Lupusregina practically shouted that last part, her face pale. She took out a vial of purple potion and Narberal, who was closest to her, took it and handed it to Ainz.
“This is…”
Ainz looked at the potion through the light.
“Y-yes! This is Nfirea’s new healing potion!”
Ainz’s anger flared again, and he tried his best to quash it.
“If he managed to make this, then that family’s importance has risen again.”
Ainz laughed quietly as he saw Lupusregina’s clueless face.
This purple potion Nfirea made had been concocted using various items provided by Nazarick. The most important thing was that without possessing Yggdrasil’s potion creation skills, they had managed to use ingredients from Yggdrasil to create something other than this world’s “blue” potion or Yggdrasil’s “red” potion.
“To start, the healing potions of this world are blue. But the healing potions I know of are red. Curious, don’t you think?” Ainz rambled.
The knowledge and powers of YGGDRASIL were applicable to this world. From the angels he had first encountered, to the apparent existence of World-Class Items, there was a very high chance that players had been here in the past. In that case, why was it that the potions were not red like in YGGDRASIL? There were three possibilities. First, the downfall of a country might have resulted in the loss of those potion-making techniques. These techniques should have been quite widespread, and nothing short of an entire country’s destruction would be able to wipe them out.
The second reason might have been that Nfirea simply did not know these techniques since they had not spread to the nearby countries. Perhaps distant countries might be using red potions. After all, in Japan, the same soup looked completely different when prepared on different sides of the country. The third reason was optimization: making in-game potions would require in-game materials. Maybe those materials were difficult to find here, or they weren’t available at all, and that’s why only blue potions could be made with this world’s materials.
“That is to say, except for the second possibility, this potion that Nfirea made—”
Ainz swirled the purple potion in its vial.
“This might be a once-in-a-century technological revolution, for all I know. Well, if it’s the third possibility, this might turn out to be a failed product after all. His hard work in the future will give me the answer.”
Ainz hoped that Nfirea would be able to make in-game potions without consuming in-game materials. Who knew, perhaps he might end up making a third, completely different potion.
“Then, wouldn’t it be more effective to let more people research the subject?”
Narberal’s question made Ainz frown.
“That is a foolish question. Narberal. Indeed, the work would proceed more quickly, but it would be very dangerous. Knowledge is power, and freely distributing it is a foolish action.”
Yggdrasil was also like that, so Ainz could confidently say that.
“For example, there is a possibility that his potion could be refined to the point where it could kill me with a single attack. Then, it would be safer to monopolize this knowledge than to spread it… It’s better for vassals to be a little ignorant, but technological advancements must be scrutinized. This is the same for Nfirea and his potions. Though I would like to lock him up in Nazarick and make him focus solely on research and development...”
This would both prevent the spread of the technique and the usage of the potion.
“Then, then why have you not done so?”
Narberal’s eyes seemed to say, “Please order me to do so,” and so Ainz replied immediately,
“Rather than imprison him and force him to work, I will build his trust in us as a long-term scheme that will bring better benefits to Nazarick. Demiurge analyzed the situation and concluded that it was better to shackle him to us with a debt of obligation— Hm? What’s wrong, Lupusregina?”
“There’s one thing I don’t understand. Could you explain it to a fool like me? Why did Ainz-sama give the potion to someone like Brita?”
Ainz had no idea who Brita was, going by her name alone. While trying to maintain an all-knowing sage-like facade —which was to say, a carefully blank expression— he struggled frantically to think of a solution.
Could it be that potion?
Ainz recalled the first night he spent in E-Rantel. As the memories came to mind, Ainz was grateful that his body could no longer sweat.
—What should I do? What should I say?
But he could not keep silent forever.
Demiurge! Albedo! Why aren’t you here! No, Demiurge is currently abroad performing his tasks, and Albedo is in confinement! It’s too late to call her over!
“—Is that so, you really don’t understand?”
“Yes. I apologize for my lack of knowledge. Please enlighten me.”
Just don’t ask! Ainz wanted to shout. However, he had no other options, so all he could do was roll the dice and hope for the best. As the thought came to mind, courage filled him.
“Fufu… hahahaha. Indeed, it was a dangerous move that you, Lupusregina, have the right to be curious about. It could have resulted in a development that we would not be able to control. However, there was a motive for taking such risks.”
“A-a motive? Wasn’t it just meant to compensate her for the loss of her potion?”
Narberal’s interruption made Ainz swallow the words he was about to say. His brain spun into high gear, and he struggled to recall that encounter in E-Rantel.
That’s right! At that time, I just did it so I wouldn’t be seen as a cheapskate! Damn!
Ainz maintained his calm demeanour. Caught with his pants down, he had to tell a lie to cover up another lie. He struggled to muster up the vestiges of his rapidly-vanishing courage.
“...Is that all you thought I was doing, Narberal?”
“I am very sorry!”
“...No, this isn’t something you should apologize for. At the time, I wasn’t confident my plan would work out, so I chose a simpler explanation.”
“Then… what was your real aim?”
In the face of Narberal’s questions, Ainz’s jaw hung open for a moment at a loss for words. But in that moment, inspiration struck. With that as the basis for his confidence, Ainz prepared to speak.