CH 97

[I won’t hit you today, so there’s no need to be surprised.]

Russell spoke softly as he approached the death knight.

However, the death knight trembled as if he had hiccups.

[You just have to answer my student’s question.]

[…You are such a strange ghost. No, I don’t know if you’re really a ghost in the first place.]

The death knight swallowed his dry saliva, lifted his sword again, and threw it to the back of the warlock who ran away.

A sword loaded with strong darkness pierced the warlock’s stomach.

Swoosh!

[Don’t just touch them as you want. I have to deal with them.]

The death knight turned his head and gave a low warning to Bethel, who was preying on the strong flesh.

At the same time, Bethel also stared at the death knight.

[Why should I listen to you? It’s not like you’re the king here.]

When Bethel asked, the death knight snorted and sat on the warlock’s body.

[King? That’s childish, you’re like a kid. Why? You want to kill these guys, too?]

[Childish? Do you know what you just said to me?]

Bethel immediately showed her ferocity as if her darkness was about to wield a young sword.

Despite the war of nerves between Bethel and the death knight, Lucion first observed where this place was.

A river and a part of a boat could be seen through the cracks in the trees.

And gradually, he lowered his gaze and caught sight of those who died at the hands of the death knight.

He didn’t know whether they were all warlocks or not, but it seemed there were more than 15 of them.

‘If they’re warlocks, why are they all here?’

Lucion looked at Hume in doubt.

The dark sparks in Hume’s eyes flared up the closer he got to the death knight.

“The line I see is heading towards that death knight.”

Hume convinced Lucion.

Russell stopped listening to Hume’s words for a moment and stopped the two death knights who looked like they were about to fight.

[Both of you, stop there.]

Unfortunately, Bethel couldn’t deal with the death knight.

[I know.]

Bethel was already prepared.

Protect Lucion like a knight.

[But if that guy attacks Lord Lucion, I’ll just protect Lord Lucion even if he has to disappear.]

Maybe that death knight was the death knight that Russel was talking about.

She shouldn’t say that as someone who hated warlocks, but she witnessed the death knight kill a warlock in front of her eyes.

Besides, he had the same eyes as her.

Even though it was for a mission, that death knight also hated warlocks.

By any chance, if that greatsword were pointed at Lucion, it would be pierced in one fell swoop and she would cool down.

[Oh… Then, is it because of Lucion? You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t want to kill him at all.]

The death knight laughed lightly.

“Hey, death knight.”

Lucion, who finished grasping the situation, called the death knight.

[If there’s something you want to say, just say it. …Oh, wait a minute.]

The death knight suddenly raised his upper body from where he was seated.

His eyes were on Hume.

[What’s wrong with your eyes? It wasn’t like that last time.]

“Do you know what happened?”

Lucion asked casually.

[I don’t know exactly. It seems that a person with a spark of darkness rising from one eye is called a guide.]

“A guide?”

Lucion fiddled with his fingers.

The same word came out again.

The first time was a coincidence, the second time might not be.

―Hop! It’s what Hume said!

Ratta’s tail went up.

[Yes, but I heard it a long time ago and it’s impossible to dig anymore, so don’t ask me.]

“Why?”

[It’s already gone. What am I supposed to do if it disappeared? So it’s no use asking me. I’ve only heard of it.]

The death knight shrugged as if he was bored.

There was no point in asking if he didn’t know.

Lucion quickly broached the next question.

“What is the vessel you mentioned last time?”

[I don’t know. I just copied the darkness’s words because it said you’re a vessel. If you’re really curious, I think you can ask it yourself. You’re a warlock, aren’t you?]

Even though he knew he couldn’t do anything about it, the sarcastic voice made Lucion slightly annoyed.

But he tried to swallow his emotions and asked again.

“Then what is that bead in your body?”

[Mm, it’s to amplify the power of darkness…? I don’t know what this is even if I have had it for a long time.]

“Why?”

In response to Lucion’s subsequent question, the death knight showed a slightly relaxed attitude before meeting Russell’s eyes.

Russell raised his fist, and the death knight sighed loudly.

[You know, Lucion. I’m not as useful as you think. If I had to say what I am doing, I just kill warlocks like I just did now.]

“Just tell me what you know.”

[All right, but I’ll just tell you a few parts.]

“Why?”

[Because the darkness wants that. It said you’re not ready yet.]

The death knight rose from his seat and pointed to his chest.

[Anyway, the darkness handed this over to me and whispered, ‘You have to give it back when the time comes.’]

The death knight looked at the sky slightly as if recalling the past

[And it gave me a job in return for this strength.]

“Is that job killing all the warlocks?”

[To be exact, it was hoping that there wouldn’t be any more warlocks coming into the Empire.]

[The darkness…?]

Russell interrupted the conversation and asked.

It had to be.

Isn’t that a very strange thing to say?

Warlocks were blessed with darkness. Darkness couldn’t harm the warlocks.

[Yes, the darkness.]

The death knight chuckled.

[It’s weird, right? You think it’s weird, too, right? Me too. Darkness blocks those who follow it.]

The death knight walked slowly.

The sound of heavy armor followed.

[That, Lucion.]

The death knight called Lucion.

“Say it.”

[I don’t know everything, but I know that you’re the one who made this weird situation. Because you’re the only one the darkness calls a vessel.]

―Lucion is Lucion.

Ratta murmured, frowning.

[Anyway, I think we’ll keep seeing each other like this, so why don’t we at least say our names?]

Lucion took off his mask.

The death knight already knew his face, so there was no need to hide it.

Lucion’s gaze toward him was fierce.

[What’s that look?]

In response to the unexpected reaction, the death knight looked at Lucion instead of picking up the sword he threw.

“Did you have fun?”

[What are you talking about?]

“I’m asking if you and the darkness had fun while I was tormented by those beggars.”

Lucion’s voice rose a little.

[…Oh, I was wondering what you were talking about.]

The death knight approached Lucion.

Hume stood before Lucion, and Russell and Bethel stood guard against the death knight.

The death knight no longer approached and uttered.

[Lucion. Aren’t you alive now?]

Lucion held his breath for a moment at the arrogant attitude of the death knight who acted as if he had saved him.

He asked, twisting his face.

“You saved my life…?”

[Think about it. How did you survive without the warlock’s power among the ghosts who hated nobles?]

The death knight abandoned his slightly frivolous tone and continued to speak seriously.

[But it’s true that I left you alone, so it was ridiculous to say it out loud. It would be ridiculous to kill all the ghosts in the mansion now.]

Lucion breathed out slowly and swallowed his anger.

He had to know his place.

It was difficult to touch even the death knight’s helmet with his own skills.

“…Didn’t you say with your own mouth that you should kill the warlocks? Why do you keep me alive? It must have been before I met Teacher.”

At the word ‘teacher’, the death knight seemed to glance at Russell for no reason.

[No, I don’t want to say it. Anyway, I’m Broson. Since we live in the same mansion, let’s just greet each other.]

“Wait a minute.”

[You’re really talkative.]

Broson responded with annoyance, not leaving his seat.

[So? What is it?]

“Why did warlocks come to the border? In a group like this?”

[They were moving the bodies. Maybe they’re trying to play house by reviving the corpses.]

“The… bodies?”

Lucion didn’t just let it slip.

It was because as soon as the word ‘bodies’ came out, a blue thread appeared.

Broson came up to Lucion, dragging his sword despite the warnings of several people.

[Anyway, be strong. Because the darkness and I want that too.]

The death knight patted Lucion’s head lightly.

“…?”

Lucion’s eyes widened, and Broson smiled pleasantly and flew toward somewhere.

Bethel finally caught her breath, and Hume stood behind Lucion again.

[What a weirdo.]

Russell murmured with a stern look.

Lucion put on a mask again and looked at Ratta.

Lucion flinched when he made eye contact with Ratta.

―Ratta thought that Lucion would call Ratta. Now it’s Ratta’s turn! Go, Ratta!

Ratta was so excited that she wagged her tail.

[Anyway, the fact that warlocks came in groups like this means that they are conducting some kind of experiment. …It’s disgusting.]

Bethel voiced her anger.

[That’s right. It’s clear that they’re moving the bodies. I wish it wasn’t what I thought.]

Russel moved to Ratta’s other side and examined the bodies one by one.

Lucion couldn’t stay still.

The blue thread was heading towards the river but he thought about searching the corpses for information.

Hume also followed Lucion.

“I’ll take a look…”

[Stop, Ratta!]

Russell suddenly shouted.

―Hop!

Ratta, who was about to stretch out her front paw, was surprised and hurriedly pulled back.

“What’s wrong?”

Lucion, who was also surprised, spoke out.

[These guys are corrupt warlocks. Even the soul has already been corrupted, so you can’t dig up information, and the soul probably can’t be called. There’s no need to get your hands dirty. Somewhere else, I mean, let’s search the boat over there.]

Russell pointed to a boat built by the river.

[…Bastards.]

Bethel, who moved to the boat first, frowned.

“Is it full of dead bodies?”

At Lucion’s question, Bethel looked at the dead warlocks with disgust.

[Right. The boat is stuffed with corpses.]

Lucion was stunned by the situation where the blue thread was connected to a corpse, not a person, but he calmly called out to Russell.

“Teacher.”

It was easy now.

Russell asked with a slight snort.

[What do you want to know?]

“Yes. Do you happen to know how to free them?”

Lucion noticed as soon as he saw the bodies and the blue thread.

That these warlocks were from the Hand of the Void, and the corpses the warlocks trying to carry were used in one of their central events in the novel.

It was the worst event that could have shattered half of the Empire if Heint hadn’t discovered it.

Right now, it seemed that the Hand of the Void was using corpses to build up its forces.

Immortal soldier.

They were the worst enemy.

Many countries also chose to burn bodies as much as possible to prevent this situation.

“Or a way to feed candy to those who play with corpses.”

Lucion’s voice died down in an instant.

The Hand of the Void was intertwined, but could he just pass by?

[The opponent is a fallen warlock. They totally ignore the laws of black magic, so it’s best to just burn the bodies so they can’t be used. You need bones to raise the dead, but you can’t do anything with powder..]

Russell told him the fastest and easiest way he knew.

“Is there any other way?”

Lucion deliberately baited Russell to say the answer he wanted.

Russell sighed deeply.

It seemed Lucion was trying to use the magic that he could use as a warlock.

Black magic that caused the dead.

The magic that made even those who didn’t hate the warlocks would hate them.

[‘If that’s not the case, by any chance…’]

“Something like necromancy, which uses corpses to summon ghosts.”

However, the words that came out of Lucion’s mouth were more ordinary than expected, surprising both Russell and Bethel at the same time.

Lucion also tilted his head.

Whether it was a skeleton or a decomposed body, black magic could be used to make them move like living people.

But it wasn’t the magic that he had to learn now.

The black magic that causes the dead was conspicuous, loud, and noisy.

He’d already seen it himself at the gate heading to the central part.

If he learned and used that magic right here and now, it was obvious that all the sleeping priests would come out.

“What kind of magic did you think I would ask for?”

Lucion suddenly felt bad at the reaction of the two.

After breaking the window with a chair in the Great Light Temple, he hadn’t been really quiet.