Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

He bowed deeply and said, "Please allow me to apologize. I have suddenly remembered that I have an urgent official matter to attend to."

Rune paused for a moment.

“As for the next matter,” the High Priest straightened up, a perfectly measured apology on his face, “I will have Antilin introduce it to you. Her knowledge of the Sanctuary is no less than mine, and she will surely satisfy you.”

"Huh?" Rune blurted out instinctively, "But wasn't it just...?"

"This is an urgent matter that must be addressed immediately."

The High Priest's tone was sincere, but he had already begun to back away.

Rune felt that something was off.

Just now, the old man was leisurely "lecturing" him, from the descent of the six great gods to the establishment of the theocracy, and then to the fall of the six great gods, his tone so relaxed as if he had a whole day to teach him.

Why is there suddenly an emergency?

But Rune nodded anyway: "...Then go ahead."

"Thank you for your understanding, God of Judgment."

The High Priest bowed again and then turned around.

He walked very fast.

He's moving faster than an old man.

Rune even saw his figure flash between the pillars of the Sanctuary, creating a slight breeze; the speed was so fast that Rune could barely see it.

Did he use martial arts techniques?

Rune's lips twitched. What kind of government affairs could be this urgent?

But Rune was also a little happy.

Since the Supreme High Priest had been slowly explaining things to me until now, and only left when someone could take my place, it seems that I, as a "god who is temporarily unable to use his power," have a pretty high priority.

Rune quickly snapped out of his thoughts, because that hand patted his head again.

"Lord God of Judgment?"

The voice of absolute death came from above, still with that cold tone, but for some reason, Rune felt there was a hint of... playfulness in it?

Why are you blushing?

Rune: "…………"

He looked up and met those heterochromatic eyes.

Her left eye was pure white, and her right eye was pitch black. Her youthful face remained expressionless, but Rune inexplicably felt that she was smiling.

And that hand was still on his head.

It seems that Zesshi Zesshi doesn't respect himself as the God of Judgment very much. Is it because he is too weak, or because he looks too small right now?

“Um,” Rune cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound more authoritative, “you can take your hand off now.”

Chapter 26 Rubik's Cube

The light in the sanctuary remained soft, as if time itself had lost its meaning here.

Rune stood still, feeling the gentle touch of the hand rubbing his head. Zesshi Zesshi's movements were very light, like petting a docile pet, rather than treating a "lord of the gods".

"So, you can't use your previous powers now, right?"

Antilinen withdrew her hand, her heterochromatic eyes looking down at Rune. Her tone had changed from "you" to "you," as if she were confirming something trivial.

Rune felt a slight tightening in his heart.

Is Zesshi Zetsumei doubting herself? Rune vaguely remembers that Zesshi Zetsumei's reasoning ability was quite good.

However, he showed no unusual expression on his face. He simply nodded and repeated the same explanation he had given to the Supreme High Priest: the side effects of the world-class artifact were that the main body was in a state of time freeze, and although the body was weak, it could indirectly extend lifespan.

Antilin listened, her face expressionless.

After Rune finished speaking, she said, "I see."

Then she reached out and patted Rune's head again.

"The God of Judgment isn't as terrifying as the God of Death describes him to be."

Rune's lips twitched.

He dodged the hand and looked up at her: "Can people from the Holy Kingdom see the records of Sirshana?"

“This is one of the top secrets of the Holy Kingdom,” Antilin said in her usual languid tone. “Only the high priests and awakened gods know about it.”

Rune nodded thoughtfully, then asked the question that truly concerned him: "So, that guy Sirsha's only assessment of me was 'terrifying'?"

Antilin tilted her head, as if she were recalling something.

"Of course there are others."

She paused, then started counting on her fingers: "Cowardly, greedy, stingy..."

She counted three fingers, then stopped, thought for a moment, and added another: "It seems like there's also... a bad temper?"

Rune's eyebrows twitched.

“There should be many more.” Antiline put down her hand, her expression still indifferent. “But I rarely look at those records; they’re too thick.”

Rune was silent for a second.

Then he took a deep breath.

"Damn you, Sirshana!"

His voice echoed in the empty sanctuary, carrying just the right amount of anger.

But only he himself knows how much of that anger is genuine and how much is an act.

The guiding conversation was successful.

This is exactly what he needs. He can then use the denigration of Sirshana to highlight his understanding of the "divine realm," thereby alleviating Zesshi Zemei's suspicions.

Rune's gaze fell on the huge scythe behind Antiline.

“This scythe was named ‘Charon’s Guide’ by Sirsana.” Rune walked over, stretched out his hand, and stopped an inch from the blade. “Charon is the ferryman of the dead in our world’s mythology, responsible for ferrying the souls of the dead across the River Styx.”

Antilin followed his gaze to her weapon, but did not stop him from approaching.

She was very familiar with this scythe. As the strongest hidden trump card of the theocracy, she was able to copy and use the trump card skills left behind by the original owner thanks to her innate EX-level ability [Contact Sensing].

That is why she was able to master the Grim Reaper Sershana's ultimate technique, "Death is the end of all life."

"This is a product of his chuunibyou (middle school syndrome)," Rune continued, his tone filled with undisguised disdain. "He's clearly just a skeleton, but he insists on dressing himself up like an artsy guy. If you saw him running around in the game wearing ridiculous gear, your faith would probably crumble."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Antilin.

Do you know what he likes to do most?

Antilin blinked but did not answer.

“He likes to use the image of Death to dance a really stupid dance,” Rune said, gesturing a couple of times. “It’s that kind of dance where the skeleton twists and turns. Every time he finishes dancing, he asks us, ‘Wasn’t it cool?’”

Antilin's expression remained indifferent, but something seemed to flicker slightly in her heterochromatic eyes.

"And that scythe," Rune continued to slander. "He insisted on adding a glowing effect, saying that 'the Grim Reaper's scythe must have the light of a soul.' But the first time he used it, the light was too dazzling, making him dizzy and almost getting killed by the Boss, so they removed it later."

As Rune spoke, he laughed first.

That smile did indeed carry a hint of genuine nostalgia.

Antilin looked at him and suddenly said, "So little Rune knows a lot about things in the divine realm."

Rune's smile faded, and he nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course."

"That……"

Antilin reached into her bosom and pulled something out.

"Can Little Rune help me put it together?"

Rune looked down.

That was a Rubik's Cube.

A standard six-sided 3x3 Rubik's Cube, with the colors of each face scrambled, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and white mixed together without any discernible pattern.

Antilin handed the Rubik's Cube to him, her heterochromatic eyes holding a hint of expectation.

Rune was stunned.

rubik's cube.

This is a product that Sirshana and his group brought to another world.

The problem is, Rune has hardly ever played with a Rubik's Cube in his entire life.

In his previous life, he was not interested in Rubik's Cubes and had never memorized their formulas.

In his previous life, he was busy with work and spending money on YGGDRASIL, so he didn't have time to study this thing.

After transmigrating, he devoted all his energy to planning for the future over the past six years, and he never even touched a pastime like a Rubik's Cube.

He took the Rubik's Cube and spun it around in his hand twice.

The colored blocks flipped on my fingertips, revealing absolutely no pattern.

"I……"

Rune paused for a moment.

Antilin's gaze was fixed on his face, her heterochromatic eyes unblinking.

"I only know how to fight on one side."

After Rune finished speaking, he felt a little embarrassed.

The mighty "God of Judgment" can't even solve a Rubik's Cube properly.

Antilin was silent for a second.

Then she spoke, her tone still cold and aloof, but Rune could clearly detect a hint of...pleasure in it?

"I can assemble both sides."