Chapter 37-END

Gaiden 2 – The Two Necromancers

A heart-warming rehabilitation after a long period.

Those persons who do not want to break the reverberation, can end it halfway.

Halfway is that.

Again, writing is a habit I want.

First half of the series before, after the destruction of the Yu-zu Kingdom.

The halfway is after the destruction of the new kingdom.

One day five years after the liberation war, Katarina received a vacation from Schera and visited a village.

This village ―― Moruto Village, was more like a small collection of people in a settlement to the east of Tenan City.

It was the starting place of the so called “Slaughter of Tenan” and, because all of the residents had died, it was becoming ruins while not experiencing any kind of reconstruction.

It had become a den of thieves, when one approached they would be afflicted by disease, where the decaying dead were making strides around… these were the rumors that were floating around and so there were absolutely no people that would approach Moruto.

Around the time when day turned to night, Katarina arrived at her intended destination.

Tying the horse properly to a tree, she took out her cane and held a strong stance of alerted-ness.

In front of the entrance to the village, there was a woman probably in her 40s, sitting in a small chair.

Furthermore, keeping an eye out and looking around, she was holding a spear like something kind of armed guard.

In the middle of the dim light, there was the sound of the armor reverberating. That armor was not all together and some parts of it were damaged.

It could be thought that she was the commander, but she was out of her depth.

With a momentary sigh, Katarina faced the entrance of the village.

“Welcome! This is Moruto Village. There is not much here, but please take your time.”

The woman who seemed like a good person spoke with a smile, which was the way in which Katarina responded.

“‘Good evening. I am Katarina from the Star Church and a hearing officer under authority of the Inquisition Bureau. I would like to meet the person in charge of this village, if possible.”

The woman did not answer the request and simply continued to carry the smile on her face.

More than ten seconds passed before, the woman repeated the words once-more.

“Welcome! This is Moruto Village. There is not much here, but please take your time.”

“…………”

Katarina pulled down her hood and the woman looked over her with a cold gaze.

She extended her hand towards the woman, but there was not really any response. When she touched the cheeks of the woman, it was horribly cold and she could not feel her body temperature.

“Welcome! This is Moruto Village. There is not much here, but please take your time.”

Katarina left the place behind and continued into the middle of the village.

Behind her, the greeting person continued to extend her welcome, and the woman’s crazy voice could be heard.

In the middle of the village, there was a strange sight that was spreading.

The children were playing and the farmers were cultivating small fields, the old women were drawing water out of the well with a blossoming conversation about the world going on.

With one glance, it was a sight like something out of a beautifully painted picture of peace, but all of the homes around were completely rotted out.

The farmer’s huts were all covered in burned ash. The fields were desolate and the farmers dug one part of the field with a hoe.

In the middle, only the children were aware of Katarina’s presence and in a ruffled manner they ran into the middle of the buildings.

This was a place where long ago people had devoted their faith to the star gods. Now, the Star Cross was expelled and instead some bizarre three emblems were engraved.

One was a skull. One was a humanoid figure. One more, was a headless humanoid figure. Katarina did not understand what significance these symbols bore.

As Katarina opened the door, she could see this scene of the children guessing.

A little earlier, the wives were different and one could sense the humanity. One could say a kind of sign of the living.

“Ahh, excuse me you all――”

When Katarina raised her voice, they turned and ran as fast as they could. Somehow, it seemed like they have been frightened.

Without any help, she opened the half-destroyed door and entered the Church. The middle was exceptionally dim in terms of the light and just a single candle was burning.

It was not the same sense as the other desolated houses. It had a kind of relative beauty to it. It was such that a person would be able to live in this place.

Probably the children that she had seen before sometimes slept in this Church. It was not a rare thing for orphans to make their home in ruins.

When Katarina continued further into the middle of the Church, a single woman was sitting in front of a statue of the god.

In this place, the light of candles did not continue. So, Katarina was not aware of the existence of the woman.

In the face of the statue the woman was gazing over, there was a rusty blade sticking outwards.

“Welcome. This is Moruto Village. ….go-, go-, You know this place well. Remarkable, Katarina.”

“…. My self-righteous mother, who had a bad personality, taught me. She said that a woman who had a different soul would do abnormal things in a wasted village.”

“Ah, excuse me. This place is not a wasted village. This is a paradise that I built with my heart and soul. I will continue to build it up.”

The women continued to smile.This person was the reason for the visit to this place.

Her name was Necromancer Edel Weiss. Long ago, in Katarina’s hometown, she was the hero that rescued Art village and pulled the strings of 1000 dead bodies.

That there was a honest person who had called Katarina back to this world.

“In order to ask of your perpetuity, you have come to this remote place haven’t you? …. But, first, thanks should be given for assisting at Cyrus.”

Katarina extended her courtesies. In the battle for the defense of the Cyrus fortress, it was Edelle who had rescued her at the dead ground.

The reason she was able to meet Schera again was that, even though they had not asked for it, they had been helped.

“It is fine. I need no reason to help my sister-in-law. Is that not correct?”

“………..”

Edelle spoke with kindness. Katarina did not respond to this. Favor, hatred, appreciation and murderous intent. In regards to this woman, she held a complex mixture of emotions and feelings.

“So, my beloved Katarina, you have come here to pay some respects to me. If so, I am very pleased.”

The woman flicked her finger and an elderly butler-esque type of person brought along drinks for two. It was not alcohol, it seemed like tea.

“……I am fine thanks I don’t need it.”

“You are not allowed to refuse. These are tea-leaves the children have picked for us. It is very delicious. Please drink this for me without fail.”

The elderly senior with empty eyes forcefully pushed Katarina to drink the cup. The more she resisted the further she pushed.

Without anything she could do, she accepted it and drank it in one go. The astringent taste and sweet flavor harmonized with each other, which made it delicious.

“Delicious isn’t it?”

“Yes it is.”

Katarina drank up in one go and resolved to raise the matter at hand. She did not want to linger in this insane place. This village was stingy. She was not able to understand living with dead people. Even her who was aware of her own craziness could not comprehend it. She did not want to be in a place she did not understand.

“Necromancer Edelle. Heresy investigator Katarina commands you. Hand over all of the magic scrolls that heretic Rasu Nubesu left here.”

She held the cane towards the Edelle but the blood haired witch did not flinch and maintained a smile. Those clothes were not the pink color that she loved but were black cloth.

“Ahh, brilliant. Katarina has become one of the heresy investigators. Becoming this important, your father would be proud if he could see this, surely.”

“Because fortunes are good, hand over Rasu’s diary and all of the magic scrolls now! Just because I am asking, you should do it! You know what you are holding here!”

“Ahh, yes that is so. I do have them, don’t I. …. Even though I was informed, you fell on a foreign road and it fell into the contradicted hands of the necromancer. Really, like father like daughter.”

“This is surely not the place to speak meekly of people.”

“That is so, isn’t it. But why that thing only now? ….. Ahh, yes. I wonder maybe you have felt the limits of self-study. From the standpoint of, the study and execution of necromancy standing out. You want to be more useful for your darling Schera. So with that, you would like to request the research achievements of your subordinate and great father. I get it now, very cute.”

Edelle laughed at the thought of Rasu hearing this and sheading tears laughing.

Katarina, having been made fun of and angry with the fact that Schera’s name had been brought into this, had a face growing red.

“If you do not want to be struck out to the church as a heretic, be quick and -”

“I don’t care. Get it over with now! I will even give you something else. I no longer need it anyway”.

“What?”

“I decide my own way of living myself. So, please do as you wish.”

‘――Ah!’

When the surprised Katarina turned around, a person with masked robe was standing directly behind her.

There was not just one person. There were perhaps about ten people. All were wearing a white mask and were standing without any movement.

‘It is okay to be blood thirsty, but I am cautious around necromancers. Although you are apprentice, just before being an actual necromancer. You until now have died a 100 times. As your sister-in-law I am sad, so please devote yourself more! Whatever happens, you do not have the intention to go and help?’

‘Shut-up!’

As the annoyed Katarina dispelled the people behind her without any power, and they collapsed. In tune with this the mask was removed.

The face that appeared was one familiar to Katarina. It was the person who had her mother’s name, the hero Art. A woman with a failed personality.

‘Do not do anything violent. If you break something I can make is better but it will surely take time and effort. ’

‘Thi-, this…..?’

‘Recently, just like your father, been keen on making dolls. With a hidden soul it is just like the real person. Of course, because humans are different, they cannot really move that easily. I have to develop it more.’

The group with the robes pulled off their masks.

Edelle herself and close friends appeared. In the middle, was a version of Katarina when she was a child, and the figure of her now without father. With the clam expressions that were present at a time when he had not fallen off the beaten track.

‘This is crazy. Not just dead people being alive but, dolls. ’

Katarina’s trembling hands touched her glasses. It was not just fear. Before her own eyes the childhood version of herself. The childhood Katarina. It was that elaborately detailed that one would not be able to tell the difference with the real thing.

‘Thank you for your care. However, my mental state is good. It is not the case that I particularly enjoy living with dead people. It is only me that can defend this place. I cannot always be keeping an eye out. So, I just use the dead people. I even spread strange rumors. In order to make people not come close.’

With this atmosphere, all of the outlaws could be well managed.

‘So, what is with the departed dolls!?’

‘It is simply an act of compensation. This is peculiar to the necromancers. Even you understand this surely. Or, maybe you are pretending to not know. Surely, you do not use pretty and convenient words like, “I want to see them returned to living”.’

Edelle had lonely laughed. Just what Katarina had been thinking, she turned away unconsciously.

‘When necromancers use extraneous means, a certain desires arise. If there is a person close to them, this will become even more. There is a power in me that can perform this. …. Ahh, the winning percentage is low but, if I guess it is around 20%. Because that kid is cheerful…. So, yeh. I made the decision to retire quietly in that village.’

‘…………’

‘Yes yes, the children outside are actual humans. They are just war orphans. There is no need to perform magic on this. When they become adults they can go and live as they please. Me also, will go on living as I please. This village is the one place where humans, dolls and dead people can all together exist. My teacher, Rasu’s techniques will forever continue to live here. And, no one at all will ever be able to disturb it.’

Edelle continued to talk about ideals indiscriminately. The new kingdom, the Star Church, robbers,

This woman maybe holds some special feelings toward Rasu. At this point it was not known. Nor, did she even want to know.

‘At the village targeted, so you become a god?’

‘…………’

‘Does that person know?’

It was possible that they did know. Decide your own way of living by yourself. It was that woman’s habit.

‘…. While I am not angry, get out of here! When I look at you, I almost vomit. You are a good kid so, if the matter is done, get out of here.’

Edelle held her face with one hand. The particular desires of the necromancer were beginning to come out. Katarina decided to leave obediently.

‘Alright then, I am going. …… Mrs. Edell, take care.’

‘Ahh Katarina. … if it is okay, no I thought and it is okay. After 10 years, I would be happy if you came here to check what has become of this village. What has become of my dream and

so on. If no one comes to see I will be a little bit sad.’

Edelle clutched her breast and coughed violently. She could not see well in the dark but her complexion was horribly bad.

Katarina had tried to approach, but the dolls surrounded her and blocked it.

‘Farewell, my cute, sister.’

The childhood Katarina took Katarina by the hand and pulled very violently, and brought her towards the exit. The entrance to the village and the Star Church. From the world of dreams, Katarina was thrust out. The young Katarina, the guide for the way out, waved a little and returned again back to the Church.

‘Welcome! This is Moruto Village. There is no much here, but please take your time’

At the entrance without any care the woman was greeting the visitors of the village.

After three years, in order to overcome the desires of the necromancer, and so it can be used very long, she trust her blade deep into her chest.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

(There is a chance that the special character image may be destroyed.)

One day at the Cyrus fortress. Shera, who had finished the daily field work was looking forward to a meal in the soldiers’ eatery.

There was still some time to the next potato harvest and the improvement of the variety and the taste was still about halfway there.

So today, what was lined up was not something that was harvested in Cyrus. They were huge melons sent from Keri of Madorosu.

The shapes were distorted but, the outstanding favor was what they had been sold on. It seemed that Keri had ordered them from the Commonwealth in the south but was selling them as if they were Melons of Madorosu. Without keeping up, Shera would eat all of these in one go.

What was being eaten now was a dish where half of the melon was tapped, while the middle was packed with various things. The contents were put with some boiled fish. It was an outstanding match with bread.

In the eating hall were the soldiers affiliated the Cyrus fortress. And for some reason, next to Shera was Veloce. There was a decidedly odd bad atmosphere.

While the lords did not have that much free time, it seemed that all of the work was done by the staff officer Dima.

‘Lord Shera, these melons seem delicious!’

‘Yes. They are delicious. I want to try to grow some quickly. I wonder how they are grown.’

‘I will investigate later!”

‘Take care, Veloce’

‘Yes!’

She pushed Veloce while she bowed in respect standing. This was because such a thing was not necessary while eating.

One must enjoy and eat. This was the rule of Cyrus.

The necromancer with a terrible complexation, Katarina, jumped into the relaxing dining hall. She knocked at the door briskly with a hushed and bashful sigh.

‘Shut-up, I am eating.’

‘Lor-, Lord Shera.’

‘There is no need to yell so loudly, I can already hear you Katarina. You are being loud.’

‘I am sorry. But, I have something to report. I have run all the way here.’

Katarina placed on here glasses carefully. She was embracing a massive volume of papers.

Shera had a bad feeling about this.

‘What kind of report could this be?’

Yes, the other day, I was putting together ‘The Legends of Shera’ and have finally completed it so I am reporting this!’

The Legends of Shera?….. what is that?’

Veloce stopped herself from speaking. Katarina glared at gilori. She looked down and spoke with a glorious voice.

‘With a faithful first volume of the half-life of the great and honorable Shera, it is me Katarina Nebesu who has prepared with supreme book. Soon, I will distribute it to all of the troops. And yes to you’

Katarina was intercepted while she attempted to pass a copy to Veloce, by Shera who flipped through it.

‘Are there any pictures in this fable?’

‘Yes. Because the there are few words that can express the glory of Shera so, I have used some images to convey this. I have continued to rework them. ’

A that is right, she was very good at drawing. There was a beautiful picture of the someone. Their hair was long and height was high.

“…..This is who?”

“Of course, Honorable Shera. It is something I saw with my own eyes, so it would have ‘various differences’.”

“In your eyes, there are strange stars shining. Human eyes do not shine this way.”

‘…………’

Does the work of the head become dull when one dies? Shera was seriously concerned about Katarine’s head. While the images were fantastic, the actual script was terrible. It was written that she had slaughtered 100,00 rebels and killed 1,000,000 troops, in one go. While they had driven them back, how did the new kingdom get defeated in the battle. One could not write this.

And, the death of the Princess Arutsuura by illness; it was written that it was ‘apparently’ the work of Shera.

It was half-truth and half-lies. Shera closed the book.

‘there was a problem?’

‘….Ah no, it was nothing. ’

‘Ye, thank you very much.’

Katarina arrived at the seat and straight away started preparing foods.

‘I am giving this to you. It is an interesting story. ’

‘Yes, yes. Thank you very much!’

Shera took the book from Veloce and returned to the food.

This stupid book, no one would believe in it much less even care about it probably. No one cared.

So, Shera decided to not care about it.

With glistening eyes, Veloce began reading the book. What bad behavior while eating food, thought Shera.

But, as this was really delicious, she decided not to care about it.