“Why are you cutting the ears off?” Ainz asked when he saw the rest of the party crouched over the corpses.

Brita looked up and winked, “Easy, remember how I said I skipped meals and alcohol to buy this potion? Well that doesn’t save much… it helped, but this is how adventurers really make money. The guild buys these things as proof of the kill.” She sliced off the top half of an ogre’s ear and dropped it in a pouch.

“They don’t drop crystals or other items?” Ainz asked, ‘That is different from the game. So some things are similar, but not everything.’ He reasoned when the others shook heads in denial.

“No, I’ve never heard of that.” Dyne answered, “That would be nice, but…” he gave a martyred sigh, “We don’t have that kind of luck.”

“What about old ruins, dungeons, things like that?” Ainz pressed.

“Yes, but only really powerful, desperate, or foolish adventurers or workers would dare to go into places like that. Nobody knows much of anything about the world from six hundred years ago or so. At least not among humans, so those places are still found. However, few people are willing to go inside without serious power on their side.” Peter answered.

“I lost my first party in something stupid like that…” Lukrut looked away and spat into the bloody pool near to where he crouched. “We weren’t powerful or desperate, just what Peter said, foolish. Stupid, naive fools who found a place and thought we’d become legends. I don’t even know how they died, I heard their screams begin in the dark, saw the light of their torch go out, then there was silence.” He dropped the partial goblin ear into his pouch and pushed himself up from his knees.

“So I ran. I don’t even know what killed them. I want to go back to that place someday though, find their bodies, and bring them home to beg their families’ forgiveness.” Lukrut’s lewdity and jokes began to make more sense all of a sudden.

‘So he’s one of those.’ Ainz reasoned and chose to stay quiet.

Lupusregina however, filled the dead silence with her own opinion, laughter, clear, mocking laughter. “Wow, you sure are stupid, aren’t you? I mean I knew you were dumb, but I thought you were just the lewd kind of dumb. Not the everyday kind.” She held her belly and continued her laugh, seemingly barely aware she’d made the young man angry until he stormed over to her.

Whether Lukrut intended to attempt to strike Lupu or yell at her, Ainz didn’t know, neither would have been survivable. As soon as Lukrut was in Lupu’s face, she put a foot past him, hooked it behind his leg, and gave him what, to her, was a little tap to the chest, but to him, a hammer blow.

He wheezed when his back hit the ground and his body bounced. “Miss Lupu! What was…” Brita and Ninya started to shout, but rather than finish him, the red haired beauty put her hands on her hips and bent over the wheezing ranger.

“Even if their bodies are still there, which, trust me, they’re already long digested, they’re gone, but even if they were, they’re dead. Being weak like you are, you’ll just add yourself as a long overdue dessert. And so what if you succeed? Let's say you stumble through the dark, poking that little twig in places you shouldn’t, find a few bones, shove ‘em in a potato sack and run on home; what then? Are you planning to dump the bones in front of their mommy and daddy? Are those even still alive now? Besides, did you drag those idiots in or did they go in on their own? Quit taking the blame for other people’s stupidity, you’re stupid enough all by yourself.”

Lupusregina straightened up and shrugged her hands out, “Not that I give a damn, one less pervert in the world isn’t a problem, and it might be fun if you let me watch you make them cry and clutch at bones and open up those fresh wounds all over again. But if you do plan on being that stupid, well at least now you know you’re being stupid, stupid.”

Lukrut managed to get his breath back, gasping slowly became normal breathing, the long hiccup like breath eased off, but he didn’t stand up, he stared up at the sky in relative quiet.

“You’re really smart, Lupu.” Lurkut finally admitted.

“Well, I’m not using blood to run two heads at once. Stop putting it all into powering the one on that twig, and maybe you can begin to properly appreciate the unused one.” She heaped her mockery on him and with a toothy smile, held out her V sign for victory again before stepping ‘on’ his chest and then walking on.

“If you peeked, I’m taking your eyeballs.” She said to the man who once again began wheezing behind her.

“So cruel… I’m touched.” Lukrut moaned, costing several minutes more before he could recover.

The hours of travel and peppering of Ninya and the others with questions about magic, adventuring, and the local politics, left Ainz with new questions and not enough answers. However, they didn’t seem to mind as it passed the time on the road and neither did he.

The wide open world, with its endless sky and horizons that could be seen for miles upon miles, made Ainz think of ‘explorer’ players. They cared nothing about levels, or bases, they jumped into Yggdrasil wanting nothing more than to explore and see what they hadn’t seen before. ‘I thought them fools before, but now? Now I think I understand them. Of course, out of loyalty to my friends, my guild, and the children we made there, I must be a good ruler. But if it comes down to it? If they learn the truth and reject me?’

His heart shook in his chest at the very notion, an ache settled there that he knew would some day demand an answer, but instead he focused on the other half of that thought, ‘Then if I were alone, or with a handful only? I could enjoy exploring this world for the rest of my days.’

It left him conflicted for most of the remaining walk for the day, until at last they settled down into a campsite for the night. The roaring flame had a meal of thick stew ready in short order.

Ainz reached up for his helmet, removed it, and accepted the wooden bowl that was offered to him. It wasn’t exactly smooth, and for a moment he wondered if he’d risk a splinter on his tongue when he took a bite, but seeing his subordinate snatch the bowl and dig in with gusto, he could hardly complain.

An explosion of flavor hit him in an instant, though it was a little more salty than ideal, but compared to the tasteless rations of his former world, it was a feast. ‘Nazarick can do better, vastly better, but… wait, when was the last time I ate?’ He asked himself and realized, ‘Before I logged on. I’ve been so stressed with everything that it killed my appetite, but now I’m starving.’ He almost dug in with the same gusto Lupusregina was showing, her spoon flying from bowl to lips like she was in a duel with her food. ‘Werewolf.’ He recognized the lupine trait, but despite his hunger, Ainz took his time.

It was better that way, the full flavor of the chicken, potatoes, and broth came out as it slid over his tongue, he had to fight to suppress the full expression of his enjoyment over the meal, lest he break his calm exterior.

“You truly were impressive out there, Mr. Momon.” Dyne said with an open, friendly smile.

“Yeah, see, I told you!” Brita added and stamped her foot, “I’ve worked with you guys a bunch in the last year, and you still don’t take my word for things.”

“You also said you were a man when we first met.” Peter pointed out, and the red headed Brita crossed her arms in a huff.

“Because most parties won’t take women adventurers, and here I am, just an occasional extra hand.” Brita snapped with a hint of bitterness.

“Are women adventurer’s frowned on here?” Ainz asked with interest at this unlooked-for development.

“Not exactly.” Lukrut answered, “But a single woman in a party of men tends to pose problems, so you don’t see many mixes. Women adventurers tend to form their own teams, or, like Brita, get to occasionally join one like us for a short term assignment.”

“I see.” Ainz said, “That explains your conduct toward my partner here.”

Lupusregina felt the blush rise when her lord referred to her as his ‘partner’, but instead of melting, she narrowed her yellow eyes. “One word, pervert, and there’ll be another woman in this party.”

Lukrut chuckled, but said nothing as Ninya got up and spoke. “‘Scuse me, I’ve got to ah, go.”

Ninya turned and rushed awkwardly over to the treeline near to their blazing fire.

“Is it safe for Ninya to go alone?” Ainz asked as he watched the retreating back.

Peter answered, “No, not really. But Ninya gets really upset if anyone tries to go with him, people have their own things, I guess. And here is probably as safe as anywhere to be alone.”

Lupusregina stood up and stretched out, “Well, I think I need to do the same, and if one of you follows me…” She looked over at Lukrut, “Pervert,” she whispered, “you’ll be crawling back.”

She was gone before Lukrut could tell her what he was into.

Ninya squatted with his pants down and sighed as he relieved himself. “Thanks to the gods… I’ve been holding that in for hours.”

Ninya closed his eyes and pitied the insects he drowned, “So, I was right.” Lupusregina said when she poked her head out of the bush behind the magic caster and right beside Ninya’s head.

“I always know a woman when I smell her.” Lupusregina grinned with confidence while Ninya’s mouth fell open in a silent scream.

Before the silent scream could become audible, the lightly tanned hand of the adventurer Lupu came out and covered Ninya’s lips with two upright fingers. “Now now, use your bedroom voice, I’m just curious about why you’re lying to them?” A cruel, sadistic smile spread over the cleric’s lips, “Are you afraid that pervert will try to have his way with you? He’s harmless, I’m sure of it. Or is it the rest of them?”

“L-L-Lupu I… err… what…” Ninya’s sudden fear turned into embarrassment, her blue eyes were like saucers as she tried to wrap her mind around the absurdity of her circumstances.

“Well, what is it, oh and pull your pants up, you finished about twenty seconds ago.” Lupu said and straightened up, rustling the bushes and bringing Ninya out of her stunned state.

The little magic caster scrambled to grab her pants and pull them up to her waist. She was still fumbling with the cheap iron buckle and moved to stand in front of the temporary comrade to spout denials, but in the face of the red haired beauty, she could not find even the words to lie.

She slumped, tears of rage in her eyes, “Please… please don’t tell them. I’m… I’m not afraid of them raping me or anything, they’re decent people… but they’d kick me out. I don’t want to get kicked out. I can’t get kicked out. I can’t…”

“How come?” Lupu asked her with a cockeyed look.

“You heard them, there aren’t many female adventure teams and male teams won’t take women on, there’s always someone who falls in love, or maybe more than one and they fight or… nature takes its course and they have to fill the slot when she leaves. Small teams can’t take that hit, so they just… they just don’t let in women unless they’re really powerful. If I were higher ranked that wouldn’t be a problem. Like Blue Rose, or like… like you’re going to be. But I’m this.” Ninya held up her iron adventurer plate. “We’re a copper for twenty, so they can easily replace me with someone else.”

“They hired Brita, didn’t they?” Lupu pointed out.

“Yes, but for one job, and Brita hasn’t got a team, she finds work for other adventurers and then gets hired on as a bonus so she can go too. She finds out stuff that isn’t even put on the job boards yet. Even so, she only gets the short jobs that last only a few days. That would be fine, but…” Ninya shut her eyes and snatched up her staff to clutch it tight to her chest.

“But?” Lupu pushed.

Ninya felt no mercy from the cleric, ‘I knew something was off with her, she’s too open. Too friendly. She’s got a truly twisted personality beneath the surface. She’s got me pinned down and can expose me if she wants, there’s no choice, I have to tell her everything.’

“My… my sister. She was taken as a nobleman’s plaything, they call her a concubine, but really to someone like that noble lord, she was just a toy. Tsuare was always beautiful, that’s why he took her. I became an adventurer so I could-” Ninya was stopped when Lupu guessed.

“Rescue her?” The mocking smile of the cleric taunted her, but Ninya denied it.

“No, I can’t possibly fight a castle full of guards, even if I did, there’s nowhere I could run. I hoped to make enough money, fast enough, that I could buy her back. Adventurers can make a lot more money than peasants just regularly working, and we sometimes find useful things. So I started doing this in the hopes of getting lucky, finding some treasure or saving up enough to buy her out of wherever she is now.” Ninya lowered her head, it was the first time it had ever been said out loud.

And now that she said it, it sounded utterly hopeless.

“Wow, is your whole party dumb? I thought it was just the pervert.” Lupu said with a hand on her hip and scratching her head. “I guess it makes sense you want to help your sister and all, I’ve got sisters too. But here you are running around scratching for coins to throw at the ones taking turns on her? Damn, this whole country must be stupid.”

“What am I supposed to do!” Ninya hissed through tears, “I can’t take a castle by myself, I’m not adamantite, I’m not strong, I’m just Ninya! A nothing peasant with a bit of magic talent and… maybe just enough courage to risk my life.”

“That.” Lupu pointed at her, a vicious smile plastered in place. “Risk your life. So you get up enough gold or silver or copper or whatever your sister’s holes are worth to them,” she paused to let Ninya sob at the brutal assessment, then went on without mercy, “Throw them at the bastards and they give whatever leftovers there are of your sister back to you. Then what? You might be dumber than the pervert. She spends the rest of her life scratching at the dirt on a farm waiting for the next one to take a fancy to her? Or maybe she’s so mutilated that she’s lucky nobody is attracted to her anymore.”

Lupu’s words cut at Ninya’s heart like animal claws, but the cleric seemed to have no pity, “It doesn’t seem to me that you’ll have accomplished anything. Look at that.” Lupu pointed to the ground and out of reflex, Ninya looked. A group of ants was dragging a number of large insects toward their little hill.

The mockery and insults of the dangerous cleric were hammered like a smith beating hot iron as she pummeled the little magic caster’s soul with merciless words. “I’ve seen the soldiers of this country, they’re generally pathetic so far. One jump above the average peasant. If you don’t like how you’re being treated, then do something about it, or you deserve what they do. You deserve whatever you let them get away with.” She put her hands to her cheeks in a mock dramatic gesture and in a taunting parody of a woman’s voice she said, “Oh boo hoo, they’re raping our sisters, guess we’d better give them coppers, and hope they stop. Oh boo hoo, they’re taking our crops, guess we’ll go hungry.”

She then dropped the mockery and taunting, turning to a vicious tone with a predatory baring of her teeth as she spoke, “The lot of you are idiots. Just kill them. There are a bunch more peasants than soldiers, you can make weapons out of whatever you want. And they’ve got to eat. Who will feed them if you don’t?”

“Are you… are you telling me to start a rebellion? That’s treason.” Ninya gasped at the almost blasphemous suggestion.

Lupu shrugged, “I’m not from here, it’s not treason for me. And treason goes two ways, it seems to me that if your noblemen are doing that kind of thing, they have already betrayed you. What else can they do to you as punishment that they’re not already doing to you for fun? Starvation? Kidnapping? Rape? Torture?” Her yellow eyes were wide as if she was enjoying the suggestions, “If you don’t do anything about it, what do you expect?”

“You’ve got nothing, so you’ve got nothing to lose, and you do at least have guts enough to risk your life, so why not risk it doing something that isn’t stupid? Maybe then you can get her back ‘and’ get even.” Lupu gave a mild titter, “Or don’t, it’s night there now, while you’re drowning bugs pretending to be a man, I’m sure your sister is hating being a woman. You could have started three rebellions in the time it probably took you to get to iron rank, and three more by the time you’ve saved enough to get on your knees and beg them to take your money for her ‘remains’ if she’s alive or dead.” The titter died and Lupusregina turned and walked back into the brush, leaving Ninya to sob alone beneath the shadowy night, concealed from the stars by the branches of the trees.

‘That was fun.’ Lupusregina mused as she sashayed her way back to the camp.