Overlord: The Undead Oh! Chapter 57

'''STOP! Doomsday''' (STOP！終末) is the fifty-seventh chapter of the Overlord: The Undead Oh! series.

Summary
The Floor Guardians gather on the 7th Floor, where they have come across an unusual fixture. Said fixture resembles a street clock though only a quarter of the clock is shown. Confused at its purpose, Mare Bello Fiore asks Demiurge what is it. The 7th Floor Guardian ominously states that what the clocks reaches midnight it will signify that Ainz Ooal Gown will abandon them and be the end of everything. Hence Demiurge calls it the Doomsday Clock. Once upon a time the Great Tomb of Nazarick was ruled by the Forty-One Supreme Beings, but now there remains only one. Thus Demiurge impresses upon the Floor Guardians that the must show their loyalty to Ainz so that he may never be disappointed in them and leave. He makes a quip at Shalltear Bloodfallen for failing in this, much to her shame.

Demiurge states that more Ainz loses trust in them, the closer the needle on the clock will reach midnight. The clock acts as an indicator to maintain a sense of urgency to the crisis of Ainz's possibility of abandoning Nazarick. Albedo notices that the clock only has 8 minutes to midnight. For the losing time, Demiurge attributes it towards the failures of Cocytus and Sebas Tian's allege treason. Though Demiurge assures his peers that the needle can turn back, so long as they show their loyalty to their master. However since Demiurge will be away from the 7th Floor for awhile, he will not be able to actively adjust the needle, so he gives the task to Evil Lord Greed, Evil Lord Envy, and Evil Lord Wrath to manage the Doomsday Clock.

When Demiurge returns to his floor, he wonders what is the status of the Doomsday Clock, however he is stunned to find that the situation has worsen as the clock indicates that it is only 5 minutes away from midnight. Demiurge asks Greed and Envy what has happened since he was away. The two Evil Lords nervously recounts that it stems from Albedo, who had attacked Ainz and needed to be confined for several days, as well as getting into a quarrel with Shalltear. After hearing this Demiurge snaps his fingers to alight Wrath on fire to the horror of the other two Evil Lords.

Furious at these developments, Demiurge in his Imp form angrily approaches Albedo who is in the Throne Room with a terrified Shalltear in tow. Albedo seems unsurprised at Demiurge appearance, calmly but quickly makes a dash to escape. Demiurge pursues Albedo, eventually catching her and later makes her kneel next to Shalltear to explain their actions for the state of the Doomsday Clock. Seeing that a preventative measure needs to be taken to avoid reoccurring incidents, Demiurge orders them to "not get excited in Ainz's presence", something that the two female Floor Guardians dread and are doubtful they can do. Demiurge though rebukes stating that they need to have self-control. Annoyed at their antics, Demiurge states that there are others in Nazarick who aren't as unscrupulous as them, such as Nigredo and Pestonya Shortcake Wanko and they would go against Ainz's orders and risk punishment to help human children. Since Ainz showed them leniency, it is proof of his merciful character but Demiurge warns that they should not keep relying on that aspect of their master. If they can't control themselves then Demiurge recommends that they avoid Ainz in the future but even that suggestion seems unbearable to the women.

Ainz Ooal Gown in his office curious as to why Albedo has not come to see him, asks the attending maid on her whereabouts only to be told that Albedo is working on the management of the dungeon as a whole. The reason sounds in alignment of what Albedo's original purpose was for Nazarick, though he worries perhaps maybe she is avoid him like he is cursed. He remembers his involvement in making Albedo infatuated with him by changing her settings and the action causes him much embarrassment as he is unable to respond properly to her advances. Though the thought about Albedo gives him an idea to be open about his feels. Ainz locates Albedo in the Throne Room, but before he can speak, Albedo frantically calls out to him to wait until there is a line of Eight-Edge Assassins between them. Once the summons are between them, Ainz asks the Overseer Guardian as to why she is avoiding him. On the other end, Albedo struggles to keep cool her demeanor but every time she is near Ainz it excites causing her to lose rationality. Unaware of what is going on. Ainz believes that Albedo's behavior is a result of the cold attitude he maintain between them. The undead tries to apologize for his rigidness, stating that he loves everyone equally in Nazarick. This only causes to make her blush and calls out to him to take better care of himself before ordering the Eight-Edge Assassins to escort Ainz out of the room before she loses it. The summons do not argue with the Overseer Guardian and quickly usher Ainz away.

Back in his office, Ainz realizes that not just Albedo is acting strangely but also Shalltear has been avoiding him. Aura Bella Fiora comes to visit Ainz to show him the research results on the mandrakes raised in Nazarick which can no parrot "All Hail Ainz Ooal Gown". The event is pleasant to Ainz as he wishes Albedo and Shalltear could resume activities of reporting new daily updates to him. Though he is confused as to why Aura also brought Envy along to witness this. Lately several of his subordinates seem to want to report to him with the presence of an Evil Lord.

At the Doomsday Clock, Shalltear and Albedo are shocked to see that there has been no change in the time at 5 minutes until midnight. Albedo doesn't understand as she and Shalltear have kept their distance from Ainz and also the other Floor Guardians have been pleasing him to no end. Even Shalltear admits that the needle on the clock should have gone back. This brings the question on whether the evaluation of Ainz's status is not strict enough and maybe the Evil Lords are slacking. The Evil Lords are fearfully indignant at the accusation as if they were found out to have made an error, they would be at risk of being set afire. Aura thinks that they can't really measure it, since the device was set up by Demiurge who is the most meticulous of them all. Still Albedo argues that as long as they don't make mistake with Demiurge's supervision there should be at least some improvement. Though knowing Demiurge is possible he underestimates things like he does with his own achievements so maybe his ideal is very high. The strictness is making this seem harder and it's apparently due to Demiurge is not appreciating his level of standard when it comes to Ainz Ooal Gown.

Albedo and Shalltear later with Ainz to his surprise, but is even more confused as when both women plead to him to appreciate Demiurge and compliment him. They ask for confidentiality and for their master to male Demiurge feel rewarded so that he may feel the magnitude of his achievements. Not understanding what they are talking about, Ainz agrees to do so as he has been wanting to thank Demiurge for his work in providing high quality skins from his ranch. While Demiurge is at his ranch, Ainz calls him on a [Message] to invite him for a session at Spa Resort Nazarick.

The next day at Spa Resort Nazarick, Demiurge arrives but he does not see any of the other Floor Guardians, but is beckoned by Ainz to follow him inside. Initially thinking the other males Guardians are already in, he is told otherwise by Ainz that he is the only one present. Demiurge excited by this joins Ainz in trying the cold baths before alternating to the saunas and then relaxing on lounge chairs. While laying down on the chairs, Ainz asks the Floor Guardian how he feels as he wants to know that Demiurge is the most meticulous individual and thus wanted to make such he was relaxed. Overwhelmed by the compliment, Demiurge thanks his master and asks him to feel freely to select him again, promising to commit himself to make sure his master owns everything in the world.

Afterwards the Evil Lords are surprised to find that the Doomsday Clock is gone. Demiurge in a jovial mood states that he removed it, stating it was disrespectful to think that Ainz Ooal Gown would even abandon them.

Character Appearance

 * Albedo
 * Shalltear Bloodfallen
 * Cocytus
 * Aura Bella Fiora
 * Mare Bello Fiore
 * Demiurge
 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Evil Lord Greed
 * Evil Lord Envy
 * Evil Lord Wrath
 * Pestonya Shortcake Wanko
 * Nigredo
 * Eight-Edge Assassin

Locations

 * Great Tomb of Nazarick
 * Throne Room
 * Spa Resort Nazarick

Chapter Notes

 * This chapter first appears in the Monthly Comp Ace May 2022 Issue.