty of times when she would have been depressed by someone suggesting something without reading the air .
Liebe Girls" Academy is a good place . Although the academy"s rules are very strict, she feels that there is nothing wrong with the academy for training fine ladies . Claune"s goals are very high . She had to achieve high grades at the academy, but she also had to complete the a.s.signments that Warren gave her .
「 . . . . . I"m looking forward to working with you all」
As a transfer student, her time at the academy will not be very long . In such a situation, she had to learn what she could at a pace twice as fast as those around her . Claune decided to do the best she could and finished her first day at the academy .
＊＊＊
「Kadyma-sama . Thank you for your patience . Here are the items you ordered」
「Nya nya!? It finally come nya!」
Ainz and Claune . While the future of Ishtalica was looking forward to the first day of academy, Kadyma received a delivery in her room at the castle .
It was a large, thick book that she had been looking for years, searching from one end of the continent Ishtar to the other, and finally found it .
For this one book, Kadyma had spent about two-thirds of the money she had at her disposal in one year .
She didn"t have the slightest regret, in fact, it was one of the best things she had ever done in her entire life .
「Umu good job nya! Thanks nya」
「Not at all . Then Please take your time」
The waiter hands her a packed box . She knows the book she"s looking for is inside, but she can"t help the thrill she feels .
She carefully opened the package and took the book out of the box, being careful not to damage the book .
「 . . . . It"s an impressive item nya」
A book written by a famous elf who had spent his whole life writing it . That was this book .
She put her strong interest in the contents of the book for now . Still, even the exterior of the book had a certain aura to it .
A leather exterior made by a master dwarven craftsman . If she were to describe it as a leather exterior, she would feel a sense of loneliness .
She wonders if the beautiful and austere leather cover is stamped or carved from leather . She doesn’t know the technique at all .
The material is probably the skin of a small, scale less dragon that has lived for a long time, and it is thick and st.u.r.dy, about one centimeter thick .
The three-dimensional feel created by the thick skin alone makes it an item of great value .
Even Kadyma, a research geek, would be careful with such a magnificent object .
She put on a small pair of gloves made especially for her, and opened the book with a tightened hand .
「 . . . . I knew it wouldn"t be easy to read nya」
The author is a famous elf who has lived for a long time, said to have lived for hundreds . . . . . or even thousands of years .
The elf is said to have been diligent researcher . By the way, she doesn’t even know if he"s alive or dead now .
He was said to have retired some time ago, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then .
The letters he used was called the 『Old Elvish letters』, a special language used by the old elves for oral transmission .
Kadyma, who had always been a researcher, had studied some of the old elven letters and understood its contents .
However, there were only a few dozen words, and it was difficult to decipher the text .
She kept groaning and flipping through the pages to read this book, but she had no idea what to expect .
「This book is said to have particularly detailed information about the Demon King nya . . . . . . I"m sure there"s some information about Dullahan or something」
As far as the t.i.tle goes, she understands it a little . Kadyma had sought out and purchased this expensive book as a summary of matters relating to the Demon King . This is why Kadyma could understand the word "demon king" written on the cover .
「 . . . . Bingo nya」
And she found it . She was able to find a page that would be a good source of information because the book had ill.u.s.trations even though she could not read .
「I see nya, I"ve never seen it"s appearance before nya . Very interesting . . . . . . Nice to meet you nya, so you"re the Dullahan inside Ainz now, right nya?」
Dullahan is depicted as an aide to the demon king . What this means is that the owner of the magic stone that Ainz absorbed is the Dullahan in this ill.u.s.tration . He has a fearless face . Even though Dullahan has the appearance of a knight and is clad in ostentatious armor, he is a kind of fairy . The Dullahan in the ill.u.s.tration is a beautiful and strong man with slightly long silver hair .
She felt somewhat similar to Ainz, who also had a nice face .
「Nyaa . . . . Even though I know what he looks like, I still want to read about it properly nya」
She feels so frustrated . She"s so sad that she can"t read the book that she just got .
「Can"t be helped nya . I need to go to the lab and collect some materials, oh and order some new materials nya」
Kadyma"s desire to research the subject that she couldn"t read became stronger, and she decided to try to figure out the letters first .
She had spent a lot of money to buy the book, but more than anything, it was frustrating for her to not know what it said .
She then took out a note paper from her desk and started to list down the things she needed .
When she had finished writing down the list, she started flipping through the book again .
「It"s a good book, though nya . It"s beautifully ill.u.s.trated, and I can"t wait to decipher it nya . . . . . . nya?」
Kadyma"s finger stopped on a page . On that page was a woman wearing a hood .
Although she couldn"t see her eyes, she seemed to be a beautiful woman, judging from her mouth .
She was dressed in a black robe and wore several jewels, probably some kind of magic tools . And a large staff in her hand . She could tell at first glance that she was a mage .
「She"s another one of the Demon Lord"s aides nya? Or his wife? Well, which ever is fine nya . I"ll save the fun after I finished decipher it nya! . . . . . . . Still, it"s a lot of work to find materials nya . If only there are any elves nearby that have connections to the old elves nya . . . . . Haah, it will be difficult nya」
The language of the old elven letter was basically handed down only orally, so there were only a few occasions when it was written down, such as in this book .
And the number of elven tribes that understand the language is already so small that it would take several years to find one .
It was not very realistic to think about it .
However, from Kadyma"s point of view, there are only intriguing pages in this book . Kadyma vowed to decipher the book .
Then there was a knock at the door .
The visitor came to Kadyma, who was determined to decipher it . Hearing the knock, Kadyma responded .
「Who is it nya?」
「It"s me」
Chris walked into Kadyma"s room .
「Come in nya」
「Excuse me, Your Highness . Kadyma-sama, Her Highness wishes to see you . Or rather, she"s angry . She says that Kadyma-sama is late for her appointment . . . . . 」
「I"ve done it nya . . . . I had to go . . . . Sorry, Chris! please clean up these boxes and stuff nya!」
Kadyma, whose face turned pale at Chris"s report, hurried to Lalaruua"s side . As soon as she ran out of the room, she asked Chris to put away the box that contained the book and leave it there .
「It"s dangerous to run . . . . . . it"s late already . Haaah . . . . . Kadyma-sama, if you could calm down a bit, it would help you too」
For Chris, who was always getting into some kind of trouble with Kadyma, it would be more helpful if she would calm down a little .
She thought about it, but first she tried to do the cleaning she was asked to do .
「I can at least clean up the boxes, right? . . . . 」
Chris guessed it when she saw the box she used for packing . She must have bought something expensive again . So, she decided to keep the box just in case, and she would take it to the entrance of the lab later .
「Oh, you bought a book huh, Kadyma-sama . . . . . . . the book is still open . I"ll close it for you」
Kadyma ran out of the room with the book open .
Chris thought that it would be better for the book if it was closed, so she went to the book, which Kadyma could not decipher at all .
「I haven"t seen this letter in a very long time . I don"t know how she got this old book, it looks so expensive . . . . . . . The t.i.tle of the book is . . . . . . 『A Study of the Truth about the Demon King and His Aides』 . Eeh . . . . What the heck kind of book did you buy, Kadyma-sama」
Chris could read the words in the book . The tribe in the region where she was born still lived by the old teachings .
She was interested in the "Old Elvish letter", which she hadn"t seen in a long time, but her interest waned when she saw the t.i.tle .
As a result of her waning interest, she closed the book without even turning the pages .
「Yosh, close it tight, and we"re good to go」
Chris then picked up the box she had been using for packing . She had to get ready to go pick up Ainz, but first she decided to go to Kadyma"s lab and leave this box at the entrance .
「So there"s women in the Demon Lord"s entourage huh . I"ve never heard she was a human though . . . . . . 」
Chris, who had received a good education in the tribe about the Demon King, wondered why .
In her memory, the Demon King didn"t have any human subordinates . But as she thought about it, she came to a conclusion .
「Aah, I see . . . . She"s an "Elder Lich" huh? No wonder he looks so human, unlike the Lich」