Overlord (LN)

“Oh, is that so! I permitted him to return because his child was about to be born, and now it has. I see, I see. Well, it is good that the happy couple is getting along.”

There were married people within the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. Ainz could not help but remember them. “My wife’s feeling kind of grouchy” became a magic word that allowed anyone to disconnect in the middle of a game, and no one would be able to find fault with them for that.

Smiling from the memories of the past — although his expression did not change — Ainz continued asking questions.

“Was the child white as well?”

Zaryusu’s wife was the white Lizardman. Being that she was a very rare breed of Lizardman, she aroused the collector’s spirit within Ainz, and left a deep impression on him.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is as Your Majesty has surmised. While the child will assuredly be a superior individual regardless of whose bloodline it inherits, it would seem it has tended toward its mother’s ancestry, being that its scales are snow white.”

“Oh, so there’s only—”

Ainz closed his mouth before he could blurt out “one hatchling”. Referring to them as people would probably be more prudent. While none of them would actually express displeasure at his choice of words, that did not mean Ainz could casually make mistakes. If his poorly chosen words led to problems in Cocytus’ rule, Ainz would not know where to begin apologizing.

“—Only one child, then?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Just one.”

“Oh... I see. Only one child, then.”

It would seem they differed from reptiles, who had big clutches. Still, as long as the couple had a good relationship, they might well have more children in the future.

Ainz felt the collector’s blood stir within him. He kind of wanted to know if he could have one of them to play with, but forcefully separating a child from its parents was a poor thing to do.

However, he had heard that the Lizardmen had a tradition of branding themselves before travelling on long journeys. If Zaryusu’s child chose that path, then he might be able to train them up as an adventurer.

The Adventurer’s Guild Ainz envisioned was an organization made up of many species. If he could get a rarely-seen Lizardman in there, it might end up being good for publicity, like an idol enrolling in a school.

“How are the mother and child? Are they being fed well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Many thanks for your kind concern. The mother and child are in good health, and the child looks like it will grow to be exceptionally lively.”

“Really now, is that so. This is certainly cause for celebration. Then, to commemorate the birth of a child with a glorious future ahead of him, permit me to present a gift. However, I am not fully apprised of the intricacies of birth-gifts within Lizardman culture. Share your opinion with me, then; what would be a good present?”

It would be terribly boring to give fish or something in place of a birthday cake. He would rather give them something more tangible and permanent.

“I understand. While my tribe does not have the practice of giving gifts to celebrate births... I feel that Zaryusu would be delighted to receive arms and armor.”

“Wargear, then... umu.”

If possible, he would have liked to give something which would please his wife as well, but since armor would protect her husband’s life, one could say that it would indirectly make her happy.

Just then, Kyuku fearfully spoke up.

“—May your servant venture a question, Your Majesty?”

“What is it?”

“Why is Zaryusu worthy of such high praise?”

The fact was that Ainz had no intention of praising Zaryusu. He merely thought of him as the husband of a rare white Lizardman. Still, he could not actually say that, so he racked his brains for an excuse to give.

“...He is an outstanding man. In truth, I hear that his training in Nazarick has shown admirable results. As such, I shall reward loyalty and excellence with matching largesse.”

“I am eternally grateful for your kind words, Your Majesty. We shall strive to show greater loyalty and devotion in the future.”

“Mm. Hold on to that determination of yours.”

After nodding in a magnanimous manner, Ainz considered if there was anything else he wanted to ask. A truly excellent ruler would probably want to hear about the status of the Lizardmen’s villages and compare it to Cocytus’ reports, and as such he would immediately have more in-depth questions to ask. However, Ainz could not do that.

Just as Ainz was about to dismiss him, something came to mind.