Year -4 of the New Calendar.
Re-Estize Kingdom.
Royal Capital.
Although it was the heart of the nation, beyond the main street, the ground was dull and gray. The stone bricks paving the streets bore fine cracks and eroded pits.
Most surrounding houses were single or double-story, built in an aged European style.
Yet, the closer one ventured to the Royal Capital's core, the tidier and cleaner the streets and buildings became.
The air was crisp and fresh.
But the atmosphere screamed to Adam: this was another world!
DING! DING! DING!
CLANG! CLANG!
The incessant clatter came from adventurers' weapons and armor clashing as they moved through the streets.
Shouts from shopkeepers on both sides mingled with the glint of various signs catching the sunlight.
The scene buzzed with lively chaos.
Luxurious carriages navigated the crowded streets with difficulty, never halting. Most passersby instinctively cleared the way.
Among the throng, many wore armor, while a few donned mage robes, standing out vividly. Others sported bright, peculiar clothing.
The crowd was a vibrant tapestry of diversity.
For days, the royal capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom had been flooded with people from across the land.
In this festive atmosphere, most were swept up in high spirits.
But not one man.
Adam, clad in cheap long sleeves and plain gray pants, blended seamlessly into the crowd, unnoticed.
His mood mirrored the drab hue of his clothes.
Beyond confusion, a gnawing fear gripped his heart.
The revelry belonged to others.
Adam had arrived in this world just yesterday, yet he'd already pieced together his predicament.
This was the world of Overlord, specifically the New World where the Great Tomb of Nazarick would one day descend.
And so, Adam was terrified.
Others transmigrated to the Overlord reality, grinding endlessly or pouring money into [YGGDRASIL], amassing world items and rare classes.
They arrived in this world with godlike power or joined Nazarick's ranks.
But Adam? He was thrust directly into this alien world. Had he been like those others, he wouldn't be so paralyzed by fear.
One small comfort steadied him.
The current time was over four years before the Great Tomb of Nazarick's arrival.
How did he know?
The Royal Tournament.
The kingdom's future champion, Gazef Stronoff, would win this very tournament, earning the title of Warrior Captain.
Today was the climactic duel between the future Warrior Captain Gazef and the future Shalltear's Nail Clipper Brain.
Indeed!
This match captivated every adventurer and commoner in the kingdom, explaining the teeming, vibrant streets.
Though an ordinary man before transmigrating, Adam's voracious reading of novels proved useful, allowing him to calm down swiftly.
Hearing names like Gazef, Brain, and the Royal Tournament, he pinpointed the world and timeline he'd entered.
"Year -4 of the New Calendar" wasn't this world's reckoning but a framework Adam adopted from fan calculations in his past life.
After all, per Overlord's story, Nazarick would eventually dominate the world, making the "New Calendar" A fitting measure.
How could he understand this world's language?
A universal "language translation" law governed this world, enabling communication across nations and even races.
As Ainz himself quipped, it was as if everyone had eaten translation mushrooms.
Understanding speech was one thing; reading text was another matter entirely.
The coarse fabric of his clothes irritated Adam's skin, but compared to his dire situation, it was trivial.
He had no clue why he'd transmigrated. One moment, he was lying in his rented room; the next, he was here.
A painfully clichéd transmigration.
Adam grumbled inwardly, a wry self-mockery creeping in.
An orphan, he'd always been alone. If he vanished, no one would notice.
Lucky for him.
This epic clash between commoners drew hordes of adventurers and commoners alike.
Adam's pajamas and shorts, compared to the adventurers' bold or bizarre attire, didn't stand out.
With diverse races, beliefs, and nations, this world's fashion was surprisingly liberal.
Once he'd grasped his situation and steadied himself, Adam acted.
He found a shop selling goods and parted with the only item he'd brought besides his clothes, a cloisonné golden pendant worn around his neck.
It fetched three gold coins.
He'd bought it with two months' salary for a girlfriend, but they split before he could give it to her, so he'd kept it.
In this world, 169 copper coins equaled 13 silver coins, which equaled 1 gold coin.
Beyond gold coins lay platinum, gem, mithril coins, and more.
Three gold coins far exceeded the value of his 10-gram pendant.
The shopkeeper paid not for the gold but for the pendant's exquisite cloisonné craftsmanship.
In a world where craftsmanship lagged, relying heavily on magic, such an item could be resold to a noble lady for tens or hundreds of times the profit.
Adam knew this but also knew his circumstances left no room for haggling.
He spent 5 copper coins on cheap clothes and 1 silver coin on a short sword.
He had 2 gold, 11 silver, and 3 copper coins remaining.
With 5 extra copper coins, he bought a few loaves of black bread.
"Four years to go, relax… like hell!"
Adam stomped the ground, his mouth twitching as he cursed under his breath.
In his past life, his only hobbies were novels and anime, so he'd devoured Overlord's novels and anime.
He knew full well: four years or tomorrow, what difference was there when Nazarick arrived?
To Adam, there was none.
The Re-Estize Kingdom before him, and everyone in it, including himself, was doomed to ruin.
***
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