If they had been ordinary people, they might have provoked them. If it were the Holy Kingdom, they would have probably antagonized these beings who make no distinction between Ainz and humans. And if that had happened, it wouldn't be surprising if the world had ended that very day.

But because he was the one who first discovered their existence, and because he was the one who first approached them with a gift and sought dialogue, the relatively peaceful future they now enjoy was made possible.

Even though it's a fragile peace that could shatter the moment their god awakens, he was still grateful that the world had remained crisis-free for over a century. With that in mind, Tsaindoruks looked out toward the figures approaching from afar.

Monkyspanner, who had said he was going home for a meal, apparently brought friends instead.

People with the appearances of beasts—snake, bird, horse, sheep—were all dragging him along.

As he was dragged, Monkyspanner waved frantically at Tsaindoruks with a sour face.

"Hey, Chaa! Bad luck for me, huh? Everyone was just on their way down! I didn't get to eat, but since we're all here, guess I can't help it. But I'd be grateful if you lent a hand?"

"Hmm, I understand the situation. Good work, Monkyspanner."

"You bastard!"

With a face that screamed "traitor!", Monkyspanner struggled, but the hands holding him didn't budge.

Naturally, those holding him were also High Priests who had surpassed mortal limits like Monkyspanner.

He might be able to shake off one of them, but with several working together, not even Monkyspanner could escape.

"Not only did you fail to set a proper schedule for the 12 High Priests Conference, but you also tried to just casually show up after goofing off? Not happening—not while I still draw breath, Monkyspanner."

With slitted eyes and scales covering his entire body, Serpent High Priest Orochi barked at him.

Already annoyed with how busy things were, this damn monkey had pushed his last nerve.

Stirring up trouble and then trying to sneak in some playtime? Absolutely unacceptable.

At that moment, West High Priest Kima shot him a snide remark.

"If that's the case, dirt's probably already gotten into your eyes, Orochi. This guy came down after playing to his heart's content in the general residential area. I hear he even flirted with an employee while riding the elevator."

"What?! How do you know that!?"

"Did you forget I oversee surveillance in the general residential zone? What a shame, Orochi. Looks like the dirt already made it into your eyes after all."

"Damn it... Just come quietly, monkey. Resist and I'll use you as experimental material."

"Hey, come on! That's going way too far!"

"If you don't shut that mouth, I might just drag you to the lab right now. What will it be?"

When Orochi's vertically slitted pupils gleamed, Monkyspanner stiffened.

The overwhelming pressure of the snake beastman's high-level racial skill Serpent Eye was enough to freeze Monkyspanner in place.

It didn't have much effect physically, but Orochi was notorious for holding grudges.

If he resisted, he might really end up hauled off to a lab without anyone noticing.

Monkyspanner clamped his mouth shut. Now silent, the other high priests resumed dragging him along.

Then Kima, seeing Tsaindoruks, spoke up.

"Hey, Chaa. Long time no see. Been, what—80 years?"

"How have you been, Kima?"

"Busy as ever on this end. Unlike those brutes who get by on brute force, my job's to use my head... Well, maybe that's not something I should be telling you."

Kima fluttered his pitch-black, round ears. Every time Tsaindoruks saw him, he couldn't understand how this guy was supposed to be a rat beastman. His body was covered in short, jet-black fur, his ears were large and round—almost the size of his face—and the skin on his face was flesh-toned and indistinguishable from a human's.

At the tip of his sharply pointed nose was a moist, round button nose, like that of a canine.

No matter how you looked at him, he didn't resemble a rat.

When Tsaindoruks voiced this thought, the other High Priests all averted their eyes.

According to them, Kima's appearance was a type of seal, and one must never attempt to describe him in detail or dare to speak his true name.

If someone were to recognize Kima's true name, they said, Shinshi might vanish without a trace.

'What the hell could be so terrifying?'

'That's because Kima's true name is Shinshi's highest-level classified information. In truth, Kima's name is five syllables long, but the gods were so terrified of the power hidden in those five syllables that they sealed it by shortening his name to just two.'

'I've heard that story too! But none of us actually know Kima's real name.'

'Maybe the gods know... but even they never told us.'

And together, they all said: if the seal on Kima's true name were ever broken, the coming destruction would spare no one in Shinshi... Apparently, that's what the gods who have since departed always warned.

Tsaindoruks wondered if it was okay that such important information was being shared with him.

When he asked, they simply replied that none of them knew the name anyway, so it didn't matter. It was a bit disappointing to Tsaindoruks.

That name could have been a crucial card in controlling them in an emergency.

As Tsaindoruks looked at Kima with a touch of wistful curiosity, Kima spoke in a slightly irritated tone.

"Anyway, we're heading down. You coming? Actually, we're the last ones left. Let's go together."

"Understood."

"Good."

With long strides, Kima took the lead, followed by the other High Priests dragging Monkyspanner.

Tsaindoruks, as usual, quietly brought up the rear.

The group arrived at the center of the Special Residential Zone and entered an elevator whose doors opened to reveal no one inside.

From here on out was sacred ground—territory of the temple.

Only High Priests, the kingdom's top executives, and the specially permitted outsider Tsaindoruks were allowed entry.

Inside the slowly descending elevator, Tsaindoruks suppressed the slight trembling of his body as a familiar presence began to press upon him.

The fear he'd felt the first time—so intense it seeped into his true body beyond spatial boundaries—threatened to rise again.

But he repressed it.

These were not enemies.

They were not a threat.

They were friendly, cooperative allies.

At least for now, they were. So he forced his body to calm down and hid any thoughts of resistance.

"Let's go."

At last, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Compared to levels 1 through 5, the 6th layer was much smaller.

In the middle of the darkness, a vast temple gleamed softly with a chilling silver light. That was the sacred temple where their God resided—and also the location of the 12 High Priests Conference chamber.

As they entered, there was only one simple, short hallway.

The High Priests and Tsaindoruks walked through it, opened the door, and stepped into a large room devoid of furniture or decorations.

At the center, taking up half the space, was a single round table with chairs surrounding it.

There were sixteen chairs in total.

Ten of them were already occupied.

The newcomers each found their respective seats and sat down.

From the West High Priest to the Money High Priest, the twelve High Priests who governed Shinshi.

The three human race executives who ruled over the kingdom: Human Governor, Elf Governor, and Dwarf Governor.

And finally, the special external member, Platinum Dragon Lord Tsaindoruks Vaision.

Each of them possessed enough power to shake the world. Tsaindoruks was certain: if those gathered here combined their strength, they could destroy the world.

Once all seats were filled, the silent chairperson—Supreme High Priest and highest of the twelve, the Dragon High Priest Drake—opened his mouth.

"Well then... no absences. All 16 are present. In that case... shall we begin the 12 High Priests Conference?"