Overlord: The Undead Oh! Chapter 31

Shalltear And Living Funeral (シャルティアと生前葬) is the thirty-first chapter of the Overlord: The Undead Oh! series.

Summary
Albedo finishes going over the daily report. The first is Sebas Tian's proposal for the cleaning staff to improve efficiency with Ainz Ooal Gown. Just as he approves the first item, Albedo nonchalantly tells him the second item that he also has been invited to attend the funeral of Shalltear Bloodfallen in the funeral home on the 9th Floor. The second item causes Ainz to pause asking himself if he heard correctly. He asks why a funeral is being hosted since Shalltear is not deceased. Albedo explains that it's a "living funeral." The Overlord fears that this is some sort of bullying tactic on Shalltear, but is stunned when he hears that it was Shalltear who arranged it.

One week before, Shalltear was having tea with Albedo and Aura Bella Fiora. They were talking about Aura's upcoming mission outside Nazarick, to which Shalltear muses that she wants to be allowed out in the field for a change. The two other Floor Guardians try to silently avoid speaking about how Shalltear's last field mission went, but the vampire senses that's what they are thinking, stating that she was under mental control at the time and not at fault. Shalltear wants another opportunity to serve, even willing to risk her life, which Aura berates her for saying as her death has already caused Ainz pain enough, not to mention how expensive it was as it costed 500 million gold coins to resurrect her. When Albedo mentions that she was glad that the resurrection worked and didn't have to hold a funeral, Shalltear gets the idea to host one for herself. Albedo tries to tell her that hosting a funeral for someone is not just for the deceased but for the ones close to her. Shalltear though wants one for herself so she can experience the feelings of those who were affected by her death and perhaps maybe help her move past her blunder.

Her persistence convinces Aura and Albedo to go along in making arrangements for her funeral. Having never planned for a funeral for an undead, much less a vampire, the two wonder how to proceed. Aura thinks that they just need to pour a vampire's ashes into a river, but Shalltear states that's only for making sure vampires stay dead. Albedo then suggests they shouldn't factor race into account as humans have many different kinds of burials depending on region and religion. Albedo recalls that Shalltear is a divine magic caster and that her patron god, Cainabel, shouldn't have any particular rule in how people should mourn the deceased. Shalltear then tries praying to her god and comes up with an idea of having the funeral attendees come naked and entwined with one another while thinking of the deceased. The idea is of course rejected by her companions. It was eventually agreed that the mourners would wear the usual black clothes for the occasion and send out invitations for the event.

After Albedo finishes explaining the events that led to the funeral, both she and Ainz are already dressed in black and on their way to the funeral home on the 9th Floor. There they are surprised to find Demiurge is going along with the funeral organized by Shalltear as he believes that the event was a good way to encourage Shalltear. Also present are Aura and her brother Mare Bello Fiore, who are shocked that their master Ainz was invited to the funeral. Finding that Shalltear had gotten their master involved, Aura begs Ainz to hurry and leave.

Lupusregina Beta steps up to the podium as the facilitator of the funeral and asks all the attendees to take their seats. She the gives the floor to the guest of honor for the funeral, Shalltear Bloodfallen, who is now dressed in a white robe and corpse hat and thanks everyone for coming to her event. Both Ainz and Mare are confused that the deceased is leading the ceremony at a funeral but continue to observe as it's an undead funeral. Lupusregina then informs the mourners that Shalltear will be on standby in the casket at the podium floor. Before starting with the flower offerings, Lupusregina asks Ainz to say a few words. Already nervous on what to say at an event like this, Ainz maintains a dignified look before the guests stating that someone much closer to the deceased should speak first. Seeing his point, the maid agrees and schedules his speech to be made last. Aura and Mare are then called to the podium, as they are the closest familial relationships to Shalltear since they are the children of Bukubukuchagama, the sister of Peroroncino who was the creator of Shalltear.

Lupusregina asks the elves to accept the flowers from one of the maid attendees. Each mourner would then go up to the casket and place the flowers around Shalltear and say a word of comfort. Aura is the first to go and after placing her offering, states that Shalltear should be careful for the next time which causes Shalltear to criticize her for more gentler words. More of Shalltear's colleagues come to the casket and give their flower offerings and words of condolences. Solution Epsilon especially comes before the casket and gives an "professional mourning," crying in tears before her. Other guests like Demiurge, Cocytus, and Albedo come to the casket and offer words of advice to Shalltear. Ainz is the last person to come before Shalltear's casket. However to his surprise rather being given white flowers, he is instead give red roses. The maid explains that the bouquet is a symbol of Ainz's virtue to Shalltear, which makes Ainz suspect that Shalltear is expecting him to propose.

Going before her casket with the flowers, Ainz tells her that he is sorry for causing her to die. To his shock, he sees Shalltear puckering her lips and tells him that she will be revived if he kisses her, Unable to respond to this, Albedo literally drops the lid on the casket. Shalltear is annoyed that she was denied her kiss, meekly terrified by Albedo's farewell that is veiled as a threat for doing something like that. The Floor Guardian then apologizes to everyone for all the trouble she caused, promising to work hard to restore their trust in the future if given the chance. But she adds an offer to Ainz to join him in his bed, Albedo responds by kicking the casket, with Shalltear in it, out the funeral home.

Character Appearance

 * Aura Bella Fiora
 * Shalltear Bloodfallen
 * Albedo
 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Demiurge
 * Mare Bello Fiore
 * Cocytus
 * Lupusregina Beta
 * Peroroncino (Cameo)
 * Bukubukuchagama (Cameo)
 * Solution Epsilon

Known Locations

 * Great Tomb of Nazarick

Chapter Notes

 * This chapter first appears in the Monthly Comp Ace October 2019 Issue.