Magic Gems Gourmet - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: I’ve Grown This Much

「Ainz…! Ainz!」

Just as he was about to say “mother”, Ainz was already in her embrace.

Although he was embarrassed now that his body had grown, his mind was filled with many things, such as being able to reunite with his mother and the great worry he had caused her.

「I’m sorry for making you worry… I’m back, mother」

「Welcome home… Truly, I’m really glad you’re back」

Ainz felt so guilty towards Olivia, who was crying without hiding her tears.

When he thought about how she must have felt before he left, a sense of regret occupied his mind.

「Welcome home, Your Highness the Crown Prince」

And it was Claune who called out to Ainz, who was still being held in his mother’s arms. In her own way, she desperately tried to hide her eyes with makeup, but she couldn’t hide everything.

Her swollen eyes are easily noticed by Ainz.

「Yes, Claune. I’ve come back. I’m sorry for making you worry」

「You are taking it too lightly… But then again, you’ve somehow changed huh, Ainz」

「Did I change?」

「Yes, I think, you look a little cooler now, just like your skin has been peeled off huh? …Warren-sama, I would be grateful if you could forgive me for my current attitude towards His Highness just for today」

「Well, I haven’t heard anything then」

Warren seemed to have decided to keep quiet as well.

「I have a few things to say too, Ainz. But first, welcome home, Ainz. I’m glad to see your face again, that’s all that matters」

「Me too. I’m glad to be able to talk with Claune again」

「Fufu, thank you for that. But aren’t you supposed to clean up Olivia-sama’s room now?」

「Eh… Clean up?」

Olivia looked a little embarrassed when Claune said that, he wondered what had happened.

「Ainz-sama, welcome back」

Marche welcomed Ainz, while completely unconcerned about Olivia’s current state.

「Marche-san, I’m back. I’m sorry for making you worry too」

「Yes, I was very worried about you, you know? I never thought I would be more worried than Olivia-sama. But Ainz-sama…. the Crown Prince has saved many lives and we’re very proud of you」

「Even if you said it like that, I didn’t feel like saving any lives though」

「And it seems Olivia-sama is a little embarrassed here. Claune-sama also said that Ainz-sama will be the one cleaning Olivia-sama’s room. I’ll leave it to you then」

「I’m sorry, Marche-san. But I can’t understand what you’re saying at all」

He doesn’t know why he’s suddenly being told to clean her room, he thought that Olivia had gone mad, but Ainz knows that’s not part of her personality.

「According to Claune-sama, this is a punishment for making both Olivia-sama and Claune-sama worry. And I am also looking forward to you entering the room… I will tell you this, for now, Olivia-sama is a very powerful Dryad」

The word “dryad” came up there, and he thought he could understand it a little, but the mystery just deepened.

But it was true that he had caused them a great deal of worry, and Ainz had thought that he could be punished in any way they wanted.

「I understand. It’s a small price to pay for making both of them worried about me」

「Aah, everyone. I’m sure there’s a lot of things you wanted to talk to him about, but Ainz has become a hero now. Let’s get inside first to give a tribute to him」

With those words from Sylvird, we decided to go inside the castle first. We were now at the place where the carriages were parked through the castle gate. It was not a good place to have a long talk.

When the doors opened, Ainz was greeted by the loud cheers of the castle’s knights and servants.

The people working at the castle had heard about his achievements and had managed to make time to come and honor Ainz and the others.

「…Everyone, I’m back!」

***

They all walked into one of the halls of the castle. There were two people there, Queen Lalarua and the first princess Kadyma.

「I’m glad you’re back, Ainz. I’m sure you’re tired, so please take a seat first and get some rest」

「Hi, there reckless prince. Welcome back, nya」

Lalarua greeted Ainz kindly. But not Kadyma, she had been under a lot of pressure from Sylvird and the others after he escaped, and she was a little stressed out. This was a little payback for that.

「I’m back, Grandma… And sorry, Kadyma-san. I can’t deny that I was too reckless」

「Good grief, nya, but Chris has also returned as well, nya. It must be hard for Dill to keep up with this stupid prince, nya. Well, please take a seat first, nya」

Kadyma-san’s kindness was sincere. And then everyone took their seats.

「Thank you for your hard work, Chris. For leading us through the difficult task of defeating the Sea Dragons and for protecting Ishtalica」

「Y-Your Highness…! Please don’t use such words! I’m humbled by your praise!」

「Dill, I believe that His Majesty and the Grand Marshal wanted to have a word with you too」

「…Yes」

「Therefore, I will refrain from saying it here. But let me tell you one thing」

Lalarua didn’t reprimand Dill for what he had done for helping Ainz.

「Thank you for risking your life to serve Ainz. My position does not allow me to say more than this, so please do not forget this」

The words she had said were full of gratitude. Dill had done something he shouldn’t have, but he had definitely helped Ainz, and his presence was irreplaceable to Ainz.

Hearing those words, Dill couldn’t help but shed tears. Finally, the thread of his tension broke.

「Th-thank you for your kind words」

「D-Dill! How dare you… I’m sorry Your Highness. I will need to re-educate this fool again」

「Lloyd, not only is the Crown Prince, not one, but Dill also is not yet a full-fledged adult. And you’re going to give him a scolding for this? Good grief」

This day alone had been too hectic for Ainz and Dill after all.

And then, a servant knocked on the door and left a word to Marche.

「Yes, Understood… Excuse me for a moment」

Marche then pushed her husband Lloyd away from her to be by Ainz’s side.

「Excuse me, Ainz-sama. I heard you brought something into the castle」

「I brought something? Umm…」

「Perhaps she was talking about the thing that Ainz-sama had forced us to bring at the port….」

Chris reminded Ainz of what he had brought, and with that said, the atmosphere in the room changed completely.

「Oh, that’s right! Marche-san, I’ve brought something for everyone to eat. Can I ask you to make it into a steak?」

「S-steak? What in the world has Ainz-sama has brought in」

「Hey Ainz, did you bring a souvenir from Magna?」

Sylvird shows interest in what Ainz has brought, and since everyone likes the seafood available in Magna, Sylvird gives a small smile at the thought of it being a mouth-watering ingredient.

「Yes, Grandfather. I brought in a bit of what I hunted in Magna. The fresher the better」

「I see, very well then. I guess we’ll all be eating it tonight. Lloyd, Warren… Just for today, let’s gather the people here」

Sylvird’s “bought” and Ainz’s “hunted” had different meanings, but they were not conveyed in the talks.

(TLN: Different kanji, same pronunciation 買った & 狩った)

「I’ll have the cooks prepare it in a hurry. It’ll just take a moment」

Marche then left the room to tell them.

「Oh my, Ainz-kun. What happened to the dagger on your hip?」

When Lalarua mentioned it, Ainz replied apologetically.

「Grandma. About the dagger you gave me, it may have fallen to the bottom of the sea」

「Oh, it’s okay, don’t look like that, okay? But why did you drop it?」

「I don’t know for sure. When I was fighting Sea Dragon, I pulled out that dagger when I was about to die. I thought I’d at least strike one last blow with my own hands back then」

Ainz started to talk about the battle with the Sea Dragon, and everyone was curious about what kind of battle it was.

Even Chris and Dill hadn’t even heard the explanation of it yet.

「So it’s like that… That’s great then. Because if that dagger had saved Ainz, I couldn’t be happier」

「Certainly, It’s true that if I hadn’t received that dagger, I wouldn’t have been able to win. In that sense, I can say that it had saved me」

「Oh well, You’re a good boy aren’t you, Ainz」

After Olivia, Ainz was embraced by Lalarua, who was still young and beautiful, and once again Ainz looked embarrassed.

「By the way, Ainz. What do you mean, you stabbed a Sea Dragon with a dagger? What kind of battle did you fight」

「Yes, I would love to hear it from you. Ainz-sama, please tell us your heroic story」

He had no choice but to tell them about it. However, the method that Ainz took would surely make everyone angry, definitely angry.

He thought about it, but he was not in a position to lie about how he had just defeated it, so he decided to tell them honestly.

「…I-I stabbed it in its forehead by hopping on the forehead of the Sea Dragon… and defeated it, the end」

Sylvird held his head, and Warren held back his laughter. Olivia and Claune were supporting each other as their faces turned pale.

And with a laugh, Warren urged him to continue.

「Kukukuh… It’s not like Ainz-sama would ever jump on the forehead of the Sea Dragon to defeat it while being dragged into the sea, right? 」

「…I did」

Even for Chris and Dill who had accompanied him so far were holding their heads.

In the midst of all this, Kadyma jumped at Ainz with a loud cry of joy.

「As expected of Ainz, nya! So that means… the dark straw worked, nya!?」

「Honestly, I think it worked so well that I should have had a couple more made for me」

Kadyma’s body trembled when she heard the answer, but she was not shaken.

「So the claw I made worked on the Sea Dragons, nya! I’m so happy about this, nya! It’ll make up for all the trouble you’ve caused me today, nya」

Too easy, Ainz thought.

「Ainz, do you think you can… use your Illusionary hand to immobilize its body? And absorb its magic stone until it dies?」

Sylvird mentioned a new way to defeat it. By absorbing their power to death.

「As it turns out, yes, that’s the quickest way to defeat it」

「So you’ve been planning to use it all along….?」

「Yes… Ghah!?」

「I’ll forgive you with that」

Sylvird’s fist flew at Ainz. It was very painful, but he had to endure it.

「So you’re saying that while being pulled under the water, you played a game to see who would run out of power first?」

「Yes. Before that, I used my Illusionary Hand to stop the Sea Dragon’s movement」

He was then asked by Lloyd about it. The answer was something Lloyd had never imagined.

「I never thought you’d be able to stop a Sea Dragon」

「Esteemed Father, Ainz-sama didn’t just stop its movements… He stood at the head of our ship and stopped the Sea Dragon’s rush head-on」

「Is that true, Dill!?」

「Your Majesty… I’ve never heard of such a heroic story as this one, right? He stopped the rush of a Sea Dragon after all」

「Don’t say that, Warren. How many surprises do I have to endure」

「I was so desperate, that was all I could do!」

「It’s not something to be reckoned with…」

The result was a success. But they cannot praise him too easily, because it involved great danger.

「By the way, Ainz?… Why is your arm still dangling from earlier? Did something happen to them?」

「I can’t move it, for now, mother. The doctor says it will heal after I have rested for a while」

「R-really!? You won’t be immobile forever right?」

「I’ll be fine. It had just suffered a lot of strain, so I will rest for a while」

Olivia noticed Ainz’s hand and pointed it out. She was a little relieved that it wasn’t a situation where it would be immobile forever.

「Very well then, Ainz. I’ll feed you for the rest of the day then」

「Claune… That will be embarrassing」

「We can’t let everyone know about it. Isn’t that right, Olivia-sama?」

「Yes, I’ll leave it to you then Claune-san. Ainz too, you need to…」

Just as Olivia was about to tell him to eat properly, Chris suddenly opened her mouth.

「M-Me too… I’ll help to take care of Ainz-sama too!」

Chris’s face turned bright red as she said that. No one expected Chris to say something like that, so not only Olivia and Claune, but even Warren and the others looked surprised.

To her surprise, Claune also easily did as Chris said.

「So that’s it, Ainz. You must be glad that Chris-sama will feed you with an “Aaah” right?」

「Don’t rephrase it like that, you make it sound more embarrassing…」

「Fufufu. Is that so」

Olivia seems to have guessed what it is, and her expression becomes that of a mischievous girl. But she doesn’t open her mouth.

「By the way, Ainz. You said you absorbed the Sea Dragon’s magic stone, right, nya?」

「Yes, I’ve said so, is something wrong?」

「Show me your status, nya. I might be able to find out something about that magic stone you absorbed before you left the castle, nya」

「Now that you mentioned it, very well then」

Then Ainz asked Dill to take out his status card for him.

Seeing this, Chris, Lloyd, and the others started to approach him.

「Eh, why is everyone coming so close?」

「I’m sure everyone is curious. Come on Ainz, bring out your status」

「This is the status of a hero who single-handedly defeated a Sea Dragon after all, so there’s no reason not to be interested」

「…Very well then. I’ll show you」

[Skill] Dark Knight, Great Magic, Ocean Current, Dense Fog, Toxin Decomposition EX, Absorption, HP Auto-Recovery, Gift of Training

「Ainz, do you know, nya? Named is a job for demons. Did you stopped being a human, nya?」

「I don’t know what’s going on」

Ainz’s status has risen uncommonly. She thought that the physical aspect of Ainz’s body had been strengthened considerably by absorbing the Sea Dragon. But the fact that he was turning all of that power into illusory hands while he was absorbing it didn’t make him gain much from it.

「But this growth is great… Don’t you think so, Lloyd?」

「This is the first time I’ve seen such a large amount of magic power. And he also had grown a lot in terms of strength and defense…」

「Don’t worry, Ainz. Even if you were to become a full-fledged demon, I’ll still be with you」

「Thanks for the not so pleasant but kind follow up, Claune」

The mysterious magic stone and the magic stone of the Sea Dragon, as for the Sea Dragon, he can’t say that he completely absorbed it.

But he could see that he has grown a lot. To be honest, he felt bad for the people around him, because this growth was achieved just by absorbing a magic stone.

「There are two new skills you’ve acquired. It’s a terrifying ability to be able to manipulate the currents of the ocean, and it’s strong enough to tilt a battlefield to your side!」

「It’s exactly as Warren says. But I’ve never heard of a skill called Great Magic…」

「…Ah. Father, Warren? Did you just say “Great Magic”, nya!?」

「Ah, yes. I said that, Kadyma. Have you read it properly?」

When Sylvird said that, Kadyma snatched the status card from Ainz’s hand and checked it carefully. At first, her eyes didn’t go that far with the status and the word “Named”.

「I-it really exists, nya…Then, that magic stone is…」

「Kadyma. Do you know about this skill? Then what is this magic stone you speak of?」

「…Chris must know about this too right, nya?」

「Yes, I know. And I know the owner of that skill」

「Onee-sama? Do you mind explaining it to us? Because Ainz is wondering the same thing too」

Olivia told her so, and Kadyma finally opened her mouth.

「-ch, nya」

「I can’t hear you, say it louder Kadyma」

「It’s the Lich, nya! What Ainz absorbed was the Lich’s magic stone, nya! Far from being on par with the Dullahan, the Lich’s magic stone is even more precious, nya!」

Kadyma’s words had triggered another uproar.

「Wait a minute, nya! I’ll be right back with the documents of it, nya!」

The air in the room became heavy when Kadyma left the room to go to her laboratory. She seemed to be bringing some kind of document with her.

After several minutes of waiting. Kadyma, who was out of breath, returned to the hall.

「This, nya. The Lich… just like the Dullahan, it doesn’t exist anymore, but it has no equal among the demons when it comes to magic, nya」

Kadyma unfolded the document she had brought with her and showed it to everyone so they could see it.

On it was a skeleton wearing a robe and holding a large staff.

「Ka-Kadyma. Doesn’t that mean… Ainz has absorbed two national treasure-class magic stones?」

「Just like what mother said. Not only the Dullahan but also the Lich, I had no idea that magic stone belonged to the Lich. But now that the mystery is solved, I’m sure it’s easy for a demon as skilled in magic as Lich to cast a curse」

「Oh my, Ainz. Aren’t you just became more charming again」

「Olivia…」

Kadyma agreed with Lalarua’s words. Next to her, Olivia was looking at Ainz with kind eyes, and the words she said made Sylvird hold his head.

「I see. I was wondering how I could use such advanced restraint magic to stop its movements」

「But I never thought we’d find the magic stone of the Lich in Majolice-dono’s store…」

As Warren said, who would have imagined that such a national treasure would be sold in the magic stone store in town?

「Kadyma-sama. Perhaps it’s not that one, but this one, the Lich」

「, nya? What are you talking about, nya?」

「Umm… Not that document, but this one. It’s the one on the ancient elven script」

Chris then pointed to a book, an expensive book that Kadyma had been having trouble deciphering.

「What do you mean, nya? You can read this, nya?」

「Yes. My tribe is also a group of old people. This book title is 『A study of the truth about the Demon King and his aides』… Eh? Kadyma-sama!?」

Hearing those words, Kadyma made a loud noise and fell to the ground.

「, nya, What was that , nya…I didn’t know there was someone so close to me who could read it, I should have been honest and shown her from the beginning, nya」

「But what does it mean? What is the truth about the Demon King?」

「I’m certainly intrigued. Kadyma-sama, can you show us the Lich one that Chris-dono mentioned first?」

「Very well, nya. I’ll have Chris decipher it later anyway. Hold the book and open it」

Chris, instructed by Kadyma, opened the relevant page and showed it to them.

「Here it is. Another skill the Lich had is “Magic Knowledge”. I believe this was the owner of the magic stone that Ainz-sama absorbed」

「I don’t know how to read it, so please tell me, nya… No, read out a little of what written in there, nya!」

「Eh, very well. Umm, The Elder Lich Sylvia. The Elder Lich uses her power to create a single dagger. She has a habit of passing it on to her guard. She and the Dullahan were also the Demon King’s first companions. She and her husband, Dullahan, supported the Demon King and contributed greatly to his success… Wait, husband!?」

Everyone was surprised by what Chris had read out loud. It meant that the two magic stones that Ainz had absorbed were originally a couple. Both Ainz and Kadyma were convinced by remembering an incident from the past.

Even after the Dullahan was absorbed, he felt his wife’s presence, sought her and tried to grab her magic stone with his illusory hand.