“Could it be that the Sorcerous Kingdom has sent an envoy over?”
「难不成是魔导国来使了么？」

Zanack could distinctly hear his heart thump in his chest. He had been too focused on what action to take on his part, and had completely overlooked the fact that they might try to initiate contact with him.
扎纳克可以清楚的听到自己的心跳大大的响了一拍。太过专注这边该采取的反应，以至于完全没有料想到对方会过来接触。

In other words, Renner felt that it was about time for the other side to take action.
也就是说拉娜认为，对方差不多是时候采取行动了吧。

Zanack made a mental note of that, and shook his head.
扎纳克把这一点深深的记在了心里，摇了摇头。

“It’s not like that.”
「并不是那样」

“That is to say, you came all this way to see me for some other reason?”
「那么也就是说，除此之外还有让您特地过来见我的事啰？」

“Ahh. I was pondering the problem of tribute.”
「啊啊。我在考虑该怎么处理赠礼这个问题」

“I think that once their emissary arrives, it would be better for you to offer twice as much as what you are currently imagining, Onii-sama. Half of that is a token of thanks for their coming all this way, while the other half -- I trust that goes without saying?”
「我想当使者到来后，献上比现在王兄大人所想的、再多一倍的货品，会比较合适吧。其中的一半作为慰问旅途的劳累，而剩下一半——不用说应该也明白的吧」

Zanack did not say anything, but carefully reviewed Renner’s proposal.
扎纳克什么也没有说，而是仔细的反刍着拉娜的提案。

Indeed, it was a very good move.
这确实是非常好的一步棋。

Surely none of the nobles would object to presenting a gift to a guest who had come to their home, even if there were ulterior motives for doing so.
就对贵族们说，那是赐给对方过来的犒赏的话，任谁都没不会再有意见吧。即使，在这其中还包含着什么别的含义。

The fact that Renner had instantly solved a problem which had been troubling him for a long time once more struck fear into Zanack’s heart. In addition, as long as Renner possessed her powerful subordinates, even assassination would not be effective on her. That being the case, his only option was to suck up to her.
对于将困扰自己已久的问题一瞬间就解决了的拉娜，扎纳克再次感到其恐怖。而且，只要拉娜还有着强力下属的话，就算计划暗杀也只会偷鸡不成蚀把米吧。既然如此，那么剩下的选择项就只剩下怀柔政策了。

“...When I become King, I will grant you land on the border. You will proceed there.”
「……我成为了国王以后，便赐你一块边境的领土。你就去那里好了」

“I understand. I shall obey any orders that you give me, Onii-sama.”
「我明白了。谨遵从王兄大人的命令」

“After I send you out, I will not summon you to the Royal Capital again. It might not somewhat limit your freedom, but I will choose a domain that will ensure that you do not suffer hardship. You should spend the rest of your life there.”
「把你送出去了以后，就再也不会再喊你回来了。虽说多少有点不自由，但我至少会选一块不至于让你过的艰苦的土地。你就在那里好好过完一生吧」

“I see. My deepest thanks.”
「好的。非常感谢」

In all likelihood, Renner had already understood what he was aiming at, but he had to actually vocalize it in order to let her understand the kindness he was showing to her.
也许不用说到这个份上拉娜应该也明白，但还是好好说出来、才更能让她感到这份恩惠。

“You may take any of the orphans to be your children. In that respect you may do as you please.”
「哪怕你想把哪个孤儿当成的是自己的孩子也无所谓，按你喜欢的来就行」

“Thank you very much, Onii-sama.”
「非常感谢，王兄大人」

The fact that she replied without a delay was evidence that Renner already knew what Zanack was going to say.
既然能够立即就做出了回应，这说明拉娜早就已经想到扎纳克会怎么说了吧。

Zanack could not understand why Renner loved Climb the commoner. His looks were very plain, and he was not particularly special. He did not seem to match his little sister at all.
拉娜就是那样的爱着身为平民的克莱姆，这样的心意扎纳克一点也不明白。长相也很普通，也没有什么特别的地方。和妹妹放一起是怎么看怎么不搭。

Ahh, come to think of it, I heard of her fetish back then.
（啊啊，说起来那个时候，有听说这家伙的性癖啊）

Once he recalled that shameful memory of his little sister, Zanack began to feel a little sorry for Climb.
回想起妹妹那奇怪的性癖，扎纳克不禁开始有些同情起了克莱姆。

“Then, I do look forward to the day you will become King, Onii-sama. After your coronation, I would be happy if you would think of me from time to time as I live on a farm.”
「那就让我期待着王兄大人成为王的那一天吧。就算您当上了国王，若是能偶尔想起在田园里生活的我，那会令我很开心的呢」

“Ohh, I shall, my dear sister. However, it would be best if I could look you up for a discussion from time to time -- muu?”
「哦哦，我会的，我的王妹呦。但是，若偶尔能找你商量下事情就再好不过了啊。——嗯？」

Zanack turned his gaze to the soldier that was jogging over to them.
扎纳克把目光转向了正小跑着过来的士兵。

That man was one of the surviving members of Gazef’s warrior band.
那个士兵是残存下来的葛杰夫战士团里的其中一名。

He had fought to protect the King on that battlefield. Now that the Warrior-Captain was gone, he had a good position and the trust of the King. Incidentally, Renner’s two subordinates enjoyed that same trust.
他在那个战场上拼命的保护国王。在失去了战士长的现在，他的地位相当的安泰、也深得国王的信赖。顺带一提，拉娜的两个下属也同样被国王信赖着。

The mental image of his father’s withered frame appeared before his eyes.
眼前浮现出父亲那消瘦的面庞。

“My Prince, His Majesty desires your presence.”

The instant he finished that, he turned to look at Renner.

“He requests your presence as well, my Princess.”
「王子，陛下有事传唤你」说完这句话紧接着他看向拉娜「也请公主一同」

“What happened?”
「什么事？」

“We have just received a report that the Sorcerer King will be sending a diplomatic party to call on us soon.”
「是的。我们接到报告，魔导国的外交使节团近日将会来访」

Zanack snuck a look at Renner, but still managed to answer the man.
扎纳克的视线偷瞄了拉娜一眼，但还是随即做出了回应。

“I understand. Notify him that we will be arriving shortly. My sister, I will be proceeding first. Please proceed with all haste once you are ready.”
「我明白了。你去传话说我们马上就到。王妹哟，那我就先过去了。你准备好后也马上过来吧」

“I understand, Onii-sama.”
「我明白了，王兄大人」

Given that she had been at the orphanage until recently, Renner’s clothes were plain and weathered. Appearing like that before the nobles would only embarrass herself.
由于直到方才为止拉娜都还在孤儿院的缘故，身上穿的都是些老土朴素的衣着。穿成这样的话只会在贵族面前丢脸。

With that, Zanack stalked off, a stern expression on his face.
留下这些后，扎纳克便露出严肃的表情走了出去。

“Hmph. Things being as they are, that proposal is no longer appealing. Ah, it was too late, after all.”
「……哼嗯，事到如今这样的提案一点魅力也感觉不到了啊。真是太迟了呢」

Part 2

It was estimated that the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom would take about a week to travel from E-Rantel to the Royal Capital.
魔导国的使节团预定花费一周时间由耶·兰提尔造访王都。

Today was the seventh day. If all went according to plan, the envoys would reach the Royal Capital today.
然后今天就这是第七天了。根据预定今天使节团便将抵达王都。

Zanack, dressed in armor that he was not accustomed to, stood in line with his knights at the gates of the Royal Capital which faced E-Rantel.
穿着不习惯的铠甲的扎纳克，与左右的骑士们一同，在王都面向耶·兰提尔的大门前列队等候着。

The cloudy weather of the past few days had cleared up, like it had all been a joke, and the sky was the very picture of spring.
持续数日的阴天就宛如玩笑般的放晴了，天空一片春日的景象。

However, one could see heavy cloud cover in the distance. It would seem the azure sky was limited to the air directly above the Royal Capital.
但是眺望远方的话，那里似乎还有着很厚的云层。湛蓝的天空就只有在王都正上面而已。

This sort of scenery was quite bizarre. In fact, the Royal Capital’s meteorologist was shouting, “This is impossible!” as he scratched his head.
这种景象实在是太过异常了。实际上，在王城担任气象观测师的人都边大喊「这不可能」，一边不停地挠着头。

He had been working in the Royal Palace for a long time now, and he could predict the next day’s weather with over 90% accuracy. Thus, when he declared that this was impossible, it implied that these blue skies were anything but natural.
他从以前就一直在王宫工作，对于第二天天气的预测准确率更是高达九成。既然那样的他都断言这不可能了，那么这片青空也不会是什么自然形成的东西吧。

Zanack sighed deeply under his helmet.
扎纳克在头盔下深深的叹了口气。

He had never heard of weather-controlling magic from his teachers. However, that Sorcerer King might well be able to use such magic with contemptuous ease.
虽然能够操纵天气的魔法，根本就没从老师那里听过。但若是那位魔导王的话，就连此等魔法恐怕也是能易如反掌地使用的吧。

Zanack’s men were not only unskilled in the area of magic, but they lacked any knowledge of other strange phenomena. This made his head ache. More accurately, it was because he had relied too heavily on Marquis Raeven.
扎纳克的下属们不只在魔法方面，关于其他异能方面的知识也十分不足。这一点上让他非常头疼。更为正确来说，是因为以前太过依赖雷文候了。

He had gathered the knowledge from his adventurers, compiled it, and called it the Tiger Scroll. It contained information on various kinds and forms of magic items, the types and powers of various monsters, various spells, and so on.
他把从冒险者那里得到的知识，整理起来做成了名为虎之卷的东西。那上面记录着他所知道的魔法道具的形状样式，怪物的种类与能力，魔法的种类等等。

Until now, he had freely shared that scroll with Zanack, his ally. However, since Raeven was no longer in the Royal Capital, the Tiger Scroll was naturally gone with him.
而这些至今为止都有让身为同盟者的扎纳克使用着。但由于现在雷文候不在王都，虎之卷自然也不在。

He had tried seeking out nobles who had learned from adventurers, like Raeven had, but sadly, there were none. This was not because these nobles were stupid, but because they lived in completely different worlds from those adventurers. While some nobles did hire adventurers, it was merely to make use of their strength. The nobles were not interested in the adventuring world or the news which adventurers had..
虽然也试着找了找像雷文候那样、从冒险者那里了解情报的贵族，但遗憾的是并没能找到。这倒不是由于那些贵族太过愚蠢，只是贵族和冒险者生活的世界太过不同。虽然也有贵族会雇佣冒险者，但那也不过是为了依赖他们的力量罢了。对于他们所在世界和他们拥有的情报，贵族们并不感兴趣。

The nobles had always been like this throughout the Kingdom’s 200 years of history. From that point of view, Raeven was quite atypical.
在王国两百年的历史中，贵族一直都是这样的。而这么看来的话，雷文候反倒是个另类。

It’s probably hard to find retired adventurers -- especially those of mithril rank and above.
（隐退了的冒险者——而且还是秘银级以上的，恐怕没有那么容易找到吧）

He heard that adventurers hated troublesome things like politics. Indeed, once one entered the world of politics, one would lose one’s freedom. Would adventurers like that want to work for him after retiring?
听闻冒险者对于政治这种麻烦事有严重的厌恶倾向。确实，进入了政治的世界就没有相应的自由了。而那样的冒险者在隐退之后又会来自己这边工作吗？

Zanack’s heart sank as he thought about that.
想到这里扎纳克的心情不禁沉了下来。

“--My Prince!”
「——王子」

The shout of the knight next to him brought Zanack back to his senses. He looked to the end of the street -- and saw it.
身旁骑士的呼喊让扎纳克回过神来，向街道的尽头看去——有了。

He could begin to see the Sorcerous Kingdom’s envoys.
已经依稀可以看见魔导国使节团的了。

They had exerted pressure beforehand to shut this street down for today, closing it to traffic. As a result, nobody would be popping out of doors behind them. The city gates had also been locked down just for today.
由于事先有施加过压力，所以今日这条街道已经被下令禁止通行了。所以没有任何人会从身后门里出来。城门也仅限今日进行了封锁。

“All right, let’s go over this again. We are to treat them like foreign dignitaries. Trying anything on the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom is a grave offense. It will be punished by summary execution.”
「好。在确认一次。像对待国外贵宾一样。有想对魔导国的使节团做什么打算的可是重罪。将立刻处以死刑」

“Sir!”
「遵命！」

The reply of the ranked knights was quite forceful, and the swords at their waists made a clear, crisp and unified sound.
列队的骑士们发出了相当有气势的声音，腰上挂着的剑一齐发出了清脆的响声。

“All right! Then, show them the utmost respect, and impress the glory of the Kingdom upon them!”
「好！那么就注意不要有失礼的举动，向对方展现出我国的国威吧！」

“Sir!”
「遵命！」

The group remained absolutely still until the envoys had arrived.
一行人直到使节团到达为止，姿势都没有过丝毫的变化。

Before long, the envoys’ vanguard reached them.
而没过多久，使节团的先锋也终于到达了。

It was a black-armored knight which rode a red-eyed unicorn, whose body was jet black and which sported two horns on its head. One could imagine that the rider was not human. It emanated an aura of mortal danger, as radiant as the sun. Its full plate armor pulsed as though it was alive.
身穿黑色铠甲的骑士身下骑着有着赤红双瞳、全身漆黑的独角兽。但里面想必不是人类吧。从它身上散发出的气场如艳阳一般，令人不禁感到了生命的危机。穿着的全身铠则不住的发出颤动。

Zanack could feel his warhorse trembling in fear beneath him.
扎纳克感到身下的军马被吓得颤了一下。

It clenched its clawed gauntlet and thumped its chest.
紧紧的攥着护手，邦的一下扣在胸前。

“Apologies! We are the envoys of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown!”
「失礼！我等是安兹·乌尔·恭魔导国的使节团！」

One might compare that voice to music squeezed out of rotted instruments. It made its listeners’ hair stand on end just by hearing it. Zanack gathered up his courage to banish his fear, and then he spoke.
若是要打个比方的话，那声音就如同是用腐朽的弦乐器演奏出来的音色一般，仅仅是听着就令人不寒而栗。扎纳克打起精神将恐惧赶走，发出了声音。

“I am the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Zanack Valreon Igana Ryle Vaiself! By His Majesty’s order, I am to guide your party to the Royal Palace. Please follow behind us!”
「我是里·耶斯提杰王国第二王子扎纳克·瓦尔雷欧·伊格纳·莱儿·凡瑟芙！陛下命令由我等先导带贵殿前往王宫，请跟在我等的后面！」

“Acknowledged. Then, we shall avail ourselves of your guidance. This one -- forgive me, this one does not bear a surname, but please allow this one to introduce itself by the name of its species. This one is a Death Cavalier!”
「确实收到。那么就请贵殿带路吧。吾名——失礼、由于吾并不拥有姓名，还请允许吾以种族名来应答。吾乃死亡骑兵[Death·Cavalier]！」

Zanack gawked a little when it had given the name of its species, but he responded immediately so as not to give offense through his delay.
虽然由于报上的是种族名这点，令扎纳克有些瞠目，但可不能为此而耽误了回应。

“Then, may I address you as Cavalier-dono?”
「那么称呼您为骑兵阁下如何？」

“I would be honored to be so addressed.”
「能被那样称呼是吾的荣幸」

“I see. Then, may I greet the leader of the envoys? As the Second Prince, I am also responsible for said leader’s actions within the Kingdom. If possible, I would like to explain the circumstances to your leader.”
「明白了。那么首先能否让我与使节团的团长阁下打个招呼吗？我身为第二王子，同时也是承担团长阁下在王国行动的责任人。如果可以的话，还是想让团长阁下事先了解一下为好」

“Acknowledged. This one shall convey your message to our leader-dono.”
「了解了，吾这就去向团长大人请示」

“You have my deepest thanks.”
「非常感谢」

With that, the outrider retreated to deliver his report.
随即先锋便退回去进行通告了。

While the whole process sounded quite laughable at times, he was facing up against the Sorcerous Kingdom, after all. It was a nation that could control the undead and make use of monsters, so it would be best to assume that the usual ways of doing things were inapplicable here. He felt stupid for even expecting the leader of the envoys to have a vaguely human shape.
虽然已经有了几处想让人吐槽的地方了，但毕竟对方是那个魔导国。是能够支配者不死者、使役怪物的国家，将其看作自己的常识无法通用才比较合适吧。就连去期待使节团的团长能有接近人类的身形，也让人觉得愚蠢。

“Now then, stiff upper lips, everyone. We cannot afford to do anything that would offend them.”
「那么，打起精神来。绝不能有失礼的举动」

“Sir!”
「遵命！」

As he heard the knights’ response, Zanack poured strength into his belly.
听着骑士们的回应，扎纳克讲气沉入了丹田。

The envoys had passed through several towns on the way here, which was how Zanack knew of the party’s composition.
由于使节团来王都为止的途中，有经过好几座城镇。为此扎纳克这边才得以判明了其构成。

There were five coaches.
马车的总数一共五辆。

Each of them was pulled by a horse-shaped monster that radiated an inauspicious air. Then, there were monsters tasked with perimeter security and numerous Death Cavaliers. There were also other monsters beside them.
每一辆都由散发着不祥气息的马型怪物来牵引的。然后负责在其周围警戒的怪物、死亡骑兵的数量也很多。除此以外也还有一些其它样子的怪物。

Zanack was unclear on the names of those monsters or how dangerous they were. Still, whether he knew them or not, his duties remained unchanged. Since they were envoys dispatched by the Sorcerer King, he could not possibly allow any slight to be shown to them.
扎纳克他们并不清楚那些怪物叫什么名字、有多危险。但是，无论知不知道。这边所要做的事情也不会有所变化。既然是那个魔导王送出的使节团，那就绝不能有失礼的举动。

A Death Cavalier -- probably the same one from just now -- approached him from the envoys’ side.
从使节团那方，一名死亡骑兵——恐怕，就是刚在那一名吧——接近了过来。

“Forgive the long wait. Our leader-dono -- the right hand of the Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo-sama, has agreed to meet with you. Zanack-dono, please, proceed this way.”
「让您久等了。团长阁下——安兹·乌尔·恭魔导王的心腹、雅儿贝德大人愿意与您会面。扎纳克阁下，这边请」

After signalling to the other knights to hold their position, Zanack guided his horse after the Death Cavalier.
在命令周围的骑士在原地待机后，扎纳克便骑着马走了过去。

In truth, this was quite terrifying.
老实说吧，真的很恐怖。

After all, Zanack was moving amongst monsters he had never seen before.
毕竟现在扎纳克正在至今为止一次都没见过的怪物中走动着。

Even so, he still had his pride as a member of the Royal Family. Zanack would soon be King, and since he would necessarily have to meet with emissaries of the Sorcerer King, he was forbidden to disgrace himself. Instead, he had to demonstrate his ability at this time, and let them take home news of the talented people in the Re-Estize Kingdom.
即使如此还是有身为王家的颜面。扎纳克恐怕不久之后就会成为国王了。在今后不得不打交道的魔导国的使者面前，做出丢人的举动是不被允许的。反而在这要向对方展示出自己，让其带回里·耶斯提杰王国有优秀的人才这样的情报。

Zanack’s horse could not keep itself from breaking out into a cold sweat as it approached the coach. Zanack dismounted, standing before the coach.
扎纳克不住的冒着冷汗下了马，走到马车前。

“Then, this is the leader of the envoy party, Albedo-sama.”
「那么，这位便是使节团团长，雅儿贝德大人」

What sort of monster is going to show up next? Zanack willed his expression not to change.
到底会出来怎么样的怪物呢，扎纳克努力地使自己的表情着保持不变。

The door slowly opened, and a human figure slowly emerged.
门被缓缓地打开，一个人影慢慢从马车里走出来。

What he saw there -- was beautiful.
在那里的是——真是太美了啊。

No, Zanack could not think of an adjective that could better describe her. The only thing which came to mind was “world-class beauty”
不，扎纳克没有办法想出在这之上的形容词。只能用绝世美女一词来表现。

Nobody in this world could possibly possess looks comparable to Renner’s. Zanack had believed this until now, but then he realised that was mistaken. If Renner’s was a radiant beauty, then Albedo’s was a dark-tinged, bewitching beauty.
这世上不可能人拥有与拉娜同等的美貌。虽然扎纳克至今为止都是这么认为的，但现在他却意识到自己错了。如果说拉娜是华丽的美，那么雅儿贝德就是那种有着幽暗气息的妖艳美。

Albedo trod on the stepboard of the coach. The faint sound of her high heels jolted Zanack back to reality.
雅儿贝德踩上了马车的踏板。那微弱的高跟鞋声将扎纳克拉回了现实。

Zanack immediately genuflected before her and lowered his head.
扎纳克立刻单膝跪下，把头低了下来。

One might think that it was embarrassing for a prince of a royal family to kneel before anyone, even if they were an emissary from another nation. However, after considering the difference in power between the Kingdom and the Sorcerous Kingdom, this was the right course of action. What the Kingdom needed now was not glory, but concrete benefits.
即使是他国的使者，这个国家的王子去下跪说不定是很丢脸的事情。但是考虑到王国与魔导国的实力差的话，这确实是正确的行动。对于现在的王国来说需要的不是荣誉，而是实际的利益。

“Could you please raise your head?”
「能请把头抬起来吗」

The quiet, lovely voice spoke above his head.
清澈宁静的声音在头顶响起。

“At once.”
「是」

As he looked up, the fair maiden’s face was all smiles as she tenderly looked down on him.
抬起头，美女正以满脸恬静的笑容、温柔的俯视着扎纳克。

This was a practiced attitude which superior men would adopt -- no, was she even human?
那是已经习惯了身处上位的人才会有的态度——不，那真的人类吗。

Zanack moved his eyes to size her up. First, were the wings on her waist magic items, or something else? Similarly, the horns curling out from the sides of her head.
扎纳克移动自己的目光打量着她。首先，腰上的羽翼是魔法道具么，还是说并不是怎么回事呢。脑袋侧面长着的类似于角的东西也一样。

Whether they were magic items or if she was actually a heteromorphic creature, neither of them seemed particularly bizarre once he considered that she hailed from the Sorcerous Kingdom.
不管是魔法道具还是异种族，考虑到是魔导国的话就都觉得不那么奇怪了。

“I am the envoy of the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, Albedo. Though it is but for a few days, we will be imposing upon you. Rise, Prince-dono. You certainly cannot continue speaking as you kneel.”
「我是作为安兹·乌尔·恭魔导国使者前来拜访的雅儿贝德。虽然只有数日但还是有劳你们了——俺那么。请起来吧。王子殿下。你也不是能一直跪着说话的吧」

“You have my deepest thanks.”
「非常感谢」

Zanack straightened up, and then a problem presented itself.
扎纳克站了起来，那么问题来了。

Though he had learned her name was Albedo through conversation, was that really all?
即使是面对面交谈了也只知道了雅儿贝德这个名字，是只有这个名字么。

In the Kingdom -- and in the Empire -- commoners had two names, nobles had three names, and titled people had four names. For the royal family, they had four names -- plus their titles for a total of five names.
在王国——帝国也是这样——平民两个。贵族三个、有称谓的人则是四个名字。王族的话是四个——算上称谓的话就是五个名字。

This was why Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix and his four names were mocked for not being actual royalty. However, a name like Albedo sounded like an alias, or a nickname. One could not possibly be as foolish as to address a member of the nobility by such a moniker.
所以只有四个名字的吉克尼夫·伦·法洛德·艾尔=尼克斯，才会被嘲笑不是王族。但像雅儿贝德这样的名字简直就像假名、或是外号一样。对此贵族们又会不会做出什么愚蠢的举动呢。

Though he might have been worrying needlessly, he could not be sure that such a situation would not occur.
虽然这可能只是无用的担心，但也无法断言这肯定不会发生。

The reason why he said this was because many nobles had died in the previous battlefield. It was not just family heads who perished, but even the firstborn heirs of some families. Currently, many noble families were led by the “spares”, the second or third sons.
而之所以这么说，主要是因为上了战场的贵族大多数都死了。不仅当家的死了，有些连长子都死了。
现在很多贵族都得由之前被称为备用品的次男，三男来继承的。

Spares were spares. Nobody expected much of those nobles. Not only did they lack class, but they lacked knowledge as well. In short, they lacked the appropriate upbringing.
备用品就是备用品。没办法期待的贵族啊。不仅品味不好，知识也是不足。总之就是缺乏相应的教养。

Under normal circumstances, they would have been properly educated by the higher-ups in their faction, but the previous war meant that they no longer had the manpower for such efforts. As a result, many incompetent people were forced onto the center stage, and these incompetent people gathered together to form an incompetent faction.
本来的话应该由派系的高层来教导他们的。但是果然还是因为之前的战争，导致他们也没有余力来做这种事了。就结果而言，众多无能者走上了台面，无能的人聚集在一起又产生了无能的派系。

Currently, the class of the Kingdom’s nobility had plummeted, thanks to these people. At this crucial moment, could they meet a woman like Albedo with adequate etiquette?
现在，王国贵族的品味一口气被这些人拉下去了不少。在这个节骨上，出现了名为雅儿贝德的女性，他们又真的能带着充分的礼仪来进行接触么。

“...Forgive me, but may I know how I should properly address you, Albedo-sama?”
「……不好意思，请问该怎么称呼雅儿贝德大人为好呢？」

This was a somewhat disrespectful question.
这是稍微有点失礼的问题啊。

Normally, he should have asked. “What title do you hold among the peerage, Albedo-sama, or perhaps what is your position in the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

本来的话应该这样问「雅儿贝德大人拥有什么样的爵位呢，或者说在魔导国是拥有怎么样的地位呢」

The problem was, she might have shot back, “Do you not even know the rank of an emissary from your neighboring country?”
但是这样说的话，说不定会被对方反问，你连邻国使者的地位都不知道么？

Still, that was the fault of the Sorcerous Kingdom.
但这也是魔导国的错啊。

After all, no information about the Sorcerous Kingdom had flowed out from its borders. Though it had declared its own sovereignty for several months now, they had largely restricted themselves to internal affairs. This was the first time they had engaged in diplomatic relations of their own accord.
毕竟关于魔导国里有什么样的人这样的情报，完全就没有流出啊。成立国家已经过了数个月，但基本上都只在内部进行活动，主动的进行外交这应该还是第一次。

All Zanack knew about Albedo was that she was the leader of the envoys, and the hand of the Sorcerer King.
扎纳克对于雅儿贝德，也只知道她是使节团的团长、以及魔导王的心腹。

The Empire would probably know… but they didn’t tell us anything… Well, anyone who would have asked for that sort of spell to be used on us must hate us to the bone.
（帝国的话应该知道吧……但情报完全没有传过来……嘛，既然会要求使用那样的魔法，肯定是对我国是恨之入骨了吧）

As though sensing his worries, Albedo answered:
就像是看穿了这边的顾虑，雅儿贝德做出了回答。

“Though it may not appear that way, I have been appointed as the supervisor who leads all the Floor Guardians and Area Guardians within the Sorcerous Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.”
「虽说此身不肖，但我在安兹·乌尔·恭魔导国还是被授予了、统领全阶层守护者和领域守护者的总管地位」

“Ohh, I see.”
「哦哦，原来如此」

He said that, but he had no idea what being the “supervisor” meant. In addition, he was completely clueless regarding the “Floors” of which she spoke.
虽然嘴上是这么说，但果然还是搞不明白统领统的是什么。而且说到底，那个阶层指的是什么也完全摸不着头脑。

Albedo continued speaking, having seemingly seen through his concealed confusion:
像是看穿了隐藏起来的疑惑，雅儿贝德继续说了下去。

“Indeed. I am Ainz-sama’s -- no, I should say, I am the Sorcerer King’s second-in-command, the Guardian Overseer. Perhaps that would be more appropriate?”
「也是呢。就当是安兹大人——不，该说是恭魔导王陛下的次席，守护者总管这样的地位。该这么说才比较合适吗？」

“Ohhh, so that was how it was!”
「哦哦，原来是这样！」

Ainz-sama, it looks like she’s close enough to address him in that manner. So she’s a marchioness, no, a duchess, perhaps? I need to get this information back to the others. But still, Guardian… Overseer?
(安兹大人、看来关系近的足以能够如此称呼吗。侯爵，不对，公爵么？必须得赶快将这情报带回去，告诉其他人啊。可是，守护者……总管？）

“Then, Albedo-sama, permit me to escort Your Grace to the Royal Palace. There are suites in the Royal Capital where I pray you will take residence for the time being. My father -- King Ranpossa III is of advanced age, so he assigned me the task of meeting you at the gates of the Capital. I pray you will forgive us this slight.”
「那么雅儿贝德大人，首先还让我带贵殿前往王宫吧。与王城的一角有一座贵宾馆，贵殿在王都期间就请暂住于此吧。鉴于父王——兰布沙三世年事已高，所以只能在王城门口出迎了。这点还望能够谅解」

“It is fine.”
「没有关系」

Her smile had not changed at all.
笑容完全没有任何变化。

Normally, she should have been thanking the Prince. However, he could clearly sense who was the superior party from her attitude.
通常的情况下，此处应该会对王子表示感谢的吧。但从她的态度中，能够感到明确的上下关系。

Zanack was gushing cold sweat from his back. This was because he understood that forging good relations with them would probably be a very difficult task.
扎纳克背后不停的渗出冷汗。这是由于他理解了，想要缔结友好关系恐怕是很困难的吧。

“...In addition, we would normally ring the bells in celebration, but the unfortunate misunderstanding between our countries led to tragedy, so please forgive us for not doing so. In addition, the common folk do not yet know of your arrival, so please take that into consideration.”
「……还有，本来的话应该会响起祝贺的钟声的，但是考虑到与贵国间所产生的不幸误解，而造成的悲剧，请原谅我们没有能这么做。另外，由于我国的民众还不知道您的大驾光临，在这一点上也还请多多包涵」

“Of course, it is not a problem.”
「当然，没有问题」

He had no idea what would the people would do if they knew that an emissary of the Sorcerer King had come to call on them. In that respect, Albedo’s answer was a great relief.
如果让民众知道魔导国的使者来访的话，根本无法想象他们会做出什么样的举动。在这方面雅儿贝德的回答还真是让人松了一口气。

Is it better to think that I owe her a favor?
（欠了个人请，该这么想比较好吗）

He was not at all worried that the envoys would be attacked by an angry mob. Those Death Cavaliers -- indeed, everyone present was probably very strong, even within the Sorcerous Kingdom. He could easily believe that each of them was a match for that Gazef Stronoff.
倒是完全不担心使者团会被暴徒们袭击。不只是那些死亡骑兵，在场的所有人即便在那魔导国当中，也应该都是屈指可数的强者吧。即使说是它们每一个都能匹敌那位葛杰夫·史托罗诺夫，扎纳克也能够相信。

“Then, may I ask a few questions of my own?”
「那么，我这边也能问几个问题吗？」

“Of course! I will answer as long as it is in my power to do so.”
「是的！只要是我能够回答的话」

“Well then, could you tell me of the itinerary after we reach the Royal Palace?”
「那么，首先能让我听听到达王宫后的安排吗？」

“Yes! First, there is a dinner scheduled with myself and the rest of the Royal Family tonight. Tomorrow, we will visit the theaters in the day to watch the dances and hold a dinner party at night, where all the nobles of the Kingdom will be invited. The day after that will feature a concert by the Palace’s orchestra -- after which we will begin the diplomatic negotiations.”
「是的！首先，今晚预定是与我们王族一同进行宫廷晚宴。明日白天是舞台剧的观赏，晚上会举行派对，届时王国内所有的贵族都将出席。后天则是宫廷乐团演奏的音乐会——在那之后，将会进行外交性的访谈」

“So that’s how it is… then, I trust there will be no issues if we decide to freely tour the capital?”
「原来如此……在王都内自由参观也没问题吗？」

“Of course. We shall select exceptional knights to serve as your guards.”

Although the word itself meant to defend them, it also implied observation, and even to restrain them if the need arose.

“May I know which places interest you?”
「那是当然。我们会挑选精练的骑士来为您护卫」虽说是有护卫的意思，也顺带监视，还能起到障碍物的作用「请问是对哪里有兴趣呢？」

They would need to completely lock down the area on that day, to make it impossible for commoners to go near that place.
当天必须对那里进行完全封锁，有让平民绝对无法接近那里的必要。

“No… there are no places which particularly interest me. Since I do not know which locations are worth visiting in the capital, could you guide me on a tour?”
「不……并没有对哪里特别有兴趣。由于并不清楚王都有哪些值得参观的地方，如果可以的话可以带我参观吗？」

“Understood. I shall make the appropriate preparations.”
「明白了。我一定会妥善地进行安排的」

Albedo smiled as she nodded.
雅儿贝德笑着点了点头。

Part 3

For the past month or so, Philip felt that he was one of the luckiest men of the Kingdom.
菲利普在这一个多月的时间里，一直都觉得自己是这王国中排名前几的辛运儿。

He was arguably the luckiest such man, if he did say so himself. However, modesty was a virtue. Besides, there might be other nobles luckier than himself, so it would be best not to speak in absolutes.
虽然如果让他自己来说的话，那么即使被排在第一位也一点不奇怪吧。但毕竟谦虚是美德嘛。而且说不定也有比自己更幸运的贵族，还是不要把话说死才算得上是明智的吧。

Nobles -- huh.
（贵族——么）

Philip tightened up his smile while smoothing out his clothes.
菲利普将放松下里的嘴角重新收紧，同时整理了下服装上的褶皱。

This was only the second time he had participated in a noble party like this. Still, perhaps he should say that this was expected of a dinner gala organized by the Royal Family -- the sheer decadence of this event outshone the one he had previously attended.
参加像这样的贵族派对虽然只是第二次。但该说不愧是皇家主办的晚会吗，这份奢华跟之前参加的那次根本无法相提并论。

The formal attire of the other guests seemed much more costly than the ones at the earlier party. How much did their outfits cost, anyway? Philip glanced at his own clothes, and began to feel a little frustrated.
其他参加者们身着的礼服，跟之前那次比起来也要更加华贵了不少。那一身礼服到底得值多少钱呢。
菲利普瞧了一眼自己所穿的服饰，稍微感觉了有些焦躁。

As he thought, the upper-class nobles had really awesome clothes.
果然上级贵族们所穿的服饰真是太棒了。

The noblewomen in their fancy dresses all had smiles on their faces, but were those smiles mocking him for his plain attire? Philip could not help but think that way, even without any basis for such thoughts. When he looked around, he imagined all the surrounding nobles laughing at him.
虽然身着华丽礼服的贵妇人脸上都流露着微笑，但那又是否是在嘲笑自己的衣服太过寒酸呢。即使没
有任何根据，菲利普还是忍不住这么想到。看向周围，就好像在场的所有的贵族都在嘲笑自己似的。

It’s all because there’s no money.
（这都是没有钱的错啊）

If his domain was wealthier, he would have been able to afford better clothes. However, Philip’s domain had never been that prosperous to begin with. Even his clothes now had been hastily stitched together from his older brother’s formal wear. As a result, they still felt a little tight around the shoulders.
领地里有钱的话就能弄到更好的衣服了。但是菲利普的领地本来就并非那么富饶。现在所穿的衣服也都是用兄长的礼服紧急缝制而成的。由于这样的原因，肩膀部分到现在都还感觉有些紧。

Well, money’s scarce because the heads until now were useless. So once I become the next head, I’ll make my domain more wealthier.
（没有钱都是因为至今为止的统治者太过无能了。所以当我作为下一任统治者时，肯定能把领地变得富饶起来的）

Philip was the third son of his noble family.
菲利普是作为贵族的三男所诞生的。

Similar to commoners, third sons were not beings which were particularly welcome in noble families. No matter how rich a family was, splitting its assets multiple ways would ultimately weaken it. Therefore, it was all inherited by the eldest son. In this respect, the nobles followed the same basic principle as the commoners.
虽说平民也是这样，但贵族家的三男也不是让人高兴的存在啊。无论再怎么富裕的家庭，把财产分割成数份后，力量也会流失的吧。所以才会全部由长男来继承，这便是平民与贵族间最基本的法则。

Perhaps a wealthier family might be able to give a third son some financial support. Perhaps they could count on connections to other noble families and foster him out. However, this was not the case for Philip’s family.
若是富裕的贵族家庭的话，说不定还会给予三男一些金钱上的支援吧。能托的着关系的贵族家，或许还能将其送出去做别家的养子。但是菲利普的家庭却不是这样的。

Once the eldest son came of age -- in other words, when the chances of him dying of disease were greatly decreased -- the third son Philip became unnecessary to his family.
当长男迎来成人礼的时候——也就是病死的可能性大幅减少的时候——身为三男菲利普就基本成了不必要的存在。

Would he be given a bit of money and then chased out of the family home? Or perhaps he would be sent to live with a poor family and work like a peasant. He could only see tragedy waiting in both options. Yet, things had not unfolded that way. Instead, he was making his debut at a grand society ball.
是会给一点钱就被赶出家门呢，还是说会被送到一些贫穷的家庭里、像农夫一样去工作呢。无论是哪边等待着自己的都将是悲惨的人生。然而事情却并没有发展成那样，反而是像这样出席了如此奢华的社交界。

That was why Philip felt he was lucky.
所以才说菲利普是幸运的。

The first bit of luck was his elder brother, the second son, dying of illness before he came of age.
最初的幸运是，身为次男的兄长在成人前就病死了。

Since his eldest brother -- the first son -- was already a man by then, there was no longer any value to his elder brother, the second son. In addition, theirs was not a wealthy fief, and they could only use herbs instead of priests to treat him. In the end, his condition had taken a turn for the worse, and he became an invalid.
由于最上面的兄长——长男——当时已经成人，所以身为次男的兄长基本就没有什么价值了。再加上领土并不富裕，请不起神官。就只好用草药来治疗，而最后病情没办法好转，就那样成了不归人。

At this point, Philip was now elevated to the position of a spare. His value had risen from that of a farmer to that of a butler.
这样菲利普作为预备的地位就上升了。从本是农夫的价值提升至了管家那种程度。

Things like these were not uncommon.
到这里为止事情倒也算不上稀奇。

However, what had catapulted Philip into the upper crust was the result of Philip’s next stroke of luck.
而菲利普之所以能在王国中成为上位者，那份幸福的理由是便是将、接下来所发生的这份幸运再加算上去以后的结果。

Several years after reaching adulthood, it was time for Philip’s elder brother to take over the family estate. Then, that war with the Empire had broken out. If it had been like previous years, it should have ended after a few bumps and scrapes. Therefore, it was a safe way to obtain a battle record, and a point of pride for his family that they had pledged men to the battle.
自己成人数年后。兄长差不多该从父亲手里接过领土的时候，那场与帝国的战争开始了。如果是像例年那样的话，就会以小小的碰撞结束吧。所以从某种意义上来说，那本是一个能让兄长积累功绩的安全的战役，而自己家也是以这个为目的而出兵的。

However, his elder brother had not come back.
但是，兄长没能回来。

He had been consumed by the Sorcerer King’s magic, and perished with the twenty peasants that went with him.
被卷入了魔导王的魔法，与同行的二十个农夫一起死了。

Philip could not forget the instant of joy he felt when he heard that news. It was the joy he had cultivated ever since becoming a spare.
听到这个消息时的那瞬间的欢喜，菲利普怎么也无法忘却。那份终于从预备里熬出来了的欣喜。

His body was missing, and so was the suit of full plate armor passed down from his ancestors. Still, that was not a big problem. Once his domain grew wealthier, he would make a better suit of armor for himself. The more important thing was that the title of estate heir had gone from unattainable to practically his.
遗体没有找回来，从祖先传下来的全身铠也没能回来。但这也算不上什么大不了的事，只要领地变得富裕了以后，再做一副比这个更好的铠甲就好。比这重要的多的是，本该绝对无法得到手的领主地位、已经变的唾手可得了才是真的。

The timing for that was perfect.
时机也非常完美。

If his brother had died after inheriting the family estate, Philip would have had to spend his time waiting for his nephew to grow into a man. However, since his brother had died without claiming his inheritance, his lordship was a done deal.
如果兄长继承家业以后才死去的话，那菲利普便不过只是、等兄长孩子长大成人间的过度罢了。但是由于兄长在还没有继承家业就死去了，自己成为领主就已经是板上钉钉的事了。

It was as though the Sorcerer King had gone out of his way to arrange all this for Philip.
简直就像是魔导王为了菲利普，才特地这么做的一样。

Because of that, Philip even felt something like a hint of goodwill to the Sorcerer King that he had never met before. If only he could convey his gratitude directly to the Sorcerer King’s emissary.
由于这个原因，菲利普甚至对那完全没见过的魔导王，怀抱着一丝亲切感。这份感谢之情若是可以的话，真想当面传达给魔导国的使者。

In addition--
不只是这样——

That’s right. I’m going to ride on my streak of luck. How can I let such a good chance get away before my eyes?
（没错。我要继续利用这份幸运。我现在很走运。怎么能让近在眼前的机会就这样溜走啊！）

Philip’s heart blazed like a bonfire.
菲利普的心中就像有一团火一样熊熊燃烧。

He could only think of his father and elder brother as idiots after seeing what they had been doing all this time. Why don’t you do this? Won’t this bring you more benefits? Of course, he never told them that sort of thing to their faces.
看着父亲和兄长至今为止做的事情，觉得他们是多么愚蠢啊。为什么不这么做呢，这么做的话明明有更多的利益啊。但是还是没有直白的对他们说过。

That was because none of the gains made would trickle down to him. Neither would any prestige for doing so be his. Therefore, over a long time, Philip had cooked up ideas on how to properly administer his fief and stored them in his heart.
那是因为即使说了，得到的利益也不会流到自己身上，这份名誉也不会是属于自己的。所以在很长的时间里，菲利普对于领地经营方面的建议一直以来都藏在心中。

I will let the nearby lords know that I am the one who deserves this title. I will let Father know how poor his taste was in choosing Onii-sama. Selling the good-quality wheat and vegetables to those traders -- no, what should I do? That would draw too much attention, and what if my revolutionary proposal was stolen by others? Still, there’s no money without trade. I need to find tight-lipped and reliable merchants -- in other words, not that guy.
(我要让邻近领主们都知道，我才是符合领主位置的人。让他们知道选择了兄长的父亲，是有多么没有眼光吧。将优质的小麦和蔬菜卖给那些商人们——不，该怎么办呢？做那样的事情太引人瞩目了，我那跨时代的方案被人窃取了怎么办？但是不做买卖就得不到钱。让口风紧的值得信赖的商人——那家伙不行呢）

Philip’s face twisted as he recalled the face of that merchant.
回想起了那个御用商人的脸，菲利普的表情扭曲了。

The unpleasant memory of that man outmatched his joy at being able to stand in this lavish hall.
比起站在这富丽堂皇的地方的畅快感，想起那御用商人脸的那份不快还要更胜一筹。

How dare he look down on me! Although I have to bear it for now, once I find a better merchant in the Royal Capital, I’ll boot him away! I’ve already got connections of my own!
（居然敢看不起我！虽然现在暂且忍耐下，但我绝对要在王都找到优秀的商人，然后把他一脚蹬开！我可都已经安排好门路了啊！）

Philip had already found his own underground connections during his few weeks in the Royal Capital. His pride at this chased away the unhappiness in his heart.
菲利普明明只在王都待了数周，却已经找好门路了。对于这一点的自豪感，使他将心中的不快赶了出去。

As expected of me, I’ve already got my path all mapped out. I’ll make my domain rich and obtain a huge fortune. Those idiots who looked down on me will see who’s the true idiot now.
（真不愧是我，都已经铺好路了。绝对要让我的领土富裕起来，得到莫大的财产。让之前一直小看我的笨蛋们明白到底谁才是真的笨蛋）

Just as Philip was envisioning his glorious golden future, a male voice rang through the hall.
而就在菲利普仿佛已经看到自己那金光闪闪的未来时，会场上响起了男性的声音。

“Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you the leader of the envoys from the Sorcerous Kingdom, Albedo-sama!”
「各位女士们先生们！现在由我来向大家介绍魔导国使节团团长、雅儿贝德大人！」

At this moment, the grand hall’s orchestra lowered their instruments, and the mood of joviality in the air died down.
此时会场里演奏的音乐乐团纷纷停下了手中的乐器，周围的谈笑声也随之戛然而止。

Judging by the noises, it would seem the master of ceremonies had just announced the star of the feast which the Royal Family was hosting.
随着声音看去，会场门口的司仪正宣布着、这次皇家主办宴会的主角。

“Albedo-sama serves as the right hand of the His Majesty the Sorcerer King in the Sorcerous Kingdom, and commands a position equivalent to that of a prime minister as Guardian Overseer. Albedo-sama will grace us alone this evening.”
「雅儿贝德大人在魔导国担当着魔导王陛下的心腹，拥有与宰相相当的守护者总管地位。这次是一个人出席本次宴会的」

A soft woman’s voice said, “Huh, alone?”. A wealthy-looking noble standing nearby chastised her with a “Quiet, you.” Philip felt a little surprised at this.
在菲利普旁边传来了一句「嘛，是一个人么」这样微小的女性声音。而旁边看着就很富裕的的贵族则以「少说两句」来责备道。菲利普稍微感到有些了些讶异。

Coming by oneself is all well and good. But to think someone like that would serve as an emissary! Does the Sorcerous Kingdom truly have such high hopes for the Kingdom?
（一个人的话虽说也没什么问题。但是，拥有那样地位的家伙竟然会作为使者前来！也就是说魔导国对于王国抱有很大的兴趣啰？）

As Philip wondered what sort of man this emissary would turn out to be, he looked toward the doors by which the master of ceremonies was standing.
菲利普想着究竟会是一个怎么样的男性呢，随即看向主持人旁边的那扇门。

“Then, let us welcome the leader of the envoys, Albedo-sama!”
「那么就有请使节团团长、雅儿贝德大人入场！」

As the great doors opened, the entire hall fell silent.
大门被打开后，会场重返了寂静。

A goddess-like woman was there. Her perfect features were more beautiful than any peasant, more beautiful than any whore in the Kingdom’s brothels, more beautiful than any woman Philip had ever seen before. Of course, the Princess he had seen earlier was pretty, but Philip preferred what he was seeing now.
在那里的是犹如女神般的女性。那端正的容姿要比农民、比王都娼馆的娼妇，比菲利普至今所见过任何女性都要美丽。虽然先前见到的公主也确实很美，但菲利普个人还是更喜欢这边。

Her clothes were beautiful as well. Her platinum dress was accented with golden hair ornaments, while the lower half of her dress was covered by what seemed like black feathered wings. Her reflection in the magical lights above made it seem as though she were glowing.
衣服也十分的美丽。白银的礼服再配上金色的发饰，礼服的下半部分有着类似黑色羽翼那样的东西。那反射着由上方所照下来的魔法光辉的样子，简直就像是自己在发光一样。

Philip looked at the woman who had spoken earlier. She was standing in place with a retarded look on her face.
菲利普瞄了一眼之前说话的那位女性。只见她露出一张傻脸呆呆的站在那里。

What’s this, what’s this. Is this the sort of face the companion of some big-name noble ought to have? You look just like a roadside peasant.
（什么啊，什么啊。了不起的贵族大人带来的女伴也是会露这样的表情的吗。简直就像是路边的农民嘛）

The elation he felt at at the Sorcerous Kingdom’s victory -- to which he was favourably inclined -- made the joy of victory surge up in his heart.
菲利普心中的涌起了胜利的欢喜。感到一丝亲切的魔导国来使所赢得的胜利，令他不由得感到了一阵欣喜。

“We welcome your presence, Albedo-dono.”
「欢迎你的到来，雅儿贝德阁下」

Ranpossa III rose to welcome Albedo.
兰布沙三世站起来迎接雅儿贝德的到来。

“Your Majesty, I am grateful for this reception.”
「陛下，非常感谢您的招待」

Philip could only see the side of Albedo’s face, but when he saw Albedo’s tender smile, he was acutely aware of one thing.
看着雅儿贝德正露出着温柔的微笑，即使只能看见其侧脸菲利普也能够明白这点。

She’s beautiful beyond words...
（这是何等无以言表的美丽啊……）

“I do hope you will forgive me for taking a seat, due to my age. Then, nobles of the Kingdom. Our main guest has arrived. Please, enjoy yourselves to your hearts’ content tonight. Then, Albedo-dono, I hope you will enjoy yourself as well.
「虽然不好意思，但由于我年事已高，就让我坐在椅子上吧。那么，王国的贵族们哟。主角已经登场了。今晚就请尽情的享受吧。那么，雅儿贝德阁下也还请慢慢地享受」

“My thanks, Your Majesty.”
「非常感谢，陛下」

Albedo smiled sweetly to him.
雅儿贝德露出了甜甜地笑容。