She gently set down her spoon. She wiped her mouth with a napkin. She looked like she had just finished a simple afternoon tea. Her stomach remained perfectly flat. It did not change at all, even after she had eaten a massive amount of food.
[Analysis Complete: Local ingredients, seasoning, and energy levels are extremely low. Flavors are simple and lack skill. It is edible, but not satisfying.] Inside her mind, Divine Realm Insight had already finished analyzing everything she had eaten.
She stood up. The owner and the customers were frozen. Their eyes were full of wonder and fear.
"The taste was acceptable," she said flatly. She turned and left the tavern in total silence. Her white skirt fluttered as she vanished through the doorway.
Long after she left, the tavern exploded with noise.
"A... a monster!"
"How much did she eat? That was enough to feed us for a month!"
"Was that... magic? Or something else..."
"She must be a noble lady traveling in secret! No, maybe even royalty!"
"Quick! Go report this to the Mayor!"
Walking down the street, Ilya heard the noise from the tavern. She didn't care. Her goal was complete. She had tasted the food of this world and felt disappointed. She also knew that the information she wanted would soon find her.
A strange "outsider" in a border town would always get the attention of the local leaders.
She looked toward the horizon. Her gaze seemed to pierce through space to see the wider world.
"The Kingdom of Re-Estize... then the neighboring Bahamut Empire, and that mysterious Slane Theocracy... they shouldn't be far."
"Before I meet the 'Players' of this world, I will sample the food of each nation."
The corners of her mouth curled into a small smile again.
After leaving the tavern she had nearly emptied, Ilya wandered through the town. She stopped at a snack stall. She used some change to buy a few skewers of grilled meatballs. The meatballs were charred and smelled good. They were brushed with a simple sauce. Though simple, they were tasty. She nibbled on them as she walked. Meanwhile, Divine Realm Insight acted like a radar, scanning the entire town for information.
The loudest noise came from a building with a sign showing crossed swords and a shield.
"The Adventurer's Guild... a place for information. This is it."
Chewing on a meatball, she walked inside.
The inside of the Guild was organized, but it smelled of sweat, leather, and metal. The notice board was covered in jobs. They ranged from killing rats in sewers to hunting nearby monsters. Low-rank Copper and Iron adventurers stood in groups, talking loudly.
Ilya's beauty caused a stir again. She did not look like she belonged in such a place. Many adventurers looked at her with curiosity or desire. However, rumors from the tavern had already spread. No one dared to approach her.
She walked to the counter. The receptionist looked at the girl. She was holding a meatball skewer and looked too beautiful to be real. The receptionist felt confused.
"Miss, are you... here to post a request, or to register as an adventurer?"
Ilya swallowed the last meatball. The wooden stick turned into dust in her hand. Her voice was flat as she asked a direct question: "I want to learn about history. Specifically, the myths of this world, or legends about powerful beings."
The receptionist blinked. She had never heard such a strange question. An older adventurer with a scarred face was nearby. He joined the conversation. "Little girl, you like that stuff? Those aren't just stories. Many are real, and they are very dangerous."
"Oh?" Ilya turned her blue eyes toward him. She showed a bit of curiosity. "Such as?"
The old adventurer wanted to show off and warn her. He lowered his voice. "Let's talk about the most recent one! Do you know His Majesty, the Magic KingAinz Ooal Gown?"
Ilya tilted her head slightly to show she didn't know. She reached into her small pouch and pulled out a bag of dried fruits. She listened while she snacked.
The old adventurer's tone became serious. "He is a god walking among mortals! A ruler of death from another world! Every one of his servants can destroy a nation! He has unimaginable magic. They say he can kill an army of hundreds of thousands with one strike! He built the Sorcerer Kingdom near E-Rantel. It is a paradise for the undead now. Living people are not allowed!"
Other adventurers crowded around and nodded. Their faces were full of fear.
"Yeah, at the Battle of Katze Plains, he used one spell and..."
"And the demons under him are terrifying..."
"I heard he can control the souls of the dead..."
They tried to describe the power of Ainz Ooal Gown. They wanted this "noble girl" to understand the danger.
Ilya listened and ate her fruit. Her expression did not change.
'Wiping out an army of hundreds of thousands with one strike? Hmm, [Heavenly Strike] or [Final Judgment] could do that. Those are decent area-of-effect skills.'
'Power to destroy a nation? Does that mean Super-Tier magic or a World-Class Item?'
'An Undead Sovereign... he probably has high resistance to the undead element. But [Holy Covenant · Longinus] should ignore his resistance and deal true damage.'
'Level 119 versus Level 100—level advantage. Ninety-nine World-Class Items versus eleven—better equipment.'
In her mind, the "Magic King" was just an elite monster. He might require a little effort to kill. He was like a dungeon boss with decent loot.
The old adventurer grew nervous because Ilya looked bored. "Miss! Don't you understand? He is a true Demon God! We are like ants to him!"
"Yes, I heard you," Ilya said. Her tone was casual. "And then? What about before him? For instance... the Six Gods? The Eight Greed Kings?"
She used the names she had heard from the air.
The crowd froze. Anyone who knew those names was not ordinary.
The old adventurer looked serious. "You... you know them? The Six Gods were deities who came hundreds of years ago. They founded the Slane Theocracy. The Eight Greed Kings came after them. They were kings from another world with invincible power. People still fight over what they left behind. Some say the Magic King is related to them..."
'Oh? Earlier groups of Players?' Ilya understood. 'This world receives "Players" often. Is the level cap low? Or did they just not break the limit?'
She had the information she wanted:
1. Ainz Ooal Gown is a Player with a base.
2. There are ruins of old Players.
3. The local people are very weak.
To her, these were just background details. She was only slightly interested in Ainz Ooal Gown.
She ate the last piece of fruit and brushed her hands.
"Thank you for the information." She tossed a silver coin to the old adventurer. It was a casual reward.
She turned to leave the Guild. At the door, she stopped and looked back. She asked a question that shocked everyone:
"By the way, which city nearby has the best food? I want desserts."
Everyone was stunned. We are talking about world-ending gods, and you only care about dessert?
The old adventurer answered without thinking, "...They say... the capital of the Bahamut Empire has the best honey and milk..."
"The Imperial Capital? I see. Thank you."
Ilya nodded and vanished from the entrance.
The Guild was silent. After a long time, someone whispered:
"Who... who is she?"
"She didn't care about the Magic King at all..."
"Could she be... even stronger than him?"
No one knew. They only knew that a beautiful girl who loved food and ignored legends was a great mystery.
Meanwhile, Ilya had picked her next stop.
"The capital of the Bahamut Empire... I hope the desserts are good."
Ilya stepped out of the Adventurer's Guild. She wondered if she should teleport to the capital or walk there to eat along the way. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed.
The noise of the market stopped. A heavy, steady thumping sound grew closer.
Thump—! Thump—! Thump—!
It was the sound of heavy feet marching together. Metal armor clashed. A terrifying pressure spread through the air. It smelled like death.
"M-Martial law! It's the Magic King's procession!"
"Quick! Kneel! Everyone, look down!"
"Long live His Majesty the Magic King! Long live Lady Albedo!"
The people on the street and the adventurers turned pale. They scrambled to lie on the ground. They pressed their heads against the dirt and stayed silent. Only the sound of marching and wheels remained.
Ilya stood still. She looked very obvious. She raised an eyebrow and looked toward the end of the street.
First, she saw eight knights on Nightmares. They wore heavy armor with blue flames. They carried massive blades. Their eyes burned with soul-fire. They were high-tier undead: Death Knights. Their presence made normal people's hearts stop.
Behind them was a large, black carriage. It was pulled by more undead and covered in eerie symbols. Two figures sat on top.
One was a woman in a black Gothic dress. She was very beautiful. However, she had twisted black horns and black wings. She was not human. She had a cold smile and looked at the people as if they were ants. This was the Overseer of the Guardians, Albedo.
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