Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

“Rune-chan, the Warrior Captain isn’t as complicated as you think.”

Rune raised his eyelids.

“As far as the Warrior Captain is concerned,” Lana’s voice continued, emphasizing each word clearly, “you, who value the common people and insist on aiding the Dragon Kingdom, are the ‘Knight Lord’ in his eyes.”

Knight Lord.

The moment those words reached his ears, Rune's heart wavered slightly.

The fingers resting on my knees unconsciously tightened, the fingertips sinking into the flesh of my palms, the touch warm and real.

No.

Rune had a clear understanding of himself; he wasn't as great as Gerdov had made him out to be.

He values ​​the common people? His territorial reforms were intended to plant the seeds of Enlightenment thought in their minds. In case Ainz Ooal Gown conquered the world, humanity would still have the will to resist.

Aid the Dragon Kingdom? It's nothing more than a pretext for Sebastian and his subsequent plans.

Every step is a calculation; behind every seemingly noble choice lies a cold, hard purpose.

Judging from the results, Rune was much better than the other scoundrels in the Kingdom of Rune.

That's it.

Rune's lips curved into a slightly self-deprecating smile.

"Haha."

Rune's laughter was soft, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet tea room.

"It's rare that you, Captain Warrior, don't treat me like a lolicon nobleman."

He chuckled and dismissed Lana's assessment in a joking tone. His voice was light, as if the topic wasn't about him.

Lana did not laugh.

She simply gazed at Rune quietly, his face reflected in her deep blue eyes.

"Rune is really something."

Her tone carried a hint of reproach and helplessness.

"If Rune really is a lolicon, he wouldn't have needed to reject me since I was little."

Lana blinked, then tilted her head slightly—a perfectly natural movement, her eyelashes fluttering up and down, yet revealing a youthful energy.

"I was probably quite cute when I was a child."

Rune's gaze lingered on her face for a moment.

Then he looked away.

Actually, you're not doing badly now.

Rune silently complained to himself, though of course he wouldn't say it aloud.

Who knows how this woman will react if I say it?

"Rune-chan, please give me that ring."

Lana's voice rang out again. Her tone had returned to its usual composure, as if the blinking and head-tilting gesture from just moments before had never happened.

“I told the Warrior Captain that Mr. Rune wanted this ring, and the Warrior Captain gave it to me directly.”

direct……

This means that the sergeant did not ask about the purpose of the mission, nor did he hesitate.

Rune lowered his eyes.

The light in the room dimmed further. The thin clouds outside the window seemed to have grown thicker, completely obscuring the sun, casting a gray hue over everything in the room.

Gödelsky-Stronov, the Kingdom's Warrior Captain.

This person was even more upright than he thought.

In comparison, Rune felt like he was the villain.

"Is that ring special, Rune-chan?"

Lana's voice came from across the room. Her hands were folded on her knees, her posture dignified and elegant. A hint of curiosity lingered on her delicate face, like that of a child listening to a story.

Rune raised his eyelids.

He restored his usual gentle and composed expression.

"Ah."

Rune's tone was moderate, as if the ring, while quite nice, was not indispensable.

"It can enhance my abilities, making me more confident when facing orcs."

Rune couldn't possibly reveal all the information to Lana.

This ring originally belonged to the Platinum Dragon King.

Later, the Platinum Dragon King was handed over to Rigrid, a former member of the Blue Rose, who in turn passed the torch to Gazef as his successor. It was precisely because of Rigrid that Rune did not consider Bytos.

The ring is crafted using primordial magic, and for warriors, it grants a +1 level bonus.

For low-level warriors, the effect is not significant. A mere level increase is merely turning an ordinary person into a slightly more powerful ordinary person.

However, for high-level warrior classes, the meaning is completely different.

It can even allow a level 100 warrior to break through the limit and reach level 101.

Rune would naturally not leave something like that to Ainz.

At this moment, the ring has already flowed into the Theocracy through the Kingdom's secret channels. If nothing unexpected happens, it's probably already on Zesshi Zesshi's hand.

Such equipment, which significantly enhances high-level combat power, should naturally be given to the strongest individuals.

and many more.

Rune suddenly realized something.

My own behavior...

Ask one girl for a ring, then give it to another girl.

like.

He's a bit like a jerk.

Rune looked into Lana's eyes and felt a little uneasy.

Under Lana's deep blue gaze, Rune felt a subtle unease, akin to feeling guilty.

Rune tried to keep his gaze calm, but under Lana's watchful eye, he unconsciously shifted his gaze slightly to the side.

"Rune-chan".

Her voice was light and airy, yet it carried the oppressive feeling of a hunter seeing his prey step into a trap.

"Could it be... that he gave that ring to another girl?"

Rune's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

'This woman is a monster.'

He cursed inwardly, but his face remained unchanged.

“Your Highness is too kind,” Rune said calmly, with a hint of confusion. “That ring is very important to me; how could I give it away to someone else?”

Lana stared at Rune for a long time.

He wore a faint smile, but there was clearly no smile in his deep blue eyes.

"Yeah."

Her voice was very soft, as soft as a feather falling on the water.

"That's good."

She picked up the teacup in front of her and took a small sip. Her movements were elegant and composed, as if the question she had just asked was truly just a casual remark.

But Rune noticed that her fingers, which were holding the teacup, had turned slightly white from pressing down.

"Your Highness," Rune bowed slightly, placing his right hand on his chest in a standard noble gesture, "It's getting late, I must take my leave now."

In this situation, running away is definitely the wisest choice.

Lana lifted her eyelids to look at him.

"Rune-chan." Her voice was soft, carrying an indescribable meaning, "Are you leaving already?"

“There are still some things to prepare,” Rune said respectfully. “I need to go back and make arrangements regarding the Eight Fingers operation.”

Lana nodded slightly, as if she agreed with Rune's explanation.

"Okay, then Rune, be careful on the road."

Rune straightened up and walked towards the door, his steps slightly faster than usual.

He walked through the corridors, through the courtyard, and through the magnificent city gate. Along the way, the servants and guards saluted him, to which he merely nodded hastily.

Rune finally stopped after leaving the city of Lorenti.

"I should try to avoid contact with Lana in the future," Rune murmured.

This woman is terrifying.

Chapter 2 Moral Blackmail Sebastian

The afternoon light slanted in through the living room window, cutting a bright geometric pattern on the floor.

The moment Rune pushed open the door, he saw Sebastian, who had been waiting for a long time.

The old butler sat in the high-backed chair against the wall, his hands folded on his knees, his back ramrod straight.

Sunlight streamed in from behind him, casting a thin silver edge on his gray hair, and his black tuxedo gleamed with the matte sheen of the fabric in the light.

Sebastian didn't look out the window, nor did he glance at the furnishings in the room. He just sat there quietly, like a statue that had been waiting for a long time.

Hearing the door open, Sebastian stood up.