Overlord (Light Novel)

Overlord Volume 1 Epilogue

Epilogue

Ainz’s room was filled with exquisite furniture, while the floor was laid with a bright red carpet. This vast room was usually draped in a thin veil of silence, and today it was even more quiet than normal. The maid who normally attended him here was nowhere to be seen. The only people here were Ainz and his sword-bearing Death Knight in the corner.

Albedo spoke in a soft, syrupy sweet voice, as though trying to preserve the silence of the room:

“I have a report to deliver. The commander of the Slaine Theocracy’s Sunlight Scripture who we captured has been incarcerated in the Frozen Prison. We will extract information from him with the help of the Special Intelligence-Gathering Officer.”

“If it’s Neuronist, there shouldn’t be any problems. However, I want to conduct experiments on the bodies… do you know anything about this?”

“Understood. In addition, we are currently looking through the arms and armor recovered from the men dressed as knights. They do not bear any major enchantments and will be sent to the Treasury after the investigations are concluded.”

“…Well, that’s the proper way to dispose of them.”

“Finally, I plan to have two Shadow Demons keep an eye on the village. Then, what should we do about Gazef Stronoff?”

“Leave the Warrior-Captain be for now. It is more important that we build a good relationship with that village. We might need their help in future, so avoid antagonizing them.”

“Understood. I will take care of it. Thus ends the report.”

Ainz turned to look at Albedo as he said, “Well done.” The look on her face was slightly different from her usual gentle smile. She seemed particularly happy today.

The reason was the sparkling Ring (of Ainz Ooal Gown) upon her left ring finger, which she caressed lovingly.

Although she could wear the ring anywhere she wanted, it was not hard to tell why she was wearing the ring on that finger.

If that was how Albedo truly felt, then as a man, Ainz would be overjoyed. However, if that was the result of his tampering, it would make him feel guilty instead.

“Albedo… the love you feel for me is the result of my meddling. They are certainly not your original feelings. Therefore…”

What should he do next? Was it right to change her memories with magic?

Ainz could not go on. Just then, Albedo looked at Ainz and smiled.

“Before you changed me, what kind of person was I, Ainz-sama?”

A slut.

Ainz could not say that, of course, but he did not know how to tell her. Though he appeared calm enough on the exterior, his heart was in chaos. Then, Albedo spoke again.

“Then, I am quite happy with the way I am now, so there is no need for you to feel upset, Ainz-sama.”

“But…”

“But…? But what, may I ask?”

Ainz did not answer, sensing something unusual coming from Albedo. She continued addressing the silent Ainz:

“There is only one thing that matters.”

As Ainz waited for Albedo to continue, she said:

“Does it trouble you?”

Ainz dumbly opened his mouth, taking note of Albedo’s smiling face. Her words branded themselves deeply into his brain — although his skull was empty — but Ainz knew what she was trying to say, and hastily replied:

“No, no, how could it inconvenience me…”

He was not at all unhappy with receiving the love of a beautiful woman like Albedo. At least, for now.

“Then, is there a problem with it?”

“…Eh—”

It felt wrong. He thought that, but Ainz could not find any reason to refute her.

“Then, it should be fine, right?” Albedo said again. Ainz could sense something mysterious and inscrutable in those words, and he brought up a question in a final, desperate attempt to struggle free:

“I messed with Tabula-san’s character settings. Don’t you wish to go back to your old self?”

“I believe Tabula-sama would approve, with all the joy of giving his daughter away for marriage.”

“…Is, is that so?”

Was he really like that? Just as Ainz was thinking about this, the sound of crashing metal rang out.

He turned to look at the source of the sound, and saw a longsword on the ground. The Death Knight who should have been holding that sword was nowhere to be seen. He had summoned the missing Death Knight not long ago.

“…When I summon them normally, they disappear after a while… given the way the sword from this world is on the ground, it would seem that equipment alone was not enough to bind them to this world, so it was left behind. If that is the case, does that Death Knight remain here because I used a corpse to summon it? It would appear that I can strengthen Nazarick if I had more corpses.”

“Then, shall we collect a large amount of corpses for you?”

“…Try to avoid digging up that village’s graveyard.”

“Understood. However, we must then consider a way to procure fresh corpses. Now that the Death Knight has disappeared, everyone should have assembled by now. Please proceed to the throne room with Sebas. I will go ahead first.”

“I see. All right, Albedo. I’ll see you later.”

♦ ♦ ♦

As Albedo quietly left Ainz’s room, she saw Sebas approaching along the corridor.

“Sebas, you’ve come just in time.”

“Albedo-sama. Is Momonga-sama in his room?”

“Yes, he is.”

Albedo could not help but feel superior as she heard Sebas still referring to Ainz as Momonga. As he saw the look on her face, Sebas raised an eyebrow.

“You seem to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?”

“Yes.”

Albedo’s joy was not just because of the name, but because she recalled her conversation with Ainz. She spoke of marrying Ainz, and he did not reject or deny the suggestion. In other words…

Albedo’s smile shifted, going from graceful and elegant to lewd and wicked in an instant. it was a smile she would never show to Ainz.

“Kufufufu, I’ve done it. No, I will definitely do it. I will be the one seated beside him. Shalltear will be nothing more than my footrest.”

Albedo clenched her fist, unable to resist the words boiling up in her heart. These were not words of a Guardian Overseer, but a woman.

“Ah, my succubus blood is boiling…”

Sebas silently watched Albedo as she acted up.

♦ ♦ ♦

The Throne Room.

Sebas trailed behind Ainz as he entered the room, fashionably late.

There were many people kneeling here, to show their loyalty.

Nobody in this place moved a muscle, and it was so quiet that even the sound of their breathing could be heard. Apart from that, there was only the sound of Ainz and Sebas’s footsteps, as well as the tapping of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown on the ground.

Ainz ascended the stairs and sat on the throne. Sebas remained at the foot of the throne, kneeling behind Albedo.

Ainz silently surveyed the throne room from where he was seated.

Almost all of the guild’s NPCs were gathered below him. They looked quite majestic when he watched them from on high, like a Night Parade of monsters. Ainz could not help but silently praise his guild members for their creativity in making so many different and interesting characters. As he looked again, there were several NPCs who were not present. However, that could not be helped. After all, they could not easily move the ultra-large golem Gargantua and Victim — who oversaw the eighth Floor — from their positions.

However, it was not just NPCs who were gathered here. Although they were not intended to replace the abovementioned two people, this great hall also contained many high-levelled vassals who had been hand-picked by the other Floor Guardians.

That said — the Throne Room did not feel crowded at all, given its massive size. Although he could understand why his underlings would not want to let their servants into the heart of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick — the Throne Room — Ainz felt that such severity was not needed.

Ah, forget it, not like it’s important anyway. After deciding to discuss those matters later, Ainz slowly addressed his subordinates.

“Firstly, I would like to apologize for taking independent action.”

Ainz was feeling singularly unapologetic as he said those words. It was mere pleasantry, yet the apology was extremely important. Since gathering them all was his idea, then he needed to let his subordinates know that he trusted them implicitly.

“Albedo will tell you why I have gathered you all here afterwards. However, there is a matter which is more important than that. I must tell the gathered members of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick something — 「Greater Break Item」.”

Ainz cast a spell which could destroy a magic item of a certain level. A large flag fell from one of the poles attached to the ceiling.

The sigil on the flag represented “Momonga”.

“I have changed my name. From now on, my name is…”

Ainz pointed to a certain place, and everyone’s eyes followed his finger.

“My name is Ainz Ooal Gown. You may address me as Ainz.”

Momonga was pointing to the flag which hung behind the throne, imprinted with the icon of Ainz Ooal Gown. Momonga raised his staff and forcefully slammed its tip into the ground, to get everybody’s attention.

“If anyone objects to this, rise now and let your views be heard!”

Nobody spoke out in opposition. Albedo was all smiles as she replied:

“We have all heard your glorious name. All hail Ainz Ooal Gown! Oh Supreme One, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, every member of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick pledges their undying loyalty to you.”

Shortly after, the Floor Guardians shouted as one:

“All glory to Ainz Ooal Gown! Supreme Lord and leader of us all, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama! We shall give ourselves completely to you!”

“Long live Ainz Ooal Gown! Oh King of fearsome power, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama! All shall know of your greatness!”

The shouts and praise of the NPCs and servants thundered through the Throne Room.

♦ ♦ ♦

As he basked in the praise of his subordinates, Ainz thought:

—My friends, what do you think of me using this great name? Are you happy? Are you displeased? If you have any objections, please let me know, tell me, “this is not a name you can take for yourself.” I will gladly return to my old name of Momonga.

♦ ♦ ♦

“Then—”

Ainz looked out at everyone.

“—Next, I shall announce our new direction. This is an absolute order.”

Ainz paused here, and looked around. The subordinates before him had serious, stern looks on their faces.

“Make Ainz Ooal Gown an eternal legend.”

He gripped the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown tightly, and rapped it on the ground. Then, as if responding to Ainz, the crystals socketed on the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown radiated light in all the colors of the rainbow, and the air around him trembled.

“There may be many heroes, but we will surpass each and every one of them. We will let everybody in this world know that Ainz Ooal Gown are the true heroes! If there are people stronger than us, we will deal with them in ways other than force. If we encounter a magician with many subordinates, we will achieve our goal some other way. This is merely the preparatory phase in order to let everyone know that Ainz Ooal Gown is the greatest. Let us fight together for this glorious future!”

He would spread this name throughout the world. The former members of Ainz Ooal Gown may have left YGGDRASIL, but there was a chance they might be in this world, like Ainz.

Therefore, he had to make Ainz Ooal Gown a legend, so everyone would know of it.

Be it in the air, land, or sea, he would spread this name to all the sapient beings in this world.

He would carry this name to the ears of his comrades who might be in this world.

Ainz’s fearsome presence was startling, and his thunderous voice could be heard anywhere in the Throne Room.

Their voices united as one, everyone in the Throne Room lowered their heads. The sound they made might have been taken for a prayer.

♦ ♦ ♦

The throne was vacant after its master left, but the air in the Throne Room still boiled with excitement.

Hearing their Supreme Overlord’s orders to work as one filled everybody with incomparable motivation, especially those who had been given specific orders.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

After hearing Albedo’s calm and steady voice, the people whose heads were still lowered lifted their heads in unison.

“Everyone, please act as Ainz-sama orders. After that, I have something to announce.”

Albedo’s eyes were fixed on the flag of Ainz Ooal Gown that hung behind the throne. The NPCs and servants behind her were also looking at it.

“Demiurge, tell everyone what Ainz-sama said to you.”

“Understood.”

Demiurge was kneeling with everyone else. However, his voice could clearly be heard by everyone present.

“Ainz-sama looked to the night sky and told me, ‘Perhaps the reason that I have come here is to claim this chest of jewels which belongs to nobody.’ After that, he said, ‘No, this is not something I can claim for myself. Perhaps these jewels are meant to adorn the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick; myself and my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown.’ The chest of jewels here refers to the world. This is where Ainz-sama’s true ambitions lie.”

Demiurge smiled, but it was filled with something other than kindness.

“Finally, Ainz-sama said, ‘However, conquering this world might be quite interesting.’ In short, that means…”

The looks in everyone’s eyes turned razor-sharp. It represented their iron will and determination.

Albedo rose slowly, to look on everyone’s faces.

Everyone looked at Albedo, as if in response. At the same time, they looked at the flag of Ainz Ooal Gown behind her.

“Understanding Ainz-sama’s true intentions and preparing for them is the proof of our loyalty and the mark of excellent subordinates. Everyone must keep in mind that the final objective of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick is to deliver this chest of jewels — the world — to Ainz-sama.”

Albedo was all smiles, and she turned that smile to the flag behind her.

“Ainz-sama, we will definitely give this world to you.”

Then, countless voices spoke as one, their words echoing across the Throne Room.

“We will render everything in this world unto its rightful ruler, Ainz-sama.”