Chapter 47: Necromancer

Chapter 47: Necromancer

Your Majesty!

With a hurried sidestep, Tyren, the Chief Magistrate, knelt on one knee upon the filthy prison floor.

Given that the two people before whom he must kneel in this kingdom had appeared simultaneously, Tyren had no choice but to forego further words.

Looking down at him, Grand Magus Rockfelican chuckled and spoke.

It seems, Chief, you also have business with this man. Would you be so kind as to yield to us for a moment?

Yes, understood.

Under the guise of a polite request but, in reality, a veiled command from Rockfelican, the imposing Tyren retracted his stance, though his expression still held a thinly veiled animosity toward me.

As he left, Rockfelican clicked his tongue and muttered.

Ah, what a hothead. If youre in such a position, you should be cold and composed.

King Orpheus smiled as he replied to Rockfelicans criticism.

His passionate nature keeps our kingdom safe, making him all the more trustworthy.

Well, if Your Majesty says so.

When Orpheus sided with Chief Magistrate Tyren, Rockfelican didnt add anything further.

Only then did their gazes shift to me.

So, youre the madman who openly confessed to being a Necromancer?

King Orpheus looked at me, arms crossed, as if I were an intriguing artifact.

Soon, I really felt like a valuable object in the hands of an appraiser, as he circled around me.

You are aware of our kingdoms laws, arent you? Dark Mages can be executed on the spot at the discretion of the Mage Magistrate.

I am aware.

The kingdoms crackdown on Dark Mages is more stringent than one might imagine. Even in medieval times, immediate execution without a trial was a rarely exercised right, and in the modern world, it would be unimaginable.

But this is a medieval settingand a game.

And considering the kingdoms history, their strict measures against Dark Mages were somewhat understandable.

Are you the reincarnation of Herald-Hazard or something? Planning on single-handedly bringing ruin to our kingdom?

Herald-Hazard.

A name that could send shivers down the spine of any citizen of the Griffin Kingdom.

A monstrous figure who, as a necromancer, almost single-handedly brought the kingdom to the brink of ruin.

Even the main storyline in the game involved tracing his steps and unraveling the secrets of the kingdom.

No.

As I answered calmly, King Orpheus let out a long, seemingly exasperated sigh.

Then why confess? Do you feel guilty for your crimes? I heard something odd happened at the Robern Academy, although no official reports have arrived yet. You might be related, I presume?

Not even two days have passed since the incident at the Academy.

Even for a king, its impossible to have immediate knowledge of such a supernatural event.

Its for the kingdom.

Hmm?

Upon my declaration, both King Orpheus and Rockfelican, who was silently standing behind him, had a slight tremor in their eyes.

You must have read my letter.

I never sent a letter to the king. Theres no hotline for that sort of thing, to begin with.

The letter was sent to the Mage Tower where the Grand Magus resides.

Under normal circumstances, a simple letter would never make it to the Grand Magus. Thats why I had enclosed a special device of my own in the letter, something he couldnt simply ignore.

Rockfelican slowly reached out his hand.

A transparent membrane, akin to a fish tank, materialized. Inside it was a lively, blue mana clusterthe very thing I had included in the letter.

Setting aside the contents of the letter, in which you confessed...

King Orpheus observed the lively mana, intrigued.

Rockfelican seemed to have a lot to say too, but restrained himself given the presence of the king, who slowly spoke.

...How is this mana moving on its own? Is this some kind of necromancy as well? Even Grand Magus, who is said to have mastered most forms of magic, came to me with wide eyes just 30 minutes ago due to this unique magic.

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Rockfelican coughed awkwardly, avoiding eye contact but not denying the statement. The Grand Magus then took over the conversation.

The notion of mana moving autonomously is truly astounding. Properly managed, this could result in a groundbreaking, almost perpetual source of energy that requires no resources.

...

As I gazed at him, as if to question the obviousness of his statement, the Grand Magus chuckled and nodded his head.

Yes, of course. The one who invented it would naturally recognize its significance.

Then, Rockfelican inquired further, his voice tinged with a low groan.

If your claim to act for the kingdom is true, could you explain the principle behind this extraordinary marvel of sentient magic? Which feels as if it possesses a will of its own?

I responded, indifferent to the Grand Maguss captivated eyes.

Necromancy.

And now, the citizens naturally believe dark magic to be evil, an absolute wickedness. The religious institutions have also taken advantage of this to solidify their position.

.

To suddenly accept dark magic now? Believers from all corners would rise up in revolt.

Whether their belief is right or wrong doesnt matter. For them, it is an immutable truth.

The scars that Herald-Hazard left behind still painfully linger within us.

It was an irrefutable refusal.

With a furrowed brow and a sense of resignation, King Orpheus heard me speak again.

Your Majesty.

...Speak.

If we keep a bandage on a wound indefinitely, well never know whether it has healed cleanly, festered, or turned into a scar.

...

How long will the Griffin Kingdom continue to nurse the wound created by dark magic? How much time has to pass for the scars of that day to fade?

Their deaths will be remembered forever!

Gritting his teeth, King Orpheuss eyes flared up for a moment, venting fury towards me.

The countless citizens who died at the hands of the nefarious dark mage will forever be remembered in my heart and in our land! Do not insult them so thoughtlessly.

Yes.

Remembering the departed is the right thing to do.

The weight of their deaths was undeniableladen with sorrow, tragedy, and heartache.

Yet.

Your Majesty.

The dead are just thatdead.

Turn your gaze toward the living.

...

Look at your citizens who toil under the sun, who seek solace in a single drink at the end of a weary day, who close their eyes at night with hope for another dawn.

King Orpheus is no sovereign from centuries past. Hes not the monarch who once presided over souls lost in the calamity of Herald-Hazard.

His concern must be for the living. For the present.

Its honorable to remember the past, and venerable to pay tribute to the deceased. But do not misplace your priorities.

Its something I, a necromancer, can confidently say.

As Deus Verdi, a being who has deciphered the core tenets of necromancy and stands at the very nexus between life and death, I speak with utmost certainty.

I can clearly delineate the line, for my vision encompasses both the living and the deceased.

The dead cannot take precedence over the living.

King Orpheus tightened his lips and averted his gaze, his expression betraying a tangle of internal struggles.

Your Majesty.

A sword made of mana suddenly materialized in my hand.

Grand Magus Rockfelican, who stood behind, visibly tensed, readying himself to interject immediately. But King Orpheus quelled him with a mere gesture.

Look at this sword.

His gaze landed on the tip of the sword, shimmering with blue mana.

Right now, its a weapon that threatens you. With the slightest movement, it could harm Your Majesty.

But then, I slowly handed him the hilt of the sword. He accepted it, as if propelled by some unseen force.

Now the sword was pointed at me.

With just a slight change in direction, with merely a different hand wielding it, the weapon that could harm Your Majesty has become the closest thing to protect you.

With the sword between us, I locked eyes with his golden irises once again.

Would you forsake a sword entirely, branding it as evil, just because it once harmed you?

Most things in the world are too ambiguous to be neatly categorized into a binary framework.

To treat poison, one must use poison. Similarly, its also necessary to utilize one evil to vanquish another.

The countless wounds and grudges born of Herald-Hazard

Those scars left unhealed by the dark mageI will soothe and heal them.

And who are you to say that?

In the Kings slowly spoken words, a palpable weight resonated.

And in response to his query, a gentle smile naturally formed on my lips.

People call a woman who borrows the power of gods to save others a Saintess.

And then, I continued.

As for I, who borrow the power of the dead, am nothing but a mere necromancer.

--- End of The Chapter ---

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