Chapter 24: Hell for Rest
Deus!
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
The carpet on the floor quivered with intensity. Consumed by fury, he strode hastily, each of his footsteps reverberating with a volatile surge of mana. In response, Finden Ai swiftly reacted, catching the teetering vase on the edge of the desk and preventing it from crashing to the floor.
"Phew, I almost had to go shopping again."
Finden Ai released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and shot a piercing glare at the door. As if on cue, Darius swung open the door with a creak, entering the room at the perfect moment.
"What nonsense is this?"
As I arranged the candles, I glanced briefly at Darius before refocusing on my task.
It seemed to irritate Darius nerves so much that he stomped towards me.
Nope.
Finden Ai shrugged her shoulders and stood between us, naturally blocking the way.
Darius, who had suffered two humiliating defeats at her hands already, gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and shouted at me from beyond her.
Digging up the tombs of previous family heads? Have you truly lost your mind!"
Darius drew his sword from his waist and swung it in the air, his veins bulging as he yelled.
"Accepting the immigrants into North Whedon, entering the forbidden underground of the family, hiring a damn prostitute as a maid! I let everything slide, but I can't tolerate this!"
Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get past Finden Ai anyway, I remained silent and continued with my task.
There's no time. The moon is about to rise.
"Calm down a bit."
At that moment, Deia, who was in my room, sighed and calmed Darius down.
He looked at Deia with a puzzled expression, as if wondering why she was here.
Deia subtly showed the clock she held in her hand.
Todays five minutes were not over yet.
Deus is doing what needs to be done... The task that Verdi should bear.
Upon hearing those words, Darius immediately scowled at Deia.
The task that Verdi should bear? Are you saying that it must be done even if we have to dig up the tombs of the previous lords! Our father is there too!"
It is still necessary.
Darius was taken aback by Deia who was biting her lip, looking determined.
It seemed unbelievable to him that Deia, who disliked me more than anyone else, was siding with me.
"Ugh, explain it. Damn it! Explain the reason for doing such a thing!"
As I was also ready to have a conversation, I slowly turned around and looked at Darius.
I am a necromancer.
What?
Darius looked at me with a gaping mouth, completely surprised by the sudden declaration.
His reaction was understandable. It wouldn't be too strange for the guards of the Griffin Kingdom to come and take me away due to such a statement.
"Numerous spirits are wandering in this mansion right now. And the Verdi family is the one that has prevented them from finding peace as the deceased."
I stepped forward slowly.
With Finden Ai naturally stepping aside, I glared at Darius in front of me.
"Deia and I bear the guilt of ignorance. But you, being the head, knew all the secrets written in the journal."
.
"Help me. I'm giving you a chance to take responsibility one last time."
"Take responsibility?"
Darius, understanding the situation, slammed his sword onto the ground and glared at me, as if releasing his anger.
You want me to take responsibility for what the previous lords have done! But let me ask you, is there anyone in this world who is truly innocent? And who can claim with certainty that our judgment against the previous lords is justified?"
"..."
"I, too, know that they committed sins. But there's nothing I can change! I can only continue dragging Verdi along as it has been!"
After looking at Darius for a moment, I calmly nodded.
I understand.
At my understanding, Darius looked at me with surprise and confusion in his eyes.
"It's already been built up for hundreds of years. So, as the newly appointed lord, you probably can't change anything."
Darius tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fist. It seemed like he was struggling to hold back something rising inside him.
"But you can't just get used to it and eventually consider it natural. We can not simply avoid it saying it's inevitable."
"Give me a chance. A chance to settle everything, cleanse all the sins, and start a new Verdi."
"A new Verdi."
"Yes. I hope youll make the right choice as the family head."
With those words, I walked out of the room, and Finden Ai followed behind me, carrying our belongings.
From behind, I could hear the voices of Deia and Darius, but I simply ignored them and stepped outside.
Most of the previous lords were buried on a site not far from the Verdi mansion.
Some bodies couldn't be found due to the war, and some were lost due to unforeseen circumstances, but most were properly laid to rest.
"He has arrived."
The members of the Gocheolsang crew, who were already waiting near the cemetery by my command, lowered their heads deeply as soon as they saw me.
Not liking their attitude, Finden Ai immediately grabbed the head of the person in front and expressed her annoyance.
Hey, wont you greet me?
"Ugh!"
-"But, isn't he the master now?"
-"Thanks to him, we're doing great!"
Bam!
A man emerged. He knew me.
[Deus? Is it Deus? Did you wake me up?]
Damos Verdi, the previous head of the Verdi family and the father of the three siblings.
All the Verdi family members were gathered now.
Among them, there were those like Detros Verdi who slaughtered countless people for their own greed.
And there were those like Darius Verdi who simply closed their eyes and mouths, pretending not to see or hear.
What does it matter? After all, we will all receive punishment according to our sins, they thought.
[Deus! What on earth is happening here!!]
[Oh, isn't it a sign that we have also entered the path of darkness by awakening the dead!]
[Ke Ke Ke! Damos! Is it time to educate him!]
The apparitions of the Verdi family gathered around me. The evil spirits, swirling like a whirlwind, filled the sky and glared down with a ferocious intent to tear them apart.
"Shut your mouths, all of you."
I calmly opened my mouth toward them. The atmosphere suddenly turned serious with my next words.
"In a scripture from another world, there is a passage like this."
Bam!
"When the time comes, the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise when the Son of God descends from heaven."
Bam!
"And they will be judged according to their sins."
Bam!
"I don't know if it's true. However, I do know that there is no such saint in this continent."
Bam!
A slight smile formed involuntarily.
Can they imagine even a little about the future that will unfold from now on?
Probably not.
They have already closed their eyes as the dead.
Their so-called future is already nonexistent, or close to it.
Bam!
"If there is no such individual, and if there is no afterlife, will your sins be buried and forgotten for eternity?"
[Deus! Watch your words!]
Shut up! I'm not your damn son.
I retaliated against Damos, who glared at me with anger.
I used mana to seal his mouth completely.
I already knew from the diary that he, too, was not a great father.
"Look at that sky, on this ambitious night. Resentment towards you has accumulated so much it has reached the sky and you will have to bear its weight tonight."
[Delmoennn! Delmoennn! Delmoennn, who devoured my eyes!]
[Is the person over there really Dupolian? My long-time friend, the one who raped my wife, killed me, and severed my son's limbs?]
[Verdi! Verdi! Verdi, who stained the mountain range red with blood to defend it!]
[Detrossss! Detrossss! Detrossss!]
The spirits were on the verge of rushing towards them. Calmly, I addressed the trembling souls of the Verdi family.
"Of course, you may feel wronged. Among these spirits, there may be individuals too filthy to judge you."
Indeed, among the spirits I had seen in that mansion, some people had led wicked lives.
Members of other families who invaded the Verdi family.
Thieves who came to steal money secretly.
Criminals who stalked maids or committed sexual offenses.
Not everyone was like that, but there were enough of such individuals.
So, I took responsibility and unfolded the exorcism as fairly as possible.
This place was not merely a venue for tearing apart and devouring the Verdi family, after all.
"Let's shed all resentment, wash away all sins. Oh, resentful spirits! This is the place where your resentment will be released! Today is the day when Verdi's new history of purity is written!"
Bam!
"There is no saint to judge you! Even if you wait and wait, there will be no salvation, no judgment! In the afterlife, there is only eternal suffering! No eternal happiness! You will simply fall into sleep!"
Bam!
For the first time, I felt my blood boiling.
I couldn't contain the explosion of emotions.
My grandmother always said that when I get involved in an exorcism, I can't help but get excited. It seemed true
"Now! Accuse each other of your sins! Without repentance! Point fingers and judge others' sins! From this day on, let's release all resentment and fall into eternal sleep!"
Bam!
I raised both hands high.
From that moment, the spirits that had been swirling in the sky began to pour down like a waterfall.
"The Son of God has come! The time has come! Blow the trumpet!"
Bam!
"Let us judge each other! For our eternal rest!"
As I shouted, the spirits finally descended upon us.
--- End of The Chapter --
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