Momonga wandered the halls of Nazarick with a mencholic expression. It had been two years since he was left behind to defend the guild alone. He didn’t resent his friends for it—after all, they had spent many good years together in YGGDRASIL. But real-life responsibilities couldn’t be ignored, and not everyone had the luxury of focusing on a game forever.

  They had lives to return to, and Momonga—Satoru Suzuki, the man behind the avatar—understood that. He really did. Yet, despite his rational mind knowing the reasons, a bitter feeling still lingered. A part of him bmed himself for not trying harder to enjoy the real world.

  But how could he? Out there, the air was so polluted that wearing a gas mask was necessary just to breathe properly. The people were normal, sure, as long as they followed the rules that kept them content. Respectful at best, indifferent at worst—but none of that mattered when compared to how truly toxic the world had become.

  It was a hellhole, and YGGDRASIL had been his escape. Over the past two years, he had tried other games, even pyed multipyer with friends, but none had the same pull. Was he addicted? Maybe. Not that it mattered.

  Nazarick was emptier than ever, with only the NPCs left to keep him company. Most of them didn’t talk much—they were there to defend the guild, and they did their job well. Or rather, the ones on the first floor did. For some time now, no one had dared to raid them with hundreds of mercenary NPCs.

  The st he heard from Nishikienrai, there was some rumor circuting on the forums—something about Nazarick being too customized, with whispers that its builders were actually developers in disguise. It was obviously a hoax, but a few guildmates suspected that Bellriver and Punitto Moe had started the rumors just for fun.

  Still, were the first-floor NPCs really that terrifying? Momonga doubted it. He believed most pyers simply underestimated Nazarick, expecting an easy win and failing to prepare accordingly.

  ‘That, or they just didn’t bother buying anything from the shop,’ he mused, amused by the thought. As much as he hated to admit it, YGGDRASIL was a pay-to-win game. Anyone willing to invest in premium items could gain an edge over others, even in the te game. But that was just the nature of microtransactions.

  Momonga opened his message log one st time. He had asked his friends if they wanted to log in and say farewell to YGGDRASIL together, but most had declined. At least they responded. Touch Me hadn’t even done that. What happened to him?

  Before he could dwell on it further, a new login notification caught his attention.

  “HeroHero-san!” He turned quickly, eyes lighting up at the familiar name. “It’s been a while!”

  The getinous form of his old friend pulsed slightly, a grinning emoticon appearing on its surface. “Yeah, it really has.”

  Momonga frowned. The voice coming from the slime sounded exhausted. “Are you okay? You didn’t have to log in, you know. You didn’t need to force yourself.”

  HeroHero let out a tired chuckle. “I’m fine. Thanks for worrying about me.” He paused before continuing, voice ced with nostalgia. “I just wanted to see this pce one st time, you know? We had some good years together.”

  Momonga nodded silently. Now he was really starting to feel the weight of it all…

  “The first floor still undefeated?” HeroHero asked.

  “Yes, but the raiders keep getting fewer and fewer,” Momonga sighed. “It’s probably a sign that the game is dying.”

  “Well, thanks for keeping the guild alive, Momonga-san.” HeroHero hesitated for a moment. “Maybe we can py together again in the future? Another VRMMO, maybe?”

  “…Hopefully.” Momonga nodded, though he wasn’t sure if he truly believed it. “You should rest. You sound exhausted.”

  HeroHero chuckled again. “I am.” Another grinning emoticon appeared. “Thanks.”

  And with that, he logged out, leaving Momonga alone.

  The Overlord sighed. He didn’t want to bme them for leaving. That was just his selfishness talking. They had already given years of their lives to this game. The proof of their dedication stood behind him—the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, a testament to the time they had invested in Nazarick together.

  Reaching out, he grasped the floating staff. This was his weapon now. The others had decided it suited him, despite its near-World Item level of power. He had never felt like he truly deserved it—until Peroroncino and Ulbert reminded him that he had been the one keeping the guild afloat. Maybe they were right.

  Leaving the meeting hall, he found the servant NPCs standing at attention. “Follow,” he commanded, and they moved in perfect unison behind him.

  Tabu’s programming shone through as the maids waited for him to pass Yuri Alpha before falling into formation. Behind him, Sebas took his pce at the lead, with Yuri Alpha following, and the rest of the maids filing in behind her. Even in their thoughtless state, the NPCs maintained a clear hierarchy. It was fascinating—he wondered how his friends had managed to code them so well.

  He entered the throne room, immediately noticing Albedo standing motionless near his throne. He approached her, curiosity piqued.

  What secrets did Tabu hide in her?

  Opening her settings, his eyes widened at the sheer wall of text before him. He scrolled through it, intrigued by its length—until he reached the end.

  And there, in pin text, he found something unsavory.

  [Acts prim and proper but is secretly a slut.]

  Momonga felt the urge to facepalm. Tabu-san…!

  Gncing around, he eyed the servant NPCs warily. No, they won’t judge me. Even so, he instinctively shifted the HUD to hide the text—just in case.

  A sigh escaped him as he hesitated for a moment before editing the line.

  [Is deeply in love with Momonga.]

  His nonexistent heart skipped a beat. Why am I blushing?! Well, technically, he wasn’t. But he would be if he could.

  Closing Albedo’s HUD, he seated himself on the throne, waiting for the server shutdown. When the clock struck midnight, a bell chimed—

  And nothing happened.

  He blinked.

  “…Momonga-sama?”

  A sweet, saccharine voice washed over him, and he flinched. Where…?

  Turning, his gaze met golden eyes brimming with concern. Albedo?

  “Are you alright?” she asked.

  “I-I’m fine,” he stammered. Then he inhaled—something sweet. A scent? That wasn’t in the game before…

  His eyes darted downward. Wait. He hesitated before clearing his throat. “…Albedo, can I squeeze your chest?”

  Readily, the succubus presented herself without hesitation.

  There was no resistance.

  That was… concerning.

  When he gave a cautious squeeze, she let out a strange sound.

  …They’re soft.

  That thought barely registered before something shifted within him. A strange calm settled over his mind, washing away his surprise. Then, realization struck him. Something is wrong.

  The game should have shut down.

  Where is my HUD?!

  He quickly tried to call for the devs, or maybe technical support—

  Nothing.

  “Sebas.”

  “Yes, Momonga-sama?” The butler’s tone was ironcd as always.

  “Check the surroundings outside the tomb,” Momonga ordered. Sebas bowed before swiftly departing.

  Momonga frowned. A pyer raid? No, that didn’t make sense.

  “My love… is something the matter?”

  He flinched.

  What did she just call me?

  Turning to Albedo, he found her squirming under his gaze. He blinked, then—his emotions calmed.

  If my HUD is gone, does that mean I can’t cast spells? That was a problem.

  And then there were the NPCs… They felt too lifelike. He needed to test their capabilities.

  “Albedo, summon the Guardians to the Sixth Floor.”

  “Yes, Momonga-sama.” She bowed.

  “I’ll be in my quarters first. I’ll teleport to the Sixth Floor once I’m ready.”

  If the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown still worked, that would tell him a lot. And if he could still cast spells… then he needed to figure out exactly what was going on.