Overlord: The Undead Oh! Chapter 70

Welcome to the Oldest Library (最古図書館へようこそ) is the seventieth chapter of the Overlord: The Undead Oh! series.

Summary
Librarian J helps retrieve a book for Yuri Alpha from a shelf. The Pleiades thanks the elder lich, who says it is nothing as the maid's work in the orphanage is a big undertaking and to feel free to come back when she needs more information. Yuri marvels how Ashurbanipal is a treasure trove of knowledge. Librarian J pities that there are no children picture books in the library, but offers a monster picture book, one chapter detailing the Eyeball Corpse. Yuri sweating though declines and believes that they can come back to this topic later.

Neuronist Painkill arrives at the library with a book to return The World's Best which she found very helpful in making a Ainz's brand perfume which the lich remembers is a hobby of hers. The librarian asks what else she wants to borrow. Neuronist is fine for now from what she got from the perfume book. Though she asks the lich if he has any fashion related literature such as a book for beginner that contains instructions on how to make handmade clothing.

The lich guides her to the collection. On the way he asks why the interest in making clothes. Neuronist explains she like to make a robe like Ainz wears, causing Librarian J to ask if she is making a handmade gift for the Overlord. But Neuronist states that this is for her. In fact she plans to make her Ainz perfume and spray it on her handmade robe.

The Brain Eater explains she got this idea after seeing Ainz's robe in a basket in the dressing rooms of the baths. Whilst Ainz was bathing she took time to enjoy the scent off the robe of the undead.

Librarian J thinks Neuronist is a bit delusional though it does little to dissuade Neuronist to continue her plans to create a fragrance of Ainz Ooal Gown. Even so the lich provides the torturer the self-help book, How To Use Expertly for the t ask.

After bidding Neuronist goodbye Librarian J was just about to go an arrange the returned books back on the shelves when he spots the Sous-chef browsing the bookshelves. The undead greets the myconid with a good evening.

The cook wants a book on chemical experiments. This interest causes the lich if this is some sort of new hobby for Sous-chef. But is stunned when the cook tells him its more life homework for himself as he wants to learn how to cheat by making a dish with a buff effect. According to Librarian J that in Nazarick if one tries to cook without a cooking skill to make a dish for buffing effects the result will always fail.

The myconid agrees but asks why a dish like a steak turn into charcoal when this happens? For him he can only make drinks with his cooking skills, but there should be a way for him to make other dishes with just his little skills. To to how he intends to find out, Sous-chef believes that the science of chemistry holds the answer, specifically the Maillard reaction in which when a food item like meat is grilled it become brown which can indicate signs of being edible or well done. He hopes that by experimenting with the Maillard reaction he can achieve some results. The elder lich that this is quite advance as he never heard of this effect which the myconid admits that he learned about it from Demiurge and would like to challenge himself.

Sadly the lich can't think of any material that he can provide to the cook, as he doesn't know much about cooking but promises to look into it. The myconid believes that is because the lich is unable to eat of drink. He then tells the lich that there is a common compound in cooking called strychnine but it can also act as a poison.

After heling the cook the librarian resumes his duties going through his routine. Beside those like the Sous-chef who come to the library when they need knowledge, he also gets other visitors who are regulars such as Increment. The maid comes to Librarian J to return a book after she finished reading it. As it was funny, the maid asks if the lich recommends any others to which the undead offers to give her works by the same author.

Though Increment knows what she wants but only knows the abbreviation of the title. The name of the title is "Ackroyd" which the lich instantly recognizes as "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". Librarian Be agrees he knows that it is a murder novel and agrees to help her find it. Increment states that she was recommended the book by Lupusregina Beta while at the cantina. According to the PLeiades it was a interesting. Increment also heard that the book was part of a series which helps the librarian find it easier.

However he offers her a new book that is also a series, The Devil Summoner Wants to Hang Out ~A Beautiful Devil Girl's Self-Depraved Life On A Harem Farm!?~. Upon hearing the title Increment moves to leave, but Librarian J is adamant that despite the misleading title its a funny book. Although wary of the book, Increment in the end decides to try reading it. Before the maid leaves, the librarian recommends making sure to heck behind her when she reads which Increment promises to make sure Decrement doesn't get too close to her.

Aft wards the librarians is vested by Sebas Tian and Tuareninya Veyron who is seeking a novel for the human girl to read. Librarian B asks if they prefer a book without any human death, which according to the butler would be acceptable. Librarian J takes the role to find an appropriate book for them. The Librarian goes through various titles that would be suitable for the human girl, such as Carrie, Anne of Green Gables, when he remembers that Tuare will not be able to read the kanji characters. Sebas Tian is already awrre of that and will read for her. This brings a smile on Tuare, who looks forward to the reading causing the butler to fluster.

Librarian J selects Daddy-Long-Legs for Tuare who he assures is not relate dto any monster despite the title. For Sebas Tian the lich offers him How the Younger Generation Thinks! Uncle Ike's Secret, but is given a pass by the butler.

Later whilst making something crafts in a box, the librarian detects someone at the front desk. It is Shalltear Bloodfallen who is seeking something. That being the lending history of Ainz Ooal Gown. The lich rejects giving the information to the vampire causing the latter to yank his robe demanding why he won't help since it a librarian's job to provide information. However the lich explains that he can't give it to her as the lending history is personal information.

Shalltear refuses to budge on the issue and begins banging on Librarian J's call bell to his dismay. This behavior does not convince the lich to change his mind as he states that it is his duty of a librarian to protect the secrets of a user. Aggravated Shalltear says she is going home, with Librarian J replying that she is welcome to come back if she wants to read a book. Once the Floor Guardian is gone, the elder lich sighs with relief that the drama is over.

Unknown to him, Ainz Ooal Gown watched the scene via [Complete Unknowable]. The Overlord has been going to the library incognito to avoid people from knowing what books he has been checking out, which are all business books like "To Be A Good Leader". Hence if anyone checks his lending history they would not find anything embarrassing.

His attention focuses on Librarian J as he never knew that there was such a straight arrow lich working at the library. Already he cane see that the undead takes his job seriously and is already back to work. It turns out that the crafts that Librarian J was working on are bookmarks that he made for visitors to freely take and use. Mare arrives seeking to see the Chief Librarian about the rare book. Librarian J welcomes the dark elf and escorts him to the room where Titus is working.

Ainz follows the pair while invisible and overhears Librarian J explaining that they have kept the book under strict control due to the special circumstances. When Mare finally meets Titus Annaeus Secundus, the skeleton mage presents the Renrakucho. This bewilders Ainz who recognizes it shocked that the NPCs have it.

The book was an item Ainz Ooal Gown used as a notebook/message board to jot down messages when they came through the Round Table Room which was the login point to enter Nazarick for the guild members. But last time he checked that book was not kept in the library but in the Treasury. It was mainly used to record notifications and pass announcements to the rest of the guild. Like Peroroncino seeking Demon Dragon scale, etc. But he is more embarrassed when the two try to decipher the written in the pages. Titus mistakenly thinks that the words are from a lost civilization, but is reality is merely old internet slang.

Mare notices that the some of the words in the book are written by the same hand. Unknown to them Ainz knows that its simply due to the book really being a magic item which could conjure a console board to input the words directly into the book. Thankfully it means they won't be able to determine who wrote what but still has various odd notes such as random game of shiritori. Ainz hopes to sneak the book away before they see too much.

However when he hears Titus asking Mare to keep the book a secret as the item as it a link of the personal interactions between the Supreme Beings. While it was kept only for the library staff the Chief Librarian asks the dark elf to keep its existence discreet. Mare assure him the knowledge of the book's existence is safe with him. Upon seeing this, Ainz changes his mind about reclaiming the book as it is important to the librarian and knows he could trust him to keep the item safe.

Later Ainz goes to the Treasury where he learns that Pandora's Actor may have misplaced a super rare book in the library.

In Order of Appearance

 * Ainz Ooal Gown
 * Bukubukuchagama (Cameo)
 * Peroroncino (Cameo)
 * Luci★Fer (Cameo)
 * Herohero (Cameo)
 * Punitto Moe (Cameo)
 * Warrior Takemikazuchi (Cameo)
 * Éclair Éklair Éklare (Cameo)
 * Librarian J
 * Yuri Alpha
 * Librarian B
 * Neuronist Painkill
 * Sous-chef
 * Demiurge (Cameo)
 * Increment
 * Sebas Tian
 * Tuareninya Veyron
 * Shalltear Bloodfallen
 * Mare Bello Fiore
 * Titus Annaeus Secundus
 * Pandora's Actor

Locations

 * Great Tomb of Nazarick
 * Ashurbanipal

Chapter Notes

 * This chapter first appears in Monthly Comp Ace July 2023 Issue.