Encounter

…Huh? Where exactly was this?

Right now, I was standing in a barren wasteland with nothing around… The sky was full of stars, so it seemed to be night, but it wasn’t hard to see—if anything, it was pretty bright… Still, I didn’t remember coming to a place like this.

Wait, did I get sent somewhere I don’t know again!?

No way—h-hey, hold on!

I hurriedly looked around.

But nowhere in sight was Einheria Castle, my base.

No, no—wait, wait! This was way too sudden!

Calm down! This was that thing—prime numbers! …Crap! I didn’t have my phone, so I still hadn’t checked whether 1 was prime or not! Should I start from 2!?

“I like prime numbers.”

No, it wasn’t like I liked them. I just wanted to try it because some priest said it would calm me down.

More importantly… What was I doing before I got here? Was my memory cut off…?

Remember… remember… Today was definitely… right, I went to inspect the village with Lynferia and the others.

And there, I met with Kiriku, and the viscount… no, Karmos walked around the village with me and got wildly surprised… and I saw the field the summoned soldiers had plowed… That kind of day.

Good, good—I remembered… and then after that…

I returned to the castle, got refreshed in the bath, then ate. Today’s menu was omurice and fried chicken, with pudding for dessert… Mm. It was very delicious.

And then I briefly consulted with Ilmitt about what to plant in the field the summoned soldiers made… and then I went to sleep.

Oh. I remembered it perfectly! As expected of me—I was extremely calm. Calm enough that someone could call it “chilled” like chilled soup.

“You’re quite confused, aren’t you.”

No, I was super calm—wait, who the hell was that?

“Hm. Looks like you can see your surroundings a bit better now.”

At those words I looked around again, but there was no one in sight.

“Who are you?”

“Now we can finally talk. Let me introduce myself. My name is Filone-Najuras. You may call me Fio.”

“I see. By the way, granny—”

“Who are you calling granny!? I’ll kill you!”

“I mean… that way of talking is pretty much only for elders, isn’t it? Oh, wait—are you a grandpa? That’s a surprisingly cute voice for a grandpa, though…”

“Alright. Die.”

The next instant, countless spears burst from the ground and shot toward me!

“Are you serious!?”

I reflexively swung the Overlord’s Sword at my waist, sweeping the spears aside as I leapt backward.

“Oh? You’re better than I thought.”

“What the hell was that!? Grandpa!”

“Next time I’ll make sure to punch right through your brain.”

No thanks. Doing that again was absolutely not acceptable. Honestly, dodging that just now was basically a miracle…

—Wait. Why did I have a sword at my waist?

I’d been asleep, so I shouldn’t have had a sword, let alone armor… Right?

I looked down at myself, and sure enough, I was fully equipped.

“Seems your head is clearing up. Now then, try calling me again.”

“Uh—Fio, was it? First, show yourself. I can’t even tell where you are. Expecting me to decide whether you’re a grandpa or grandma based on voice alone is asking a bit much, isn’t it?”

“Why are those the only two options!? Fine! Wait a moment!”

And she’d been butting into what I was thinking like it was nothing. Did that mean my thoughts were leaking out? Gross.

“You really are rude beyond reason…”

With an exasperated voice, particles of light gathered in front of me and took on a human shape—then, in the next instant, the gathered light burst, leaving behind a single woman.

She was about 160 centimeters tall. Her long black hair reached her waist, and it was so straight it looked like she’d had a perfect salon treatment—every time she moved, it seemed like it would swish with a silky sound.

Her eyes were black… but depending on how the light reflected, they almost looked red. A strange color.

As for her age… she seemed a bit younger than Lynferia, but not quite a “girl.” Somewhere between a high school senior and a first-year college student.

She wore a black dress… and, well—she was pretty curvy.

A serious beauty… honestly, exactly my type.

“Heh heh. Well? Am I not beautiful? I truly am beautiful, you know. It’s only natural you’d be captivated.”

Ah. Her personality was ugly.

“You’re seriously the worst. You’re thinking that on purpose because you know I can hear it, aren’t you!?”

“Yeah, yeah. Fine. So what is this place, and who are you?”

“Being able to switch gears even while confused—that part is impressive. Though you’re probably just thick-skinned.”

“…”

“…”

Why did people have to hurt each other just to live?

“Because each is established as an individual, I suppose. Though I am not of the human race.”

This was going nowhere.

“…Let’s get to the point. I’ll ask again. Where is this place, and who are you?”

“Hm. We’re short on time… fine. First, this place is—more or less—your dream.”

“More or less?”

“Yes. Your body is still in the castle bed, sleeping with a stupid face. The difference from an ordinary dream is that even after you wake up, you will clearly remember what we talked about.”

“Then… when I wake up, will I be properly rested?”

“Who knows? Also, is that really the first thing you worry about?”

We were basically in a semi-wartime situation. An Overlord was busy. I wanted proper rest.

“…You might be sleepy during the day tomorrow. I’ll apologize for that.”

“…Tch.”

“I said I’d apologize, and that’s your attitude? Aren’t you being a bit small-minded?”

Fio smiled sweetly, a vein pulsing on her forehead. But I wanted her to understand my anger too. I got dragged to a place like this against my will.

“…Hmph. That’s fair. This isn’t even the first time I’ve forcibly brought you away like this, regardless of your will.”

She said it with a slightly awkward twist to her expression, and I felt like I understood.

“You’re the one who… no, the one who dragged us into this world is you, Fio.”

“Yes… that’s right. Just as you said, I pulled you all into this world.”

So it really was her… Though it was still possible this was entirely my dream.

“I always think this, but you’re cautious—no, suspicious—no, paranoid… and yet in the end you’re reckless… Are you an idiot?”

“Mind your own business! Also, what do you mean by ‘always’?”

Exactly what it sounded like. I’ve been watching you ever since you came to this world. Even the inside of your mind.”

“You’re the final evolution of a stalker.”

And the fact she could read my mind was unbelievably annoying… She could hear this too, couldn’t she? I couldn’t even think freely.

“What were you planning to think about…? Anyway, that’s irrelevant right now.”

“Fine. Then answer me. Why did you bring me into this world? Can I go back to my original world? Or am I stuck here forever?”

“I intended to explain that too, but… there isn’t enough time anymore.”

“Huh!? Then why the hell did you show up!?”

“Because you started off picking fights nonstop, and we wasted time!”

“Excuse me? I didn’t pick any fights at all. And even if I did, if you came here to explain something, it’s your fault for buying into it.”

“You really do irritate me! What is that tone!? Where did your so-called ‘Overlord act’ go!?”

“What’s the point of doing that to someone who reads my mind!? Are you an idiot? Oh—you are!”

We bickered and escalated and spiraled… It was getting out of control, and it seemed she felt the same way. When she first appeared, she’d looked lofty and composed, but now she was stamping her feet with her hair in disarray.

“Enough! Enough! I was going to tell you something useful, but now I won’t! Wake up in your bed and stew in your worries!”

“So small! Your mind’s so small! This Fil-Whatever person’s mind is so small she can’t hold more water than a dessert spoon!”

“A dessert spoon isn’t even a ‘vessel,’ you moron! And I’m Filone! Remember my name in one try! Also, what is it!? You’re this old and you’re doing an ‘Overlord act’!?”

“Hey! You’re really going there!? If you say that, it’s war, you knowwwww!?”

“‘Do you know who I am?’ ‘I am Fels… Overlord Fels!’ …Pfft—!”

“Stoppppppppppppp!”

I screamed—and in the next instant…

What jumped into my eyes was the ceiling of the room I’d come to know all too well.

Just like that Fio person said, it seemed I’d only been sleeping.

But had I ever woken up this unpleasantly before? No. I had not.

…Whew. Calm down. I’m calm.

I looked down at myself. Of course, having just woken up, I wasn’t wearing armor, and I had no sword at my waist.

I exhaled deeply and got out of bed.

What just happened… I remembered it all clearly, every detail. From that alone, it was too hasty to dismiss it as “just a dream.”

The existence that summoned us to this world…

I’d thought it wouldn’t be strange if something like that existed… but was she really it?

…There was no proof. But somehow, she didn’t feel like she was lying. If she said she did it, it was probably true.

In that case, I should’ve had so many more things to ask… So why did I end up in such a childish fight?

Was that because it was a dream? It was like I couldn’t keep my emotions in check, like insults just kept spilling out…

Maybe because I was always trying to act like an Overlord, the restraint snapped off.

Even so… that woman, Fio… Her looks were a perfect hundred and her personality was a perfect zero, but… I had a feeling I’d see her again.

Whether that was in another dream, or in reality, I didn’t know—but until then, I should probably organize the questions I want to ask.

…Also, if I believed her, then even right now, at this very moment, she was peeking at me.

A real stalker. I think I’d win if I sued her.

And so, despite what should’ve been an important encounter, I gained nothing at all—then started another ordinary day in the life of an Overlord.