I can't move. If I move, hmm…Narberal has been neutralized as well.
The fatalistic line of thought wove its way through the mind of Pandora's Actor as he looked down at the table where a variety of goods were arrayed before him.
On this busy first day of the grand opening, he was working full-time in his role as Momon: making his presence known to the citizenry, visiting with merchants and dignitaries alike. Initially, that had not been the plan: his Father had taken him aside a few days ago, instructing him to pose as the Sorcerer King. Momonga-sama would go out as Momon, where he could experience for himself the progress which had been made in E-Rantel.
Yes...that was the plan, and Pandora's Actor had very much wanted his Master to see all the accomplishments that he and his fellows had worked hard to achieve. But, that dawn, he made his way over to the former Mayor's residence and found Albedo waiting – no, blocking the door. With an angelic smile on her face, the Guardian Overseer had informed him that Ainz-sama had changed his mind and he would personally be holding audience all week as the Sorcerer King: with his Prime Minister at his side, of course. She then pointed to the gate leading to the rest of the city with Ginnungagap and suggested that Pandora's Actor be on his way in tones that were far too friendly.
And, so, he wandered about the city, ensuring everything was in perfect order and the atmosphere was suitable for the festive event…which eventually resulted in his current quandary.
With the opening of the border came the flow of goods carried by the regional trade. With a word here and there and the skillful assistance of an ambitious young noblewoman who had volunteered to help coordinate things, several major purveyors of magical goods had been secured. Not only that; a delegation from the Imperial Ministry of Magic would be displaying their work – as well as several promising developments from the Imperial Magic Academy – in the main plaza.
I-it's not just for me; the Adventurer Guild needs magic items, and the Sorcerous Kingdom should employ more magical utilities…yes…it's not like I'm doing it to sate my own personal interests…
While he did not expect anything of even mid-level potency from their offerings, he was interested in the applications that they had come up with. Though generally low tier, the people here were remarkably innovative when it came to the development of magical items, and it was not uncommon to see things that were entirely unheard of in Yggdrasil. With their new magic came new magic items, and it was gratifying to expand his knowledge and expertise in this field. Not only that but, as the Guardian responsible for the Treasury, he considered it his duty to do so.
He had earmarked the time that he estimated it would take for them to set up and open their displays to the public, then positioned himself over at a stand nearby: pretending to browse the mundane items on display. One stand away from the Ministry of Magic's exhibition, he had committed a grave error.
Did I drop my guard? No – I expected this…or did I? This amount…is strange. Definitely strange.
He had long become used to the attention of the women of the city; he had learned to converse with them cordially and set them down gently in conversation without bruising their emotions and shattering expectations. He could brush off the tails he occasionally picked up and developed ways to display his prowess in his efforts to both deflect their feelings and further stoke the citizens' rising regard for the Dark Warrior. The citizens of the Sorcerous Kingdom were also long accustomed to his presence, and most knew where the boundaries of admiration and respect were drawn.
They're not from here, that's why. It must be the case…
Usually, if he continued moving, the women of the city would not follow him all over the place. As he had wandered around the plaza today, however, the pack of women kept growing until he felt the sheer gravity of their emotions emanating from behind him. They would try to get his attention; asking him questions, trying to touch his cloak and armour or come into his line of sight. Recalling their assortment of garments and varied appearances, he was certain that they were a part of the influx of foreign merchants filling the city.
He skimmed the thoughts of the growing following of women, though he supposed he did not need to do so to discern what they desired. There must also have been a fluffy pink haze that trailed after him wherever he went. These women of travelling merchant stock were far more brazen than the local women in both physical expression and thought: merely seeking the thrill of a casual encounter before they packed up and moved on. With an ear to the pulse of trade, rumors and the tales which circulated with their travels, they projected their wildest fantasies onto the Legendary Momon. Having no experience with such…open…individuals, he had stopped to stand where he currently was to brood over how to extricate himself from the ever growing numbers which pressed at him from every side.
He had fallen into the trap of assuming his customary brooding stance: placing his gauntleted right hand in a contemplative position below his chin while he cradled his elbow in the other. He was quite fond of it – believing the dark image it presented was filled with cool mystique…and it appeared the women surrounding him thought so as well.
As one, they became silent, with faces flushed and lips parted while their glistening eyes gazed up at his figure in pained longing. He had inadvertently brought their emotional tension to a plateau, which could only be described as a razor thin wire stretched to its limit. If he did anything, that thread would almost certainly snap and chaos would erupt. Even the girl manning the stand gazed up at him in the same way: she blissfully shrugged off the fact that he was obstructing her business. He thought that if he asked for one of her wares he would have received a dozen for free.
What in the world is she selling, anyways? Food? A tool? It's so ridiculous that I can't appraise it. Why does this strange object cost so much?
He wanted to sigh, but he couldn't. He wanted to walk away, but he was trapped. He would probably be able to escape by suddenly leaping up onto the rooftops but, seeing that his objective was right beside him, it would look awfully strange if he were to simply hop back down again.
Oiiii...Nabe? Narberal? Narberal-sama? This Hero is in distress…
Nabe, his first and last line of defence, remained unaware of the thoughts he was casting in her direction as he eyed her out of the corner of his visor. Well, she did only have a single level in Doppelganger, after all. Her cold manner and sharp words were effective at chasing off even the most amorous individuals, but this convenient ability had been sealed away by a gaggle of curious casters from the Ministry of Magic exhibition that had surrounded her.
"Adamantite caster! What tier of magic do you possess?"
"What are your most effective combinations of spells in crowded quarters?"
"I have scrolls and wands on me: would you like to exchange them with some of yours?"
"What are your thoughts on Slime-centric research for urban utility applications?"
"How about Van Gushmond's thesis: Fundamental Principles of Magocratic Governance?"
"Oh, Beautiful Princess, sign my grimoire!"
Narberal had been explicitly instructed to be at her absolute best behaviour by Ainz-sama for the duration of the event, so she stood stuck in the crowd of magic casters near the exhibition. Tersely answering what questions she thought would be allowed, her face looked like she was being forced to chew on rivets forged out of Adamask alloy. Minutes passed as they both weathered their respective sieges.
The exhibition would open soon, yet he couldn't move to inspect all of their magic items: what sort of cruel and unusual torture was this?
"The Ministry of Magic is proud to present the World of Magic exhibition!" A woman's voice floated over the din of the crowd with the assistance of a magical loudspeaker, "Come one, come all – a plethora of rare and advanced magical items to feast your senses upon!"
He knew he shouldn't. He didn't want to – no, he wanted to but he couldn't. He had to.
Pandora's Actor turned his head towards the voice.
Oh schei–
The thread of tension snapped, and the trap was sprung: the ninety-three women who had surrounded him exploded into a screaming mass, like a swarm of Banshees unleashed upon the crowded plaza. With all their excitement directed at him, the sound entered through the gaps in his armour, reverberating endlessly throughout the metal suit.
S-s-sonic damage? Why does it feel so effective, they're so low level!
"Kyaaa! Momon!"
"Momon!"
He twisted and turned, trying to make his way out of the crowd from under the crashing waves of amorous intent. He felt the entire main plaza staring in his direction.
Ah, I'm supposed to revel in attention – why does it pain me so?
"Touch me, Momon!"
I can only be one or the other!
"I want your babies, Momon!"
The women seemed to feed off of the competition for his attention, fighting to press themselves against him.
Hello? I'm in armour, you know? You're not going to be able to feel anything. Woah!
He couldn't feel their bodies, but he could definitely feel their thoughts, which continued to rise on the crescendo of emotion. He continued working his way through the crowd.
Slowly, slowly. Yes, miss, that's flattering but…
No, no, I don't want to know how many lovers you have in each city, nutte!
No! Why? What is the point in me doing that!
!
That last imparted thought made him freeze. A chill ran over his body.
Psychic damage? Who…who was that! What are you making me wear in your head! Actually…I've never seen some of those items befo–nein! Which one of you degenerate–
His gaze fell on the source of the horrifyingly obscene thoughts: with bright, emerald eyes and hair the colour of bright flames, she couldn't have been more than fourteen. Sensing his intense gaze focused upon her, she returned a smouldering one of her own as she lasciviously traced her tongue over her lips.
Nope! Nopenopenopenopenope.
Finally breaking past the edge of the crowd, he leapt away onto the nearby rooftops and hopped back down into the alley behind, darting into the rear entrance of the Adventurer Guild. He made his way through the back hall, emerging near the reception desk – startling Ishpen and Wina – and scurried up the stairs to the second floor. Walking over to one of the windows overlooking the main plaza, he peeked through the shutters. After a moment, he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him and quickly turned around to see who had tailed him.
"Is there something wrong, Momon?" Pluton Ainzach asked him – apparently he had come to see who had run through the back areas of the Guild Hall.
"Nothing, nothing at all…"
His voice trailed off, and Ainzach looked up at him curiously.
"Do you think me a prude, Ainzach?"
"Pardon me?"
"No, never mind. I was just thinking about how advanced young people seem to be these days."
"That may be so, Momon," Ainzach replied in a neutral tone.
Pluton, auch du?
"Well if you need anything," the guildmaster said as the silence stretched on between them, "I'll be working in my office – we have some stocking up to do."
Pandora's Actor sighed and continued to stand at the window. Fifteen minutes later, the crowd of women had dispersed and it seemed clear enough to peruse the offerings of the Imperial Ministry of Magic.
『Hello…? Pandora's Actor?』
He received a Message just as he began to descend the stairs.
『Shalltear, is it? Hm…』
『Yes, I tried using a Message scroll: I see that I got it right arinsune.』
『Is there something I can help you with?』
『I would like to consult you on the use of a few magic items arinsuka…your insight would be greatly appreciated.』
『But the exhibition…』
『Hm?』
『No, it's nothing. I should be able to set aside an hour or so to help you.』
『Oh, thank you – I will open a Gate at your location.』
Stepping through the portal which opened on the second floor, he entered a dark and cramped room. Below a dim oil lamp which seemed to barely shed any light at all, Shalltear Bloodfallen reclined on a simple wooden chair across a rough dining table from Ludmila Zahradnik. A Human maid stood ready to attend them nearby.
"Welcome back to Warden's Vale, Momon," Baroness Zahradnik stood to greet him. "I've never had the opportunity to express my gratitude for everything that you've done for me."
"Umu."
Before everything else, the first thing he felt – or rather he did not feel – was the cacophony of thoughts that had inundated him in E-Rantel. Gently assuaging his frayed sensibilities in the blessed psionic silence, he observed each person in turn: Shalltear was Undead, so his ability to detect thoughts did not work on her. He could read the maid, but her thoughts were as calm and quiet as a pristine pool of still water. The Baroness…was blocking him.
No, that shouldn't be possible.
He ran his gaze over her slender figure until he noticed the dull grey Ring of Mental Fortitude on her left hand. Shalltear had requested one from the Treasury and, after seeing it on her vassal's middle finger, all of the pieces which composed the current situation fell into place. Developments on Shalltear's end had advanced at a rapid pace, and his gamble continued to pay out the various other dividends which he had dared to hope for.
Taking a seat at the table with a flourish to distract her from the dull glow of the ring, he continued to observe the Baroness' outward appearance. It seemed that she had matured both physically and mentally; it was nearly impossible to see the naive noble scion he had shrewdly tested several weeks ago.
Pandora's Actor let out a satisfied sigh with his peace of mind restored.
"Is something the matter?" Shalltear asked.
"Ah, no," he replied, continuing to register the changes in the young noblewoman. "If anything, being here in your home sets my mind at ease."
"Wow~" Shalltear said.
The maid's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hands. The Baroness' lips trembled slightly as a maidenly blush coloured her cheeks.
Huh?
"I-I am...quite flattered," she replied in a slightly flustered voice, "but I do not wish to come between you and Nabe."
"Eh?" He stared blankly at her through his visor.
"You are a…couple, yes? You two seem so close, so this must be the case. It is said that you came here from some far away place, pursuing some great cause around the world together…I feel it quite romantic."
No...no...give me back my peace of mind!
"Though there is one thing I am curious about," she shifted in her seat to look at him. "Do you plan on settling down somewhere once you start a family together?"
Pandora's Actor raised a gauntleted hand to his helmet.
Afterword
Hmm…well, after five acts and probably too much time editing, the first volume of Valkyrie's Shadow has come to an end. Thank you for reading this far thus far, and I hope you've enjoyed things so far!
Many more thanks also go to those who have provided feedback and commentary on the writing – it's been interesting to see how various elements of the plot, characters and interpretation of the canon material have been received.
This time, I'm slipping my notes into the end of the last chapter, as someone suggested that FFN admins may send ninjas to my house to shave my cat for having them posted as independent chapters.
As you've probably noticed long before reaching this point, Birthright is something like the reverse of the Light Novels: the majority of the cast consists of New World natives, living in an environment that they consider mundane in what mundane ways they know. Even scenes of the powerful members of Nazarick that make their various appearances tend to not focus on de facto power, but rather how each ends up interacting with the weak and alien elements of the Sorcerous Kingdom that they have been charged to oversee by Momonga. Kingdom building is not just about the construction of farms and blacksmiths, but also exploring aspects of law and culture, establishing national spirit, as well as addressing the various domestic/international events and problems that crop up along the way.
It starts with a whimper, and ends with a bang…at least relative to how it started. A slow ramp-up from the rather plain lives of the characters to hints of the more power fantasy-ish developments to come. The influence of Nazarick will change the Sorcerous Kingdom, and the Sorcerous Kingdom will extend its influence over the world…but not all at once and not even all parts of it at the same time. Valkyrie's Shadow is the story of that journey, written within the plausible bounds of the canon material.
Some Act 5 Notes
The fate of Fassett County:
If you've read Volume 12, you already knew what the western border of the Sorcerous Kingdom looks like. I had to figure out why that was, considering the land wouldn't just be sitting around unused by anyone as a part of Re-Estize. As a result, we ended up with the story of Fassett's Folly and the mystery is solved…well, at least in Valkyrie's Shadow. Why didn't Neia spot the sign? She was supposed to be running recon…well, they were in a hurry. Maybe it was foggy.
Storm of Vengeance:
I was pretty sure someone would question this, and someone did. Storm of Vengeance is a basic spell cast by both Clerics and Druids in d20, sitting at Tier 9. This is 3.5e, where most of the spells in Overlord come from(they neutered in 5e, reeeee). It kinda stinks in BBEG fights, but it's ideal for smashing armies of weaker targets. While Shalltear is not an AoE specialist, as a Floor Guardian she would ideally have a high-tier spell that removes large amounts of summon spam and the like. If Mare cast this spell, the hole in the ground would be a lot bigger.
Ludmila's martial prowess:
I thought this was fairly clear by now, but Ludmila is not a Noble, which is a civilian class, she is a Noble Fighter. All of the Noble Fighters in canon shown so far beat the crap out of any number of regular people. That's pretty much their job: they are warriors and commanders first, nobles second. Disabling one lowbie Farmer and scaring off another is not a hard thing, even at Ludmila's level.
Demiurge's question and Clara Corelyn's response:
I got a really weird interpretation in one of the comments when this chapter came out, enough to make me reread the chapter several times to wonder why it was read that way. I think I know why...maybe? But it still made me itch.
Demiurge popped a test on Clara Corelyn at the end of his question period, which she answered with flying colours. Stated plainly, he asked whether she supported the idea that even members of the Royal Court would be subjected to punishment if found guilty of defying the will of Ainz Ooal Gown. For a little oomph, the air is filled with killing intent.
An incompetent sycophant would deny that they would, out of their fear of immediate reprisal from the members of the court. They would bow and grovel to Demiurge, trying to avert their fate. Clara Corelyn does neither, however: her answer is the answer which is in line with the mindset of an NPC – an answer Shalltear provided to them in her 'lesson'. To drive her point home, Clara does not bow to Demiurge, but to the empty throne of the Sorcerer King: implying that the nobles of the Sorcerous Kingdom serve Ainz Ooal Gown first and foremost, as all of his subjects should.
She is not just answering for Ludmila, nor just covering for herself and her friends. She is standing on behalf of the entire nobility, as well as their Human subjects. It is the answer of a religious noble in a secular state: showing both loyalty to the sovereign, and working to protect humanity as mandated by the faith of the Six Great Gods.
Albedo's Assessment of Princess Renner and Countess Corelyn:
Some people have read this snippet of dialogue as Albedo considering the two geniuses comparable which, at this point in canon, she would. If you've finished Volume 14 of the Light Novels, you will know why this is. Well, the comparison was never about how smart they were, anyways – it was about how useful they were. One can be a peerless intellect and do nothing, or one can take their intellect and do something with it. The world will always take a well-built product over the mere idea that they might have one. This is the baseline of Albedo's comparison: Princess Renner has done nothing so far, so she is simply a lump of potential which hasn't shown any actual value yet, while Clara is already producing substantial results. Maru may have posted a 'best potential ruler list' with Renner at the top, but that's if she only does anything...which she hasn't so far.
Volume Stuff
References and Allusion
I packed the story full of these, as well as subtext in various dialogues and scenes, but I rarely see commentary on it. Maybe those that notice just don't discuss it, as it is something to be personally discovered and enjoyed. I suppose I can point out a few, however, just to show that it's there in many forms…
Example 1
It was a bewitching appearance that anyone would fall to; any feelings of jealousy or envy swept aside by adulation and longing. Wealth and power beyond all reason would be squandered to obtain even a moment of her favour. She was possessed of a legendary beauty that could topple nations and spark wars that set the world aflame, and the world would gladly become ashes for her sake.
This is the first highlight of Shalltear Bloodfallen in the story, seen through the eyes of Ludmila Zahradnik. It is written as a three-layered irony, though it's probably hard to catch for those not familiar with what it refers to.
When read at face value, it is a description of Shalltear's world-class beauty. In Ludmila's eyes, it becomes ironic as she can also see the True Vampire form of Shalltear. However the description itself is a flowery paraphrasing of ruinous beauty – the Four Great Beauties of China. In Overlord, this piece of Earth's folklore appears in the form of Downfall of Castle and Country. Shalltear is being described in the same terms as the WCI that brought about her fall in Volume Three of the Light Novels.
It's meant to reinforce the idea that she's still in a state where she's languishing in the fragments of her broken pride and uncertainty over her own worth, thus unlikely to be acting completely like the Shalltear that everyone is used to.
The final irony in the description is that, rather than a ruinous beauty and what many of her fellow NPCs believe her to be, she and her subordinates become a force for change in the right direction when it comes to the Sorcerous Kingdom.
Example 2
"…Even we who stand closest to His Majesty are not above the Will of the Supreme One. If it was known that the Guardian Overseer herself sought to undermine Lord Ainz's Will, the rest of us would set upon her without hesitation and render her into nothingness: only the disgraceful memory of her treason would remain…"
...
"As above," her declaration resounded through the air, "so below."
Shalltear's conclusion to the lesson that she conveys to the noble quartet. Taken at face value, it is as it says: even the Guardians follow the same rules, and if the highest figures in the Sorcerous Kingdom are subject to them, so is everyone else.
There are two other meanings, however: an allusion layered upon another allusion.
"As above, so below" is a line in a piece of Hermetic text called the Emerald Tablet. You may also know it as Tabula Smaragdina. It is a declaration of intent, invoking the name of the Supreme Being that created Albedo: that if Albedo acts out of line, the Guardians will carry out the will of the Supreme Beings themselves and smite her.
"As above, so below" in Tabula Smaragdina is an allusion to a part of the Lord's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." Shalltear's statement has become a prayer – that the glory of Nazarick will descend upon the New World. This statement has dual connotations within the context of the scene: that this glory will come in the form of the Sorcerous Kingdom, or in the form of the Sorcerous Kingdom's retribution.
So...yeah, stuff like that. There are minor jokes and such that do the same thing, like Jezne saying that Yuri Alpha is the only one that has their head on straight in Act 1(not knowing that she is a Dullahan) or Mare's point system suggestion(which is from his experience in the Drama CDs), so not everything is super deep. There are plenty of small references woven in everywhere. They will continue to appear throughout future acts.
The Nobility
Though many types of nobles exist in the LN canon, Maruyama tends to focus on two loose groups in Overlord.
The first are what I affectionately term lolnobles, who are the very basic caricatures that appear in stories everywhere: sleazy authority figures who solely exist to be slapped down by the protagonist to the applause of the reader. They usually don't make any sort of sense when examined closely. House Fassett is the first iteration of these types of nobles in Valkyrie's Shadow, written in what I feel is how people like that can actually rise to power and stay there. They are not arbitrarily stupid/belligerent/mean-spirited, but they are essentially big fish in a small pond, entrenched in the ways that they have become accustomed to. A short-sighted and narrow-minded group of people, who employ their rights and powers in a way that cannot be legally challenged by outsiders.
The other group of nobles somewhat explored in Overlord are those leaders that are anywhere between average and extraordinary, surrounding themselves with capable people. There are actually a lot of them: Emperor Jircniv, Calca, Raeven, Pe Riyuro, Osalid'arc and Zanac, to name the more recognizable ones. They get Nazarick'd in various ways, without exception. Birthright mainly features this end of things but, as the nobles portrayed are on team Nazarick, they get a chance to shine rather than get flattened/mind-melted all the time.
One major thing I tried getting across in Birthright is that nobles are creatures of authority, rather than arbitrary characters that exist in a vacuum for plot convenience. That authority is defined by the law of the nation that they reside in and, as such, nobles are creatures of law. This will range from them being exemplars of good rulership and administration, to selfish and cruel people who turn the law to their personal advantage and to the sorrow of others. For the most part, they are what they are: the middle management of a feudal bureaucracy. As Ainz tends to roll 20s where it really matters, the Sorcerous Kingdom in Valkyrie's Shadow also gives rise to a set of exceptional nobles, as well as some other interesting characters…
The Guardians' Tests
There are several tests laid out by Nazarick's Guardians: Pandora's Actor essentially interviews Ludmila before deciding whether she's useful or not in Act 1, Shalltear first gets a feel for Ludmila's character in Act 2 before sending her off at the end of Act 4 – with what would be considered a ridiculous level of power for a New World native – to see how she behaves. Demiurge tests Clara during the audience at the end of Act 5. Albedo also has her own tests, but she uses them in a rather malignant way: trying to find examples to present to Ainz so he will approve of the things that she promotes, raising her own value while suppressing that of her rivals.
As most readers probably know, the NPCs are fundamentally different from regular people. They are created to serve, and see things in an arbitrary way that would be hard for New World natives to understand. This being the case, when it comes to outsiders, the denizens of Nazarick would not only have to figure out who is a useful tool and who is not, but also figure out who can be entrusted with real responsibility.
In Re-Estize, the nobles are generally the ones who believe they are in these positions, and in the Sorcerous Kingdom you see them pass or fail to various degrees. You have old Count Fassett, who reaches too far and gets chucked, then you have his children who inherit his ways and think that everything can carry on just as it had previously. You have a member of the old guard in the form of Countess Jezne who, while set in her ways, quickly realizes how different the Sorcerous Kingdom is. While the nobles who can simply get by will get by, especially with Elder Liches to help, very few will earn any sort of general trust by the NPCs.
Nazarick Cast Notes
Pandora's Actor
The Almighty Janitor of Valkyrie's Shadow, the figure that moves in the shadows of the stage, ensuring that everything moves according to the Great Master's Plan. He is usually portrayed as a silly sort of character in canon but, at the same time, he always appears to take his job seriously and does exceptionally well in doing so. As the story is the story of what goes on behind the scenes, so, too, does Pandora's Actor show that serious and competent form of his more often than not. It's my hope that I have accomplished this in my delivery of his persona.
Albedo
The maliciously evil, yet supremely austere, Guardian Overseer. As malevolent as she is, she plays by the rules – and expects everyone else to play by them as well. The effects of her management can be seen throughout the story, as well as her interpretations of how things should be. Ironically, there are many people that respect and admire her work in the Sorcerous Kingdom, while those working for her outside of it only perceive her in shades of dread.
Aura and Mare
The Dark Elf twins pop up a surprising amount in the story, though I guess it should be expected as they're almost always around doing their work in the Sorcerous Kingdom. There's also the fact that they are a part of Shalltear's 'family', so they share many interactions and common acquaintances. They will continue showing up as the story progresses, as they have a lot of behind-the-scenes work that brings them into contact with new world natives.
Momonga
After much dodging of his responsibilities, Ainz Ooal Gown finally shows up near the end of the volume, fresh and sparkly from the Dwarf Kingdom. When writing Ainz, I feel that he's either being used in some way for the readers' humour, showing off some power fantasy hijinks, or rolling chains of 20s at a crucial juncture. Or expositing. In his first original scene, I started with some humor, catching up with all of the things he left behind and forgot about and being subjected to stuff he's uncomfortable with. But, as Valkyrie's Shadow is a kingdom builder, the return of the king must naturally be a chain of 20s. Will he remember anything by the end of next month? Knowing him, probably not, but everyone else certainly will. I'm sure something shiny will draw his attention away again. Speaking of which, have you heard of Runecraft™️?
Shalltear Bloodfallen
Though new world characters usually take centre stage in Valkyrie's Shadow, Shalltear Bloodfallen is the central figure of the story – the Guardian that somehow manages to pull everything together and sets off on the path to achieve what Ainz Ooal Gown envisions for the Sorcerous Kingdom. At her core she is always quite the monster, but, beyond that, she is honest, earnest and hard working. Rather than try to puzzle out everything through raw intellect, she relies on her extraordinary intuition to feel things out.
The understanding that she isn't some infallible existence leads her down paths that many of the other NPCs would not dream of taking. When Pandora's Actor sets her up with Ludmila Zahradnik, whose role as a Frontier Noble puts her in a position similar to that of an Area Guardian, she gains a conduit through which she starts learning more about the new world side of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Not only that, she gains what she eventually considers a new and trustworthy vassal.
With the events of Volume 11 behind her, she's regained much of her confidence, but is still tempered by her past experiences. Unfortunately for those in the New World, it means she's also patched up a lot of the cracks that allowed Ludmila to slip in close to her, so any new acquisitions had better step lightly…
The Noble Quartet
The noble quartet is the group of nobles followed through the story of Birthright, and they will continue to make appearances in the future. Formed out of the ashes of what one might call a disaster for the Kingdom of Re-Estize, they are talented young women who have inherited their titles after the men in their families met their end at the Battle of Katze Plains. Without this catastrophic event, they would have gone to become wives of other nobles elsewhere, or lived out their lives quietly out of notice. With the advent of the Sorcerous Kingdom, however, they have come into the unprecedented opportunity to make their mark on the world.
Though initially formed out of old ideas of political convenience and generational ties, the noble quartet is less a political faction and more a group of close friends that rely on one another for support; a surrogate family of noblewomen who have lost their own. To the outside observer, they are viewed as a force to be reckoned with – especially with the stupendously wealthy and charismatic Clara Corelyn at their centre and the grim spectre of Ludmila Zahradnik at her side.
Beyond their own respective duties, however, they have no overarching agendas that they try to push in the House of Lords. They instead become an anchoring force in the legislature of a nation that still doesn't understand what it is they are a part of. The noble quartet are the first who have made the transition from being nobles of Re-Estize: coming to understand and accept what it means to be a noble of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Their agenda is the agenda of the Sorcerous Kingdom – the Supreme Will of their undying sovereign: Ainz Ooal Gown, the Sorcerer King.
Ludmila "Camilla" Zahradnik
5 Noble Fighter (Genius) / 5 Ranger / 2 Ordained Harrier
Karma: 0 (Neutral)
The first MC introduced in Valkyrie's Shadow, Ludmila starts out as a rather common noble – at least when you look at what nobles are historically: militant administrators, responsible for managing and personally defending their little slice of land. This type of noble, possessing the Noble Fighter class in Overlord canon, is usually far away from centre stage and thus the central events of the LNs. Where they do appear, however, they are extraordinarily strong by New World standards. Two of the Four Great Imperial Knights are Noble Fighters, recognized for their ability even with their scuffed class builds.
Ludmila, however, is just a young woman recently come into adulthood and unexpectedly inheriting after the battle of Katze Plains. She is possessed of a militant lineage and an extraordinarily steadfast character, though pretty much nothing else. Her Talent draws the eye of Pandora's Actor, and, well, the rest is history.
When she is introduced, she is a straightforward and rather colourless woman that thinks along rigid lines and preconceived notions of how the world treats duty and obligation. Her character gains flavour over time, however, as more and more people come into her story and challenges are placed before her. When she finally starts seeing the truth of the world when measured against her old perceptions, she doesn't turn away in disgust or try to change the core of what she is. Instead, she holds on tightly to her values and faces the world head on.
In doing so, she achieves what would be considered an impossibility to nearly everyone both within Nazarick and in the New World at large: she earns the trust of Shalltear Bloodfallen, becoming her vassal in truth.
Clara Odilia Dale Corelyn
3 Noble / 3 Merchant / 1 Charisma (Genius) / 1 High Noble (Genius)
Karma: 450 (Great Good)
Ludmila's childhood friend and almost-sister-in-law, their close relationship has many aspects of themselves rubbing off on each other. Most notably, Ludmila's stalwart nature has rubbed off on Clara, while Clara's phenomenal talent in administration and economics has rubbed off on Ludmila. They would not be who they are today without their past together.
When we first meet her, Clara is tearful and timid and seems very much damsel-like in character type. Once she finds her feet again and begins moving forward, however, we find out she is much more than that. By the end of Birthright, even Albedo believes that her raw ability is substantial enough to note to Ainz.
Possessed of superlative intellect, beauty and charm, the Radiant Jewel of the Riverlands leads with a graceful acumen admired and envied by her peers. Like Ludmila, she is a worshipper of the Six Great Gods. As the administrator of the prosperous Riverlands – where the Sorcerous Kingdom shares a border with the Slane Theocracy – she is the perfect choice.
Despite all of her strengths, however, she is still a shy girl at heart who needs to work up the courage to take the first few steps regardless of what it is she's doing. But once Clara gets going, she just keeps going. Her convictions lead her to speak her mind, which often results in her verbally lashing those whom she perceives as demonstrably incompetent or wrongheaded.
Liane Loretta Dale Wagner
3 Noble / 3 Merchant (Genius) / 1 Sage
Karma: -150 (Evil)
The elder of the two city nobles in the quartet, Liane Wagner is ambitious, playful and caring of her few true friends. She's quite merciless when it comes to her competitors, however, in the way that nobles and merchants often are. The vast majority of people are only exposed to her cheery or merchant side: she only allows herself to show vulnerability to her close friends.
She is her father's daughter and, growing up in his footsteps, she has become a savvy merchant with a broad worldview. Being exposed to so much, however, makes her judgmental and she eagerly dishes out justice when infractions appear before her. With her father's death at Katze, she has taken the reins of House Wagner with a solid foundation under her feet and the ambitions of her family in her heart.
Liane is the closest to a cosmopolitan aristocrat when it comes to the insular nobility of Re-Estize, and she knows much more of the world than any of her friends. Possessed of the mindset of both a magnate and a technocrat, she now boldly pursues avenues that will bring the civilized world from beyond their backwards little corner of the continent to the Sorcerous Kingdom's doorstep.
Florine Kadia Dale Gagnier
3 Noble / 2 Merchant
Karma: 150 (Good)
The youngest of the noble quartet, Florine is Liane's best friend, having a demesne sharing a border with her. A city noble, she bemoans the fact that she never seems to draw the right sort of attention. Due to her stunning beauty and generous figure, people tend to see her as a young woman to be desired or envied, the object of longing and amorous fantasies.
Beneath the surface of her quiet and reserved personality, however, is an adept administrator who is unafraid of toil or hardship. The Mistress of Gentle Pastures is a moniker well earned, for her lands overflow with agricultural bounty as a result of her years of care. She claims that she doesn't have much work to do, but the fact is that her efficient and adept management of her territory just makes it seem that way.
Within her circle of friends, she views herself as lacking. She neither has the martial excellence of Ludmila, the wealth and renown of Clara, nor the bold and ambitious drive of Liane. In an effort to show her worth, she has volunteered for many duties outside of her own demesne, from the resettlement of the ravaged Human farmlands in the northeast, to working with a myriad of Demihuman and Heteromorph populations in both E-Rantel and the untamed lands beyond.
Toiling in silence and without complaint, she secretly dreads that the distance between herself and her seemingly superior friends will be too great and they will drift apart. There is at least one person, however, that is making sure her work doesn't go unrewarded.
Aaaand that's it, I think? On to the next story arc, Winter's Crown. It's a lot longer than Birthright. Chapter releases will be slowing down as well, as ensuring two chapters per day come out nice and polished has been a bit crazy…the pacing will become faster, however, as we've got quite a lot of the basics already covered in Birthright. Or at least I hope it will.
The first act will be back in Warden's Vale, since we haven't been there for a while and things have happened. Before that, the second MC of Valkyrie's Shadow will have a brief introduction~