Before continuing any further into the outside world, Ainz allowed himself a rare indulgence.
He sank into a deep, enchanted hot spring in Nazarick—originally installed by one of the guildmates as a joke.
To his surprise, the warmth soaked into his skin. Not to the bone, but…
Wait. I don't have bones anymore. Hah.
He sighed.
This is… nice. I forgot what it felt like to just relax.
Afterward, he tried a luxurious meal prepared by Nazarick's finest maids. He couldn't taste the food, technically—but the texture and act of eating felt oddly nostalgic.
With a fresh change into noble-style traveling gear, he stood and thought for a moment.
Before I go anywhere… I need to understand this form better. This skin might have more to it than I thought.
The Morning Experiment
Before leaving, Ainz stood in front of his mirror.
In Yggdrasil, I was a mage—no reason to ever wield a sword. But this body… might be capable.
He activated Create Greater Item, crafting a set of jet-black armor with red accents. He then summoned a plain longsword.
A few test swings later, he frowned.
Not bad. I'm no warrior, but I don't feel clumsy either. Maybe this body retained general combat aptitude?
Then he raised a hand and cast a simple spell.
Lightning.
The magic shot forward faster than usual—instant, clean.
He blinked.
That was... fast. Much faster than standard casting delay in Yggdrasil.
To test further, he cast Fireball, followed by Ice Lance, and then a Tier 6 spell: Gravity Maelstrom.
The Tier 6 spell—normally requiring a long chant—was released in just over half the usual time.
Interesting. Spells Tier 5 and up are casting about 50% faster…
Then he noticed something else.
His MP bar dropped… significantly.
Wait, what? That cost way more than it should. Triple, maybe?
He opened his status overlay, scrolling through the new form's passive traits.
Passive Skill Detected: "Noblesse Bloodline – Spellcasting speed is drastically increased for all tiers, but all spells cost triple the mana. Only activates with casters above 10,000 MP."
He stared at it.
So it's one unified trait… a trade-off: no cast time, but triple the mana cost. That explains everything.
He sighed.
It was just supposed to be cosmetic!
Yet despite the drain, he had more than enough mana to spare.
Triple the cost or not, I'm still a walking mana battery. This is… actually kind of awesome.
He paused, reassessing.
This changes things. In Yggdrasil, I specialized as a pure mage. But this form… this absurd skin… it might be nudging me toward something else.
He turned to look at the sword again, then clenched his gloved hand.
A battle mage. One of those flashy hybrids I always dismissed. But now? With this casting speed and armor synergy… maybe it's not so silly.
I'm still a mage. Through and through. But if there's a way to become stronger—even if it means swinging a sword now and then—I won't turn it down.
He smirked, confidence rising.
Alright then. Let's see how far I can push this skin's potential._
Field Test – The Sixth Floor
Before heading to E-Rantel, Ainz made a quick stop at the 6th Floor: the forested zone guarded by Aura and Mare.
He summoned several durable magical dummies onto a cleared training ground.
"Let's see how well this body handles high-tier spells," he muttered.
He raised a hand and invoked Summon Undead – Jack of Despair, a 7th tier spell that usually required a few seconds of incantation.
To his amazement, it activated instantly. A towering undead warrior materialized in the center of the field, cracking its neck.
Okay, that's impressive.
He followed up with Wall of Skeleton, another spell with an elaborate casting animation. Again, it snapped into reality in the blink of an eye.
The mana drain was steep—but manageable.
Triple cost or not, I can spam these all day.
Aura and Mare watched from a distance.
"Isn't he overdoing it a little?" Mare whispered.
Aura grinned. "Nope. That's Ainz-sama being cool."
He let the last summoned undead vanish before brushing his coat lightly.
Alright. Test complete. I can definitely bring style and substance to the field.
He turned on his heel.
"Now we go."
Discovery of Hidden Potential
After finishing his spell tests on the Sixth Floor, Ainz lingered.
Something still feels... off. I expected just a cosmetic effect. Maybe one passive skill. But that casting speed... and the control—it's like this form was built for magic.
He sat on a smooth rock beneath a tall, glowing tree and opened the interface again, eyes scanning for more details.
No new tabs. No blinking notifications. But maybe… it's hidden?
He tried invoking a self-analysis command—a common debugging tool in Yggdrasil.
/analyze: form properties
To his surprise, a faint glimmer of new text appeared at the edge of his vision:
Hidden Trait Detected: "Crimson Flow – All spellcasting speed increased. Cooldown reduction: moderate. Stacks with Noblesse Pulse."
His jaw dropped slightly.
So it really is just one massive hidden ability… simplified, but ridiculously powerful.
He tried casting Grasp Heart next, a Tier 8 spell with a notoriously slow chant time.
It launched almost as fast as Lightning.
This… this is more than just an aesthetic skin. This is an optimized caster shell disguised as a cosmetic outfit!
He laughed softly.
Twelve thousand yen well spent after all.
Just then, he had a terrible thought.
Wait… what if this skin has other traits? Physical boosts? Magic resistance?
He raised his arm and whispered, "Status Scan."
The numbers confirmed it. Slightly improved dexterity. Boosted mana regen. A passive charm aura?
…Okay, no wonder everyone was staring at me like I was a literal god.
Ainz leaned back against the rock, gazing up at the false sky above the Sixth Floor.
This might be a blessing... or a trap. But until I know more, let's just pretend it was all according to plan.
He stood and brushed the dust from his cloak.
Crimson Sovereign, huh? Guess it really suits me.
Forgotten Lore of a Flashy Skin
As Ainz walked through Nazarick's quiet corridors on the way back to the throne room, another memory tickled at the edge of his mind.
Wait a minute... wasn't there a background story attached to this skin? Something overly dramatic?
He frowned.
It was some event promo. HeroHero sent me the link with way too many emojis... what was it again?
Curiosity overtook him. Instead of heading back to his room, he diverted course toward the Great Library.
The moment he entered, dozens of floating tomes stirred at his presence.
"Bring me archive logs related to the cosmetic skin 'Bloodlord of Elegance,'" he commanded.
Magical light flickered, and a single, thick tome floated down, its surface embossed with crimson and silver runes.
Huh. They actually documented it? That's… unnecessarily thorough.
He opened the book.
'In an age forgotten by the stars, the Bloodlord of Elegance reigned from a throne of velvet dusk. A being whose sheer presence distorted time, space, and fashion trends…'
He blinked. Twice.
What kind of dev wrote this?
But the details were more than fluff. As he skimmed, he noticed footnotes detailing hidden triggers, stat conditions, and latent compatibility bonuses for casters with high mana pools.
Wait. That's… relevant. It wasn't just flavor text.
One paragraph caught his eye:
'When worn by a magic caster possessing over 10,000 MP, the Bloodlord's vessel will awaken its true lineage—an arcane noble soul that channels power not through words, but sheer presence.'
Ainz shut the book with a snap.
...Okay, that explains a lot.
He stood there, staring off toward the high domed ceiling.
I picked this skin as a joke… and it turns out it's secretly a broken synergy engine designed for magical dominance.
He sighed.
Next time, I should really read the fine print.
*************
With his new abilities partially understood, Ainz realized there was one more thing he needed to address—and unfortunately, it wasn't a stat sheet or skill combo.
It was the nickname.
Crimson Sovereign.
He cringed slightly.
Seriously? I didn't even name myself that. Who started it? Demiurge? Albedo? One of the maids with too much imagination?
The memory of Shalltear's overly dramatic swooning popped into his head.
"Ainz-sama's elegance and power… only 'Crimson Sovereign' can capture it!"
Of course it was her.
He paced around.
It sounds like a title from a second-rate visual novel. Next thing you know, I'll have tragic violin music playing every time I enter a room.
He picked up his enchanted brush and combed his now-immaculate hair.
Still… it does have a certain gravitas. Crimson Sovereign. Regal. Intimidating. Over-the-top in just the right way.
He sighed.
Fine. Let them say it. It beats being called "Supreme Overlord-sama-kami-oh-so-perfect" every five minutes.
Resolved, he turned to the next concern—how not to look like a glowing god-king while registering in town.
I can't exactly walk into town looking like the final boss of an underground fashion cult.
He needed a cover. Something less eye-catching. Or at least… less divine.
And so, he sat down at one of Nazarick's private enchantment tables and activated Create Greater Item.
Within moments, a sleek black armor set materialized. Regal but practical, with a flowing crimson-lined cape and a helm that would obscure most of his face.
Good. Stylish, but not overwhelming. A man of mystery—not immediate worship.
Then came the weapon. He considered a staff… then a sword… and ultimately, set both aside.
No. That's not my style. I'm a mage through and through.
Instead, he focused on refining his armor's enchantments to enhance mana control and spell potency.
A battlemage doesn't need a sword to be one. With my casting speed, I am the weapon.
Lastly, he created a false identity tag. One that could be presented at the Adventurer's Guild.
Name: Rein
Rank: Unranked
Affiliation: Independent
Rein… short, respectable, and not suspicious at all. Okay maybe a little suspicious. But compared to Ainz Ooal Gown? Way more low profile.
Satisfied, he stood and admired his reflection.
He looked every bit the mysterious traveling mage-knight. A gleaming saber at his hip, flowing coat, and his face partially obscured by a high-collared helm.
Maybe I can lean into this... Rein the Battlemage. Has a nice ring to it.
With high-speed casting and absurd mana reserves, the idea didn't seem so far-fetched. He didn't need a weapon—not when his spells were faster than most warriors could blink. The battlemage concept wasn't about wielding steel, but commanding the battlefield head-on through magic alone. It was presence—pressure—power, channeled through spellcraft instead of swordplay.. It was about presence on the battlefield—casting from the front, enduring hits, overwhelming enemies with power and precision.
Still a mage at heart—but if this form wants style and substance, I'll give it both.
He gave his reflection one last approving nod.
Now then. Let's see how the world reacts… to Rein, the Crimson Sovereign in disguise.