Upon hearing this doubt started to gnaw on Ainz. From the moment he discovered that Shalltear had been put under mind control by a world item user he had been convinced that the one responsible was a player like him, to hear Demiurge deny this felt like something of a misunderstanding.
If they really weren't players from YGGDRASIL could it be that my deduction of them specifically targeting Shalltear was wrong as well. The timing of their appearance was just too godly after all. No before that I must make sure.
Ainz glared at Demiurge and asked his next question whilst trying not to lose his composure.
"What proof do you have of these findings Demiurge?
"First off thanks to our experiments and findings we have concluded that some humans are capable of using items from YGGDRASIL and sometimes ignoring the level restrictions that even the members of Nazarick have to abide by. Thus the possibility of humans using items from beings of Yggdrasil comes to mind."
Ainz had already understood that, when he battled the human Nigun from the Sunlight Scripture he used a magic crystal which was clearly an item from YGGDRASIL to summon a high tier angel.
Could it be that world items are also usable to them despite world class items having a level requirement of 80?
Humans were regarded by Ainz and the rest of Nazarick as weaker beings no different than bugs beneath a shoe, however if they were capable of ignoring class and level restrictions and use even world Items, than that changed the level of threat they could pose to Nazarick quite significantly. But this alone did not prove that it was humans and not players that attacked Shalltear.
"But then let me ask you Demiurge. What makes you think that it was specifically humans and not other players that attacked us?"
To answer this question we need only but ask ourselves four other questions. First, why is the magic used in this world the same as in YGGDRASIL? Second, where did the humans get items from YGGDRASSIL? Third, how were we discovered? And fourth, why is Nazarick so powerful?
"Haah? What kind of question is that last one Demiurge?"
"Shalltear be Quiet for a minute!"
"My deepest apologies Ainz-sama!"
Shalltear bowed and refrained from speaking any further
The light in Ainz's sockets went dim as he tried to solve these questions in order
The reason that magic here and magic back in YGGDRASIL was virtually the same was something that he had found strange as well. He had come to the conclusion that other players had come to this world before him and taught the other inhabitants of this world how to use their magic. However the difference of time is what worried him since that was supposedly hundreds of years ago. The existence of Fluder who had been practicing magic for more than a hundred years proved that.
Could it be that time flows differently here compared to YGGDRASIL? Or were we all transported at the same time to different points in time when the server shut down? Maybe in a hundred years or so ill encounter someone from YGGDRASIL as well. When that time comes will it be friend or foe?
The second question's answer was virtually the same as the first. They must have gotten them from other players. Suddenly Ainz realized where Demiurge was going with this hypothesis. To give a powerful item to a human was one thing. Ainz himself had done so in the past as well, as he had given horns of the goblin general to Enri Emmot from Carne Village. But to give a world item to one was something Ainz wouldn't even consider doing. But it was another thing to take it from a player after his death. If the players that came to this world before had indeed passed away, their items would become available to anyone that found them.
However this does not mean that it really were humans. It could still be other players who arrived around the same time as us or players that have been able to survive due to their race's long lifespan.
Ainz sighed as he probably wasn't thinking hard enough about what demiurge said.
The third question bothered Ainz as well. How they were discovered was a complete mystery. No matter what little blunders Ainz had made before Shalltear's revolt he was confident that he had never let slip information about Nazarick or himself, let alone Sebas or Shalltear. Shalltear at the moment of her mission should have been wearing her ring to hide from detection and divination magic this went for all active members in the field. It really was too convenient to have known that she was there and to have prepared a World Item to capture her no less.
So in the end it really must have been a random encounter between Shalltear and another party. Though I thought that was just wishful thinking, the fact that we haven't discovered a hint of surveillance upon us further proves that they themselves don't know who they were dealing with. But in the end the possibility of another player still exists.
Ainz was starting to get a feeling that everything would become clear after he answered the last of Demiurge's questions. Although he wasn't confident that he could, seeing as he could not compare with his intellect.
That said, the last question puzzled Ainz deeply. "Why were they strong?" it was a question that did not need an answer. Because to compare the power of Nazarick to any of this world's nations would be absurd to say the least. Just one of the many guild battles that Ainz fought with his former teammates would be regarded as a battle of gods by any inhabitant of this world. That's right, because Ainz and the rest of Nazarick were unfair beings from an unfair world with unfair rules they could be considered to be so strong…
…
The light in Ainz's eyes seemed to go out for a second only to come back on as Ainz softly Addressed Demiurge.
"Excellent Demiurge, you really are a genius to have thought that far. Even I hadn't considered that. Then explain to Shalltear the answer to the last one."
Haah I'm getting tired of using this excuse to have Demiurge explain what he knows.
Demiurge smiled brightly as to him to be of service to his master on an intellectual level was the greatest joy he could feel.
"I am undeserving of such praise Ainz-sama."
"Eh, I don't get it Ainz-sama. What have you figured out?"
"Shalltear, you and I are in this world walking calamities. After Having easily killed the human Gazef Stronoff who was supposed to be the kingdom's greatest warrior we now know that virtually all humans are very weak compared to us. So if you were a player from YGGDRASIL and you'd encounter a humanoid being on an equal level just how would you react to such a development?"
At this point Ainz started to get the picture that Demiurge was trying to paint.
If Shalltear really did meet another player or players then why did they use a world item on her? If they were equal in strength they could have first talked it out, even though Shalltear would attack before asking questions due to her personality. Still there would be no need to use a world item as they could just overpower her or flee using other items. If they were stronger or outnumbered her then the use of a world Item was even stranger because the difference in strength or numerical difference made such an action obsolete. And if they were weaker and immediately used the World item then why did they leave her there?
If it was another player then then it couldn't have been because Shalltear had managed to kill the one using the item or wounded him to the point where they would have to retreat while leaving her there. Shalltear didn't possess a skill or spell that could cut a level 80 player's health to the point where he needed immediate and long term healing from just one hit.