Emanuel Castro: For starters, the New World doesn't have a counterpart to 'Alaya,' Maruyama never mentions any entity of this kind. The Cosmic Balance (with capital letters, please) is a universal entity, or rather, the arbiter of the Multiverse, that appears in Michael Moorcock's novels.
To briefly summarize Moorcock's cosmogony of the Multiverse: instead of a single universe, there exists an infinity of universes that sometimes enter into conjunction, juxtaposing and then separating again. Chaos, the ultimate creative force, creates these universes. Chaos brings change but also destruction. However, these universes are occasionally overtaken by Law, a force that promotes stagnation. These two equally powerful forces are in constant conflict.
There exists a third universal entity that ensures balance between Law and Chaos: the Cosmic Balance. While it is less powerful and governs only one universe—Tanelorn—it influences many others. The Cosmic Balance alternately supports Chaos and Law according to its own plans, striving to maintain a balance favorable to the life of intelligent beings. For instance, an icy and barren desert (dominated by Law) is just as inhospitable to life and civilization as a volcanic landscape ravaged by earthquakes (dominated by Chaos).
The Cosmic Balance is best known for its primary agent: the Eternal Champion. This character reincarnates endlessly and never rests, embodying a blend of pathos and sublime qualities, as well as melancholic and wild traits. The ultimate tragic hero.
The Actorios, the garnet embedded in the Ring of King, was created by the Cosmic Balance to allow invoking the Eternal Champion in the Young Kingdoms (the world of Elric of Menilbonnée).
Thus, the Actorios is the manifestation of a power capable of influencing all existing universes. That's why Miriel invokes characters from books and video games... because everything you can imagine exists somewhere in the Multiverse.
We'll see later, the Actorios have another special feature... that Miriel completely forgot.
Sayajinssuperman: You're not the only one to react like this, most readers are disgusted by the behavior of Demiurge in my writings... except of course the readers who accused me of not understanding the Overlord series and being 'mean' with the poor innocent Nazarick's NPC. Certainly, this passage does not exist in the Light Novel and is therefore my own creation, but I'm just filling in some blanks of the Overlord story because the deportation of inhabitants of Roble's countryside into cities (transformed into concentration camps) is mentioned in the LN (The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom Arc, from Overlord volume 12). As for treating humans like cattle... (LN: Overlord volume 4/ Anime: Overlord season II episode 1) it's not really a novelty. In short, the behavior of Demiurge in this chapter is entirely based on his actions in Overlord. In fact, rereading the LN, I just realized that Demiurge had attacked the Great Wall during a PARLEY... Oops. I think I unconsciously forgot this point because I didn't want to read Reviews accusing me of exaggerating Delmiurge's cruelty and despicable behavior.
Power tends to corrupt... (1)
Daggerford, ford of Sheylayen river.
The flying carpet flew over a devastated landscape... bodies lay on both banks. Two wooden bridges spanned the river... it was around these crossing points that the most violent fighting had taken place. However, several other bridges were still unfinished and rafts had also been used as means of crossing. Around the beachheads, piles of corpses testified that the Half-Human Army had passed using brute force.
As horrible as this spectacle was, it could not surprise the three passengers of the flying carpet. Miriel, Diolaine Gisle Kure, and Aymerick Amand Noirfond had left Dagguerford after a first failed attempt to cross. It was obvious that the demi-humans would eventually return. Ironically, this had led to a confrontation with other humanoids since the defenders of the ford were Elvil's army.
Angrily, Miriel blinked. The half-elf tried to distinguish Daggerford. But the walled city was wrapped in smoke... which was not really a good omen.
Suddenly, Diolaine reached out her finger.
"The dungeon!"
She pointed to the great tower in the center of the castle. Miriel wondered what the Theocracy spy wanted to show her. Then she realized that a banner was floating on a mat at its top... a blue and white banner, the colors of the Roble Holy Kingdom.
"Attention!"
Aymerick grabbed Miriel's arm, pointing at a group of biped goats in chainmail, they were armed with bows. They gathered under the flying carpet, pointing at them. The Bafolk (since that was the name of these demi-humans) began to shoot. Several arrows pierced through the carpet, making holes in the fabric. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Miriel had to accelerate and make a wide detour to avoid the projectiles that they continued to throw at them.
The city had not fallen yet, but the invaders had taken the ford and besieged Daggerford.
Elvil's army was at an advantage because they were entrenched on the west bank of the Shelayen. As the dragon king was burning up the enemy's bridges and boats, they would probably have managed to keep up on this obstacle... if the black dragon hadn't come back. This demon with the appearance of a disgusting dragon spat its breath on the bank controlled by Elvil's army. The black mist had swallowed up the courage of the defenders, replacing it with panic and despair.
The soldiers fled in disorder, running to the ramparts of Daggerford. Fortunately, Elvil attacked the demon-dragon and destroyed (once again!) this monstrosity. He then protected the retreat of its army and prevented the carnage, using his breath and magic to slow down the pursuers.
The day after this first victory, the demi-humans assaulted the entrenched camp surrounding Dagguerford, pushing rams and rolling towers and carrying ladders in front of them. Fortunately, this time Elvil was not caught off guard by the dragon-demon's intervention. He confronted the monster and destroyed it before it could use his breath on the city. Elvil then burned the assailant's siege equipment... this was the origin of the fumes that continued to stagnate around Daggerford.
Sitting before the huge pile of gold that served as a bed for the enormous red dragon, Miriel had heard the king of Rahaguen boast his exploits and the vicissitudes of battle. Elvil proudly claimed to have defeated its opponents... my many broken scales and holes in his wings told a whole different story.
Ineluctably, Jadalbaoth took the advantage, weakening the dragon-king, pushing back the defenders from the ford, encircling them in the city, and leading them to an inescapable defeat.
Elvil's laughter startled Miriel.
The dragon had just leaned over her and the half-elf unintentionally backed away, eyes wide with terror. The huge red, yellow, and orange eye of the dragon now occupied her entire field of vision... and it was quite impressive! The three eyelids of the colossal winged lizard closed and then opened as Elvil spoke again in a soothing tone.
"Come on, don't make that face, I'll win... or rather you will win this war for me."
"Me?" Miriel would not have been more surprised if the dragon had asked her to bring it the moon and stars...
"But of course..." At the end of its long neck, the dragon's head flew over some of the Alkanes guards and goblin officials who surrounded him before stopping in front of a desk where was the only office worker with three feathers on his hat.
"Arthrome, bring it in!"
"As you wish, oh mighty and invincible king of Rahaguen."
When several Alkanes guards entered under the huge canvas tent, all heads turned to them. They surrounded a being like Miriel had never seen... a huge purple caterpillar!
The rather disgusting creature had tiny legs and a small head with wet mandibles. Arrived in front of Elvil, it stood up and looked around before... talking! Because it was not a mere monster, it was an intelligent creature. A Heteromorph!
"Mighty King Elvil, I thank you for allowing me to plead the cause of my people."
The dragon turned to Miriel.
"Beebeebee is an emissary of the Zerns, a people living in the Abellion Hills."
"Abellion Hills? Which means they... that they are..."
Miriel stopped to speak trying to formulate her sentence more clearly but Elvil ended it in her place.
"Yes, of course, my precious subordinate, the Zerns are part of the Half-Human Alliance."
Beebeebee spoke again.
"We are indeed part of Jadalbaoth's army... but not by choice. Like many other tribes of the Abelion Hills, the Demonic Emperor forces us to fight for him. He executed our king and gave his head to a tree demon so that it could use the magic of our king against his enemies. Then Jadalbaoth slaughtered the rest of the royal house except for Prince Beebeezee. He is a hostage who will be executed if we do not obey any of his orders."
"Oh..." Miriel had long suspected that Jadalbaoth had united the tribes of the Abelion Hill through violence and coercion, yet hearing it from a victim's mouth uh... mandibles... raw anger twisted her stomach. "How many tribes are fighting for Jadalbaoth under constraint? What is their proportion compared to the Demi-Human Alliance as a whole?
Beebeebee thought for a moment.
"I would say half the army. The other tributes are motivated by the thirst for revenge, the taste of violence, or simply the promise of plunder. I don't know what the people of Roble have told you, Lady Miriel, but most of the tribes in the Abellion Hills are peaceful. And we suffer as much as humans from the exactions of the most aggressive tribes."
"Let's talk about your prince, where is he imprisoned?"
"The demonic Emperor imprisoned him in the Abellion Hills Dungeon."
The Summoner remembered this place. The Slane Theocracy had asked her to find a scroll held by Jadalbaoth. It was her first encounter with the Demonic Emperor and not a pleasant memory. Miriel shivered as she recalled the artist's workshop of this monster, along with the grotesque furniture made of human bones he created as a hobby. She often had nightmares in which she found herself tied to a table in that room.
"I... see..." She cleared her throat. "How can we help you?"
"I can point you to a secret entrance of the Abelions Hills Dungeon. You could break into this underground maze and rescue Prince Beebeezee."
Miriel remained silent for a few moments, turning to Elvil without daring to speak. The old dragon smiled sardonically.
"Of course, the emissary from the Zern tribe wouldn't ask for our help without offering something in return. Beebeezee, why don't you explain what you found out by gathering information about your prince's prison? I am sure that it was of interest to my precious subordinate..."
The Heteromorph swayed slightly, his bloated abdomen contracting in a disturbing way. Finally, he spoke.
"In the Dungeon where my prince is imprisoned, there is a small maze. An object is hidden at its center—the Dragonspear, a horn of a demon-dragon crafted into a spear. This object invokes Hope-Eater, the black dragon that was continually attacking Dagguerford. The entrance I'm about to show you leads almost directly to this labyrinth and Prince Beebeezee's cell."
Miriel shook her head.
"You're exchanging your prince's freedom for the Dragonspear, is that correct?"
"Yes. Furthermore, if you release our prince, we will have no reason to fight against you; on the contrary, we wish to take revenge on Jadalbaoth."
"I see no reason to refuse this deal..." The Summoner paused and turned back to Elvil. "My King, you said I would win this war for you! You want me to enter this Dungeon, steal that dragon horn, and save the prince."
Miriel halted once more and smiled. So this is what Elvil expected of her? Playing the role of the beautiful princess who saved her charming prince? It was the exact opposite of the typical fairy tale theme. However, if this Prince Bee-something resembled the emissary Bee-something-else, she hoped to be spared of the habitual romantic ending (they lived happily ever after and had many children).
The dragon began laughing, forcing most of those present to cover their ears.
"It's your fault, Miriel, you keep succeeding in missions that are considered impossible!"
Near E-Rantel, Sorcerer Kingdom.
Two carriages had just come to a stop near a paved road under construction. They were much-decorated horse-drawn carriages. The drivers were human-looking except they were homunculi. Several squadrons of cavalry, skeletons riding undead mounts, patrolled nearby to protect the important characters that were on board.
From the first carriage came down Ainz Ooal Gown, the Sorcerer King was dressed in a purple robe embroidered with gold and had a crown encrusted with rubies and emeralds. This royal outfit was very similar to his usual outfit, except that it had no hood, nor horns for epaulettes. A golden pectoral adorned with an enormous ruby covered his shoulders and chest, but below it appeared an ominous red orb floating where would have been the intestines of a human.
Ainz turned to the second carriage as two humans were coming down, quite uncomfortable.
With a broad gesture of the hand, the Overlord designated the construction site.
Thousands of skeletons were at work. Some were cutting cobblestones; others were embedding them in the ground. They came behind other undead who leveled the ground with shovels and picks, removed rocks, or cut down trees.
It was these workers who built this paved road.
"The work has just begun but the pace is very fast. Skeletons do not sleep; eat, tire, and work day and night without ever slowing down."
The Dragonic Kingdom ambassador nodded nervously and immediately praised the work of the undead.
"It's really very impressive, Your Majesty."
"The route will link E-Rantel to Re-Rohel, passing through E-Lyttonel and E-Aindral, it will be the longest paved road on the continent," he says proudly.
Ainz stopped in front of the dwarf engineers who were working around a trestle table. The two bearded individuals bowed very low as they approached the Sorcerer King.
"The construction is done by undead but Dwarf architects from the Azerlisia Mountains have drawn up the plans of the bridges and tunnels necessary to pass obstacles."
The Overlord was quite fond of his idea to show the Dragonic Kingdom ambassadors the construction site of the paved road. First, because he could show them the most recent economic development of the kingdom... Then the engineers came from a country that was once in the same situation than the Dragonic Kingdom. They had been invaded by hostile Beastmen and had asked for Nazarick's help. Now the Dwarves were prosperous and at peace, growing rich from their alliance with the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"Please wait for me here while I talk to the engineers."
The two humans bowed politely.
"Of course, Your Majesty, we understand that you are very busy and we thank you for the time you would like to give us."
As Gown walked away with two dwarf engineers who were presenting their plans and bombarded him with technical explanations that the Overlord failed to comprehend, the two diplomats exchanged anxious glances. Their mission was crucial; it was no exaggeration to say that the Dragonic Kingdom's survival depended on the Sorcerer King's goodwill.
Their country was ruled for centuries by hybrids of humans and dragons. Daudrillon Oriculus, the current queen, had only one-eighth of draconic blood but was a direct descendant of the Brightness Dragon Lord. However, despite the prestigious lineage of the ruling dynasty, the kingdom had been invaded by the Beastman Country. The Beastmen had conquered three cities in the south of the country and were only stopped thanks to the efforts of a team of high-level adventurers (Crystal Tear, a team led by the Holy Knight Cerabrate).
The Slane Theocracy and the Baharuth Empire had offered help at the beginning of the invasion... not for the love of the Dragonic Kingdom but simply because the kingdom contained the expansion of the Beastman Country. Except after the appearance of Nazarik in the New World, Slane and Baharuth had rearranged their priorities.
Now, Queen Daudrillon Oriculus had no choice but to beg on her knees for the assistance of the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"When the Sorcerer King returns, we shall plead the cause of our people. Remember to emphasize that the Beastmen are anthropophagous and want to raise humans as slaughterhouse animals (2)."
Unfortunately for them, Gown suddenly stopped a hand on his temple because he just received a Message.
"Moshe moshe?"
The Overlord was busy, having many problems to solve simultaneously. For him too, the Dragonic Kingdom was not a priority.
Ainz listened to Shalltear, desperately trying to unravel her slurring explanation. But the vampire Gothic Lolita was both anxious and panicked. She constantly changed the topic, jumping from one idea to another without finishing her explanation... even contradicting herself from one sentence to the next.
Since she was brainwashed by a mysterious opponent who had not shown up since, Shalltear Bloodfallen was depressed and undecided, doubting that she could do the right choices. She also constantly asked for his help, even going so far as to write down his advice in a notebook. Of course, Ainz was moved by her trust in him... but he was also very uncomfortable. Once again an NPC expected him to explain how to live her life, how to act... The people of Nazarick believed that he was a kind of universal genius, the source of all wisdom in the world. In truth, Suzuki Satoru was a mere corporate slave. Since he became Momonga (his game avatar), he constantly improvised using only his intuition, his (very limited) knowledge of history, and the few he had learned from the other Players while playing Yggdrasil... Suzuki/Ainz was the first to be surprised that things turned out so well, to the point where the Floor Guardians and even the leaders of the New World came to consider him a great leader.
Yet, whenever Ainz had to give important orders, the anguish twisted his inexistent stomach because he was nearly certain that, this time, the Floor Guardian would understand that he was just playing the role of the omniscient leader they worshipped.
Fortunately...
A green aura surrounded the Sorcerer King as he interrupted the First to Third Floor Guardian's confused explanations.
"Calm down! Do breathing exercises... Breath-in... Breath-out... and resume your explanation from the beginning once you have overcome your panic."
Fortunately, like all Undead, his emotions were restrained. Without it, Ainz would have long ago given in to panic or acted ridiculous before the Floor Guardian or the sovereigns of the New World.
There was a brief moment of silence and then Shalltear did the breathing exercises prescribed by the leader of Ainz Ooal Gown Guild. When the vampire teen spoke again, she had regained her calm.
"Ainz-sama, I am still aboard one of the ships that carry Jircniv's army to Roble... but there is a problem. It's Jircniv... he's spending more and more time with Arche... I'm afraid he was questioning her about Nazarick."
If Ainz had a mouth he would have grimaced. Despite his emotions, which were limited by his undead state, he felt a discomfort... a feeling that was not far from remorse.
Arche Eeb Rile Furt was the only survivor of Foresight, a Worker team. At that time, Demiurge had convinced him to provoke an attack on Nazarick to show everyone that the Dungeon was impregnable.
Apart from two elves slaves (found not guilty of the crime of attacking Nazarick), Arche was the only invader to be spared. Ainz did not act out of kindness... he offered Arche to Shalltear as a 'toy'... He hoped that this gift would help cheer her up.
As the vampire expressed her fears that the Baharuth Emperor might discover a weakness by questioning the prisoner, Ainz shook his head. After Shalltear got tired of her 'toy', the Overlord allowed Arche to live in a cabin on the 6th Floor. He even searched for her two younger sisters (sold as slaves by their parents) and allowed the three of them to live peacefully together. As the young wizard only knew the outer defenses of the Great Tomb, nothing she could say could seriously endanger the Dungeon.
However, Ainz feared what the emperor of Baharuth might learn about... well... about Shalltear from her 'fidget toy'. The vampire Gothic Lolita was created by Peroncino... well known in the Guild for his perversion and his love of H-games. As a result, Shalltear had a lot of sexual fetishes... and some of them were utterly disturbing.
At the same time, on board a ship sailing on the Freshwater Sea, somewhere between the coasts of the Sorcerer Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom of Roble.
Sitting on a chair, Arche Eeb Rile Furt wiped her eyes reddened by tears while speaking in a gloomy voice, out of tune... She stared at the ground without seeing it, remembering a scene that could never be erased from her memory. One of her legs was trembling in an incoercible manner.
The Emperor was alone with the teenager... finally alone apart from Leinas Rockbruise, the only woman among his bodyguards.
Listening to the teen had been a real ordeal for Jircniv. At first, Arche was very reluctant to speak. It took a long time to persuade her and make her understand that the Emperor was only trying to help... It had been practically necessary to extract her first confession one word after another. But after that, the flow of her words had been like a flood overturning a dam during a catastrophic flood. From there, it had been impossible to stop her, no detail overlooked, even the most sordid one...
With his face frozen, like a statue carved in stone, Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix looked calm. But his hands were twitching nervously as he fought the urge to get up, punch the walls, and ravage his beautiful boat's cabin.
Leinas, however, did not pretend to be calm... her face was green and twisted with fury.
Finally, Arche stopped speaking.
A heavy silence reigned in the cabin, barely disturbed by the sniffles of the teenager...
"Thank you, Arche. I promise that your parents will be tried and harshly convicted for selling your sisters to slave traders."
The Emperor of Baharuth did not have to feign anger. Sir Furt and Madam Furt were the worst examples of this corrupt and incompetent nobility he had fought since his coronation. After he had deprived them of their estates and their charges at the imperial court, rather than giving up their expensive way of life they had incurred debts which they had been unable to repay. Arche Eeb Rile Furt, at the time one of the most promising wizards in the Baharuth Empire, had been forced to drop out of her studies at the magic academy to become a Worker and pay the debt instead of her parents. After her disappearance, Sir Furt and Madam Furt had SOLD their children to pay off their creditors.
Arche nodded in silence, rubbing her cheeks with the back of her hand... She smiled timidly despise her tears, just happy that the Emperor wanted to do justice to her sisters. Ureirika and Kuuderika did not deserve what happened to them.
Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix wanted to speak more but closed his mouth. He had no illusions about the man he was. To keep his throne, he had started wars and executed traitors. The 'Bloody Emperor' even felt a certain pride at being a tough, manipulative person capable of cruel acts. It was proof that he was not naive, a bleating sheep just good to be shaved by the first comer. But, despite all the blood on his hands, Jircniv could still look at himself in a mirror... Everything he did, he did so that the people of Baharuth could live in safe towns and countryside. The army protected them from invasions, and his government severely punished the abuses of the corrupt nobility, as the incompetence of bureaucrats.
However, Jircniv understood that he had a share of the responsibility for what happened to Arche, Ureirika, and Kuuderika. By depriving Sir Furt and Madam Furt of their resources and sending Foresight to Dungeon Crawling the Great Tomb of Nazaric, the Emperor had caused what happened after... He was not going to foolishly blame himself for Arche's decisions. The young wizard had CHOSEN to join Foresight, she should have understood that being a Worker was to risk her life, she should have been prepared for it... although no one could have foreseen that the Great Tomb of Nazarick was not a mere Dungeon, but a threat of the same level as the Eight Greedy Kings. Likewise, Sir Furt and Madam Furt CHOSE to sell their children rather than work... Even if Jircniv was their emperor, he could not decide for them. It was their lives. It was their choices.
Still, Arche, Ureirika, and Kuuderika were among his subjects, a naive teenager and two little girls. After all his shady deals, all the manipulations he had consented to protect Baharuth, he failed to protect those sisters. He had always thought that the dirty work of politics and diplomacy was justified as long as one acted with the best interest of the people at heart.
But the 'people' were not an anonymous entity, a faceless crowd... it was the little girls and naive teenagers, and all the other innocent ones. If he did not defend them, all he said to justify his cruelty and his harsh politics were only empty phrases used by a mere kingpin.
Jircniv hesitated. Bitter and ashamed of his own powerlessness, he spoke with regret.
"I don't think there's a way to soften your suffering with some kind words. I listened to your story. I know you have been wronged, badly wronged. But... I can't help you... It's not that I don't want to, I really can't... I hope... I hope you understand."
Arche's fingers twitched on the fabric of her pants. The teenager lowered her head again as tears rolled down her cheeks. Yet she nodded...
Yes, Arche Eeb Rile Furt understood. She understood that the once powerful Baharuth Emperor could not punish the one who wronged her. The victim understood the powerlessness of her sovereign turned into a mere vassal of the Sorcerer Kingdom and forgave him... Since she entered Nazarick, she had become a mere spectator of her own life. Arche had suffered without being able to do anything. The other members of Foresight were dead before her very eyes. She was raped... Then Lord Ainz had spoken to her kindly, had put her in safety, he even saved her sisters.
Lord Ainz called it" The Carrot and Stick Policy".
If humans disobeyed they were punished. If they obeyed they were rewarded.
The people of Nazaricks trained humans as if they were little dogs. They had been robbed of their rights, independence of thought and even pride. They had become the pets of their conquerors.
"When... when Foresight entered Nazarick..." began Arche, speaking with slowness and difficulty, "We faced Lord Ainz. Humans can't beat Lord Ainz. His strength is on a totally different level! Even the term monster can't describe him! He's not a being that humans can beat. He's an unbelievable monster. And Shalltear..." Arche stubbed on the vampire's name, turning suddenly pale... "She... she said the Supreme Beings created a world... That makes them like gods..."
"They ravage, they slaughter, they seize by false pretenses and all of this they hail as the construction of an empire. And then in their wake nothing remains but a desert, they call that peace." Tacitus, Roman historian and politician (56 CE -120 CE).
(1)... and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (Lord Acton, historian and politician, born 1834- died 1902)
(2) It's interesting to note that Maruyama never included directly the Beastman Country in his narrative. All descriptions of the Beastmen come from second-hand accounts reported by their enemies. It's possible that their negative reputation was fabricated by diplomats from the Dragonic Kingdom who sought to sway other nations and gain their support.