“--Zenberu! Call out and see if there’s anyone there!”
「——泽贝尔！叫唤看看有没有人」

After hearing Ainz’s order, Zenberu shouted the name of the Dwarf who had taken care of him in the past.
听从安兹的命令，泽贝尔呼唤起了过去照顾他的矮人名字。

The fact that there was no echo within this confined space clearly demonstrated the sheer size of the cavern.
明明是在洞窟内声音却没有形成回声，这足以可见这里的宽阔程度。

Zenbery shouted several more times, but as before, there were no signs of anybody emerging in response.
泽贝尔虽然呼喊了数次，但果然还是没有任何人出来的样子。

“--Hanzos. Search the tunnels outside this city for anything that might serve as a clue. Find the reason why this city was abandoned. However, given that we know nothing about the extent of the tunnel network, return if you feel you have gone too far.”
「——半藏。去查查在这个都市中，除了这里以外的坑道里还有没有其他可当成线索的东西，找出这个都市被放弃的理由。但由于坑道有多深、多长还是未知数，感觉太过于深入的话就撤回来」

“Understood!”
「遵命！」

While it might have been faster to have everyone head out on their own and search, Ainz was not nearly stupid enough to split the party under these circumstances where he did not know what was going on. He ordered everyone to gather and permitted them to make some small investigations on their own, and then, with them at his back, he opened the doors of one building after another.
虽然全员分头行动来调查可能会比较快，但安兹还没有无谋到、会在这种难以理解的状况下采纳那样的行动。让大伙聚集命令他们进行少许调查、在背后等待之时，将建筑物的门一扇扇打开。

All of them were the same as the first.
不管哪个建筑物都与最初的建筑物相同。

Some of them contained abandoned furniture, but that was more of a bookshelf here and a table there. He had not found a residence with a complete set of furniture.
虽然有时也会出现放置着家具的建筑，可就算如此也不过是这边一个棚子、那边一张桌子的程度。没有发现留有全部家具的住宅。

Checking all the houses like this would take a lot of time.
这样调查下去会花费不少时间。

“Aura, you have the best senses of all of us. Have you found any clues?”
「亚乌菈，在我们之中知觉力最为优秀的你是否有发现什么线索呢？」

“Nope. Can’t feel anyone around.”
「没有，感觉谁都不在的样子」

“Is that so… Then we’ll split up into two teams to search further. Shalltear, take command of the undead and act as our lookouts. Aura, go ahead to the house where Zenberu stayed the last time he was here. Search the city for the reason why the Dwarves are no longer around, but take care not to stray too far.”
「是吗……那么就分为两组成员，少许调查下吧。夏提雅指挥不死者们作为我的警备，亚乌菈在前去曾经照顾泽贝尔的矮人住家之后，一边注意不要离这里太远，一边在都市内巡回寻找矮人们不在的原因吧」

The two Guardians replied in the affirmative, and then he saw Zenberu bowing in gratitude.
两名守护者做出答复、眼前映入的是泽贝尔对这里低下头感谢的姿态。

After nodding magnanimously, Ainz cast [Fly].
安兹落落大方地首肯后便发动了<飞行>。

He slowly floated up.
慢慢的漂浮了起来。

This would be a dangerous course of action if anyone was waiting in ambush, but for some reason, Ainz had the feeling that there was nobody here.
如果有人正在埋伏的话这确实是很危险的举动，但不知为何安兹就是有种真的什么人都不在的感觉。

“Ainz-sama!”
「安兹大人！」

Shalltear flew over in a panic.
夏提雅慌慌张张的飞翔跟随过来。

“It’s dangerous! Please descend!”
「很危险！还请降下来！」

“Come to think of it, you’re right. It seems I got careless.”
「说的是呢，稍微有些过于大意了啊」

It was only natural that Shalltear would be angry. After all, he had flown up -- where anyone could draw a clear line of fire to him -- purely because he was acting on a baseless instinct.
以没有根据的直觉就飞上射线良好的空中，夏提雅会生气也是理所当然的。

“Still, the fact that I was not attacked is further proof that there’s nobody here. Also, there’s a chance that anyone who spotted me might want to come closer to learn more, so I’ll leave perimeter security to you.”
「但没有被攻击这件事，果然让这里没有任何人的可能性变得更为可信了啊。而且发现我的人想要取得情报而靠近过来的可能性也有，周围的警戒拜托你了」

“Please do not use yourself as a Mare.”
「……请不要将您的御体作为陷阱」

Punitto-san had a point; depending on the circumstances, a leader might have to use themselves as bait. ...Still, I guess it’s hard for someone like Shalltear to understand that, given that she isn’t one of my friends, but my protector.
（视情况统率队伍的人有时也需要担任诱饵的任务啊，布妞桑也说过作为战略来说是正确的……。但不是同伴而是护卫的夏提雅果然没办法轻易认同吗）

“Forgive me,” Ainz said to Shalltear before looking downwards.
「原谅我」向夏提雅这么告知后，安兹俯瞰眼下。

This was a city, filled with many identical buildings, as neatly laid-out as a weiqi board.
确实是都市，都市规划的有如围棋棋盘一般、存在着许多相同的建筑物。

“--There’s an impressive-looking building over there, and there and there.”
「——那边到有还算气派的建筑啊，那边和那边也是」

Although most of the buildings looked like they had been cast from the same mold, there were a few of them which seemed larger than the others.
虽然绝大数建筑都有如一个模子里刻出来的，但其中也有零星几栋较大的建筑。

“Shall we go and look?”
「去看看吗」

“...Let’s call Aura back first. It feels like things might become very troublesome if there’s an ambush there.”
「……将亚乌菈叫回来后如何，如果那里有人潜伏的情况下，感觉会变成很麻烦」

Everything Shalltear had said since just now had a point.
从刚才起夏提雅的发言就尽是些正论。

“Ainz-sama!”
「安兹大人！」

Just then, Aura’s voice came from below. Looking down, he saw Aura and Zenberu waving to Ainz, and given the way they were doing so, it would appear something out of the ordinary had taken place.
正巧这时从下方传来了亚乌菈的声音。俯瞰下去，旁边带着泽贝尔的亚乌菈正挥着手，从那个挥手的方式来看怎么也不像是正常的情况。

“Looks like they’ve found something.”
「看来是发现了什么啊」

“It seems that way.”
「似乎是那样呢」

The two of them exchanged looks before landing beside Shalltear, followed shortly by the undead hurrying to their position.
两人相互看了看对方后便降落到亚乌菈的身旁，接着稍迟赶到的则是不死者们。

“Come see this, Ainz-sama!”
「请看、安兹大人！」

Aura led them into one of the houses she had opened up.
被亚乌菈引路至其中一间住所，亚乌菈指向已打开的房门的深处。

Ainz gave the place a once-over, but he could not detect any differences from the other buildings, and he found nothing special within it.
安兹往里面大致看了一眼，但是看不出来与先前调查过的建筑物有什么区别，并没有办法发现什么特别的东西。

“Is this the Dwarven home where Zenberu once stayed?”
「这里就是曾经照顾泽贝尔的矮人家吗？」

“No, this isn’t it. On our way to the home of the Dwarf who took care of Zenberu, we found several buildings that had been opened up. After checking them, I found footprints on the ground, and those might not be Dwarven footprints. Here, have a look. Zenberu, Dwarves don’t go barefoot, right?”
「不，并不是这里。在去曾照顾过泽贝尔的矮人家的途中，发现了微微打开门的建筑物，调查其中之后、请看，在地板上有足迹，而且那个恐怕不是矮人的足迹。泽贝尔、矮人不是裸足居住的吧？」

“Ahh, of course not. They all wear shoes, and they don’t take them off even inside their homes. I used to see them in sturdy, metal-soled boots.”
「啊啊、当然不是……的。那些家伙都是穿着鞋的，就算在家里也几乎不会脱下来，常常能看到有些家伙穿着用金属补强脚背、很结实的鞋子」

“That means these footprints are clearly not Dwarven.”
「就是这样，这足迹很明显不矮人的」

“How much can you learn from them?”
「从这足迹中能够得到多少情报？」

“Hmm, let’s see…”

Aura tilted her head in contemplation.

“They seem to have been made by a biped, and the drag marks between the left and right footprints suggest a tail of some sort.”
「说的是呢」亚乌菈微微歪了歪脑袋。「首先那好像是使用两只脚行走的生物，然后左右脚之间有着线状的痕迹，这个大概是尾巴吧」

“Was it something like a Lizardman?”
「是类似蜥蜴人的生物吗？」

Shalltear turned to look at Zenberu.
夏提雅的视线看向了泽贝尔。

“No, it wasn’t. The tail was slim, not thick like Zenberu’s. Also, the footprints were filled in with dust, so they must have been left there for quite some time. Whoever left them did not go back and forth often. Also, it looks like the person who came in here left immediately after entering. ...Did they come because they were interested in a Dwarven city?”
「不，不是的哟。不是像泽贝尔一样这么粗的而是更细的呢。似乎因为经过相当的时间在足迹上也积满了灰尘，并不是频繁的来往……而且是进入这里之后马上就出去的样子。……发现了矮人的街道感兴趣而来的吧？」

Aura turned her gaze from the house to the road outside.
亚乌菈看往家中的视线有所动作、转向道路。

“And it’ wasn’t just one person… there were a lot, at least 10 of them.”
「不只是一只呢，复数……而且还是相当数量的样子呢，最少也有十只」

“How far can you follow this trail? This is our only clue, after all, so I’d like to follow up on it as much as possible.”
「就凭这个足迹能够追踪到哪里？毕竟这是唯一的线索，可以的话还是想尽可能查下去」

“Understood. Could you follow behind me, then?”
「我明白了，那么能够跟在我的身后吗？」

There was no possible reason to refuse.
不可能有拒绝的理由。

Everyone trailed after Aura, while Shalltear stood by behind Aura to protect her.

The owner of the footprints moved as Aura had predicted -- it had the same objective as Ainz, wandering around and looking into the Dwarven buildings.
以亚乌菈为前头大家一个个的跟上，为了保护看着下面行走的亚乌菈，夏提雅在她的身后待命着。
足迹的主人的行动方式正有如亚乌菈的推测一般，也就是与刚才的安兹一样没办法感受到目的——以到处看看矮人建筑的方式前进着。

Halfway through the trail, Aura suddenly ground to a halt and stared at the road ahead. She was looking at one of the huge buildings that Ainz had spotted from above.
就这样一直追踪足迹的亚乌菈忽然停止脚步，盯着道路的前方。视线所及之处是一栋安兹从上方见过的巨大建筑物。

“There’s many identical footprints here. It looks like a squad of them came from over there. What should we do? Should we investigate this squad?”
「在这里有复数的——同样数量的足迹汇合，这支别动队是从那边过来的样子，接下来该怎么做呢？调查一下这别动队吗？」

“...No, it might be better to see where these footprints’ owners disappeared. We’ll investigate that other group later.”
「……不、首先追踪这个足迹的主人是在哪里消失的会比较好吧。这个别动队的足迹之后再进行调查也无所谓吧」

“Understood!”
「遵命！」

Aura started moving again. In the end, they reached a building that fused with the walls and seemed to span the entire city.
亚乌菈再次起步，终于、到达了像是横断都市一般外形的、与墙壁相连接的建筑物。

It looked like a bungalow, but it was huge.
看起来像是平房，但建筑面积相当宽广。

“...There shouldn’t be anyone inside, but for safety’s sake, I will use magic after this. The enemy’s defensive spells might take effect centered on me, so everyone should keep their distance.”
「……虽然觉得应该没有人在，但慎重起见我接下来会使用魔法。敌人的防御魔法可能有会以我为中心炸裂的可能性，所有人都稍微离地远一点待机」

Using divination-type magic carried the risk of being targeted by counterattacks. While the only one among them who might actually be killed in one hit by such a backlash was Zenberu, there was no reason to unnecessarily deplete his subordinates’ health.
使用情报系魔法时有着反击会打过来的可能性，虽然在这些成员中会被一击击杀的大概也就只有泽贝
尔了吧，不过可没有无端减少属下体力的理由。

“Ainz-sama, please allow me to guard your person.”
「安兹大人、请允许我在您身旁守候」

“Eh? Then I’ll come too.”
「诶？那样的话也让我一起」

“No, you need to stay where you won’t be affected and watch your surroundings.”
「不行哟，你必须得在不会被波及的场所注意周围」

After being rebuked by Shalltear, Aura looked pleadingly at Ainz, but in this case, Ainz shared Shalltear’s opinion.
被夏提雅驳倒的亚乌菈以求助的眼神看向安兹，不过关于这一点安兹与夏提雅也是同样的意见。

“Indeed. Your sensory abilities are the best among us, Aura. While it does not seem likely, if there actually is an ambush, you may end up being the first one to deal with it.”
「确实，亚乌菈在这些成员中有最优秀的知觉力。虽然觉得可能性很低但如果有谁潜伏着的话，可得由你来对应啊」

After hearing that from her master, Aura had nothing left to say. All she could do was reluctantly show her acknowledgement of his words.
被主人说到这份上亚乌菈自然也无话可说，只得不情愿的表示了接受。

Ainz conjured a magical sensor and sent it into the building.
安兹做出魔法的感觉器官，让它潜入建筑物里。

As expected, there was no sign of anyone hiding within, and so he sent it deeper inside.
果然看不出有谁潜藏在里面的样子，就这样进入深处。

What was this building used for? A counter and -- are those lockers? It looks like a bathhouse, but there’s no separation for genders… is this a Dwarf-only building?”
（究竟，这个建筑物是用来做什么的？柜台和——这个是柜子？明明是浴场却没有区分男女……是矮人独有的建筑物吗？）

As Ainz observed the interiors of several rooms, he found a place that looked like the tunnels through which he and the others had passed through just now.
一边监察、穿过数个房间之后的安兹的眼中，看到的是有如自己走过来的坑道的场所。

Could it be that this is some sort of checkpoint or base? Maybe it was meant to stop the enemy coming from the depths of this tunnel. Does that mean the tunnel leads somewhere else?
（难不成是作为关口或是据点之类建筑物吧？如果有什么人从这个坑道的深处过来时，用来阻止敌人之类的。这么一来前面还有其他的出口吗？）

A quick search of the building’s interior revealed no trace of the enemy. He quickly summarized the state of the inside of the building, and then let Aura head inside, in order to verify if the footprints ended inside that tunnel.
大略搜索过建筑物内部、没有发现敌人行踪的安兹，将建筑物内部的情况进行简单说明，为了让亚乌菈确认足迹的前方是否消失在那个坑道，而让她进入其中。

After that, Ainz, Shalltear and Zenberu followed. He left the magical beasts and undead waiting outside in case the Hanzos returned in the meantime.
然后安兹、夏提雅、以及泽贝尔也跟了进去。由于考虑到半藏会回来的可能，魔兽和不死者们就留在外面待机好了。

As they followed behind Aura, Ainz whispered to Zenberu: “What do you know about this building?”
一边追着亚乌菈的后方，安兹一边低声细语向泽贝尔问道。

「关于这个建筑物你些知道什么吗？」

“Sorry, Your Majesty, but I don’t know that much. All I know is that the gigantic building that our company saw just now -- the one in front of the building where we picked up the trail of the footprints -- was apparently used for administrative tasks. Also, the other big buildings we glimpsed from time to time used to house taverns or blacksmiths and the like. Even the Dwarven chiefs -- no, their people in charge -- don’t live in big houses. I don’t know the reason for that,” Zenberu concluded.
「抱歉、陛下，我并不了解这么多。我所知道的也就是刚刚陛下们见到的那个巨大的建筑？有某人足迹的建筑物的通道前方的那个建筑物，听说是在那个建筑物里面执行公务之类的。还有、偶尔见到的巨大建物里面是经营着酒场或铁匠之类的店铺的场所。就算矮人们的族长——那个、权力者也不住会太大房子」

虽然不知道那个原因，泽贝尔做了结尾。

Just then, Aura stopped at the tunnel’s entrance.
而就在这时亚乌菈也停在了坑道的入口处。

“The footprints came from here. Shall we go on?
「足迹是从这里进出的，还要继续往前进吗？」

Ainz was briefly stymied by Aura’s question, but it soon passed.
安兹对于亚乌菈投来的疑问有点困惑，但那也只是一瞬间。

“No, let’s not. There’s other places to investigate in the city. We’ll leave this for the end. Also, it would be better to have the Hanzos around for that.”
「不，还是不要了吧。这个都市内还有其他需要调查的地方，调查这前方的事还是留最后的最后吧。而且，那时有半藏在也会好些」

One could also say that the tunnels were very extensive, considering the Hanzos still had not returned.
不如说从半藏到现在还没回来，可以推测坑道相当的宽广。

After they went back outside, Ainz cast a [Message] spell to speak to the Hanzo Leader.
回到外面的安兹发动<讯息>魔法，联系上了半藏队长。

“What’s the matter, Hanzos? Haven’t you found anything yet?”
「怎么了半藏，到现在还没有搜集到情报吗」

『Our deepest apologies for taking so long. However, please take heart; though it has taken some time, we have finally found a trace of someone’s presence.』
『花费那么多时间真是万分抱歉！但是还请高兴吧，虽然有点晚，但我等好像已经发现了某人的踪迹』

“What? Really? Did you discover any evidence about the disappearance of the Dwarves?”
「什么？真的吗？找到矮人之所以会不在的证据了吗？」

『This is not proper evidence, but there seems to be something -- a sound coming from the depths of this tunnel.』
『虽然不是证据，但似乎在这坑道的深处似乎有什么——正在发出声音的某种存在』

“Not a natural sound, I take it?”
「不是自然的声音吧」

『Indeed! It sounds like someone digging out an ore vein. What should we do? Would it be best if we went forth to investigate?』
『是的！大概有什么人正在挖掘矿脉的样子，该如何呢，我这边尽可能的搜集情报会比较好吗？』

“No, forget it. Before you do that, take us there. Our present location is--”

Come to think of it, he probably could not get the message across clearly using speech alone.

“That’s it, we’ll use a torch as a signal.”
「不，还是算了吧。在那此之前先把我们带到那里去吧。我所在的位置是——」就算说明也不觉得能好好传达到。「也是啊，火把就是记号」

『Understood!』
『遵命！』

After ending the [Message], Ainz took out a torch. It was self-igniting, and he handed it to one of the undead standing by near Ainz. The undead creature waved it from side to side, signalling the Hanzos, whose location was unknown.
切断<讯息>后、安兹接着取出火把。将自动起火的火把交给了在安兹身边待机的不死者。
不死者将火把左右挥舞，以此来作为给不知在何处的半藏的信号。

Of course, this was no ordinary firebrand. It was an artifact sold in shops; it did twice the damage of normal torches when pressed against the bodies of slime-like monsters.
当然、安兹所拿出来的是特殊的火把。是在商店贩卖的人造物，如果将其压在史莱姆之类的怪物身上，就能够給予其普通火把的兩倍炎伤害。

This was somewhat wasteful, but Ainz did not have any ordinary torches with him.
像这样的使用方法虽然很浪费，但安兹身上并没有普通的火把。

The torch seemed to sear a red band into Ainz’s vision before the the Hanzos finally appeared before him.
经过了在视野内红色残光留下带状般的时间后，半藏们出现在安兹的眼前。

“Forgive our tardiness, Master.”
「大人、失礼了」

“Dispense with the formalities, time is money. Take us there now.”
「无需问候，时间就是金钱。快点将我们带到那里去」

“Understood!”
「遵命！」

Ainz rode atop a magical beast in pursuit of the running ninjas.
在开始跑动的忍者身后，安兹一行人乘坐在魔兽背上追随着。

Eventually, they came before a building like the one they had found while following the footsteps. The Hanzos had stopped, so this was probably their destination.
不久之后，出现在眼前的是与先前追踪足迹时相类似的建筑物。而半藏也停了下来，看来那里就是终点没有错。

After alighting from his beast, Ainz listened to the Hanzos’ explanation of the situation.
从魔兽背上降下的安兹让半藏说明了情况。

“There is a hidden tunnel within this building. The entity in question is inside that tunnel.”
「在这个建筑物之中有隐藏着的坑道，而那个人物就在这其中」

“Ainz-sama, there’s a new set of footprints here. It doesn’t look like it came out of the tunnel, and they only lead inside. The person who made them wore boots, and given their size, I would put them around Shalltear’s height. Also, there’s only one of them.”
「安兹大人，有全新的足迹。并没有从中出来的痕迹，只有走进去的痕迹。有穿着靴子。从大小来单纯判断的话，身高大概也就夏提雅左右吧？数量是一人」

Ainz nodded to Aura, who was staring at the ground in front of the building.
对于凝视着建筑物前的地上进行报告的亚乌菈，安兹点了点头。

“...Let’s try to open a friendly dialogue with this person. Even if they attack, you are only allowed to defend yourselves. Under no circumstances are we to make the first move. Do you understand? In order to avoid alarming the other party, we’ll have Aura try to talk to them, and then--”
「……试试与对方进行友好的对话，就算对方进行攻击也只允许防御，绝不能从我方发起攻击哦？将之彻底执行，然后为了不让对方警戒，首先由亚乌菈与对方试着对话，在那之后——」

Ainz touched his face.
安兹摸了摸自己的脸。

Were humans the only species that shunned the undead? Or was it a given fact of this world?
不死者被忌避是只存在人类社会吗、还是说是一般常识呢。

In any case, his subordinates still stood at the head of an undead army. That being the case, he might make a better impression by exposing his face and not hiding his identity.
无论是哪边，让部下带领的都是不死者的军势。那么就这样将面孔曝露在对方面前——不隐瞒自己身份的形式出现，或许能留下些更好的印象也不一定。

“Alright, Hanzos. Take us to where you heard that sound.”
「好，那么半藏。带我们到能够听到那个声音的地方」

The Hanzos led them through the building and into the tunnel.
让半藏引路、穿过建筑物、在坑道中前进。

The ceiling was fairly low, so it should have been excavated by Dwarves. Dwarves in YGGDRASIL were all manlets.
天花板不怎么高的原因是矮人们所挖掘的吧。在YGGDRASIL中的矮人，都无一例外的不怎么高

If they had dug this tunnel, it would probably be around this height.
是他们所挖掘的话，就会形成这样高度的坑道吧。

Aura’s ears twitched as they moved through the tunnel. That confirmed the accuracy of the Hanzos’ report.
在坑道的途中亚乌菈的耳朵微微抖动，为半藏那正确无误的报告打了包票。

Ainz strained to listen, but he could not pick up the sound Aura had heard.
安兹虽然试着竖起耳朵，但还是没法听到亚乌菈所发觉的声音。

“Is that it? ...Is it close?”
「是吗。……很近吗？」

“It’s hard to tell. I can’t judge the distance accurately because of the echoes.”
「很困难，由于回声的缘故没有办法掌握正确的距离」

“Umu. If it’s in a straight line, an arcane eye would be able to reveal the other side’s identity…”
「哼嗯、如果是一直线的话就，能放出魔法之眼找出对方的真面目了啊……」

Someone without Aura’s keen hearing -- derived from racial or job classes -- would not be able to hear anything due to the distance between them. However, if they drew closer, the other party might pick up on the presence of a long procession on the move.
如果不是像是亚乌菈一般听觉敏锐的种族或职业的人的话，就会因为距离关系而听不到声音吧。但是如果更靠近的话，这边拖着长长一列行动的气息就会被对方察觉到吧。

If anyone heard an unknown group approaching them, their first instinct would probably be to flee for their own safety. Of course, having Aura around meant that they would not be able to escape, but the opposition might still be able to elude her if they could [Teleport] or if they had skills which allowed them to meld into the earth.
如果知道有未知的某人以人数众多的方式逼近的话，有常识的人会以安全为优先而避开吧。虽然认为有亚乌菈在的话是逃不掉的，但如果有对方有<转移>之类的魔法或是持有着能潜伏于大地这类的特殊技术到底还是会被逃掉的吧。

The wisest decision would be to send Aura and the Hanzos, or for Ainz himself to go, since he could go invisible.
这里只送出亚乌菈和半藏是比较聪明的决定吗，再来就是发动完全不可视化的安兹了吧。

“Then, we’ll send out the stealth-capable people from this point on. Aura and the Hanzos, you’ll go first. I will follow. Shalltear, you should wait here.”
「那么，从这里开始由持有隐密行动的人们出动吧。首先是亚乌菈和半藏，再来是我。夏提雅就在这里待机好了」

“If that is your order.”
「如果是您的命令」

“...No, would it be a bad idea to wait here?”
「……不、在这里待机不合适吗？」

Ainz looked to the ceiling. It looked like sturdy bedrock, but there were no such things as absolutes.
安兹往上看向天花板。虽然确实是坚实的岩盘，但也没有绝对的事情。

“Fair enough. Return to the building from earlier and wait for us to return. ...No, if I do that, the Hanzos will also… Aura, do you think the footprints lead toward the source of the sound?”
「也是啊。就回先前建筑物的地方待命好了，在那里等待我们的归还。……不、如果那样的话半藏也……亚乌菈哟，你认为足迹是朝向那个声音的发生源吗？」

“Yes, they’re heading there. The person who made them is probably the source of the sound.”
「是，朝向那里。大概这个足迹的主人就是声音的发生源」

“I see. Then, can you lead me there?”
「是吗，那么能够将我引路到那里吗」

Aura nodded.
亚乌菈纵向点了点头。

“Then, the two of us will go ahead first. Everyone except Aura and myself will proceed to the building at the entrance of the tunnel. If anything untoward happens, particularly the appearance of powerful beings on our level, fall back immediately. In that case, we will make our own escape, so do not be worried. We’ll set the destination for any [Gates] at Aura’s building in the forest.”
「那么这前方由我们两人前去，除我和亚乌菈以外的人回到这个坑道的入口建筑的地方。如果发生不测，注意特别是认为同级的强者的话就立刻撤退。那时我们会自己逃脱，不要担心。<转移门>的出口事先设置在了亚乌菈建在森林里的建筑物」

“Understood! But will the two of you really be alright by yourselves?”
「遵命！可是就两个人没问题吗」

“I’m not sure. Well, I’d like to think that we’ll be fine.”
「不清楚。嘛，真想认为是没问题的啊」

One could consider flaws all day long and end up nowhere. All he could do was accept that he was compromising his safety to some extent as he took action. This was something Ainz had learned recently.
一直考虑不足的地方也没完没了。只能以放弃某种程度为前提来展开行动。这是件安兹最近学会的事。

Shalltear had not said anything which made him want to change his mind. Or rather, it might be that Ainz’s orders left no room for objection, so all she could do was obey gracefully.
夏提雅可能也没有浮现出能够改变安兹决定的话吧。还是说是安兹的命令呢，也没有再提出除此之外的异议而是恭顺的服从了指示。

Ainz set out with Aura. He did not use magic yet since they were still some distance away.
安兹与亚乌菈一同开始行动，由于还有一段距离所以不使用魔法。

The two of them walked in silence for some time, and then the sound reached Ainz’s ears.
两人无言地走了一段时间、声音也传到了安兹的耳中。

“...It seems whoever’s doing this is doing their best to minimize the amount of noise generated.”
「……看起来采用的是不会发生过多的声音的行动方式呢」

Ainz had no idea why that topic came up, but if Aura mentioned it, then it should probably be correct.
虽然安兹完全不明白为何会浮现出那个想法，但亚乌菈既然是那样说的那就是那样没错吧。

“Does that mean we can assume the other side is on high alert as well?”
「这么说，可以认为对方也在警戒的可能性很高吧」

“So should we start by capturing them?”
「那么一开始就抓住吗？」

“Only if they seek to flee. After all, if our first contact is violent, it might be very difficult to have friendly relations with them in the future.”
「如果对方想要逃的话再这么做吧。毕竟如果在第一次接触中发生暴力行为的话，之后友好关系的建立可是会变得非常困难的啊」

“I understand. Then, let me go ahead and talk to them normally.”
「我明白了，那么一开始就由我上前进行普通的对话吧」

“Proceed. Then, I shall make myself invisible -- no, for safety’s sake, I’ll follow behind you while invisible, Aura. If the other party makes a run for it, then we’ll have no choice but to capture them.”
「就那样做吧。那么我就使用不可视化——不、谨慎起见还是使用不可知化，跟在亚乌菈后面吧。如果对方想要逃走的话，那时也没办法就先抓住好了」


2

After a brief discussion, the two of them prepared themselves and headed for the maker of the sound.
两人经过一番讨论，在做好准备后便走向那个声音的主人。

There was a Dwarf-shaped creature in the depths of the tunnel. In this pitch-black world, all they saw was him diligently digging at the walls of the tunnel with his pickaxe.
在坑道深处的是一个矮小人形生物的身影。在完全黑暗的世界里，只见他专心致志的拿着手中的鹤嘴锄对着坑道的墙壁反复挖掘。

They were some distance away so they could not be sure, but he seemed to be around 140cm tall. His body was shaped like a beer barrel and his legs were not long. In fact, it was instantly clear that his legs were short.
因为还有一段距离所以无法正确判断，但身高应该有一百四十公分吧。身材像是啤酒桶一样，腿也不长。不，即便断定那是短腿也可以吧。

He wore a brown-colored cape, and the items laid out nearby should all have been his property as well. One of them was an unlit lantern and a water flask.
身披茶色的斗篷，身边的地上摆着的各种道具应该都是他的东西，其中有没点亮的提灯和水壶。

What’s a miner doing all by himself in an uninhabited city? This is strange. Let’s ask him and solve this mystery.
（矿工单身一人待在谁也不在的城市里？这也太奇怪了，不过直接问本人就能解开疑问了吧）

Aura silently crept towards the miner.
亚乌菈蹑手蹑脚地悄悄接近那个人。

In contrast, Ainz did not seem to care.
而与此相对安兹则一点也不在意。

[Perfect Unknowable] erased one’s traces and sounds, making the caster very difficult to detect if they did not have very high-level thief-type job classes. Even someone of Aura’s level would have a very hard time spotting him. Ainz registered on her senses as a murky presence.
<完全不可知化>会把从声音到气息的一切全部消去，若不是高等级的盗贼职业的话便很难察觉。即使像亚乌菈这样等级要发现也很困难，只能模糊的感觉到有什么而已。

Once she was close enough to the miner, Aura called out to him.
在离矿工相当靠近的地方时，亚乌菈开口搭话道。

“Heya. Whatcha doing?”
「你好啊。在做什么呢？」

“Hiiieeee!”
「咿呀！」

The miner wailed like he was about to die as he turned to face her.
那个人物在发出魂飞魄散般的悲鸣声的同时转过身来。

His beard was long -- there was no doubt that he belonged to the Dwarven race.
留着长长的胡子——应该就是被称为矮人的种族没错。

The wide-eyed man pulled his brown cape tight around himself.
瞪大双眼的男人将茶色的斗蓬裹在了自己的身上。

Still, that was all. The man was still there. However, it would seem Ainz was the only one who thought that way.
但也只是那样而已。男人的确还在那里。不过这么想的似乎只有安兹一人而已。

“Hmph! Invisibility, huh--”
「嗯！不可视化吗—」

Aura’s voice made Ainz -- who could see through invisibility -- look carefully in the Dwarf’s direction. Just as Aura had said, the Dwarf’s image seemed somewhat duller now.
亚乌菈的声音让拥有看穿不可视化能力的安兹谨慎的向矮人望去。的确如亚乌菈所说的，矮人的身影是稍微感觉稍微淡了一点。

The cape must be a magic item, and doing that probably activates its powers of invisibility. Feels pretty much the same as Shizu...
（斗蓬是魔法道具，只要这么做的话就能发动不可视化的力量吧。和希丝差不多的感觉吗）

“Hey, hey, you know I don’t intend to hurt you, right, Dwarf-san? I know you’re there. Let me take a look at you.”
「吶吶，我可没有加害你的打算喔？矮人先生。我知道你在那里啦，让我看看你的样子吧」

Aura’s adorable and heart-warming tone must have had a great impact on the Dwarf’s heart.
亚乌菈那可爱亲切的态度绝对大大动摇了矮人的内心。

He parted his cape slightly, and peeked at Aura through the slit.
他稍微把斗蓬敞开，从细缝窥探着亚乌菈。

“Are, are you a Dark Elf? What are you doing here?”
「汝、汝莫非是暗精灵吗？为什么会在这种地方？」

“Hm? When I came to the Dwarven city, I found that it was an empty shell, so I decided to find out why there was nobody around. I looked around and here I am.”
「嗯？来到了矮人的都市后却发现已经是空壳了，想看看有没有人知道为什么，找着找着就到这里了」

“I, I see…”
「原、原来如此……」

“Dwarves were still living here until five years ago. What happened to them? Did something happen? And speaking of which, why not let me take a look at you?”
「到五年前为止，矮人都生活在这里对吧。怎么了？发生什么了？话说差不多该让我看看你的样子了吧？」

The Dwarf shifted here and there, but Aura followed him with her eyes.
虽然矮人一点一点的挪动着，不过亚乌菈的视线也随着他慢慢移动。

“Sure enough. It seems you really can see me.”
「也是啊，看来你真的是能看到老夫的样子」

The Dwarf folded up his cape. That was probably to terminate the effects of the magic. It all seemed quite comical to Ainz, given that nothing had changed to him.
矮人将斗蓬收了起来。大概是以此为契机解除魔法的效果吧。对安兹来说就像没有变化过一样，所以感到有些滑稽。

“Then, let’s start afresh. How do you do? I am Aura Bella Fiora, from the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.”
「那么重新开始吧。初次见面，我是来自安兹‧乌尔‧恭魔导国的亚乌菈‧贝拉‧菲欧拉」

“The Sorcerous Kingdom? Forgive me for my ignorance, but is that a Dark Elven Kingdom? Something like that? Oh, pardon me. I am Gondo Firebeard of the Dwarven Kingdom. Pleased to meet you.”
「魔导国？抱歉，孤陋寡闻没有听说过，那是暗精灵的国度吗？大概在哪里啊？喔，失礼了。老夫是矮人王国的龚德‧法比亚多。请多指教」

Aura extended a hand. Gondo seemed to pick up on the meaning of the gesture and wiped off his own dirt-stand hand before shaking.
亚乌菈一伸出手，理解了其中含意的龚德擦了擦被泥土弄脏的手，两人握住彼此的手。

Things seem to be progressing well. Ainz nodded as he watched the proceedings, still sustaining his spell of unknowability.
感觉不错。保持着不可知化的安兹看到这情景重重地点了点头。

“Well, I guess we don’t need to be so formal. How about speaking normally?”
「总之不用那么恭敬，拿平常的方式说话也可以吗？」

“Ohhh! I was about to ask that myself. I am a mere commoner myself. But if you were an important figure, then all I can do is keep quiet.”
「喔喔！老夫也是想那么拜托的。老夫只是一般人哪。要是汝是大人物的话，我就只能闭上嘴啦」

Aura saw Gondo’s smile, and she smiled in turn.
看到龚德的笑容，亚乌菈也微微一笑。

“Then, back to the previous question. There were Dwarves still living here five years back. Where did they go?”
「那么回到刚刚的问题。欸，五年前为止应该还生活在这里的矮人们都去哪里了啊？」

“Mm, they all moved to another city three years ago. Is something the matter?”
「嗯，三年前就从这里移住到别的都市了。有什么事情吗？」

“Yeah, sort of. I came here with a Lizardman who said he stayed here for a while. He told me about this place.”
「嗯，算是吧。特地和从在这里住过一小断时间的蜥蜴人一起来的，就是听他说的」

“A Lizardman? Five years ago?”
「蜥蜴人？大概五年前？」

Gondo thought briefly, and then he slapped his palm.
龚德稍微想了下，然后敲了下手。

“Ohhh! I didn’t see him myself, but I know that it did happen. It was the first time a Lizardman visited us, so it became quite a hot topic. I believe he was a fellow with an exceptionally thick arm, am I correct?”
「喔喔！老夫虽然没有见过，但的确有这么回事啊。因为蜥蜴人什么的还是第一次来，成了好大的话题呢。我记得确实是一条胳臂特别粗的家伙吧」

“That’s right! That’s him.”
「对！就是那家伙」

Gondo muttered “I see, I see” to himself over and over again. A look in his eyes suggested that he had lowered his guard.
龚德反复的「原来如此。原来如此」这样说道。看到他的眼神就知道他已经放下警戒了。

“The person who was kind to that Lizardman seems to have moved as well. Could you tell me where he went?”
「那么对蜥蜴人很亲切的人好像也移住了的样子，能告诉我移住的地方吗？」

“Well, telling you should be fine… But I’ve heard that Dark Elves don’t dwell beneath the earth, am I right? Even if you knew the underground way there, could you reach it safely?”
「嘛，虽然告诉你也没关系……但就老夫所听说过的，暗精灵并不是生活在地下的种族吧？就算知道了地下道的路线，能够平安抵达吗？」

“Well, I think it would be fine, but if possible, I’d like to know the aboveground route as well.”
「虽然我觉得大概没问题，不过可以的话也想知道地上的路线呢」

Gondo scrunched up his bearded face.
龚德那张胡须杂乱的脸皱了起来。

“Oh, I must apologize. I rarely travel the surface, so I’m not confident in describing the route to Feo Jura -- that is to say, the city that they moved to. All I can give are rough directions, like so and so kilometers north, and so on.”
「唔。抱歉啊，因为很少在地上走，所以没有自信能好好说明到菲欧‧玖拉——就是移住过去的城市的道路啊。只能做出在北方多少公里的这样的模糊说明而已」

“That’s fine too. Actually, I wanted to ask you to lead the way… What if I hired you? You’ll be paid…”
「那样也没有关系啦。其实是想请你带路的……拜托你也可以吗？会支付报酬的喔」

“What an attractive proposal. Still, did you -- no, you mentioned the Lizardman just now -- did the two of you come here by yourselves? You’re not an adult yet, right? How many people came with you?”
「真是有魅力的提案哪。但是只有汝一个人——刚刚有说过蜥蜴人也在，只有你们两个人到这里来吗？汝还没有成年吧？大概来了多少人呢？」

“Quite a few. Still, if we all came in, it would cause problems, so I had them wait at the tunnel entrance.”
「来了不少人喔。要是进来一堆人的话怕是会添麻烦，所以就让他们在坑道的入口处等着了」

“Entrance? ...Hm?”
「入口？……嗯？」

Gondo fell into thought, as though he had just remembered something. Still, that was only for an instant. He cast it aside and continued speaking.
似乎想到了什么，龚德陷入沈思。但那也只是一瞬间的事，马上就甩了下头继续开口。

“Well, that’s a relief. Walking by yourself in a tunnel… that’s not a good idea. You’re not an underground-dweller so you probably don’t know, but some monsters can swim freely through the earth. It’s not a place where someone can go alone, you know? Well, if you had my magical gear, you might be able to do something about it…”
「那样的话就安心了。可是一个人在坑道里走着……这可不是什么好主意啊。汝不是土之种族
所以大概不知道，有些魔物是可以在土中自由游走的啊。绝对不是可以一个人走的安全地方喔？嘛，有老夫的道具的话还是能办到点什么的……」

He glanced repeatedly at Aura’s outfit to see if she had any magic items.
频频看着亚乌菈的打扮是因为在看有没有魔法道具吧。

“Well then, I need to complain to your comrades. Sending a child out by themselves is a terrible disgrace.”
「那么，还必须得和汝的同伴抱怨下，把一个小孩派出来可是大人的耻辱才行啊」

Gondo turned his back towards Aura and tossed a chunk of rock into a bag which had been laid out beside him.
龚德背对着亚乌菈，把矿石扔进旁边摆着的道具中的一个袋子里。

The bag did not swell up. It must have been a magic item as well. Then, he picked up the nearby lantern, and pulled up the shutter.
那个皮袋却绝对不会膨胀。这个肯定也是魔法道具吧。之后他把附近的提灯拿起，将放下的开关拉上。

A surprising blue glow -- a magical glow -- illuminated the tunnel. Until now, the two of them had been conversing in complete darkness.
不可思议的青色——魔法的——光芒照亮了坑道。到目前为止，两人一直在完全的黑暗中若无其事的谈话。

“Then, let’s go. It seems you can see in complete darkness, but a little light would help, right? … Well, it greatly raises the chances of being spotted by monsters, so I don’t recommend it. Do you have a way to flee if a monster attacks? They aren’t very common here, but you can’t rule out the possibility entirely.”
「那么走吧。汝似乎能看穿完全的黑暗，不过有照明还是会比较好吧？……因为被魔物发现的可能性很高所以不怎么推荐呢。要是有魔物来的话，有逃跑的方法吗？虽然这里很少见到，但话也不能说死啊」

Ainz nodded. The Dwarf did not know Aura’s power, so it was quite admirable for him to take this mature attitude with her. However, Ainz felt that Gondo’s caution was not enough. He should have taken various possibilities into consideration before advising her.
安兹嗯嗯的点头。由于这个矮人并不知道亚乌菈有多强，所以他摆出的这幅态度作为年长者可谓相当出色。但是对安兹个人来说这担心的还不够。还应该要预想到各种事态后进行提问才行。

“Don’t worry. I can escape by myself just fine, and I’m not alone either.”
「没关系，我一个人要逃的话很简单，而且也不是一个人啦」

Ainz looked in Ainz’s direction. However, she seemed to be slightly off.
亚乌菈的视线朝安兹那里瞄去。不过，微妙的有点错了。

“Hm? Really now? I have a Cloak of Invisibility, so you can abandon me and flee. However, the monsters that burrow through the earth can sense their opponents’ location through vibrations in the ground. Therefore, I wanted to warn you not to move incautiously.”
「嗯？——这样吗？老夫有不可视的斗蓬，到时把老夫扔下逃跑也没关系。但是能在地中前进的一部分魔物中有着靠着震动来探查对方所在处的能力。这种时候老夫会提醒汝的，可不要随便乱动哦」

With a grunt, Gondo shouldered his bag and rose to his feet.
说着嘿咻的同时，龚德背着皮袋站了起来。

“Let’s go, then.”
「那么走吧」

Gondo headed forward. Aura and the still-unknowable Ainz followed closely behind.
龚德走在前方，亚乌菈和保持不可知化的安兹则紧随其后。

“Come to think of it, you mentioned earlier that this place was not safe, but wasn’t this once a Dwarven city? What made it so dangerous that you had to evacuate?”
「那么话说回来，虽然你刚刚说这里不安全，但这里原本是矮人的都市吧？是因为有什么危险的事情才去避难的吗？」

“Well, it wasn’t this city, but our current capital, Feo Jura. It lies to the northeast. We spotted Quagoa (Tunnelling Beastmen) nearby. It would be a tragedy if our cities were destroyed piecemeal, so we decided to temporarily abandon this city -- Feo Laizo.”
「虽然并不是这座都市，而是这里的东北方，老夫们现在的首都菲欧‧玖拉就是了。不过在这附近发现了掘土兽人[グアゴア]的身影。要是被各个击破就惨了，所以就把这座都市——菲欧‧兰佐暂时放弃了」

“Quagoa? What kind of race are they?”
「掘土兽人？那是什么种族？」

“Umu. They’re underground dwellers like we are… but they’re troublesome fellows. Things are bad enough between us that it’s kill-on-sight when we encounter each other.”
「唔嗯，和老夫们一样是土之种族……不过是些麻烦的家伙。是和老夫们一对上就会开始厮杀，关系坏到这样地步的种族」

Gondo rambled on about the Quagoa as he walked through the tunnel. This was probably to keep Aura on her toes as well.
龚德一边走在坑道里一边开始不断的谈起掘土兽人这个种族的事。这恐怕是为了让亚乌菈也提起警戒的意思吧。

At a glance, they were bipedal demihumans who resembled moles. They were about 140cm tall, weighed about 70kg on average, and they had short but powerful builds.
首先外观上来看，似乎是和二足直立的、与鼹鼠很接近的亚人种。平均身高一百四十公分，平均体重七十公斤，是矮壮的身材。

They were predominantly dark brown, with black and brown being less common. Special colors like blue or red apparently denoted an individual of some power.
毛色基本以暗茶色居多，接下来照着黑色、茶色的顺序。要是是蓝色或红色这样特别的颜色，似乎是强者的样子。

They lived in places where light could not penetrate, but their vision was stronger than those of human beings.
明明住在光线无法射入的地底，视力却比人类还强。

Their technology level was low, on par if not lower than the Lizardmen. They could not make armor or weapons, probably because their own bodies -- their claws and fur -- were superior to subpar wargear.
文明程度相当低，和蜥蜴人相等，要不就是更低。不会制作武器和防具。这大概是因为自己的肉体——爪子和毛皮——要比水平不够的武器要强得多的缘故。

The fur that covered their entire bodies was about as tough as metal armor, and they could dissipate the force of metal weapons. The fur grew tougher if they fed on rare metals in their youth. One could tell their resistance to damage by the color of their fur.
那覆盖全身的长毛有着能和金属铠相提并论的硬度，而且还拥有能缓冲金属武器的攻击的力量。越是从幼年期就进食稀有金属的话就越是具有高耐性。只要看毛色就知道具有拥有何种程度的耐性了。

From a YGGDRASIL point of view, one could say that they probably possessed a racial skill related to damage resistance -- in this case, the damage of metal weapons. The question now was how resistant to metal weapons they were. It was unlikely that their damage resistance was broken to the point of complete immunity, but it still warranted investigation.
要是以YGGDRASIL的方式来看，这个种族的特殊能力大概就是拥有武器耐性——金属武器耐性——应该可以这样说吧。问题是这个对于金属武器的耐性是何种程度的东西，再怎么说也不会具有会破坏平衡的完全耐性吧，但要是不调查下可不行。

Then there were their claws -- like those of armadillos and anteaters -- which could even pierce steel.
接着是那如同犰狳或是食蚁兽的一般的长爪就连钢铁都能贯穿。

“Those guys, huh… I think we found traces of them in the city just now.”
「那个啊，大概、就是那些家伙的足迹吧，刚刚在城里发现的」

Gondo suddenly stopped and turned to face Aura.
突然停下脚步，龚德转像亚乌菈。

“What did you say? Is this their nest now? It’s become just like that place!”
「汝说什么！这里也被当成他们的巢穴了吗？变得和那里一样了吗！」

“That place… Well, it doesn’t feel like they’ve taken up residence here. I think they probably just came as scouts. Still, if you were going to abandon this place, why not destroy it?”
「那里？……总之还没有住在这里的感觉。大概只是经过或是有侦察的意思在吧。不过啊，要是放弃的话，破坏掉不就好了」

“That’s true, but we don’t intend to abandon this place forever. Once our armies are ready, we intend to take it back. As you can see, there’s a lot of ore here, like in the place where I was digging just now.”
「是没错，但老夫们不是要永远舍弃这里。要是军备能准顿好的时候就打算回来这里的。你看，就像老夫刚刚挖的那样，这里还埋有很多矿石」

“Hm~”
「嗯—」

The two of them walked on in silence. This was a commonly-seen gap in the conversation, but it they did not fill the space with a new topic quickly,  their conversation would end here. Ainz judged that they had asked everything that could be asked, and decided to show himself. It might be better to tell Gondo about himself before he left the tunnels and saw the undead.
两人默默的走着。这是常见的对话空白的瞬间吧，不过要是不趁早接上话题的话对话就会在此中断。判断能问的事都问了的安兹打算展现出自己的身影。在龚德这样离开坑道见到不死者们之前，先给他一些我方的情报会比较好。

“Then, it’s about time I introduced myself.”
「那么，差不多也该作自我介绍了吧」

Ainz said that, but thanks to the [Perfect Unknowable] spell which was still in effect, his voice did not reach the two of them.
虽然安兹开了口，不过由于<完全不可知化>还是发动着的，所以声音并没能传达给那两个人。

Feeling a little embarrassed, Ainz dispelled the magic.
安兹在觉得有点丢脸的同时把魔法解除。

Perhaps Gondo sensed the presence of Ainz behind Aura, but he turned around, and his eyes widened into saucers. His expression underwent a surprising and complex series of changes. Bafflement, shock, terror, confusion, and then--
是察觉到在亚乌菈背后安兹的气息了吧，回头的龚德瞪圆了双眼，表情在一瞬间产生了惊人的复杂变化。困惑、惊愕、恐惧、混乱，接着——

“--Geehhhhhh!”
「——咿呀呀呀呀！」

Ainz was about to ask if he had made a sound which might have disturbed him, but Gondo gripped Aura’s hand tightly.
安兹想说自己有发出了让人摆起架势的奇声吗，这时候龚德猛地抓住亚乌菈的手。

“Amon, a mon--! Ruh, run away! Quickly, run away!!”
「怪、怪！快、快逃！跑起来！！」

However, Aura knew the person who had appeared, and had no reason to run.
但是知道谁出现了的亚乌菈根本没有逃跑的理由。

“Come on, hurry up and run!!!”
「还不快、快跑啊！！！」

Gondo could not move, as though he had been chained to a great boulder.
就想被锁在巨岩上，龚德完全前进不了。

“So, so heavy! What’s wrong! Did something happen to me?!”
「好、好沉！怎么了！被做了什么吗！？」

“Fear not… Gondo.”
「别慌张。……龚德啊」

As Ainz spoke, Gondo’s frightened face twitched.
安兹一开口，龚德就露出错愕的表情颤抖了起来。

“How, how do you know my name! Did you see through me!!! Or was it magic!!!!!”
「为、为什么，知道老夫的名字！是看穿了吗！！还是说魔法！！！」

I should have worn the mask after all, Ainz thought. Then, he spoke calmly, so as not to agitate Gondo any further.
果然应该要戴上面具吗，安兹这么想的同时，为了不让对方更加激动而平静的开口。

“Calm down. I merely overheard your conversation. I am the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”
「冷静点。我不过只是听到了你所说的话罢了。我的名字是安兹‧乌尔‧恭魔导王，乃魔导国之王」

Gondo’s face underwent another series of changes, and this time Gondo’s eyes flickered between Aura and Ainz.
表情又一次产生各种变化，龚德在安兹和亚乌菈之间来回看来看去。

“The, the Sorcerous Kingdom? Is the Sorcerous Kingdom not a nation of Dark Elves?”
「魔、魔导国？魔导国难道不是暗精灵的国度吗？」

“No. It is a country of various species which acknowledge me as their King.”
「不是。那是个尊我为王、有着各样种族的国度」

“...Eh? Seriously?”
「……欸？骗人的吧？」

There was only wariness and suspicion within the eyes of Gondo, while his tone was taut with apprehension.
一边紧绷着发问的龚德看向这里的眼神只有警戒和怀疑。

“One of the undead, huh… So that’s not a mask? Eh? You mean those undead? Those beings who hate and slaughter the living?”
「不死者啊……。不是面具吗？欸？是那个不死者吧？会憎恶杀害生者的那个存在」

“Hey, it’s just as Ainz-sama said. He wasn’t lying at all. I’m a Dark Elf and the story about the Lizardman coming here was true too. Ainz-sama’s been with me ever since I met you, you know? Like I said, I didn’t come alone.”
「那个，就像安兹大人所说的一样喔。刚刚的话全部都不是骗人的喔。我是暗精灵，蜥蜴人来到这里也是真的。还有安兹大人在我和你碰到的那时开始就一直在了喔？我说过的吧，不是一个人」

“Eh? I thought my ears deceived me. But…”

Gondo mumbled to himself, and then took several deep breaths before putting a determined expression on his face and asking:

“Could it be that Your Majesty -- may I use that term? Ah, was Your Majesty formerly a Dark Elf?”
「欸？我还以为只是听错了呢。但是……」发出咕嘟咕嘟声响的龚德用力做了好几次深呼吸后，用下定决心的表情发问「莫非陛下——这么说可以吗？那个，魔导王陛下原来是暗精灵
吗？」

That was an unexpected question. The correct answer was probably that he was an undead being of human origin. Ainz paused briefly to consider his answer, and then replied according to his predictions:
没有想过会问这个问题。说是人类的不死者才是正解吧。安兹稍微想了下，照着自己的预想答话。

“No, I am a natural-born undead creature… although I don’t know if that’s the right term to use. --Well, there’s no need to be afraid. Human, Dwarves and Elves all have good and bad members of their species, right? Similarly, there are undead who hate the living, and those who seek friendly relations with them. Naturally, I belong to the latter group.”
「不、我是天生的不死者……也不知道这种说法到底对不对。——嘛，不用害怕。无论是人
类、矮人还是森精灵[Elf]也都是有善恶之分的吧？同理，有憎恶生者的不死者，也有对生者友好的不死者，如此而已。不用说我自然是后者」

“But, but friendly undead, that’s about as unthinkable as compassionate demons…”
「不、不过友好的不死者什么的，和善良的恶魔一样不可理喻……」

That was pretty well said, Ainz thought as he shrugged.
这家伙，说了挺不错的话嘛——一边这样想的安兹耸了耸肩。

“Really? I know of  an angel who fell into the darkness and  a demon who aspired to the light...”
「是吗？我可是知道有堕入黑暗的天使，也有憧憬光明的恶魔喔？」

The demon in question was an NPC in YGGDRASIL, called Mephistopheles. He was a character who was famous for spouting tsundere lines to good-aligned beings. He looked fearsome but was surprisingly friendly and logical, and he gave out missions that ranged from rewarding to high-level, which made him almost as popular as the Dark Young.
所谓憧憬光明的恶魔指的是游戏YGGDRASIL中出场的NPC，其名为梅菲斯特菲雷斯。那是个会对于善良存在说出傲娇台词而闻名的角色。有着可怕外表却又相当的理性友善，而且从有甜头的委托到高等级的委托都会开出，是仅次于黑山羊幼仔的人气角色。

“To think such things actually existed…”
「居然还有那样的事情……」

Ainz shrugged at the shocked Gondo.
对于惊愕的龚德，安兹耸了耸肩。

“I understand your caution. However, I ask only that you remember this. I have no intention of harming you. Let him go, Aura.”
「我明白你的警戒心。不过只要知道这点就行。我没有加害于你的意思。那么亚乌菈啊，放开他」

“Yes, Ainz-sama.”
「是，安兹大人」

Halfway through, the person holding onto the other’s hand had changed from Gondo to Aura, and naturally, their intentions for doing so had been exactly the opposite of each other.
从中途开始，抓着手的人已是亚乌菈而不是龚德，其目的自然也是完全相反。