In Carne Village, which had recently been devastated by a Baharuth Empire raid, the atmosphere was heavy. People had lost their loved ones, their parents, and their homes. The spark of life had vanished from the village—but now, something was different.
A lively chatter echoed from the village square. At its center stood an orange, round demi-human and a massive, steaming cauldron. The villagers gathered around, their eyes fixed on the pot, waiting with bated breath for the creature—Kawasaki—to lift the lid.
"Alright! It's ready! Chef Kawasaki's Special Hearty Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup!"
Kawasaki flashed a wide grin as he pulled the lid back. The aroma, which had been teased even while the pot was closed, suddenly surged forth, blanketing the entire village in a savory, mouth-watering scent. The villagers, who had initially looked on with suspicion at a monster cooking, suddenly broke into wide smiles.
"There's plenty of soup for everyone! If we run out, I'll make more! Children and women first! Don't push, now! Form an orderly line!"
Kawasaki ladled the thick broth and generous chunks of meat and vegetables into disposable bowls. He crouched down to eye-level with a young girl.
"It's hot, so be careful, okay? Take your time."
"Okay! Thank you, Mr. Monster!"
Kawasaki winced slightly at being called a monster by a child, but he brushed it off with a wry smile. He handed out spoons and kept the line moving. The villagers were initially confused by the brownish broth—a dish they had never seen—but the moment they took a sip, their eyes widened.
"This is amazing! I've never tasted anything like this!"
"He's right! What is this?! The vegetables are so tender, and they've soaked up all the flavor... It's incredible!"
"The meat too! One bite and the juices just explode in your mouth... I've never had meat this good!"
Exclamations of "Delicious!" and "So good!" filled the air. Kawasaki watched them with a satisfied look.
"Clementine. Good work today. Take a break and get some soup yourself."
Clementine, who had been shifting restlessly while watching the villagers eat, perked up.
"Thanks! I was dying to try it! It smells so good~!"
Kawasaki handed her a bowl and turned back to the cauldron to handle the crowd of villagers coming back for seconds.
***
Clementine stared down at the brownish liquid in the strange, lightweight bowl. She used her spoon to scoop up a piece of vegetable.
I helped make this...
Well, she had only sliced the vegetables according to Kawasaki's instructions. She couldn't really call it "cooking." But somehow... it had been fun.
"Hah... so hot!"
Feeling strangely bashful, she brought a spoonful to her lips. The vegetables had absorbed so much of the hot broth that they were much hotter than she expected. But the flavor...
"It's... delicious."
The soup was seasoned with a paste Kawasaki called "miso." It was a flavor she had never encountered, yet it was incredibly comforting. The pork was tender, and its fat had melted into the broth, giving it a rich depth. The vegetables were soft but still had a satisfying bite.
What's this?
She poked at a dark, slab-like ingredient. She had seen Kawasaki tearing it by hand earlier. Curious, she popped it into her mouth.
Whoa!
It had a unique, springy, almost jelly-like texture. As she was enjoying the strange sensation of it bouncing against her teeth, a voice came from her side.
"Big sister?"
"Eh? Ah... Me?"
A young girl with brown hair was staring up at her. Normally, Clementine would have found a child annoying and kicked them away, but looking into those sparkling eyes, the urge vanished.
"It was really good, big sister! Thank you!"
Clementine felt a lump in her throat. No one had ever said that to her before.
"Nemu!"
A slightly older girl with dull blond hair tied in a braid called out to the younger child, picking her up. She turned to Clementine and bowed. "Thank you so much. It was truly wonderful."
"Uh, ah... yeah. You're welcome?"
Clementine felt a confusing mix of embarrassment and genuine happiness. She had never been thanked like that in her life.
***
"Alright! Plenty of seconds for everyone! Come and get it!"
Kawasaki beamed, ladling out more soup. The children rushed back first, followed by the younger men. He laughed, refilling their bowls. Clementine sat on a tree stump, finishing her second serving, when a black vortex suddenly spiraled into existence near Kawasaki.
"Kawasaki!"
Clementine dropped her bowl and instinctively reached for her stilettos, but she froze. A massive figure stepped out of the vortex. He was draped in magnificent black robes and wore a strange mask that looked neither truly angry nor truly happy. The sheer pressure of his presence was overwhelming.
But it wasn't just him. A maid in gauntlets followed behind him, her cold, murderous gaze landing on Clementine. Clementine felt the literal chill of death and couldn't move a muscle.
"Momonga... why the Jealousy Mask?"
Kawasaki chuckled, looking at the robed figure. Wait... is that... the "Momonga" he was looking for?
"Kawasaki!" The figure laughed and hurried toward him. Kawasaki ran to meet him, and the two shook hands.
Clementine let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It was him. Kawasaki's friend. Relief washed over her, and she sheathed her stiletto before slowly walking toward them.
***
I came to this village to gather info and find Momonga, and here he is... Talk about luck.
"Hey, you're Yuri Alpha, right? From the Pleiades?" I asked, looking at the maid behind Momonga.
"That is correct. Lord Kawasaki, I am overjoyed to see that one of the Supreme Beings is safe."
Supreme Being? What's that about? I glanced at Momonga, but he was just scratching his cheek through his mask. It seemed like a topic that was better left for later.
"Lord Kawasaki? I noticed that person over there addressed you without proper respect just now..."
"Eek!" Clementine gasped. I felt a cold sweat. The maid's glare was terrifying. If I didn't do something, Clementine was going to be in serious trouble.
I gave Momonga a desperate look. He picked up on it immediately and turned to the village chief.
"Chief, this demi-human is an old friend of mine. I wish to speak with him in private. Could you lend us a house for a moment?"
"Of course! Please, use that house over there," the chief said, bowing deeply. "Lord Kawasaki, I am deeply sorry for my earlier rudeness. I had no idea you were an acquaintance of Lord Ainz."
"Ah, don't worry about it! Just keep eating the soup!"
I led the way to the empty house, shielding Clementine with my body as we walked. Once inside, I began patting her head to calm her down. She was still trembling from the maid's killing intent.
"There, there. You're okay now."
But every time I patted her head, Yuri's gaze became even sharper, which made Clementine tremble more. It was a never-ending loop of patting and glaring. I had no idea what was going on.
"Kawasaki, what exactly is the situation here?" Momonga asked, holding up a hand to signal Yuri to stand down.
"Well, if it weren't for Clementine, I never would have made it to this village, let alone found you."
I explained how she had served as my guard and guide. Yuri's aura immediately softened. She gave an elegant bow.
"I offer my sincere apologies. Thank you for protecting the Supreme Lord Kawasaki."
Clementine stayed glued to my back, still terrified. Momonga spoke up next, his voice sounding much deeper and more imposing than I remembered.
"I also offer my thanks. Clementine, was it? You have my gratitude for keeping Kawasaki safe."
He sounded like he was trying to be intimidating, but I could tell his gaze had softened. I decided it was time to move to the main point.
"Momonga, she's a deserter. She knows things her country doesn't want her to know, and she's running for her life. I want to protect her. I know it might be asking a lot, but is there anything we can do?"
I knew the guild Ainz Ooal Gown was a "villain" guild, and many of the NPCs looked down on humans. But I wasn't going to just abandon her.
"I see... Very well. Since it is a request from you, Kawasaki, and she has the merit of protecting you, I, as the master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, promise to take her under my protection."
I let out a sigh of relief. Clementine was pale, so I helped her over to a bed in the next room.
"I need to talk to Momonga for a bit. Rest here, okay?"
"O-okay..." She collapsed onto the bed and was out like a light within minutes. The poor girl was exhausted. I whispered a quick "thank you" and closed the door.
When I returned to the main room, Yuri was looking like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. "I am deeply sorry, Lord Kawasaki! I had no idea she was your benefactor! Please, grant me any punishment you deem fit!"
What is with these people? She looked ready to commit suicide over a misunderstanding. And why were the NPCs moving and talking?
"Uh, punishment? Okay... while Momonga and I talk, go back outside and help distribute the rest of the soup to the villagers."
"Is... is that all? You are certain?"
"Yes, go on." I practically pushed her out the door.
"What was that about?" I asked Momonga.
"Well, the NPCs are sentient now, we're in another world, and they seem to worship the guild members as 'Supreme Beings,'" Momonga explained, removing his Jealousy Mask.
Seeing that familiar skeleton face was strangely comforting. The relief of having a friend nearby was immense.
"If I even raise my voice a little, they start begging for death to atone for their 'sins,'" he sighed.
"Man... you've had it rough." I felt bad for him. He couldn't even eat or sleep in that body. "By the way, what's with the 'Lord Ainz' thing?"
Momonga explained that he took the name of the guild so that any other members would recognize it and find him.
"That's actually a great idea," I said. "But... it might also be dangerous."
I shared what I had learned from Clementine. "There's a place called the Slane Theocracy. Apparently, it was founded by Players six hundred years ago. And there's mention of the Eight Greed Kings from five hundred years ago—likely a guild of heteromorph hunters. If you broadcast the guild's name, you might attract enemies who have items specifically designed to kill us."
Momonga's expression—or the glow in his eye sockets—hardened. "I see... I definitely need to hear more from her."
"She's exhausted right now. Let her sleep for a bit."
"Of course. As a source of information and your benefactor, she will be given the highest level of protection," Momonga promised. Then he hesitated. "But... I don't know how the others, like Shalltear or Demiurge, will react. Their karma is... well, purely evil."
"That '...' just now was very concerning, Momonga!"
If even a relatively "good" NPC like Yuri was that intense, I was worried about the others. But for now, I had a more pressing matter.
"Momonga, do you want to eat?"
"Eh? I'm an undead. I don't have a stomach. I want to eat, but I can't."
I wagged a finger at him. "Momonga... or should I say Ainz?"
"Please, stick to Momonga. If you call me Ainz, I might actually cry."
"Alright. But you're forgetting something about the Cookman class."
"Oh!"
He realized what I was getting at. In Yggdrasil, there was a "Humanization" spell and a "Ring of Wandering" that allowed heteromorphs to enter human cities. Most classes couldn't use it in combat, but the Cookman had a unique skill that could turn it into a targeted ability.
"Kawasaki, please! I haven't eaten or slept since I got here. I feel like I'm slowly losing my humanity... I just want to do something human again!"
I activated the skill. A brilliant light enveloped Momonga, and his skeletal frame transformed. He became a tall, somewhat thin man with black hair and dark eyes—the appearance of Suzuki Satoru from the real world.
"Kawasaki! Give me some soup! I've been smelling it this whole time, I'm starving!"
"You got it! Let's go!"
***
We returned to the square. Lupusregina was there, already happily devouring a bowl of soup.
"Lupu! How many bowls is that?! Get back to work!" Yuri shouted, dragging her away by the collar.
"Wait! Just one more bowl~su!"
I watched the sisters' bickering with a smile. It felt so normal.
"Lord Ainz... is that your true face?" the village chief asked, awestruck. "Black hair and eyes... are you from the south?"
"Yes," Momonga lied smoothly. "I wore the mask because I didn't want to cause a stir."
I was impressed by how quickly he could improvise a backstory.
"And what of Lord Kawasaki? If he is your acquaintance, surely he is no monster?"
Momonga thought for a second. "He is the God of Cooking from my homeland. It is said his food can cure any ailment and bless those who eat it."
Hey! Momonga! That's way over the top! I shouted internally. But it was too late.
"I can see it now! Such a divine radiance!"
"A god has descended upon our village!"
"Look! My paralyzed arm... it's moving! I can move it!"
"My body feels so light! I can jump so high!"
Crap... I forgot I enchanted the soup with buffs again. The villagers were treating it like a miracle.
"If you eat Lord Kawasaki's food, all your pains will vanish! Give thanks for the divine blessing!" Lupusregina shouted, acting like a priestess.
"Stop it!" I yelled, but no one was listening. Even the kids were looking at me with literal stars in their eyes. I realized I couldn't fix this. I was now a god.
I filled a high-quality black lacquer bowl with a massive serving of pork and vegetables and handed it to Momonga along with some chopsticks.
"Here you go, Ainz. Kawasaki's special Pork Miso Soup."
"Thank you."
***
Momonga held the bowl with both hands. For the first time in years, he felt a gentle, radiating warmth through his fingers.
Kawasaki's cooking... this might be the first time I've actually tasted it.
In the real world, Yuji had invited him to his restaurant many times, but Satoru could never make it. He never dreamed his first taste would be in another world.
The smell... it's incredible.
Compared to the bland, nutrient-enriched liquid he drank in 2138, this was real food. He swallowed hard.
"Thank you for the food."
His voice trembled. He looked into the bowl. There were carrots, radishes, potatoes, and... was that konjac? He had only ever read about these things. His hands shook as he picked up a slice of carrot.
It's... so good!
He bit into it. It was soft but had a distinct texture. As he chewed, the savory miso broth that the carrot had absorbed flooded his mouth.
I can't believe it...
He had given up on ever eating again when he saw his skeletal reflection. But here he was. It was the most emotional moment of his life.
"Hah... so hot...!"
He bit into a piece of radish, and the scalding juices burst out. He swallowed it down, his throat burning pleasantly. Then, he moved to the main event: the pork. In the slums of 2138, real meat was a luxury beyond his wildest dreams.
He took a bite. The richness of the fat mingled with the salty-sweet miso.
I could die happy right now...
"Something smells good over here too..." he mumbled, noticing Kawasaki crouching by a small grill.
"I didn't think the soup would be enough, so I made some grilled rice balls. Here."
Kawasaki handed him a plate with triangular rice balls, glazed with a sweet and savory sauce and grilled until they were slightly charred and crispy.
"Grilled rice balls...?"
"The sauce is a mix of sweet and savory. Usually, you'd wrap them in seaweed, but I'm out. You'll have to make do."
"Make do? Kawasaki, this is a masterpiece!"
Momonga took a huge bite. The crunch of the charred exterior followed by the fluffy, sauce-soaked interior was a revelation.
"This is amazing!" he shouted, unable to contain himself. He alternated between the rice balls and the soup. It was the perfect combination.
For a moment, he forgot he was the Overlord of Nazarick. He forgot the pressure, the sentient NPCs, and the terrifying new world. He was just a man enjoying a meal with a friend.
"Lord Ainz, some water?" Yuri offered.
The spell of the moment broke. Momonga realized he had been eating like a starved animal. He felt his face turn red—a sensation he hadn't felt in ages.
"Ah... thank you, Yuri."
He finished the water and looked down. The bowl was empty. The plate was clean. A deep, primal sense of hunger—not just for calories, but for pleasure—woke up inside him.
"Here. Seconds."
"Eh?"
Kawasaki was already holding out another bowl and more rice balls.
"You had 'I want more' written all over your face," Kawasaki laughed.
"Was it that obvious?" Momonga felt even more embarrassed, but he didn't turn it down. "I'll take it. Thank you."
***
I watched Momonga happily shoveling down his second serving. I don't think he even realized it, but he had stopped referring to himself as "I" in the formal, cold sense (Watashi) and had gone back to his natural way of speaking (Ore).
As the guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown, he was under immense pressure to be the perfect, cold-blooded ruler for the NPCs. He was slowly losing Suzuki Satoru and becoming the Overlord.
Maybe this is why I was sent here.
If it were someone like Ulbert or Peroroncino, they probably would have encouraged the "evil ruler" persona. But that would eventually destroy Momonga's soul. He would become a monster in every sense of the word.
But as long as I'm here, I won't let that happen. I'll keep him fed. I'll give him a reason to stay human. Every time he feels himself slipping into the darkness of the Overlord, I'll pull him back with a warm meal.
"Momonga. Is it good?"
"Yeah! It's the best thing I've ever eaten!"
He looked so much better now than the masked figure who had stepped out of the portal.
"When you're hungry, you get cranky. When you're starving, you can't sleep. Even the smallest things make you angry."
Hunger is a person's greatest enemy. It turns the kindest souls into beasts. And in his skeletal form, Momonga couldn't eat or sleep. His heart was slowly dying.
"If you don't eat, you die. That's why I say... If you want to live, eat!"