Strictly speaking, the current "Sieg" was not the original owner of his body. The moment the former occupant died, a soul from the modern world—Konishi Touma—transmigrated into it. In the dystopian reality he now inhabited, he went by the name Sig, the same handle he used in YGGDRASIL.
Everyone except Ulbert called him Sieg—and he preferred it over his Japanese name.
In the chaotic weeks following his transmigration, Sieg remained indoors, terrified of exposing his ignorance. Without access to the original owner's memories, he relied solely on online sources to piece together his new life. Fortunately, his social ties were minimal: no family, recently unemployed, not even a pet. His only connection was a single online friend—the very person who had introduced him to YGGDRASIL.
From their chat logs, Sieg quickly deduced the nature of their relationship. That friend had even chosen his in-game name, supposedly inspired by Norse mythology: Ulbert Alain Odle.
Determined not to repeat the failures of his past life, Sieg trained his body and secured a position as a police auxiliary officer. As a former office worker, he adapted easily to the routine and spent his downtime immersed in gaming.
During a casual conversation with his partner, he discovered the man also played YGGDRASIL. They exchanged friend codes—his partner's avatar went by the name Touch Me.
Ulbert… Touch Me…
The names rang alarm bells.
After digging through archived forums and release timelines, Sieg realized the truth: he wasn't just in a game-inspired world—he was inside the setting of Overlord, the light novel he'd devoured years ago. The story followed Momonga—Ainz Ooal Gown—as he and the Great Tomb of Nazarick were transported to a new world at the moment YGGDRASIL shut down.
And right now, that shutdown hadn't happened yet.
Life in this ruined world was bleak: corporate exploitation, toxic air requiring gas masks, systemic corruption, and environmental collapse. No wonder so many sought escape in virtual realms. In this context, Ainz's decision to stay logged in until the end—and ultimately be transported—wasn't madness. It was inevitability.
As for the other Supreme Beings? Sieg didn't care. He wasn't about to chase after strangers across dimensions. Adults had their own lives. If they chose to log off, that was their choice.
Ding. The current time is 11:50 PM.
Time's almost up.
Sieg retrieved his Guild Ring from his backpack and teleported directly to the Tenth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. From there, he walked toward the Throne Room—free teleportation via the ring didn't extend to that sacred space.
Work had kept him busy; logging in ten minutes early was all he could manage. He couldn't afford to miss this.
The heavy clank of his enchanted armor echoed through the marble hall as he entered. The chamber was empty save for Ainz Ooal Gown and a row of kneeling NPCs.
"Sorry I'm late, Guild Master," Sieg said, raising a gauntleted hand in greeting. "Has everyone already logged out?"
Ainz, caught mid-action with the settings panel open, flinched. "S-Sieg! I thought you weren't coming."
Sieg smirked beneath his helmet. "Checking the World Item settings again?"
"J-Just browsing!" Ainz stammered, hastily changing the subject. "...What do you think of Albedo?"
"She's an exceptional woman," Sieg replied smoothly. Too good for any of us—especially you, old friend.
Ainz glanced at him, then typed something into the panel. Moments later, Albedo's default loyalty setting shifted—just slightly—to include a new clause: "It is shameful to love oneself, but others will not feel the same. Let him play one last trick on his companion."
Sieg pretended not to notice. "This brings back memories," he said softly, gazing around the throne room. "Just like when we first conquered Nazarick."
Ainz sighed. "Helo-Helo logged off a few minutes ago. I really thought you wouldn't make it."
"Honestly? So did I," Sieg admitted. "I figured anyone still loyal would show up tonight. Guess it's just us witnessing the end."
Ainz hesitated. "...How have Touch Me and Ulbert been?"
"We lost touch," Sieg said after a pause. His auxiliary salary barely covered rent, so he'd switched to a higher-paying job—funneling every spare yen into YGGDRASIL. Less free time meant fewer chats. By the time Touch Me quit the game entirely, communication had already faded.
Ulbert was the same. Years of friendship evaporated once their shared world disappeared. Neither had the energy—or funds—for a new MMO.
In the end, Sieg poured everything he had into YGGDRASIL, becoming one of its heaviest spenders—surpassing even Ainz in sheer investment. Now, clad in top-tier gear bought with real-world sacrifice, he stood ready to face whatever came next.
Ainz felt a pang of kinship. I'm not the only lonely one, he thought—then immediately hated himself for taking comfort in another's isolation.
He looked at the guild scepter, a symbol of their collective effort, and said quietly, "Thank you, Sieg. You've done more than enough."
"It's nothing," Sieg replied, standing at the base of the dais. "Just doing my part."
In the final month before shutdown, only two guild members remained consistently active: Ainz, ever-present, and Sig, who vanished for days but always returned for key moments. Thanks to him, Ainz Ooal Gown's ranking hovered steadily in the teens.
Silence settled between them. The clock in the corner ticked down: 23:59:50.
Ainz's mind wandered to his 4 a.m. shift tomorrow.
Sig, meanwhile, tapped his fingers against his pauldron, eyes locked on the timer—willing time to move faster.
52…
56…
59…
00:00:01
"...Huh?" Sieg's voice cut through the stillness. "The shutdown didn't trigger. GM channels are unresponsive. Something's wrong."
His eyes snapped open—red light flickering beneath his visor. In that instant, he felt it: the weight of breath in his lungs, the pulse in his veins, the raw sensitivity of nerve endings. This wasn't an avatar.
This was a real body.
Snap!
A sharp sound cracked through the hall like thunder. An HP: 0 indicator flashed on the floor—then vanished.
Sieg staggered, nearly toppling over. "...Unbelievable."
"Lord Siegfried?" Sebastian stepped forward, concern etched on his face. The Pleiades maids turned as one. Even Albedo—usually composed—fluttered her wings nervously, feigning fragility.
Strange, Sieg thought. She's acting deferential in front of Ainz? Since when does she hold back?
"I'm fine," he said, retracting a tail he hadn't known he possessed. "Just… adjusting."
He turned to Ainz, voice low and urgent. "Guild Master—have we been transported to another world?"
Ainz blinked. "Siegfried-san? Why so formal all of a sudden?"
"This is serious," Sieg insisted. "We need a plan. Now."
Albedo blushed, golden eyes shimmering with unspoken emotion. "L-Lord Ainz… Lord Siegfried… Forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand what 'time travel' means…"
Ainz waved a bony hand. "It's alright, Albedo. I'll explain later."
He's actually conversing with an NPC like she's real, Ainz realized with growing unease. Does he already know how deep this goes?
Sieg made his decision. "I'll scout the area. Assess the environment, test my abilities, and report back. You secure Nazarick."
Ainz considered it. Two high-level players moving together would draw too much attention. Splitting up minimized risk. "...Be careful."
With a nod, Sieg activated a high-tier teleportation spell and vanished.
As the magic faded, Albedo whispered, barely audible:
"...Lord Sieg…" Her gaze lingered on the empty space where he'd stood, filled with something unreadable.