Not long after leaving the Empire, Naohara and Momonga parted ways.
Momonga had paperwork to deal with, so he hurried straight back to the Sorcerer Kingdom, resuming his life as an overworked corporate slave.
Naohara simply ignored the resentful look Momonga shot him.
After returning to Nazarick, he headed straight for the Supreme Restaurant on the Ninth Floor.
At a table piled high with countless delicacies from land and sea, Naohara was rapidly wiping out everything on it.
He moved so quickly that only fleeting afterimages could be seen. In the blink of an eye, the food on each plate vanished.
Meanwhile, inside the kitchen, a massive figure was relentlessly swinging a cleaver.
Shihoutu·Tokitu
Race: Wild Orc (Appearance resembling a pig-headed humanoid)
A massive cleaver hung at his waist, and a huge wok was strapped to his back. His upper body was bare, not particularly muscular, and across his chest was a large tattoo that read "Fresh Meat." A gold chain hung around his neck.
Although he resembled an orc, he was closer to a beast-type variant of the species. On his head sat a pure white chef's hat, and a matching white apron was tied around his waist.
He was designed and created by the Supreme Being [Amanomahitotsu].
As a chef, Shihoutu possessed the absurdly high level of 78.
Aside from the [Berserker] class to ensure basic combat strength, all of his remaining classes were various cooking-related life skills.
The dishes he prepared were not only delicious, but also provided numerous beneficial buffs.
He served as both the Area Guardian of the cafeteria and its head chef, bearing the title [The Fiery Chef].
"Beastmen seem to have pretty short lifespans..."
Naohara glanced sideways at Shihoutu, who was cooking with intense enthusiasm, while his thoughts drifted.
Among Nazarick's many NPCs, most were heteromorphic races with naturally long lifespans. However, not all of them were like that.
Shihoutu aside, with his level of 78, he could easily live for several hundred years.
The real problem was the forty-one ordinary maids responsible for cleaning Nazarick.
According to their character settings, their appearances would never age, but their lifespans were no different from those of humans.
At most, they would live only about a hundred years.
If it were other NPCs, the solution would be simple.
Just feed them some dragon blood and convert their race. With Nazarick's abundant resources, their strength would naturally skyrocket.
But these maids were different.
Because they were bound to the Guild Weapon, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, their data was fixed.
Their race and level could not be changed.
In the game world this had not been an issue, but in the New World this setting became a set of shackles, completely locking away any possibility of growth.
Aside from having slightly higher attributes than ordinary humans, they were essentially no different from humans in every other respect.
"Lifespan issues… what a headache."
Naohara shook his head and let out a silent sigh.
His gaze fell on the ring on his finger, and the vague plan forming in his mind gradually became clearer.
...
After finishing his meal, Naohara said goodbye to Shihoutu. Amid the chef's respectful congratulations, he activated the teleportation function of his Guild Ring and left the restaurant.
The familiar scenery disappeared, replaced by a corridor lined with magical lamps.
This was the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
Stepping out of the corridor, a dense forest spread out before him. Looking ahead, the arena at the center of the forest was clearly visible.
"Father-sama!"
Naohara had barely taken a few steps when a lively voice rang out beside him.
It was Aura. She leapt down from a tree, landing firmly on the ground with a puff of dust.
"Big sister, slow down."
A head popped out from the bushes—it was Mare. Clutching his staff, he hurried over to Aura's side.
"Father-sama~"
Mare greeted him timidly.
"Aura and Mare, huh? Long time no see."
Naohara smiled first, then casually reached out and ruffled both of their heads.
Hmm. Still the same familiar feeling.
"How is Demiurge's plan progressing?"
Naohara asked while continuing to pat their heads.
According to Sephis, he no longer needed to guide the Earth Dragon Vein, so things should be nearly finished by now.
"Hmm. We've already reached the final stage. Based on magical perception, it should be born sometime soon."
"If the estimates are correct, it will likely be around level 90 the moment it emerges. Its strength should rival that of a True Dragon Lord, and there's a high probability it will inherit Wild Magic."
Aura nodded as she explained.
Holy hell!
That strong?
Even with the ultra-rare item he provided, the [Earth Element Crystal], this was still outrageous.
There had been too many things going on lately, so Naohara hadn't paid much attention to the detailed progress of the dragon creation plan.
Originally, he thought it would reach around level 80 at most. He never expected it to shoot all the way up to 90.
After level 80, every level required an enormous amount of experience.
Naohara couldn't even imagine how many precious materials Demiurge must have poured into this to achieve such a result.
In his mind, he silently gave a thumbs-up.
As expected of Demi-chan.
"Thanks for helping Demiurge all this time," Naohara said.
"You're too kind. Sharing Father's burdens is simply our duty as your children."
Aura shook her head, her expression firm.
"Mm."
Naohara nodded. After chatting with Aura for a while longer, the three of them slowly walked through the forest.
Naohara's destination was the Vampiric Dragon Lord.
Aura and Mare, meanwhile, were planning to get supplies from the Platinum Dragon Lord.
Since the Vampiric Dragon Lord was imprisoned together with the Platinum Dragon Lord, the three of them happened to be heading the same way.
When they reached the edge of the Sixth Floor, a small hill covered in flowers, grass, and trees came into view. This was where the two dragons lived.
Thanks to the extension of spatial magic, the interior of the hill was far larger than it appeared from the outside. The deeper they went, the thicker the scent of blood in the air became.
Before long, they finally arrived at their destination.
But when Naohara saw the scene before him, even he couldn't help but pause in surprise.
A weakened figure lay sprawled at the center of an altar, countless chains engraved with magical runes wrapped tightly around its body.
It was the Platinum Dragon Lord, who had already shut himself off completely.
Compared to before, the Platinum Dragon Lord hadn't changed at all. What truly caught Naohara off guard was the other figure nearby.
A massive dragon with a completely crimson body, exuding a strong bloody aura, was lying beside the Platinum Dragon Lord. Its enormous jaws were open as it continuously drank the Platinum Dragon Lord's blood.
Watching the Vampiric Dragon Lord, who looked utterly intoxicated, Naohara frowned.
How did this guy get out?
And where did the Brightness Dragon Lord, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, the White Frost Dragon Lord, and the rest of the dragons run off to?
Didn't I tell them to persuade the Vampiric Dragon Lord?
The Vampiric Dragon Lord was still absorbed in feeding, completely unaware of their arrival.
Just as Naohara was wondering whether he should cough to remind the dragon, a familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
"Hey, Bloodsucker! I'm back. Let's start the party again…"
Naohara turned his head.
Several figures were walking over quickly.
It was the Brightness Dragon Lord, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, the White Frost Dragon Lord, the Wyrm Dragon Lord, the Diamond Dragon Lord, the Ancient Fire Dragon, and several others.
The Brightness Dragon Lord was carrying a crate of wine. Behind him, the White Frost Dragon Lord and the others had several large bundles strapped to their backs, all giving off the smell of food.
The Brightness Dragon Lord, who had been about to continue speaking, suddenly froze.
Seeing Naohara standing there, the smile on his face instantly stiffened.
"…My King?"