[Throne Room, Great Tomb of Nazarick]

Ainz was unusually focused on the Mirror of Remote Viewing, bending over it like some kind of fortune-telling witch staring into her crystal globe.

His eyes were about three inches away from the screen, if that. He was a bit like a child staring into the TV screen, waiting for the next episode of his favourite cartoon to come up after the commercial. However, he seemed more concerned rather than joyful.

Demiurge was just arriving to his summoning, making wide and confident steps in his probably incredibly comfortable velvet straight-falling pants.

His classy businessman heels clicked loudly onto the immaculate marble floor.

"Is something the matter, Ainz-sama? I have come to serve you as fast as I could!"

"Thank you, Demiurge. It's about the Pleiades…"

Ainz broke his speech, thinking of how best to phrase the amalgam of thoughts that were running wild in his mind.

"What about them?"

Ainz looked up at the ceiling, adapting a more relaxed position.

*Ahh… where do I even start? I suppose there's no point in keeping Demiurge waiting. I'll just openly tell him what I have in mind! He is my most loyal retainer. He would understand.*

After summing up his thoughts, he brought his gaze back down.

"I am worried about them. Or, actually, about the people around them. Narberal still finds humans disgusting and worth trampling over - 'with immeasurable pleasure' - in her own words; Solution can barely resist the urge to eat someone, and Entoma can barely resist eating anything, and perhaps most of all…

what worries me most of all is… Shizu."

Demiurge bent his body slightly closer to Ainz.

He did this when he wanted to pay 'extra' attention to what Ainz was saying, not to miss any word, not even the slightest sound, breath or change in tone.

This helped Demiurge better understand his master's plan…

"What do you mean, Ainz-sama?"

"Hmm, it's just that, out of all the Pleiades, Shizu has the least experience with the outside world.

She also thinks much differently than everyone else, as she is an automaton. I am worried whether that will cause any trouble."

"I understand very well, lord Ainz-sama! However, and, please do forgive me if I am stepping over my boundary, but aren't you underestimating the Pleiades only slightly?"

Demiurge was hesitant to make any sort of remark that would seem even remotely negative towards Ainz. Hence the phrasing 'only slightly'.

Even with that, he still felt a knot in his neck saying that.

Ainz, on the other hand, wasn't offended one bit, but instead felt as if his eyes had been opened.

*I see… well said, Demiurge! They are all experts in their fields, and outstanding workforce amongst the high ranks of Nazarick! Perhaps I was worrying for no reason-*

"In that case, Demiurge, do you consider there is nothing I should be discontent with? Nothing that could possibly bring harm to Nazarick?"

Demiurge straightened his glasses, then nonchalantly replied:

"Of course I don't."

*Eh? What do you mean, then?*

"I believe there is a good chance of something going wrong, but-"

*But????*

"-but that will serve as useful experience to the Pleiades!" - he exclaimed while spreading his arms wide.

Ainz stood to ponder for a moment, then decided to put his trust in Demiurge's words, knowing that he would have some sort of plan prepared, should anything go wrong.

"I understand, Demiurge. I will, for now, take a break from watching over the Pleiades, and trust that the operation is proceeding accordingly."

"As expected of Ainz-sama!!!"

*What? I didn't even say anything this time!*

"Thank you for your assistance. You may return to your post."

“Yes. Before that, Ainz-sama, I have a small matter to report.”

Ainz nodded, giving Demiurge free way to speak.

“This is, for now, just a rumour. They say a disease has sprouted south of E-Rantel that is turning humans into zombies.”

Ainz knew right away that the possibility of such a disease existing went against all laws of the world. A zombie outbreak would be another case. However, a disease that would spontaneously zombify people - that would be extremely unlikely to occur, and not something achievable by magical means, to his knowledge.

Demiurge was also aware of this, and also that Ainz would deduce this much.

Nevertheless, it was worth looking into, to be on the safe side.

“I see, Demiurge. I will have the Pleiades look into it next time they contact.”

Just as Demiurge was about to bow and leave, a [Message] dialled in.

Ainz raised his left hand to his temple to pick up.

A joyful voice greeted him on the other end.

“Moshi moshiii! Good afternoon, Ainz-samaaa!”

“Ah, Entoma! Let me hear your report!”

This was the moment Ainz had been waiting for all day. This would prove to him whether his worries were justified, or whether the Pleiades had truly proven themselves as a professional intelligence squad.

“We are sorry for late reply!”

“Not at all. You are just on time. So, what is your status?”

“Mhm! One moment, please!!! Here you go, Lupi!”

From the other end of the call, Ainz could hear some distant shouting. He couldn’t hear every word perfectly, but it was something along the lines:

“I-yaaaaaaaaaa!! (...) That wasn’t the deal! (...) three birds, you said! Three birds!”

“Tastyy!”

“Entomaaa!”

Beta eventually gave up and took over the magic circle that connected the caller to the receiver of the [Message] spell.

“So, err… you see, Ainz-sama… eto… The truth is, we haven’t…”

She squirmed her snout, but, in the end, she let it out:

“...found anything yet-su!!”

*Gyaaah! I’m finished! I’ll just have to accept whatever punishment I-*

“Alright! Keep reporting frequently!”

*Eh? That’s it?*

Indeed, it was, as Ainz ended the call with an inner sigh of relief, linking her to Demiurge for the other matter.

(...)

[E-Rantel, commercial district, side of the road]

Lupi was now in a good mood, or at least better than before. She rushed to tell the others of the good news and the new instructions.

The matter regarding the Clearwater Scripture was to be put on hold, as a zombification virus, if real, would immediately benefit the military of Nazarick.

“Zombie disease? Hmmmmm…..”

Entoma was particularly interested in this occasion. As a carrier, she was immune to disease, and able to use her parasitoids in order to inflict disease on her targets.

As the Pleiades were discussing the imminent course of action, Lupusregina had a flashback to the other day, the moment she noticed one of them was missing.

“By the way, where is Shizu?”

At that moment, a distinct sound of some wood breaking, along with some shouting following after came from a trinkets shop at the nearby corner of the street.

Lupi sighed quietly, and her eyes frowned down into semi-circles, in your typical irritated, yet not angry anime expression.

"Don't tell me…"

[Moments earlier, inside a trinket store in E-Rantel] - It was, in fact, the only trinket store in E-Rantel.

Scraping against a shelf and taking off of it most of the paint, along with several writing utensils and packages every now and then, Shizu was walking towards the counter at a normal pace, making sharp 90 degree turns at each corner.

The loud steps made by her mithril boots would've attracted everyone's attention, if only there was anyone in there. However, it was only her, and an old man with a big nose, long neck with a vivid Adam's apple, and wacky sideburns patiently tapping his finger by the counter.

He had been watching over Shizu for the past 3 minutes, as she struggled to make a decision, picking one item, walking halfway to the counter, then turning back to pick another, then back to the first one.

She was deciding between a blue and a pink penguin.

The blue one was more 'classic', but the pink had a cute ribbon on it, so it was clearly 'upgraded'.

In the end, she went with the blue one.

She stood by the counter with her hands close to her chest, holding the penguin plushie, then extended her arms forward to present her acquisition.

The old geezer blinked slowly, then urged in an extremely hoarse voice:

That… would be 3 copper."

Shizu replied rapidly and abruptly:

"Don't haaave."

She wasn't lying. Aside from some spare 'change' handed to everyone, Narberal was holding onto the money. Shizu, however, wasn't entrusted with any of said 'change'.

"Well, if you don't 'haaave', then you can't get the penguin."

Much like most old geezers in this town, he was full of sas, but deep inside his heart, he was enjoying the conversation.

"But. I want!"

"Then get me 3 copper."

"No."

"Why not?"

"That would require. An unproductive. Amount. Of work. I am. In a hurry."

"You're in a hurry, huh?"

"Correct."

"I see, I see… well then, perhaps you can provide me with something of equal value?"

Shizu reached into her belly (which opened like a door) and grabbed some long expired raisins.

Do raisins even expire? Those had been long forgotten, in any case.

The old man had never seen an automaton before, yet despite that he was completely unphased, only merely slightly curious.

"Hmmm, that won't do. What about that eyepatch of yours?"

"No! Cannot. Trade."

He went back to tapping his finger on the table while thinking 'hmmmm'.

CZ interrupted the process, seeing as he was taking too long to add to the dialogue:

"Then. I take. Penguin."

"No, no, you must pay, young lady!"

"Why. Would I do that?"

"Well, that's how buying works!"

"That. Would. Cause me. A loss."

"Indeed."

"Then it is disadvantageous. It is better. For me. That I. Do not pay."

"Striking conclusion, young lady! That would indeed be better for you, but not for me."

"Indeed."

"...So?

"I have no reason. To benefit you."

He started rubbing his chin.

"Well, well, but I can't let you leave without paying."

Shizu understood this as a threat, hence had to proceed by attempting intimidation.

Intimidation was one of the 18 approaches to social exchange in Yggdrasil that a player could take with an NPC. If successful, intimidation would result in obtaining additional information, or lowering the cost of a trade, such as in this case.

A 'contest of intimidation' was hence made between the parties, and the winner would tip the balance of the trade in their favour. A player used to play a reflex based minigame to sort this out.

And so, Shizu resorted to a female kabedon pose, courtesy of her mentor on social interaction, Pandora-sama.

The difference between the female and male version is that, while the man would only place their palm against the wall, the female would also raise the opposite leg, with the knee straight, blocking both exit routes of the target.

This was documented in Peroroncino's Unofficial Forum for NPC and Related Suggestions - because of course that was a thing.

Since Shizu was, technically, infinitely nimble, as some joints of her body could rotate over and over, such as her shoulders and hips, she absolutely nailed the pose, except for her heavy foot caving into the wooden support pillar in front; probably what made the earlier crack.

"I. Take the penguin. Now! I. Return later. With Goods for trade!"

The old geezer was left stunned and mumbling indecipherably.

Not only had Shizu's technique been overwhelmingly efficient, but her newly acquired perfume scent granted her with a temporary boost in any Charisma related skill.

Using her high perception, she noticed several shining metallic pieces of 2 different colours in the open drawer of the counter's desk.

"Hmm? Money?"

There were mostly copper pieces, along with 15 silver pieces.

Shizu grabbed 5 of them with 2 fingers, which she somehow managed to arrange in a perfectly straight column.

"This. Might be. Useful."

"Huh? Wait a moment, l-l-l-lady! I n-n-need that!"

"It. Benefits me more. If I hold iiiit."

The old man tried his best to resist just now, money being, quite possibly, the only thing that would've given him enough strength to resist, but it was useless. Shizu's Charisma was too powerful.

To be clear, Shizu's intention was not in any way negative. Her alignment was neutral good after all. She seeked only her personal benefit, while having further motives for raising a ruckus; for mildly annoying a person, but not so much that it would actually hurt them, hence why she only took 5 silver.

She did it because, in her own way, she cared for them.

Just as Shizu was about to exit, the doorbell rang as Entoma pushed the door, stopping at the door mat.

"Everything owkayy?"

Entoma was the only one that Shizu was using a less robotic voice when talking to.

"Positive. Let us not waste any more time."

[end of Chapter 11]

[Chapter 12: Zombieville on Corvus Hill - coming soon™]