Hello Scrolls and Nazarins, another chapter coming in my fanfic The One Who Came Back.

The search for information about the Dragon Lords begins.

With you

The One Who Came Back

Chapter 94: Seeking the Past

The meeting had ended abruptly after Mare's announcement. A clarifying conversation was needed about the implications of marriage. Despite the young dark elf seeming eager to rid himself of the burden of ruling a kingdom, he agreed to wait a bit longer before making any decisions. In the meantime, Demiurge took on the responsibility of instructing him on the... facts of life. Ainz had his doubts about what would be taught to Mare, so he ensured the lesson was limited to a basic didactic scope. The worries of a leader never ceased.

Plans for the future of the tomb and the kingdom urgently required certain information, information that only a few could provide. Delegating was a crucial part of good management, but not everything could be passed on.

"Hello, Mr. Wild, welcome back to my office."

"Your Majesty commands, we obey."

"Right, I would like to speak alone with Mr. Wild. Everyone, please leave, including you, Eight-Edge Assassins."

The maid on duty opened the door as a series of spider-like steps exited. Then, she herself left, closing the door behind her.

"I think we're safe. It's been a long time, huh? It's good to see you, TW," said Ainz, extending his hand in a firm handshake.

"A few weeks. I think it was at Christmas, wasn't it? So, what do you need from me?"

"I thought you might see the future, can't you guess?"

"You know it doesn't work like that. I have no control over it. Most are trivialities; it's not as if an important event takes priority in the queue."

"Still, trivial events can lead to something big."

"Butterfly effect. Yes, but since I don't know the outcome, I can't say what it is, not so far in advance."

"So a war could break out tomorrow, the end of the world could come, and you wouldn't see it."

"Maybe. I'm 99% sure I'd survive, but let's leave that aside. You don't have to be a seer to suppose why I was summoned. Based on your concerns, I think we're looking at another war."

"Not another, the same one. What happened in the Holy Kingdom was just the beginning, a trap I didn't fall into."

"And now things are likely to get worse."

"Yes. From what we know, these so-called Dragon Lords are the self-proclaimed most powerful beings in this world, with an extremely arrogant tendency."

"From what I've managed to gather over these 100 years, the Dragon Lords take it upon themselves to maintain balance in the world. It's a scale that tilts in their favor. Any of their actions are justified, any attempt to oppose them is destroyed. I think that's why they hate the players. We disrupt the status quo."

"And I think I stepped on that platinum dragon's toe. He was very upset at the meeting in Argland."

"Dragons are patient, but once provoked, there's not much to be done."

"That's why, Wild, I think he'll come at us full force next time. It will be open war, which will only end with someone's death."

"Hmm. That's a problem."

"So I need to know as much as I can about dragons."

"Well, there isn't much more I can tell you. All I have are legends and tales; historical records are scarce. You might need to speak with older individuals who know that dragon."

"Elves?"

"Yes, but you can start with a human, someone still alive. And guess what? He's very close by."

"Who? Nooo! Aargh! Not him!" the undead groaned.

Walking through the corridors of the great Tomb, Ainz remembered the reception in the Dragon Kingdom and the little information that Queen Draudillon could provide.

"Wild magic. I am able to use it, but I don't know exactly how or why?"

"Your Majesty, didn't you study or undergo some ritual?"

"No, I'm sorry, Lord Ainz. What I know is that being able to manipulate such magic is the mark that designates a True Dragon Lord. My grandfather, on the few occasions we met, said I was the youngest to achieve such a feat."

"And you don't know how you gained this power?"

"No, one day I just felt I could do something different, just like that. I was taught little about how to use it. Where does this power come from? I know it comes from nature, primordial, raw magic. Why can we use it? They only told me that 'what is, is.' But, above all, I know it's a power I must use sparingly."

"Why?"

"Because it consumes lives! The lives of my subjects. The more power I use, the more lives are taken. A hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, my entire kingdom could die if I lost control."

"That's why you didn't use it against the Beastmen."

"Yes. How many times would I have to do that until they retreated? How many of my people would die by my hands?"

"A sacrifice that perhaps the other Dragon Lords have no scruples about using."

"Probably not."

"Did you ever meet or know other Dragon Lords?"

"No, Lord Ainz. Dragons are self-centered and territorial. They would never meet for mere camaraderie."

"Queen Draudillon, I'm sorry for asking so much about your... relatives, but it seems I'll be having some trouble with one of them soon."

"Don't worry, Lord Ainz. I have no attachment to any of them; even my grandfather wasn't close, not like humans. Individualism is part of our draconic nature. But you know, my grandfather told me about some of his brothers."

"Oh! That will be very helpful, Queen Draudillon."

This memory faded when the lord of the tomb reached the place where he would find his next informant, in the Great Library of Ashurbanipal. The library was the embodiment in books and tomes of all the digital knowledge of the Old World. Among them, hidden in plain sight, were the important books with the necessary data to create beings, items, and spells used by Nazarick. Though the library was in its own dimensional space, thus spanning kilometers in length, it would still be impossible to contain all the information ever created. So, somehow, the shelves appear and disappear as needed, while unused data lies somewhere within the library's own structure—a magical quantum supercomputer whose sole function is to store an infinity of knowledge.

Guarding its doors were two high-level golems. Upon entering the grand hall, Ainz encountered the beautiful two-story architecture with shelves stretching as far as the eye could see. Although they themselves had programmed the appearance of the internet access room, since the library came to the New World, its magnificent view was always breathtaking.

The lord of the tomb was greeted by the chief librarian, accompanied by subordinate liches.

"Oh! Supreme Being, you brighten our day with your presence, oh! Ainz Ooal Gown."

"Please, Titus! There's no need for such formality."

"Yes, my lord, as you wish. How can we help you?"

"I would like to speak with someone, Titus."

"Yes, my lord! I will call all the staff immediately."

"No! That's not necessary; the person I wish to speak to doesn't work here. It's someone I brought some time ago."

"Oh! The smelly one," said Titus, glancing at the other two liches.

"Smelly?!"

The undead fell to their knees.

"WE REGRET OFFENDING YOUR GUEST, OH! AINZ OOAL GOWN! LORD OF THE GREAT TOMB OF NAZARICK!"

Ainz remembered the day he brought the man. He had lost his influence in the Empire and almost all his status, ending up relegated to symbolic duties. Then, he decided to bring Fluder to the tomb before someone killed him—a source of information forgotten for too long.

"Titus, please! Get up and explain, then I'll judge the extent of the offense."

"Yes, my lord!" said the undead, rising. "Shortly after your guest arrived, we had a series of enthusiastic praises for every piece of the library he observed, which made us proud..."

"'The undead can feel pride?! Apparently, yes,'" Ainz thought.

"... in the days that followed, we had to endure cries of admiration every time he made some progress in his translations. That's when the problem began to arise, my lord."

"And what would that problem be?"

"The smell."

"Smell?"

"Yes, the smell. The human had a rudimentary resistance ring made by himself, something that kept him awake for weeks on end. At first, we moved the shelves with the available content for him to an isolated area, but over time, the smell reached us. So, we decided to... expel him."

"You expelled him! Why didn't you ask for my help or guidance?"

"We were entrusted by you with responsibility for him. We couldn't bother you with something so trivial, my lord."

"I assume he wasn't pleased."

"In fact, he became quite agitated, distressed at the very least. We had to ask the golems to keep him out of the library. He only stopped crying when we told him we'd inform you of such behavior with the sacred tomes, whose pages were being polluted with such stench, and how you wouldn't be pleased. After that, he retired to his quarters, only returning days later, completely clean."

"You threatened him."

"Yes, my lord, we apologize for this offense..."

"No, no! I agree with you, Titus! Such an attitude was very appropriate. A guest cannot take liberties in the host's house. In my opinion, there was no offense in protecting Nazarick."

"Thank you, my lord," said Titus, making a deep bow.

"And where is he now?"

"I believe he's starting his mandatory break..."

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

"Oh boy! Hello, Fluder, I need to speak with you."

"ANYTHING MY MASTER DESIRES SO THAT I MAY HAVE ANOTHER GLIMPSE INTO THE ABYSS OF MAGIC..."

"RIGHT! Right. I would like you to tell me everything about the time you were one of the 13 Heroes."

...

Author's Note

Ainz finally uses the contacts he has gathered over time, if you ask me why it took him so long to question Fluder, I believe it is because of his nature as a collector, he acquires a new piece and soon forgets about it.

I will be working a little on the nature of the Dragon Lords in the next chapters as well as wild magic, stay tuned