NPCs run Nazarick, not Ainz.
The NPCs (Floor Guardians) run Nazarick and not Ainz Ooal Gown. While Ainz is the undisputed leader of Nazarick, he is not the one who really decides the direction. More often than not Albedo and Demiurge are the ones coming up with the ideas and guiding the tactical/strategic direction on some of the most important matters. They read into the mind of Ainz, who they associate as the supreme being. They also assume that Ainz has supreme intelligence.
In reality Ainz is caught off guard by the suggestions of Albedo and Demiurge more often than not.
Ainz doesn’t want to disappoint anyone, and is more concerned with his own image with the floor guardians rather than admitting that he did not come up with an idea. Ainz wants to be seen as the supreme being and associated with the title of mastermind. That is more important to Ainz than following his own goals that he has for himself. He wants to find other player characters and figure out what is going on more than anything. But that isn’t happening, because he is not prioritizing his own objectives.
Finding clues to discover if there are over players do not require Nazarick to start down the road of total world domination. But that is the exact place that we find ourselves in. Not content with just remaining Nazarick, the NPCs suggest plans for domination and take over of the world. In a way Ainz is discovering more about the world he lives in now, if you consider the destruction of nations as information gathering. Not that any of that really matters to Ainz, he is quite content with just being as the title suggests an overlord.
Ainz is the great enabler of the NPC’s evil, and the evil within Nazarick.
This shouldn’t really be a surprise as Ainz was a player with the evil faction. Of course he wouldn’t mind the casual world takeover. But what is interesting is that Ainz continually tries to teach the NPCs that they should think for themselves. But Ainz does not ever try to restrain or outright counter the ideas of the floor guardians. While he has punished the floor guardians for mistakes they make there has never been serious debate within the halls of Nazarick.
Ainz is the undisputed leader because he maintains his image of mastermind.
Ainz’s image is key to retaining the full loyalty of the floor guardians. He would rather let an idea of Albedo or Demiurge happen than admit that it’s going too far or that it risks too much. There are times he just agrees to their ideas while worried about the idea itself. He isn’t leading as much as he is being led by others. Of course there are many styles of leadership, and this could be considered his leadership style.
While leading Nazarick, Ainz stunts the growth of Albedo and Demiurge by never being honest with them. It’s because they believe that Ainz is all-powerful and all knowing that they never get the chance to reach their full potential. It also prevents Albedo and Demiurge from realizing that they are the ones who are really leading Nazarick. Albedo and Demiurge limit themselves by believing that Ainz is smarter than them. In reality Albedo and Demiurge are much smarter than Ainz.
I wonder if Albedo and Demiurge will ever realize this, or if they will just forever be loyal to Ainz. It would be interesting to see what would become of Nazarick if the NPCs were ever given full agency to act in their own best interests.
Overlord Season 4: Ainz Ooal Gown World Perception
Fortress William 