Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

He needed a reason that seemed to be in Nazarick's best interests.

He looked at Demiurge.

"Demeurge".

“Yes, Lord Ainz.” Demiurge immediately bowed respectfully.

“If we were to convert all the lizardmen into undead,” Ainz tried to make it sound like a well-thought-out decision, “we would lack people with flexible minds to coordinate and collect resources.”

"I'm planning to keep this lizardman. What do you think?"

Perfect leadership communication skills.

Ainz silently gave himself a passing grade for his performance.

Demiurge's brain was almost overloaded for a moment.

Resource coordination? Flexible thinking?

He frantically pondered the true meaning of Lord Ainz's words.

Lord Ainz never considered this issue when he was conquering the first few tribes.

The Green Claws, Sharp Tail, and Little Tooth tribes were all transformed into undead and incorporated into the legion.

If it was really for the purpose of coordinating resources, why not leave survivors in the first tribe?

There is only one answer.

This reason was something Lord Ainz came up with on the spot.

Lord Ainz needs him to provide a way out.

A strong sense of mission welled up in Demiurge's heart.

He cannot let Lord Ainz down.

“Lord Ainz is right,” Demiurge said with great agreement. “Leaving behind a lizardman to oversee the overall situation would be more in the Great Tomb of Nazarick’s interest.”

Ainz nodded slightly upon hearing this.

'Yay!' He silently breathed a sigh of relief. 'Even Demiurge approved of my excuse, so it should be fine now.'

He turned back to Kurushe, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Kurusha, I've decided to spare your life."

Kurushue's body trembled slightly.

A complex light flashed in those red eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

Demiurge urged from the side, "Why don't you thank Lord Ainz for his kindness?"

Kurushue spoke softly, afraid of angering the undead before her.

"And the other red-eyed lizardmen..."

Ainz hesitated almost without the slightest hesitation.

"Of course, kill them all."

After all, this lizardman is the only rare specimen.

Other red-eyed reptilians are just ordinary green or brown scales and have no collectible value.

Kurushue's body trembled violently.

The silence lasted for a few seconds.

Then she looked up.

"In that case, Lord Gong, please kill me as well."

Her voice was resolute.

Ainz was troubled, but he still didn't want to give up.

He thought about it for a moment and then made a decision.

"I can let you and your child go."

After all, her child should also have this rare albino gene.

Kurushue was stunned.

Demiurge, standing to the side, was even more surprised.

'Lord Ainz would actually go to such lengths for this lizardman…'

He quickly calculated in his mind. Letting this albino lizardman go was already beyond the scope of conventional strategic needs.

Now her child has been added to the mix. This can no longer be explained by "coordinating resources".

From any perspective, Lord Ainz had no reason to keep this lizardman alive.

But Lord Ainz spared her life. He even spared her child in order to ensure her survival.

why?

Demiurge's gaze swept back and forth between Ainz and Crux.

Lord Ainz just reached out and brushed aside the weeds covering the lizardman. At the time, he thought it was some kind of profound probe, but now, thinking back…

That was clearly a form of appreciation.

All the fragments were pieced together at that moment.

Demiurge's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile.

He saw through the whole truth.

'Lord Ainz... fell in love with this white lizardman at first sight.'

With this conclusion emerging, all the sense of incongruity disappeared.

As the absolute ruler of Nazarick, Lord Ainz certainly has the right to have his own spouse.

Even though the other party is just a lowly lizardman, since it's Lord Ainz's choice...

Demiurge's gaze fell on Kuruxue, and he began to examine this albino lizardman from a completely new perspective.

They were of lowly status, weak in strength, and of lowly race.

But since Lord Ainz likes it, then being a concubine is acceptable.

Demiurge pushed up his glasses, and the light behind the lenses flickered as he began to plan the next steps in his mind.

Lord Ainz didn't say it explicitly because such matters were not convenient to disclose. But as his subordinate, he had an obligation to make thorough preparations for his lord's private affairs.

This is true loyalty.

Demiurge's smile deepened.

Chapter 14 The Monster's Mercy

Kurushue knelt on the damp mud, white scales peeking out from between the weeds, gleaming dimly in the sunlight.

Her head was hanging very low, almost touching the wet ground.

"I agree."

When the voice was squeezed out from deep in her throat, it was dry and hoarse, as if she had used up all her strength.

But for the sake of the continuation of her people, she spoke up nonetheless.

Ainz Ooal Gown stood before her, feeling a surge of excitement.

"very good."

He turned around, the hem of his black robe sweeping across the wet ground, stirring up a slight breeze.

"Lead the way."

The Red-Eyed Clan's territory was larger than Ainz had anticipated.

The simple wooden houses are scattered along the wetlands, each with its foundation in the wetlands or shallow water, supported by about ten thick wooden piles. This design is effective in dealing with the wetland's humid environment and water level changes.

The walls of the chieftain's residence are painted with white totems. There are no windows inside, only a few vents, making the interior environment relatively dark, which is also to protect Kuruxue from the sunlight.

But Ainz's attention wasn't on those things.

He looked at the person beside Kurushe.

There stood forty-odd tiny lizardman cubs.

Their scales still have the soft sheen characteristic of juveniles, and their color ranges from light green to dark brown.

Some clung to Kurushe's legs, some hid behind her, or huddled together, cautiously examining the tall skeleton before them with their still childish eyes.

Ainz's jaw slowly opened.

'Even though they're reptiles, they reproduce way too prolifically.'

The sheer number of them even triggered Ainz's Undead Forced Calm.

He originally thought there would be at most a few "children," but he didn't expect it to be this many.

"How dare you deceive Lord Ainz."

Albedo's voice came from behind, as cold as the frost that never melts in an icy prison.

She took a step forward, the hem of her pure white dress leaving a shallow trail in the mud.

“These are clearly all the lizardman cubs of your tribe.”

Albedo's gaze swept over the cubs, and every little lizardman whose eyes fell upon her involuntarily shrank back.

The youngest ones had already hidden behind Kurushue, with only half of their tails showing, the tips of which were trembling slightly.

Albedo turned her head to face Ainz.

"Lord Ainz, this foolish and ignorant lizardman has failed your kindness. Please leave him to me to deal with."

Her voice was so gentle it was almost cloying, but the words she spoke were icy cold.

Kurushue's body trembled violently.