[The squad leader's mech arms unfolded, revealing densely packed honeycomb-style launch ports. In an instant, countless tiny missiles poured forward. However, when the smoke and dust cleared, Stelle—wielding her flaming spear—walked out from the explosion completely unscathed.]
[This scene completely terrified the squad leader. He retreated several steps in disbelief: "Uh… You—you two, just what kind of people are you?! Even the Company's mechs can't suppress you…"]
[March 7th said smugly: "Doomsday Beast, Stellaron, Phantylia—what kind of strong enemies haven't we faced? With just your level, you think you can stop us?"]
[The squad leader also knew the people in front of him were tough nuts to crack. While he was at a loss for what to do, Topaz suddenly sent him a message, stating that if they disrupted the lives and order of local residents during the asset evaluation period, 60% of their year-end bonus would be deducted.]
["60%?! We're—We're finished!"]
[The squad leader's voice was trembling. He hurriedly called out to the team members in the large mining area: "All employees, listen to my orders—withdraw from the large mining area immediately! Withdraw! Do not leave any trace that the project team was ever here!"]
[After saying that, the whole group vanished in a flash.]
[With the matter in the large mining area finally settled, Seele was still completely confused when Bronya sent the two another message, hoping they could come to the Administrative District. The situation had undergone new changes again, and she needed their advice.]
["..."]
[At the same time, in Rivet Town. Gepard was leading a group of Silvermane Guards and automatons blocking Topaz and Svarog's path.]
["By order of the Great Guardian—please stop here, Miss Topaz."]
[Topaz sighed with regret. She originally didn't want things to escalate to the point of fighting, but if it really came to that…]
[She smiled confidently. A purple screen projected from her right side; her fingertip tapped a few times on it, and instantly, all the automatons surrounding Gepard turned their weapons around—instead surrounding Gepard and his group.]
["…No wonder people always say, these days, the debtors are the real bosses?"]
——
Overlord.
(Using the source code, she seized control of every automaton present in an instant?)
(These automatons, on this continent, could easily destroy an entire town. Their combat power is probably stronger than Soul Eaters… As expected, the power of technology is terrifying. Unfortunately, this continent has no deep research into technology at all.)
Ainz watched Topaz's seemingly effortless actions—taking control of the automatons as easily as drinking water.
The mere thought that the Interastral Peace Corporation's Market Development Department might one day come to this continent and bring swarms of these monsters made Ainz's skin crawl.
"Demiurge, can you understand what Topaz just did?"
Ainz asked the demon standing respectfully beside him. Although he didn't expect Demiurge to give a perfect answer, he still wanted to hear his subordinate's opinion.
"Hmm… Lord Ainz, in this humble one's foolish opinion, she must have activated that item called 'Source Code' and cast some kind of magic similar to 'Mind Control,' correct?"
"Magic, huh…"
Although he had no expectations, hearing Demiurge's answer still left Ainz feeling somewhat disappointed.
Seeming to sense his master's dissatisfaction with the answer, Demiurge—rarely—showed a panicked expression and immediately dropped to one knee: "Lord Ainz, please forgive this subordinate's stupidity…"
"No… You don't need to apologize, Demiurge."
The guardians of the Great Tomb were all powerful and many wielded high-tier magic, but asking them to understand "technology" was simply too far beyond their scope.
Even he himself—wielding extremely powerful super-tier magic, some of which could instantly drain the life from all living beings in a wide area—still felt helpless against technology. After all, machines have no life, no pain, and these were far stronger than the undead monsters he could summon.
If he could buy just a few units from the Interastral Peace Corporation, he could probably conquer the entire continent without even leaving home.
"Demiurge."
Ainz changed the question. "If one day the Interastral Peace Corporation expands to this world and is willing to conduct trade with the Great Tomb of Nazarick… what do you think we should sell them?"
"Ohhh, truly worthy of Lord Ainz, already thinking this far ahead."
Demiurge sincerely admired him. After a slight hesitation, he gave an answer he was very satisfied with: "Lord Ainz, we could sell them scrolls containing low-tier healing magic."
"Low-tier scrolls? Something like that… would people from the Company even care about it?"
"Of course!" Demiurge's tone was unusually cheerful. "This subordinate has discovered that not everyone can walk the Path of Abundance. We can claim that purchasing these scrolls will allow them to step onto the Path of Abundance and become Pathstriders with healing abilities."
"The most important thing is that every single scroll is made from beast hide—extremely beautiful. Even if they don't learn the magic, they would make excellent collectibles." When talking about his own cruel hobby, Demiurge's tone became extremely excited.
"…Beast? You mean human skin that's been flayed off, right?"
"Exactly! Lord Ainz."
"Uh…"
…Selling something like this to the Company— are you sure they won't just send a Star Destroyer and wipe out the entire planet along with us?!
——
[Stelle and March 7th arrived at the Administrative District and saw Bronya, exhausted and weakened from not having rested for far too long.]
[Bronya had urgently called the two of them over this time because Topaz had sent her both a contract and a handwritten letter. The contract was closely tied to the future of every person in Belobog, while the contents of the handwritten letter told the story of Topaz herself.]
[She was born on an unremarkable planet on the edge of the galaxy, one extremely poor in resources, forced to sell massive amounts of labor and engage in chemical industries or heavy industry.]
[Over time, her home planet's natural environment gradually deteriorated. Streets were covered in sewage and smog. People could only struggle to survive in despair, waiting for the inevitable end.]
[But soon the Company arrived on her home planet, bringing brand-new environmental restoration plans. In exchange, the Company required every resident on the planet to sign a contract and become employees of the Interastral Peace Corporation.]
[After the contracts were signed, the Company's transformation took effect immediately. In just five years, the entire planet was completely renewed. It was at that time that Topaz came of age and joined the Company's "Strategic Investment Department." After witnessing the changes in her hometown, she resolved to bring the same transformation to all the backward and barren worlds across the galaxy.]
["Miss Bronya, 'freedom' is an extremely precious treasure for human beings; but when facing realistic choices, there are always some things that will be given higher value than freedom—for example, 'survival.'"]