“Perish the thought. No need for such measures exists. Thine dragons were specially summoned by the wills of the Supreme Beings. T’would be unthinkable to harm such blessed beings.”

Titus disposed the ash, which was all that remained of the scroll, into a waste bin. As he did so, he looked at the relieved Mare.

“Uh, does that mean the parchment from this world isn’t suitable for making scrolls?”

Mare looked at the ash.

“T’would be very likely. Or not— I recant my previous statement. ‘Tis difficult to tell. ‘Tis not unthinkable for mine methods of artifice to be a deviance in this world. For instance, the methodology of potion manufacture diverges vastly from those methods I know to be efficacious.”

“T-that’s a possibility? But are you sure it’s the parchment’s fault after just one failure?”

“Just one? I hath experimented repeatedly with various parchment materials from the surface. But with magic over 3rd tier, t’all ended the same; in flames. Tis most likely because the parchment could not contain the magic and combusted as the result.”

“But don’t the magic casters in this world use parchments like the one from just now?”

“In all likelihood, the magic casters of this world utilize regular parchment. I cannot conclude that practice is universal in all the countries of this world. But when utilizing the parchment found in the countries near Nazarick—”

Titus took out a roll of parchment that was a little different from the one he just used.

“—the experiment concludeth that 1st tier magic was the limit.”

“Does that mean humans have always been using crude and unrefined materials?”

“Probably not. The difference doth lie in the process of manufacture. Though it paineth me to admit it, their technique is quite refined. I can but master this new methodology and thereby improve myself.”

“You’re amazing!”

Mare felt respect towards the Chief Librarian who took great effort to polish and improve his abilities.

“‘Tis be thanks to all the Supreme Beings. Now then, Guardian Mare, I shall lend thee the Overlords as promised.”

♦ ♦ ♦

Nazarick Time 10:28

Mare arrived in a stone building in middle of the lizardman village after depositing the ring back in Nazarick and using mass teleportation.

The lizardmen did not possess the capabilities to build with stone materials, which needed a strong and solid foundation in humid and marshy land. It was a given that outsiders had built it — the ones dispatched from Nazarick.

The reason why Nazarick had bothered to send someone over to build something like that stood behind Mare, in the deepest part of the building.

Mare bowed towards the figure and so did the overlords who accompanied him.

The figure that was a couple steps above the ground was a stone statue of the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown. The statue looked extremely realistic, as if Ainz himself had been petrified, and the way it was swinging the staff to the front gave a commanding aura that was befitting of a ruler.

There were numerous offerings laid out in front of the stone statue. From Mare’s point of view, all these offerings were worthless. They were trivial objects such as flowers and fish.

But Mare was not displeased by the offering. The tributes conveyed clear feelings of admiration and worship. For example, the flowers did not grow in the marshes, but in the forest. As the forest was dangerous for lizardmen, someone must have risked his life to get these flowers. Also, the fish were far bigger than the ones the lizardmen ate, and he could tell they had selected the best to offer.

Mare nodded his head in satisfaction. The fact that some rabble from nowhere had finally recognized the greatness of his master made him happy.

“Thanks for the hard work.”

Mare spoke first to the lizardmen who were fidgeting and stealing glances his way. They were there to clean the temple. These were some of the few lizardmen who possessed the abilities of a druid. On their neck was a medal with the guild symbol of Ainz Ooal Gown.

Between them and Mare, their difference in their statuses was like the gulf between the heavens and the earth. Their relationship was that of a ruler and a servant, and there was no need to praise them for their hard work. But due to the reasons previously stated, Mare felt a sense of satisfaction and praised them so.

Mare left behind the lizardmen who were bowing and left the temple with the overlords. What stood before them was the swamp and the lizardmen village. It was more prosperous than before.

Their population had decreased due to the war, but with the five tribes united, they formed a large and healthy village.

Wooden stockades surrounded a large area and though one would wonder how they had managed to erect watchtowers on soft ground, white skeletons, probably Nazarick Old Guarders, stood watch with their bows from the top of the watchtowers. They appeared to be patrolling to ensure no intruders could make their way inside.

“Uhmmm, where would Cocytus-san be?”

Coctyus was easily recognizable in more ways than one. If he was in the village, he would be spotted easily and even if he was in one of the houses, his servants would be standing around outside. Mare had looked around the entire village, but Cocytus was nowhere to be seen.

“Can someone ask where Cocytus-san is?”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

One of the overlords, Aurelius, went back inside the temple.

Mare looked at the swamp — the peaceful lizardmen village. There was no sign of anyone being wary of the Nazarick Old Guarders and the lizardmen children did not seem to mind either. They co-existed as if it was natural.

Even though the undead invaded this place and they’re now subjugated, they don’t seem to hold any grudges. Is it because Cocytus-san’s integration policy is working well or are the lizardmen naturally like this?

While Mare was wandering off in thought, Aurelius returned.

“I apologize for making you wait, Mare-sama. The ones working in the temple didn’t know where Cocytus-sama would be. But they said that Shasuryu Shasha… this tribal confederation’s chief might know.”

“T-then, uh, let’s go there.”

Mare and company walked with Aurelius at the head. Rather than cutting through the newly erected lizardmen village on the swamp, they walked along the lakeside. A forest soon appeared and they could spot several Nazarick Old Guarders here and there throughout the forest.