Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

“I will accompany Mr. Sebastian. I am quite confident in our ability to use force.”

Rune paused, as if considering his words: "Even if the bandits attack, we can guarantee the safety of Mr. and Miss Sebastian."

When Rune said those words, he himself felt they were somewhat absurd.

Saying "protect him" in front of a level 100 dragon is like an ant telling an elephant that it will shield it from the wind.

But Rune acted very sincerely.

What he wanted Sebastian to see was a capable young nobleman who would kindly help those he perceived as weak.

Sebastian did not respond immediately.

He stood there, his eyes, deep in wrinkles, silently watching Rune, as if scrutinizing something.

Rune met his gaze calmly, his heartbeat steady and his breathing normal.

A moment later, Sebastian's lips twitched slightly.

It was an extremely subtle curve, a smile.

A smile that held a hint of appreciation for the younger generation.

It's not an acknowledgment of ability, but an acknowledgment of that "goodwill".

“In that case,” Sebastian’s voice was calm and gentle, like an elder responding to a junior’s request, “I will ask Miss for her permission.”

After saying that, he nodded slightly and turned to walk towards the carriage.

The car door closed gently behind him.

Successful.

Rune breathed a sigh of relief.

Sebastian is Soliuxiang's superior, so it's impossible for Soliuxiang to make the decision. This so-called "request for instructions" could only mean two things.

One possibility is that Sebastian makes the decision himself, but only maintains the "butler and lady" persona on the surface, going for a short while in the carriage before coming out.

Possibility two: Sebastian consulted Ainz Ooal Gown from inside the carriage...

Given Ainz Ooal Gown's cautious nature, he might very well refuse the goodwill of a nobleman of unknown origin.

but……

Rune had planned all of this, including this particular moment.

Ainz Ooal Gown is currently busy rescuing Enfreya and fighting Clementine. He did not pay attention to the "message" from Antema in the original story, so naturally he will not pay attention to the "message" from Sebastian now.

The final outcome will only return to possibility one, where Sebastian makes the decision himself.

For Sebastian, it's hard to refuse a "kind" person.

Moreover, Rune gave Sebastian a reason to accept that even he himself could not deny.

The Eindora family's reputation and connections in the capital would be a real asset to Sebastian's subsequent intelligence-gathering mission. Accepting this goodwill was essentially paving the way for the mission assigned by Ainz Ooal Gown.

This is a carefully designed "open conspiracy" by Rune.

Sebastian must find a perfect balance between "accepting the kindness of a young man" and "completing the task more efficiently."

The car was quiet for a moment.

That moment of silence felt very long to Rune.

Rune could hear his own heartbeat, the rustling of leaves in the night wind, and the low hooting of owls in the distant woods.

Then, the car door opened.

Sebastian stepped out, his wrinkled face as calm as ever. But Rune noticed that the old man's gaze had softened somewhat.

"My young lady has agreed."

Sebastian's voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

Rune paused for a moment, then a smile bloomed on his face. The smile shone brightly in the moonlight, carrying the unique joy of a young person whose goodwill has been recognized.

"Great."

Rune's voice carried a genuine enthusiasm, as if he were truly happy to be able to help.

Rune turned and walked toward the cavalry behind him. After a few steps, he turned back and said to Sebastian:

"Mr. Sebastian, please wait a moment while I go and make some arrangements."

Sebastian nodded slightly.

Rune strode toward the cavalry. Gehrman was the first to approach, his scarred face etched with disapproval.

"Sir, are you going to protect them yourself? This is too much..."

“German”.

Rune's voice wasn't loud, but it made the burly man's words catch in his throat.

"Follow behind with your brothers, keeping your distance."

"But"

"This is an order."

Gehrman's lips moved, but he ultimately just mumbled a "Yes."

Rune patted his shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy.

"Do not worry."

After finishing speaking, Rune turned and walked towards the carriage.

Chapter 42 Building Favorability

The morning light slowly spread from the eastern ridgeline, first gilding the treetops with a pale gold edge, then flowing down the trunks and landing on the clearings in the forest, making the night dew shine.

The carriage moved slowly along the forest path, its wheels creaking rhythmically as they rolled over pebbles and fallen leaves.

Rune did not ride a horse, but sat side by side with Sebastian on the driver's seat.

"So Mr. Sebastian and Miss Soliuxiang are from the Empire."

Rune's voice carried a hint of realization, as if he had finally resolved a minor but significant question.

"No wonder they take this route. Most merchants from the Empire take this route to the capital."

As he spoke, he glanced at Sebastian.

The old man sat upright in the driver's seat, his back ramrod straight, his hands loosely gripping the reins. The morning light fell on his wrinkled face, making the marks of time exceptionally clear.

“Indeed.” Sebastian nodded slightly, his voice steady. “My lady has been living in the Empire all along, and this is her first time returning to the Kingdom.”

Rune nodded without asking any further questions.

The conversation between the two proceeded at a leisurely pace. Rune spoke of the changes in his territory over the past few years, the children studying in the school, and how this year's harvest was good, allowing the people to have enough to eat.

Rune spoke in a flat tone, as if he were chatting casually, but occasionally he would "inadvertently" reveal some of the dynamics of the royal aristocracy, which family had recently become close, which minister had recently lost power, and what problems the royal family's finances had encountered.

Sebastian listened, occasionally responding with a few words, and asking very ordinary questions, such as, "Is that lord still in the capital?" and "I heard that the Adventurers' Guild in the capital has been quite lively lately."

Rune answered each question casually, as if he were chatting about everyday things.

But he could sense that Sebastian was carefully writing down every single word.

Rune didn't care if this information was relayed back to Nazarick. Anything he mentioned could be obtained from any merchant in the capital for a few silver coins. He wouldn't utter a single word of what was truly important.

“Speaking of which,” Sebastian suddenly spoke, his tone still calm and unhurried, “if Mr. Rune finds those bandits, what do you plan to do with them?”

Rune was taken aback.

This question came somewhat abruptly. It wasn't that the topic itself was particularly sensitive; they were already tracking down the bandits, so discussing how to deal with them was perfectly natural. What surprised Rune was that the person who asked the question was Sebastian.

Logically, Sebastian should have deliberately avoided topics related to those bandits.

The horrific state of those people will soon be discovered; their deaths were clearly not caused by humans.

Anyone who afterwards showed "extra concern" for these robbers could easily be noticed by those with ulterior motives. Given Sebastian's cautious and thorough nature, he shouldn't have asked such a question that would leave a trace.

Rune chuckled to himself.

Knew it.

These NPCs summoned from YGGDRASIL are not entirely rational machines. Like humans, they act on impulse and can be driven by emotions for a moment, asking questions that are not entirely "rational".

However, Rune didn't mind. Even with unexpected topics, he could still demonstrate his stance to Sebastian in his answers.

“It depends.” Rune considered for a moment, then his tone became serious. “Those who have killed or raped people, I will execute them directly.”

Sebastian tilted his head slightly, glanced at him, offered no comment, and simply listened quietly.

"As for those who just want to make a living and survive..." Rune paused, "I will take them back to the territory and settle them in the newly reclaimed area. There is a shortage of manpower there, and they can work, have food, and have a place to live."

Rune thought for a moment and added, “Mr. Sebastian may not be aware of the situation here in the kingdom. In some noble territories, taxes can reach 80%. After a year of farming, 80% of the produce has to be handed over, leaving only 20% that isn't enough to feed a family. To avoid starvation, they have no choice but to become bandits. Many bandits aren't actually vicious people; they're just starving farmers…”

Rune spoke, his tone slightly hesitant, as if he were feeling sad about something.

But he knew what kind of image these words would project to Sebastian's ears.

A just, benevolent, capable, and responsible young lord. He will severely punish crimes, but is willing to give a way out to those unfortunate people who have been forced into poverty by the world.

Every word is sincere. It's just that choosing when and to whom to say it is itself a form of expression.

Sebastian was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Mr. Rune is kind and benevolent."

The sentence was spoken in a flat tone, revealing little emotion. But Rune noticed that Sebastian's eyes showed more approval, perhaps because Sebastian was thinking of Touchimi.

As the morning light grew brighter, the mist in the forest gradually dissipated in the light. Birdsong drifted from afar, crisp and short, echoing through the open woods.

Just as Rune was about to say something, he suddenly noticed that Sebastian's eyebrows twitched slightly.

It was an extremely subtle movement; the wrinkles between Sebastian's brows seemed to be gently touched by something, and then immediately smoothed out.

If Rune hadn't been deliberately observing, he wouldn't have noticed at all.

Then Suo Liuxiang's voice came from inside the carriage.

"Sebastian".

The voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear. Through the thin car door, Lu En could tell that Suo Liuxiang's tone was different from before; she had less of the spoiled young lady's airs and more seriousness.