Overlord: The Undead Oh! Chapter 26

Nazarick Hundred Tales (なざりっく百物語) is the twenty-sixth chapter of the Overlord: The Undead Oh! series.

Summary
The comic begins with the telling of a man exploring an abandoned building seeking if rumors of restless spirits there were true. He comes across a giant wardrobe cabinet whose doors are slightly ajar. Curious he opens it and peers inside. To his shock, he finds a "namakubi" of a dark-haired woman. Later it's revealed that the story is from a book being narrated by Mare Bello Fiore to several NPCs of Nazarick. Albedo asks if a "namakubi" is like a Dullahan, only to be answered by Yuri who responds in the negative. Mare found the story chilling and tries to blow out the candle to close the story. Aura is eager to hear more ghastly stories as she has yet to be scared, commenting that the story of the head in the cupboard is no different from what Yuri does on her off time.

Shalltear Bloodfallen is confused on what the point of these ghost stories are for as she thought this was a session for "dirty talk." Aura cries out who here in a gathering like this, save for Albedo, would want to be involved with something as lewd as that. Shalltear moans on the ground at misunderstanding this meeting.

That being said, Aura decides that they need a review and has Mare explain the concept of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai. Mare explains that a hundred candles are prepared and hit in a room where participants take turns telling ghost and monster stories. After a story is done, one candle is extinguished in the room. Supposedly when all one hundred candles are blown out after one hundred stories, a true monster will appear. Since the theme is about ghosts and monsters Narberal Gamma gives an account of how Hamsuke was originally afraid of Ainz Ooal Gown's appearance, but surprisingly got used to it, became friends with a Death Knight, and has no problem with interacting with various types of undead in Nazarick. After she ends her "story" some like Shalltear and Albedo wonder if that small gossip should even count as a ghost story. Even though it contained the right criteria, it wasn't scary at all. Shalltear wonders on the premise of the activity as ghosts and monsters in Nazarick are not scary existences but part of daily life. Mare agrees that the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai was invented by helpless humans who were afraid of powerful monsters and the undead. But that cannot be helped as many books in Ashurbanipal were written by such a race, which causes Narberal to wonder if the Supreme Beings collected them to help them understand an inferior species.

Yuri tries another approach by talking about a scary experience. Three days ago while Yuri was doing her morning patrol on the 9th Floor, she encountered Entoma Vasilissa Zeta. Yuri, while being embraced by the other maid saw that there were several cockroaches coming from Entoma's sleeves. The story ends and the other women are aghast at hearing the ordeal. Albedo scolds Yuri for telling such an account as she does not want Kyouhukou to appear after the ghost story telling is done. The others agree and try to get their minds off from such a possibility. Aura questions why people would tell stories at the risk of summoning what they fear. In contrast, shouldn't they be talking about a hundred good stories and hope one of them comes true at the end?

Shalltear can't understand such an activity but comes up with an idea on the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai. If the one hundred stories are told and a monster appears at the end supposedly so why not talk about the Supreme Beings. The group see the logic in that, thinking that if they focus their desires in fear they could summon their creators through this game. Everyone is eager to continue the game in hopes to summon the Supreme Beings. To supplement the ghost stories, Yuri begins lighting more candles.

The group then reminisces the times when they observed their creators. Mare remembering Yamaiko asking his creator what kind of undergarment she gave him. Warrior Takemikazuchi asking Nishikienrai if he gave Narberal a pony tail because he was a ninja. Albedo remembers Momonga manning his console on the Throne of Kings. In Shalltear's case she recalls Peroroncino equipping her with new equipment. By the time Aura makes her story about Bukubukuchagama, around fifty-four stories have been told. Aura to demonstrate her creator's voice shows everyone her watch and is shocked that four hours have already passed since they started the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai. Albedo and Yuri stunned at the time decide to hurry to complete the game.

The second half of the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, was rushed but they managed to get to the one hundredth candle and story. But before the story is told, Albedo blows out the candle and ends the game. Aura and Shalltear demand why she did that. They begin to suspect her and accuse her of not wanting the Supreme Beings back as she did not speak of her creator Tabula Smaragdina. Albedo tries to state that summoning the Supreme Beings back when Nazarick's world domination was incomplete would be embarrassing but the two don't buy it. Unknown to them, Albedo thinks that she is doing them a service, saving them from more hurt as she believes that their creators abandoned them. Shalltear though intends to continue the hundred tales and reveals one last hundredth candle that she kept in reserve. She tells her story of how her creator Peroroncino was good friends with Ainz and asks him to come back. Suddenly a door opens and Ainz casts [Permanent Light], illuminating the room who asks if everything is alright. Uncomfortable at seeing their dumbfounded stares, Ainz tries to explain that he heard his name being called and so decided to take a look. Aura, Shallteara and Albedo seeing him appear wonder out loud if the Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai was a success much to Ainz's confusion as the group praises him as being the true Supreme Being.

At a later date in the library, a elder lich retrieved a book which containing a short story of Hyakumonogatari for Ainz. The Overlord reads the contents of the story and understands exactly what transpired.

Character Appearance

 * Shalltear Bloodfallen
 * Albedo
 * Aura Bella Fiora
 * Yuri Alpha
 * Mare Bello Fiore
 * Narberal Gamma
 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Hamsuke (Cameo)
 * Nishikienrai (Cameo)
 * Entoma Vasilissa Zeta
 * Kyouhukou (Cameo)
 * Herohero (Cameo)
 * Yamaiko (Cameo)
 * Peroroncino (Cameo)
 * Bukubukuchagama (Cameo)
 * Touch Me (Cameo)
 * Warrior Takemikazuchi (Cameo)
 * Tabula Smaragdina (Cameo)

Known Locations

 * Great Tomb of Nazarick
 * Ashurbanipal

Chapter Notes

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