“But Lord Ainz… I wonder if perhaps taking both of those angels’ swords was not the best course of action…”
“Oh? I figured I had confirmed that Greater Physical Damage Immunity was working using those knights outside the village when we first arrived in Carne.”
“Yes, that is as you say. I witnessed it with my own eyes. However, it is unforgivable that you should have been stabbed with their vulgar blades while I was standing by right next to you.”
“Ah, you’re right. I acted without thinking of you, even though I was having you protect me. Sor—”
“And what woman could approve of her love being stabbed, even if he were unharmed in the end?”
“Um, indeed.” Never knowing what to say in these situations, Ainz gave a short reply and headed back toward the village. Albedo didn’t particularly seem to want a reply and followed him without saying anything else.
When they entered the village, everyone came out to greet them, led by the death knight. In the midst of their countless praises and thanks, Gazef Stronoff appeared.
“Oh, Captain. Glad to see you up and about. I would have liked to save you sooner, but that item I gave you takes a little while to warm up. I apologize things got so down to the wire.”
“Not at all, Sir Gown. I am grateful. After all, you did save me. By the way, what happened to…?”
Sensing a change in his tone of voice, Ainz took an inconspicuous look at him. He had already taken off his armor and was dressed lightly in regular clothes, completely unarmed. His face was covered in bruises and one of his eyelids had swollen up—his head seemed just like a misshapen soccer ball—but his eyes twinkled.
When Ainz looked away slightly, as if it were too bright, he spotted a ring on Gazef’s left ring finger.
He’s married… I’m glad we didn’t make his wife cry! Ainz thought as he continued his act. “Oh, I drove them off. I figured it would be impossible to take them all out, and I was right.”
That was a lie, of course. He’d sent them all to the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Gazef squinted for just a moment, but neither of them said anything. The atmosphere was tense.
Gazef was the one to end it. “Wonderful. You’ve saved us from danger so many times now, Sir Gown. However can we thank you? You must stop by my manor if you are ever in the capital. I would like to give you a proper welcome.”
“Oh? Well, then, I may take you up on that, thank you.”
“You won’t come with us now, then, I take it? What are your plans, Sir Gown? My men and I will rest here.”
“I see. As for me, I intend to head out, although I haven’t decided where I’ll go yet.”
“It’s already night. Traveling in the dark is…” Gazef trailed off. “Please excuse me, Sir Gown. You’re strong enough that you don’t need me to worry about you. I hope you’ll remember me if you come to the capital. My gates will always be open for you. And I don’t have words enough to thank you for allowing me to have one of the suits of armor from the knights who initially attacked Carne.”
Ainz nodded and judged that everything he had come here to do was finished. Somehow or another, a lot of unexpected things had happened and he had stayed longer than he meant to.
“Let’s go home,” he said in a voice only Albedo could hear. She nodded happily in response, although she was still wearing her armor, of course.
Epilogue
Ainz’s luxurious private chamber was ornately furnished and had a crimson rug. Normally it was covered with a veil of silence, but on this particular day, it was so quiet the silence could be heard as its own sound. The maid who normally stood by was gone, leaving only Ainz, Albedo, and a death knight standing at attention in the corner holding a sword.
Albedo’s voice sounded sweet like honey, so it didn’t spoil the atmosphere. “Allow me to report: The commander of the Slane Theocracy’s Sunlit Scripture that we captured near that village has been sent to the ice prison. The plan is to have an officer of intelligence gathering get information out of him.”
“If you’re getting Neuronist to do it, that’s no problem. But you know I want to experiment on the corpse, right?”
“Yes, my lord. Then, we are currently appraising the gear we stripped off the knight-looking things, but I have heard none of the items are very enchanted. I imagine we’ll put everything in the treasury when we’re done.”
“Sure, that seems appropriate.”
“Lastly, as a precaution, we’ve sent two shadow demons to that village. How should we handle Gazef Stronoff?”
“Leave the captain alone for now. More importantly, Carne is our only outside foothold and the only place we’ve managed to build friendly relations. We may rely on them for cooperation in the future. Do your utmost to avoid ruining that connection.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure we do. Well, then, it was brief, but that was my report.”
Ainz thanked her and took a closer look. She always wore a gentle smile, but today’s was different—she seemed to be in a nearly uncontainable good mood. The reason was on her left ring finger being stroked by her right hand—a Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. Where she wore it was up to her, but it wasn’t hard to guess why she put it on that finger.
If those were her genuine feelings, as a man, Ainz might have been glad, but her feelings were the result of his fiddling. Guilt smoldered in his heart.
“Albedo, the love you have for me is something I warped. It’s not how you really feel. So…” What else should I say? Would manipulating her memories with magic be the right way to handle this? Ainz faltered and couldn’t say anything more.
Albedo, still smiling, asked, “How was I before you changed me?”
A bitch.
Not that he could say that, though, so he wasn’t sure how to explain things. He looked calm on the outside, but inside he was frantically searching for a solution. Albedo, watching him, was again the first to speak: “In that case, I prefer my current self, so you don’t have to fret about it.”
“But…”
“But?”
Ainz was silent. He was getting some kind of unfathomable sign from her, as she continued to smile.
Since he wasn’t speaking, she continued. “There’s only one thing that’s important.” Ainz was waiting for her to continue, and she spoke in a sad voice. “I’m not a bother to you, am I?”
He opened his mouth and gazed at her face. Her words gradually sank into his brain—not that he thought he had one—and finally understood what she was trying to say. He hurried to her defense. “N-no, not at all.” He wasn’t upset about being loved by such a beauty. For now.
“So then, it’s fine, isn’t it?”
“Um…” It didn’t seem to be, but he couldn’t come up with a way to convince her.
“It’s fine, isn’t it?” she repeated.
Ainz definitely sensed something strange but asked as his last resort, “I distorted the backstory that Tabula gave you! Don’t you want to get the real you back?”
“I’m sure Tabula Smaragdina would forgive you as a father forgives his daughter for becoming someone’s bride.”
“Y-you think so?”
Is that really what he was like?
As Ainz was pondering that, there came a clatter of metal. When he looked in the direction it came from, there was a long sword on the ground. The death knight who was supposed to have been holding it was nowhere to be found. It had just been summoned a little while ago.
“Monsters summoned in the usual way return after their time limit is up… From the way the sword from this world fell to the floor, their gear was not a bond that would allow them to remain in this world. In that case, when using a corpse as a base for the summons, it doesn’t return because the tie to this world is stronger? If we had a pile of corpses we could use them to fortify Nazarick.”
“Then shall I gather a pile of corpses?”
“Let’s not go digging up Carne’s graveyard or anything.”
“Understood. But we should
come up with an idea how to gather a large amount of corpses. Now, then, if the death knight has vanished, it must be almost time for the meeting. Please come with Sebas. I’ll go on ahead.”
“Oh? All right, Albedo. See you later.”
Having left Ainz’s chamber, Albedo saw Sebas walking her way. “Sebas! Perfect timing.”
“Oh, Albedo. Is Lord Momonga in his chamber?”
“Yes, he is.” She felt slightly superior because Sebas was still calling him Lord Momonga.
Sebas raised an eyebrow. “You seem to be in a good mood. Did something nice happen?”
“Kind of.” Knowing about the name wasn’t the only reason she was happy. She was remembering her previous conversation with Ainz. She’d said “bride” and he hadn’t refused her or evaded. In other words… Her gentle expression twisted to become impure even for how evil she was. She would never wear that sort of smile in front of Ainz.
“Tee-hee-hee-hee-hee! I can get him. I’ll show her. I will be the one seated at his side! Shalltear can have a place to stand.” She whispered her aims not as captain of the floor guardians, but as a woman, and clenched her fists. “My succubus blood is boiling!”
Sebas looked on, a bit disgusted.
Ainz arrived in the Throne Room accompanied by Albedo. A great many beings were there, down on one knee to express their loyalty. No one moved; it was so still not even the sound of breathing could be heard. The noises were Ainz’s and Sebas’s footsteps and the clacking of the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown on the floor.
Ainz climbed the stairs and sat on the throne. Sebas, of course, stopped at the foot of the stairs and kneeled behind Albedo.
Having seated himself, Ainz silently surveyed the scene stretching out before the stairs. Almost all of the NPCs had gathered. The best part of this was seeing everyone all together; there were so many different beings it was like a parade of demons. He wanted to applaud once more the imaginative power of his guildmates who had brought all this forth.
Looking over everyone, he noticed a few people missing, but that was unavoidable. The ultra-giant golem Gargantua and Guardian of the Eighth Level Victim couldn’t get away. Not that it was to make up for their absence, but there were more than just NPCs gathered. There were many high-level minions, no doubt painstakingly selected by the floor guardians.
Even so, the Throne Room was so spacious it felt a little empty. The Throne Room was the heart of the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its most important area, so he understood why people would hesitate to admit minions, but he thought the rule could be relaxed a bit more.
But that’s a matter for another time. Ainz decided to address it at a later date and opened his mouth to speak: “First, I’m sorry I acted on my own,” he apologized in a voice that didn’t sound like he felt sorry at all. This was just for appearances; what was important was that he apologized. He’d acted at his own discretion, but he didn’t want those beneath him to think he didn’t trust them. “Ask Albedo what happened while we were gone, but there is one thing I want to tell all of you here right away. Greater Break Item!” Ainz cast a spell that could destroy magic items of up to a certain level. One of the big flags hanging down from the ceiling fell to the floor. The crest on it was Momonga’s.
“I changed my name. From now on, call me…” Ainz pointed his finger and gathered everyone’s eyes. “Call me Ainz Ooal Gown, Ainz for short.” His finger was pointing to the tapestry behind the throne with the guild’s crest. He struck the floor hard with his staff to get everyone’s attention. “Anyone with objections, stand and say so.”
No one had anything to say in response. Albedo spoke, beaming. “We have heard your honorable name. Hail, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown! To you, most noble one, Ainz Ooal Gown, we of the Great Tomb of Nazarick pledge our absolute loyalty!”
Then the guardians joined in. “Hail, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown! The one who brought the Supreme Beings together was you. To you we devote everything.
“Hail, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown! You are a king who wields horrific power. All beings must know your greatness!”
The NPCs’ and minions’ cheers echoed across the Throne Room.
Bathing in the praise, Ainz thought, Mates. What would you think of me monopolizing our proud name for myself? Would you be happy? Or would you furrow your brows? If you have an opinion, come and tell me. Tell me it’s not my name alone. When that time comes, I’ll gladly return to being Momonga.
He looked out at everyone below him. “I’m going to give a strict order now, a guideline for our policy going forward.” Ainz paused for a few moments. Everyone’s expressions had tensed. “Make Ainz Ooal Gown an enduring legend!” He thrust the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown into the floor with his right hand. The second he did, the colors from each of the jewels began to come out and shimmer in the air. “Where there are many heroes, crush them! Because Ainz Ooal Gown is the greatest hero. Make it known to all living creatures. If we come up against someone stronger than us, then make it known by something besides strength. If we come up against a mage who has a large number of men with him, then choose some other method. We’re still in the preparatory stages, but we must work toward the great day that will surely come. We must make it known that Ainz Ooal Gown is the greatest!”
He wanted to spread his name and get it into every ear in this world. His old friends, the guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown, were supposed to have quit, but there was still a possibility they might be here. That’s why he wanted to get to the legendary point where everyone knew his name.
On the earth, in the sky, and over the sea—all sentient beings must know. Then, it just might reach a former guild member. Ainz’s voice, brimming with ambition, was powerful enough so that everyone in the room could hear. Everyone bowed their heads, so in sync that the motion was audible. Their attitude could be called prayer or worship.
The throne looked a little lonely once Ainz had left, but excitement was still high in the Throne Room. Receiving orders from their absolute ruler and getting started on their tasks all together lit a flame of passion in each of their hearts. Especially zealous were the ones who had received a direct order.
“Everyone, raise your heads.” As if tugged by Albedo’s soft voice, everyone whose head had stayed bowed looked up. “Each one of you who has received a direct order, follow it humbly. Now, we have something important to discuss.” Her eyes never left the Ainz Ooal Gown tapestry behind the throne. The NPCs and minions behind her looked at it, too. “Demiurge, please tell everyone what Lord Ainz told you.”
“Understood.” He was still kneeling like everyone else, but his voice carried so all present could hear. “This is what Lord Ainz said to me while gazing at the night sky: ‘Perhaps the reason I came to this land was to acquire this untouched box of jewels,’ and then he continued. ‘No, I shouldn’t monopolize it. The Great Tomb of Nazarick, my friends in Ainz Ooal Gown, should be adorned as well.’ The ‘box of jewels’ here is this world. So here we see his true intention.” Demiurge smiled, but not warmly. “The last thing he said was, ‘Taking over the world does sound kind of fun.’ Which means…”
Something glinted in all of their eyes—the color of their determination.
Albedo slowly got to her feet and surveyed everyone’s faces, and they all gazed back at her, keeping an eye on the Ainz Ooal Gown tapestry behind her as well. “Comprehending Lord Ainz’s true intention and preparing to fulfill it is proof of our loyalty and the mark of able subjects. Know that our ultimate goal is to give this world, this box of jewels, to Lord Ainz.”
Albedo grinned ear to ear, turned around, and smiled at the tapestry. “Lord Ainz, we will make this world yours without fail.” Her voice echoed as she continued. “We will give all this world has to offer to its true ruler, Lord Ainz!”
Afterword
To you who are reading this afterword, nice to meet you. I’m the author, Kugane Maruyama.
This book is a version of the Overlord I first released on the Web, revamped with new characters, deleted scenes, and othe
r edits. Thank you very much for buying it. If you are just flipping through, I’m sending vibes so you’ll take it to the check-out counter. Hrmmm.
The protagonist of this story is a great caster skeleton and the leader of a large evil organization—no matter how you look at him, he’s pretty much a final boss. So this is a great book for people who can’t believe that the heroes in books and movies save people for free, never put their own interests first, etc. Maybe! It’s pretty nasty.
This work has been out for quite a while on the Web, but I added some pretty major new characters for the book version. I really hope you like them.
Anyhow, this is the afterword, but to be honest, I don’t have much to write here. So please allow me to say some thank-yous:
To the editor I gave so much trouble to, F-ta, and to so-bin, who provided the fascinatingly beautiful illustrations: I’d like to give a special thanks.
And to Code Design Studio, who made the amazingly cool cover, and to Osako for correcting so many proofs: thank you so much.
Then, a thank-you to the people who sent me their impressions of the Web version and to all those who read it. If you hadn’t thought it was interesting, it probably would never have gotten turned into a book.
Also to my friend from college Honey, who checked the manuscript for inconsistencies and unclear spots: I’ll bother you again, so thanks in advance.
Finally, a thank-you to everyone who bought this book. I really hope you think it’s a fun read.
By the way, I’m planning even more edits, added text, and new scenes for Volume 2. It’s practically going to be a whole new book, so I’m already sobbing about how little time I have to finish it. Please stick around!
Okay, I think I’ll leave off here. Thank you so much, again! I hope you’ll continue reading.
Well then, see you.
The Undead King Page 24