Festival of the Dead (1)

I hurriedly left the Duchy of Forys before Belial could take direct action.

It was a peaceful carriage journey. It took less than a day to prepare the horse, carriage, food, and various travel supplies.

We’ll have to spend most of our time in the carriage until we reach our next destination. Of course, I don’t plan to just play around during that time.

“93 points. Fortunately, it seems you can read. You have both culture and common sense.”

I’m teaching knowledge to Claire, who had been essentially imprisoned until now.

“…Do you think I wouldn’t know this much when I’m a noble?”

Claire looked at me with half-lidded eyes. It seems her trust in me has fallen.

Well, we weren’t on good terms to begin with. To her, I must be nothing more than the enemy of her family, even though I’m being generous enough to teach her like this.

It’s rather surprising that she’s complying without resistance.

“Even royalty might not know.”

“That’s right. One shouldn’t be overconfident.”

“???”

Titan nods, apparently knowing I’m referring to him.

I don’t know what he’s done to be so proud of himself.

“Why don’t you start by learning how to read?”

“Lost, if you prove stronger than me, I’ll learn from you.”

“What kind of logic is that?”

“I don’t take orders from those weaker than me. Much less teachings? Even the royal tutors in my kingdom couldn’t prove their worth. Think you can?”

“What is this madman saying?”

To think this was the reason he couldn’t read.

“Using your head is only for when you can’t solve things with your body. But how can I trust these bookworms who can’t even handle me physically?”

“……”

I’m momentarily speechless at his response, which is strangely logical yet bizarre.

Anyway, he’s essentially declaring that he smashed the heads of all the tutors who tried to teach him.

“Linea, keep your eyes on the road. It’ll be a disaster if we crash somewhere.”

“Ah! Yes…”

I scold Linea, who’s been staring intently at us.

If she took the initiative to grab the reins, she should drive safely.

“Should I do it instead?”

“No! I’ll do it!”

“Alright…”

But Linea adamantly refused. It seems she feels uncomfortable doing nothing…

“How about teaching Claire? You’re a noble too, so you must know much more than me?”

“…That’s true.”

I’m just a vagrant with unclear origins, not even close to being a noble. It’s rather ridiculous for someone like me to teach a noble.

“Let’s each teach what we’re good at. The more you know, the better. I can teach theology, Linea can handle general education, and Titan can teach combat methods…”

“You’re planning to kill me.”

“Let’s exclude Titan.”

I lacked consideration.

The current Claire isn’t the iron-like being I knew.

I keep becoming cautious around her because of that gap.

Well, I should be careful with her now just as I was before. After all, I’ve gone from being a coward who betrayed my promise to Burke to someone who killed him, regardless of the reason.

Though my relationship with Claire might worsen even more than before…

“Then I’ll teach combat methods too. Since you chose to come with us, you should at least have means to protect yourself.”

“Is it that dangerous?”

“What do you think?”

There’s literally someone sitting in the corner who brings conflict wherever he goes.

“If you’re going to teach me, I’d like to learn from Linea.”

“Uh… haha. That’s…”

“Unfortunately, Linea is non-combat personnel, so that’s not possible.”

At least until she’s trying to appear that way. Though given how careless she is, I’m not sure how long she can keep it hidden.

“You’re quite…”

“Don’t want to?”

“Yes.”

“That’s even better. You can channel that dislike into your training.”

“……”

Now as before. Nothing has changed.

Claire and I will forever be misaligned. It’s both regrettable and somewhat nostalgic, as our relationship continues exactly as it was in the past.

Though it’s just avoidance…

Resolving this relationship will be a task for the future. We can’t stay like this forever.

“When we reach our next destination, let’s first get you a weapon.”

I took Claire in not just because of my promise to Burke, but also because I have expectations for her potential.

The title of the Pantheon Temple’s strongest paladin wasn’t just for show. She was truly a monster in both offense and defense.

“By the way, where are we heading?”

“This guy said we’re going to the Empire’s capital.”

“The capital is too far. We have places to visit along the way.”

“Is that so?”

There’s an urgent matter I need to handle. I need to find and crush the reason before the <Corruptor> starts moving in earnest.

‘Rubia’, the city where it rains 365 days a year. That’s where the <Corruptor>’s reverse scale lies.

If there’s something I need to deal with first, it’s that thing.

I already know what happened when its reverse scale was touched.

It’s simple. Everything between it and Rubia was destroyed.

Not just the Duchy of Forys, but even the trial known as the <Future Drawer>.

Far from being hindered, it brought catastrophe just by moving.

However, even if I want to solve this problem, the road to Rubia is still far ahead. So before that…

“We’re first heading to the future city of Nidavellir.”

That city which is said to be 2-3 levels ahead in technology.

We need to gather necessary supplies there, and if needed, get Claire a temporary weapon.

Though I said she needs strength to protect herself, she’s still too weak to even run around.

For someone like her, we can only get a suitable weapon in Nidavellir.

“So first…”

Screech!

In the middle of explaining our future schedule, the carriage comes to a sudden stop.

When I looked over, thinking Linea, who had been glancing back occasionally, had finally caused trouble, I realized that wasn’t the case.

“Lost…”

Linea was looking at me with a stiff expression, and in front of her stood a man covered entirely in a black robe, looking like a shadow come to life.

And around him were densely packed undead.

“……”

Yes, I thought they would come.

I knew Belial wasn’t careless enough to leave things alone once he became suspicious.

However, it was faster than expected.

He made contact before the <Wanderer>.

“Hmm.”

At that moment, Titan stood up, resting his hammer on his shoulder.

He should be able to tell they’re enemies just from their aura.

But that won’t do.

“Stop, Titan. They’re my guests.”

“……”

“As a warrior, you’ll respect that, right?”

“Hah, just the fact that you’re stepping forward instead of hiding behind others makes me think I can give you some leeway.”

Titan was already killed by the ‘Blade of Binding’, Mez, before my regression.

The very one standing before us.

I can’t let Titan fight. He won’t welcome others interfering in his battles.

Though I’ll have to change that thinking soon, now is not the time. It will take time for him to understand the ways humans live, rather than orcs.

Of course, I don’t think I can win against someone who could kill Titan.

I’m not standing here through force.

If that were the case, I wouldn’t be persuading Titan like this.

“A half-demon.”

“My, you noticed?”

“Still just a half-demon.”

“…Pardon?”

But even the Blade of Binding, Mez, who was called a one-man army, isn’t complete.

At this point in time, he hasn’t yet evolved into a demon.

Could there be better news than this?

“What are you doing? Planning to just watch? Were you ordered to stall for time?”

“…Looking at you, it seems cutting off a limb or two would be fine.”

“Ordered to bring me in, were you?”

This is why I like loose-lipped ones.

He leaks such important information at the slightest provocation.

I draw my sword. This is different from facing Burke. No mercy or fairness.

This opponent doesn’t deserve it.

Crunch!

With my sword, I break the bones of the nearest skeleton.

Thud!

I kick that crushed skeleton hard, disrupting the undead army’s formation.

Then I dive into that gap.

The opponent is a dark mage. A half-baked half-demon who hasn’t yet become a demon.

Then even his most troublesome regeneration shouldn’t be that impressive.

That power shouldn’t be exceptional either. In that case, the closer the distance, the more advantageous.

While stepping on a fallen skeleton’s head, I hold my sword horizontally.

Using the collapsed formation as an opportunity, I take in all the enemies before me.

Skeletons and zombies, floating ghosts and Mez.

I swing my sword while keeping all of them in my sight.

Slash!

The swordsmanship that should have drawn the horizon was blocked by the skeleton’s hard bones, preventing it from fully unfolding.

But I cut through more than half its neck.

The bones will soon reconnect, showing the undying army’s true strength, but…

“Let’s see how far this will work.”

Flash!

I pour out holy power.

The world that had grown slightly dark from the undead’s darkness begins to embrace bright light once again.

What I borrowed in exchange for holy power is the lightning of Jupiter, one of the celestial gods.

The lightning carves a straight path as it flies toward Mez.

“What a rough greeting, Inquisitor.”

Crunch!

The fierce lightning spear is caught and broken in Mez’s hand.

That hand was covered in black shadows. Proof of receiving demonic energy directly from Belial. It grants both defensive and offensive capabilities.

That alone can erase a frail magician’s weakness.

Standing directly on the battlefield, just swinging those arms can slaughter soldiers.

No need for close combat techniques. A power that demonstrates complete offense and defense just by wearing it.

“As expected… Not yet.”

The lightning spear, imbued with bright holy power’s light, advances fiercely.

Creating a straight path like that, even blocking vision with its light.

Then isn’t it natural to aim for that gap? The current Mez hasn’t thought that far yet. Lacking in combat experience.

Yes, the dark mage who dominated battlefields isn’t here.

Clang!!

I stab my sword at his nape. It makes a sound like striking steel rather than flesh.

“What…?!”

It’s hard. Couldn’t cut through.

Though Belial’s shadow is limited to the arms, even excluding that, the demonic energy flowing through his body is dense.

Even so, it should have cut through originally. But an unexpected problem arose here.

I’ve even borrowed the power of Vidar, the god who hunted monsters of the half.

“This is…”

Yes, there can’t be a lack of power. What’s lacking isn’t power.

Yes, the problem…

“What is this sword made of?”

Lies with the sword I’m holding.

The sword I received from my master when I came down the mountain. Though I planned to strike his neck with holy power imbued in this sword, the sword itself was rejecting holy power.

“That’s unfortunate. You might have been able to kill me if you’d done better.”

Mez grabs my sword with his opposite hand from the one that caught the lightning spear. Despite gripping the blade directly, his hand remains unharmed.

Because no power was imbued in it.

Only monsters like Titan can exert catastrophic force with weapons alone without any power.

“No, there’s nothing unfortunate about it.”

I kick away his arm and recover my sword.

I didn’t think I could kill him with this attack anyway.

Mez doesn’t die even when his neck is cut. That must be why he could kill Titan.

A body that doesn’t die even when killed. Not just a half-demon’s regeneration, but also a dark mage’s power to deny death layered on top.

Truly a terrifying combination.

“There was no need for that in the first place.”

I step into his territory again.

Behind me, Mez’s undead are beginning to rise again one by one, reaching out their hands.

Mez’s hand that completely broke Jupiter’s lightning is empty.

Just a scratch on his neck. I know that normal swordsmanship can’t even cut his skin.

But you see…

“You can’t kill me anyway.”

Originally, capturing someone alive is harder than killing them.

I don’t avoid Mez’s shadow hand extended as a check.

I didn’t protect my body with holy magic either. I charged in like that, holding power solely for attack.

Being caught by that massive, destructive hand would probably mean death.

“You think I won’t…”

“It has nothing to do with your will. Rookie half-demon. You still don’t understand?”

Flinch!

His arm that was about to unfold to kill me stops.

It’s not his will.

He probably thought he’d just kill me now that things have come to this.

That would be the wisest decision and one that wouldn’t get caught up with the opponent.

But he said…

“You said cutting off a limb or two would be fine, right? Then there’s no way you could make an attack that could kill me.”

At least it’s clear he received orders to capture me alive.

So he can’t kill me.

Regardless of his will.

“Belial’s orders are absolute, aren’t they?”

“…!”

“See, I’m right?”

I tackle Mez who had stopped due to the compulsion and mount him.

I pin down the shadow arm with my foot, press down on his torso with my knee, and grab and twist his other arm with one hand.

With a half-demon’s strength, even a careless swing could kill civilians.

So he didn’t protect his body.

While he twitches several times in his restrained state.

“Wait, just a moment…!”

Crack!

I raise my sword and stab his neck.

Still no holy power imbued. But at least it left a scratch, didn’t it?

Whatever I do, it’s impossible to kill Mez in one strike anyway. Then I can only torment him by gradually chipping away.

“Stop…”

Crack!

The important thing is to provoke him. To make him keep failing to control his strength by heating up his head.

When he starts getting used to it, I’ll gradually increase the intensity.

Drawing out a clear death like that.

I stab down again and again. To make the opponent uncomfortable.

“Stop it…!”

Crack!

The approaching undead grab my body to try to stop this.

The skeleton’s sharp bones and zombie’s poisoned claws dig into my body. Brute force pulls at me to separate me from Mez.

The banshee’s screams disorient my ears and ghosts pour out curses.

“Stop it, you bastard!!”

Finally, his composure broke.

His politeness disappeared enough to throw away even formal speech.

“No.”

Crack!

The opportunity has come. You think someone who crossed that battlefield would give up such a golden chance just because of raised voices?

I don’t care even if he’s a monster in the realm of heroes.

Once composure is lost, it’s already over.

Now that I’ve dragged this into a mud fight, this is my stage.

So I don’t stop.

“You die here today.”

No matter what.

This worm needs to be erased from history.