Overlord: The Undead Oh! Chapter 53

'''Assemble! Ambience''' (あつまれ！環境音) is the fifty-third chapter of the Overlord: The Undead Oh! series.

Summary
Ainz Ooal Gown sits on his bed as he flips through a book. There is a maid present nearby sitting at attention, though her presence is making Ainz uncomfortable. But there is little he can do as it was agreed upon to allow each of the general maids a single day to attend him in order to get them to take holidays. However he finds the need for them to watch over him while he sleeps to be unnecessary, worse its disturbing to have then intensely watch all his actions. The silence is noted to be also eerie and unappealing when he is working.

This brings into mind about an item that could play YGGDRASIL's background music (BGM). Though Ainz is cautious in mentioning this as he feels that it will give Chacmool and the Erich String Orchestra an excuse to come in as they will feel that having a live orchestra is better. Some background music is believed by Ainz would help focus his unease. He recalls from his memories that Whitebrim once told him and Herohero that he listened to background music to concentrate on drawing his illustrations and manga. In fact his guild mate's favorite BGM was a three hour bonfire video. It helped him concentrate while at a café, which Punitto Moe referred it as ambience noise, confirming that there have been studies that show that having some noise while working is more effective than being in silence.

Ainz takes an interest and notes that he once did a search for ambience noises like running rivers, waves, insects and rain. He considers maybe using Cocytus in this effect. The idea is dismissed as it would be a waste to have a Floor Guardian to act as his personal BGM, though he considers using a lower rank undead. The rattling of a skeleton's bones would serve as ambience noise, though the same effect could work if he gave the summon adzuki beans in a rice sifter to simulate the sound of waves. Though the thought of doing something like that is viewed as ridiculous. Now that Ainz thinks about it, there might not be a need to play ambient noise directly.

Later Ainz went to the Treasury and direct Pandora's Actor to locate a item that could record sounds for him. While the Overlord does not recall the item's name, he knows that it was a gacha item that the guild obtained some time ago. It was used on a long chat with the guild members that lasted until midnight. "Hotaru no Hikari" sung by Bukubukuchagama was recorded on it. Pandora's Actor entranced by the story asks if the song by something that moved the Supreme Beings.

The item is finally found, which is the Sound Recorder. Aware that his creator wants to record ambient sound and given the ample supply of the magic item, Pandora's Actor suggests having the Floor Guardians make the record for him. Since Ainz will be away for a week as Momon, he decides to allow the Guardians the task with the Area Guardian to explain the details. Ainz also takes one Sound Recorder for himself to record the sounds from the outside.

In his Momon persona with Nabe, the two are at a bar which the former finds to be tooo noisy. So they try the market to get a recording of the ambient market noise, but are pestered by the adoring fans of Momon. Since the recording is ruined, Momon contemplates on deleting it, but Nabe suggests that he bring it back to Nazarick as a souvenir. As it will give those at home the opportunity to hear how much their master is loved in the outside world. The idea is appealing to Momon who decides to also include other ambient natural sounds.

Ainz teleports back to the Treasury where he finds Pandora's Actor humming a tune near a Sound Recorder. When made aware of his creator's presence, Pandora's Actor chastises him for coming without permission as a recording is taking place. However Ainz tells the Area Guardian to stop acting childish. Anyways he tells his creation that he did not find listening to someone humming to a be an ambient noise.

Pandora's Actor then presents his master a box filled with Sound Recorders containing sounds recorded by the different Floor Guardians. Among the recordings, the Area Guardian warns his master that one belongs to Shalltear Bloodfallen. Her current recording contains sounds of her 'daily life' in her chambers. The sounds coming from it are not age appropriate. In light of this Shalltear submitted a second recording or what sounds like running water. At first Ainz thinks its no different from the ambient sounds of a river, until Pandora's Actor enlightens him that Shalltear recorded this while bathing so that Ainz could think of her. Due to the indecent content, it is rejected.

The next one belongs to Mare Bello Fiore taking place in Ashurbanipal with quiet paging turning sounds. Mare thought the sounds there would be appropriate though believed it was too quiet so asked the Head Librarian to add some additional soothing noise. Still its shows the level of details Mare put into his recording.

Aura Bella Fiora's recording requires it to be played in a loop. Ainz listening to it, notices the breathing rhythm. It is confirmed to be Fenn's breath. The sound confuses Ainz, though Pandora's Actors claims this is the sound which is associated with a Beast Tamer.

Cocytus's recording is of the frozen wastes of the 5th Floor which Ainz notes that he could feel cool from the sound. That and he is glad that that it was not focused on the Frozen Prison and its horrible din. Demiurge's recording is one that is dreaded by Ainz, as it sounds like it may include animals and humans wailing. According to the comments from Demiurge it from the Abelion Sheep Ranch that produced high quality skins. According to him its suppose to be a pleasant bleating. The term Abelion Sheep is unknown to Ainz though he trusts Demiurge, thinking it to be some kind of special animal.

Albedo's recording is of the sounds in a kitchen to add a romantic newly wed sound for her master. However Ainz points out that Albedo doesn't have any cooking skills. Pandora's Actor assumes that Albedo compensated by boiling only water and made chopping sounds with a knife.

There are others who were interested in submitting recordings but they declined as their work was not perfect for Ainz. Sebas Tian tried to make a recording of the roaring activity in the dining hall with the general maids, but they were all so nervous that it became silent. On the other hand, Lupusregina Beta submitted a recording of an eavesdropped conversation of the Bareare family in Carne Village, but was deleted to protect their privacy.

There is one last recording in the box, but Pandora's Actor frantically claims that it has problems. That does not dissuade Ainz who decides to listen to the recorder. What comes out is a horrifying sound that causes him to throw it away in disgust. The item continues playing until Pandora's Actor catches it and quickly pauses the sound.

Character Appearance

 * Demiurge (Cameo)
 * Pulcinella (Cameo)
 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Herohero (Flashback)
 * Punitto Moe (Flashback)
 * Cocytus (Cameo)
 * Pandora's Actor
 * Tabula Smaragdina (Flashback)
 * Nishikienrai (Flashback)
 * Ulbert Alain Odle (Flashback)
 * Bukubukuchagama (Flashback)
 * Nabe
 * Cixous (Cameo)
 * Lumière (Cameo)
 * Shalltear Bloodfallen (Cameo)
 * Mare Bello Fiore (Cameo)
 * Fenn (Cameo)
 * Aura Bella Fiora (Cameo)
 * Quadracile (Cameo)
 * Nigredo (Cameo)
 * Neuronist Painkill (Cameo)
 * Albedo (Cameo)
 * Sebas Tian (Cameo)
 * Lupusregina Beta (Cameo)
 * Nfirea Bareare (Cameo)
 * Enri Emmot (Cameo)

Locations

 * Abelion Hills
 * Great Tomb of Nazarick
 * Treasury
 * Adipocere Chamber
 * Ashurbanipal
 * Carne Village

Chapter Notes

 * This chapter first appears in the Monthly Comp Ace December 2021 Issue.