Gate: Thus the Sorcerous Kingdom Fought There

CHAPTER 31: Carne Magnificente! Carne Ombre

"Is that so...?"

That damn sentence... Why he always had to say that? It is starting to get boring after such a long time, but it is so convenient, and he got used to it since he first started to use it as an Overlord, the ruler, and King of Death, all in all, after his transfer to his in-game avatar. It was just a stuffing phrase back then, and served no other purpose, just to avoid awkward silence when he can't say anything else, or can't come up with any normal response, but now, he uses it out of rote.

Curiously, when he was a human, he never really used it. Even in the in-game chat he rather remained silent than saying anything, making his companions worry about him, and question the reason for his silence.

"Ye-yes... your majesty, just like I said..."

It happened again... why he had to do it? In all honesty, despite it was not his intention, the figure sitting on his throne in a regal garb always made the people uneasy around him, or at least making them reconsider the correctness of their answers.

"Am I really that scary?"

He often questions himself, but in the end, come with the same conclusion over and over again. He is undead, a pretty strong one as it, with the ominous aura of death, of course, people will fear him.

"Ah... It is so bothersome."

Yet, even his, long time subordinates doing it after all that time? It was just sad.

"..." Just waving to his servant's direction in a regal way — just like he practiced it before his mirror for a long time — the shadowy figure continued.

"Ye-yes... your majesty. Albeit the experiment was successful, I still lost an important resource. A resource you bestowed me, also, the city almost destroyed thanks to my lack of foresight, please, forgive me. If I would be a little bit more considerable if I just thought about this possibility..."

The servant bit his lip, looking away, flakes of skin falling down from his crumbling skin.

"It is fine..." Ainz waved it away like it was nothing.

"Bu-But your majesty. If I would be more considerable! Your good reputation almost..."

"I said, it is fine..." He really hated this. No matter when or who, if one of his subordinates made a mistake, they acted like this, well, most of the time, almost all of them, a certain Kitsune queen, and his close friend just shrugged it off, saying: "Bear with it, Emp. Palpatine..." or something similar creative gimmicks.

But everyone else just shuttered like an idiot, trying to request, punishment for their wrongdoings. Are they masochist or what? What's wrong with them? Ainz always questioned it and spent long nights discussing this topic with his friend.

Naturally, he asked Ulbert about it not long after he returned — thinking he most likely has some experience with such a problem. Considering the King of demons boasted with his position in the infernal realm's food chain — but the Goat Demon of Destruction just smirked and said:

"What? Don't you enjoy the fear in their eyes? Learn to enjoy it, my friend, and mess with them a little bit. Being the sole ruler of the place can turn a little bit dry after a while. Feast on it..." etc., etc.... that guy, really like to go into the details. Almost as much his other friend was overly paranoid about security stuff when it came to her job as a researcher.

"Anything else to report..."

The figure remained silent, looking away, but Ainz recognized the small traces.

"Say it..."

His tone was commanding, and the person's back curled like a question mark, shuddering for a moment.