Nabe POV
From the moment Narberal Gamma stepped beyond the great gates of Nazarick, disguised as the human woman "Nabe," she understood the gravity of her role. Protecting Lord Ainz was not simply a task. It was an honor.
Still, this world outside was... distasteful.
Its air was dirty. The people, loud and coarse. Their manners, nonexistent.
But none of that mattered.
Because he walked ahead of her.
The Supreme One.
Every step she took behind him was a prayer to his wisdom. Every glance he spared her direction was a gift. And yet, she kept her expression cold, aloof. That was the role she played.
Nabe.
A quiet, mysterious woman with cutting words and peerless power. Ainz had asked her to blend in. So she obeyed, even if it meant tolerating insects in human clothing.
Still, as they moved through E-Rantel, her eyes never left him. Every move he made, every syllable he uttered, she memorized.
"Rein-sama," she murmured when they passed the market, her tone clipped but soft enough only he could hear. "Are these creatures truly worthy of your presence?"
Ainz—no, Rein—glanced at her. "Every piece has its place, Nabe. Even the smallest pawn can open a path to checkmate."
She nodded. Of course. His strategy was already unfolding.
And so she kept walking.
Even when that fool of a man in the Adventurer's Guild made a comment. Something mocking. Something about Rein-sama's noble bearing being out of place among mercenaries.
She had turned, slowly.
He hadn't seen it—the spark in her eyes. The way her fingers twitched just once, as if already curling around the idea of a spell. He hadn't felt it—the weight of death, so close.
But she had felt it.
The insult to her master.
She did not speak. Not then. Rein-sama had brushed it off with a smile too composed to be genuine.
He even joked, later that evening, "You looked like you were ready to kill him, Nabe."
She had said nothing. Only bowed.
But in truth… he had guessed correctly.
He just didn't know how close to death that man had come.
And when she walked behind him once more, her footsteps were silent... and full of intent.
In her mind, a single sentence echoed:
"Once Rein-sama no longer has use for him, I will erase that insect from this world."
Because to insult Ainz Ooal Gown was not merely impolite.
It was a death sentence.
****************
That night, long after the lights in E-Rantel dimmed, a shadow flickered through the Mirror of Remote Viewing in the 9th Floor Communication Room of Nazarick. Narberal stood alone, sending a report directly to the Overseer of the Guardians.
"Report acknowledged," came Albedo's calm voice from the other side.
Narberal bowed, though no one could see it. "I have completed a survey of the Adventurer's Guild. Lord Ainz has registered under the alias 'Rein' and is currently performing entry-level requests."
"Hmph," Albedo sniffed. "Menial work. But if it is His will, then so be it."
"There was... an incident," Narberal added quietly.
"Oh?" Albedo's voice sharpened. "Explain."
"A guild official insulted Rein-sama. It was minor, but disrespectful."
A pause. Then a dangerous lilt entered Albedo's tone.
"And what did Lord Ainz do?"
"He dismissed it with a joke." Narberal's voice did not shift. "But I am watching the man. If His Majesty gives the word—"
"No," Albedo interrupted. "Not unless he commands it. We must trust his judgment. Even if it wounds our pride."
Another moment of silence.
Then, more softly:
"...But do watch him, Narberal. If he speaks ill of Lord Ainz again, I will come myself."
"Understood."
The connection ended. Narberal straightened.
The room was quiet once more, the magic mirror dimming.
Her task continued.
And her eyes would never leave Rein-sama's back.
******************
The next morning, Narberal departed from the temporary inn under the pretense of completing part of a subjugation and material collection quest. Ainz had assigned it to her as a way to gather both resources and information.
She traveled just outside the city, where the hills gave way to clusters of herb-filled meadows and occasional beast sightings. The area was not particularly dangerous, but still required caution. Not from monsters—no—but from men.
She had barely stepped past the outer gates when the first man approached.
"Hey there, pretty miss, heading out on a job alone? How about some company?"
She ignored him.
The second one wasn't much better.
"Never seen a beauty like you in armor before. Got room in your party? Or your heart?"
Her fingers twitched. Just once.
Narberal gritted her teeth. Not because she was intimidated, but because Lord Ainz had ordered her to act like a human adventurer.
That meant no vaporizing lechers on sight.
Barely.
By the time she reached the forest edge, she had counted six separate attempts at flirtation. None of them clever. All of them disgusting.
But she endured.
Because she had her orders.
Because Lord Ainz had trusted her.
She gathered herbs with precise, practiced hands. Her senses were always alert—both for magical threats and potential informants. Anything could be a lead.
Still, one thought remained at the forefront of her mind:
"If one more fool tries to touch me, Rein-sama's orders be damned..."
She took a breath.
Patience. For now.
But the forest trembled slightly as if the world itself feared testing her restraint.
****************
Meanwhile, back at the inn, Ainz—still in his Rein disguise—paused mid-scroll through the documents they had collected.
He frowned slightly.
"...Something feels off," he muttered.
Narberal had been gone less than two hours. Yet his instincts—the same instincts that had carried him through PvP ambushes and last-minute raids in Yggdrasil—tingled.
Is she going to kill someone again?
He sighed.
"Maybe I should have given her a limit. Or at least a warning against incinerating people for flirting."
Still, he trusted her.
Mostly.
"Just... please don't leave a crater near the city walls, Nabe. We're trying to blend in."
He resumed his reading, the faintest edge of worry lingering in the back of his mind.