Chapter 8

008

Although the party members, except for Todd, were in a sorry state, gasping for breath, it didn't seem like any special exorcism was necessary.

After all, the caster wasn't that powerful and was already dead.

They would probably recover on their own once they regained their strength.

Todd ordered the corpse trolls to dismantle the facilities on the bridge and thoroughly collect every bone fragment of the scattered remains.

"…They're so reliable."

It wasn't a bad idea to entrust the labor to the shoulder-thugs. Unlike the wobbling dead, the trolls, though slow, had a strength that surpassed humans.

In less than an hour, they had neatly cleaned up the main road and the riverbank.

This was one of the few moments when Todd felt proud to be a necromancer.

The next step was cremation.

While accumulating karma through tears is important, Todd always upheld the respect for the dead.

【Grrr…】

The trolls stood silently, waiting for Todd's command.

Corpse trolls were indeed a reliable force.

However, their stench was far worse than that of the dead, and their large size drew attention.

Most importantly, the mana and mental energy they consumed per individual were much greater than those of the dead, making them not very efficient.

Moreover, trolls' regenerative abilities do not persist after death.

If they did, Todd would have carried troll blood in a bag instead of potions in this game.

Their bulky bodies were decaying much faster than human remains.

They weren't suitable for long journeys.

Still, it was a shame. After all, the larger the meat shield, the better!

Todd sighed deeply, reluctantly letting go of his attachment and waved his hand.

"Go in."

Thud!

The trolls, raising their thumbs, walked into the pit with a solemn expression.

Todd closed his eyes tightly and threw a torch.

It burned so well, almost spitefully. The smell of the oil provided by the village was so pungent; it must have been from pigs.

In Todd's hand, an incense burner appeared.

He shook it endlessly, watching the hazy smoke rise.

Countless karmas seeped into the necromancer.

The riverside scenery was very serene.

The higher the smoke rose, the more Todd's satisfaction grew.

In contrast, Todd held his breath and descended into a trance.

Many of the dead had paid with tears, and the trolls raised by blood had yielded a decent harvest per individual.

Especially, the old woman's accumulated karma was significant, which helped Todd's level rise through her disposal.

Counting the steps he had climbed so far, he was now at level 25.

As a reward, three offerings were placed before him.

'Hmm…'

Pale green. Related to 'Benevolent Research.'

The dead can repair wounds and delay decay due to moisture. However, their movements become slower, and they become more vulnerable to fire.

Purple. Governs 'Dominance.'

The capacity to control the dead increases by 10, and the mana consumption and recovery efficiency improve.

Silver-gray. The white light in the eye signifies 'Opening of the Eye.'

A new type of dead, the Ghoul, can be raised.

'Can't you just give me all of them?'

It was a tough choice; he didn't want to miss any of them.

If the dead had the explosive regenerative power of trolls, their combat endurance would greatly improve on the battlefield.

Dominance not only increased the number of dead he could control but was also a desperate choice for Todd, who often suffered from mana depletion. The synergy was especially appealing.

Ghouls, despite being low-level dead, had decent mobility and killing power due to their scythe-like claws, which the 'walking corpses' lacked.

He sighed deeply.

After all, he couldn't ponder forever in the realm of consciousness.

'But I need to steadily develop my tech tree.'

From experience, the skill tree in this game was woven like a spider web.

To obtain higher-level skills, one needed to possess several lower-level skills as prerequisites.

Ghouls weren't immediately necessary, but they were a prerequisite skill for acquiring more powerful dead.

He didn't expect to rely on low-quality dead for long.

There would surely come a time when single combat power was essential.

For example, the 'Masters of Arms' could subdue hundreds of people alone.

While it was best to avoid such monsters, as Todd solidified his position, a clash with them was inevitable.

'To the Mother of All, a toast.'

Todd grabbed the silver-gray offering and drank it like water from a well.

Suddenly, the necromancer clutched his throat.

'—Choke!'

Even a mixture of ash and bone water in a 1:1 ratio might be better than this.

He thought it would be better to drink it all at once, but the taste just got worse.

The illusion was breaking down.

It felt as if someone had grabbed the back of his neck, and Todd's consciousness was rapidly pulled up.

Looking around, the party members all had pale expressions.

Piet, who regained his senses first, muttered as he assessed the surroundings.

"…If we were mages, it would be different, but we seem to be in a worse state than baggage. What's the point of bringing us along?"

Todd shrugged and replied.

"The more traveling companions, the better. The dead are a bit too quiet."

The middle-aged merchant shook his head.

Meanwhile, Karina, who had regained her senses, was closely observing the totem stuck in the ground.

As a mage who had only stayed in the magic tower, she had seen spells blocked by barriers, but destroying them outright was unfamiliar.

"Did you learn something?"

Karina, who had been kneeling, glared at Todd.

"…The spell wasn't particularly strong. I was caught off guard by the unfamiliar method of mana interference."

"Of course. Next time, no matter how cunning the heretics' spells are, I believe Miss Esteritz can handle them easily."

Karina's fists trembled.

She brushed off her pants and stood up, waving her hand, and the totem crumbled, emitting a purple smoke.

"So, when are we leaving?"

"We need to collect the promised reward from the villagers."

Karina, about to ask when the villagers would arrive, looked at the smoke column rising high into the sky.

"How long are you going to wait? They might not come at all."

"Let's see. We'll leave when Soren wakes up. He should be up before sunset."

An hour later, Soren, who had been unconscious, rubbed his eyes and stood up.

"Damn… I had a nightmare of being chased by trolls. It was the worst nightmare I've ever had. I'd rather be dead."

Todd smiled and pointed beyond the pit.

"Is there still room?"

"I'll pass. Black mage. Even if I roll in dog dung, this world is better. I don't want to lie down yet."

Soren, blinking, staggered to the driver's seat.

"Let's get out of this filthy place. The smell of trolls around here is unbearable! Damn. I wish there was some strong drink at the camp to make me forget today."

Just as they were about to cross the bridge, a procession of people appeared over the hill.

The innkeeper, who had arranged the meeting, approached first. He cautiously surveyed the surroundings and then waved his hand to the procession.

The innkeeper, sighing, bowed to Karina.

"Thank you very much, Mage. Thanks to you, dozens of people were saved."

"Ah, no, I just…"

She was about to say she hadn't done anything, but Todd had a finger to his lips.

His green eyes scrutinized her sharply.

The innkeeper, mistaking this for humility, was quite impressed.

"You're so young and humble…! Thank you, Mage. Thank you! If it's not too much trouble, may I ask for the name of the distinguished Mage?"

Karina, unaccustomed to such situations, replied with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

"Ah, um. I'm Karina von Esteritz, a Master of the Red Magic Tower. The tower will not tolerate the tyranny of Iri."

Oh. Todd read the political intent in Karina's statement.

The Red Magic Tower was openly taking sides in the conflict between the nobles.

"Of course, of course! Even if our Margrave cares nothing for the common people, he's much better than the scoundrel Dietmarch! Long live Margrave Stephan, the rightful lord of Eberhopen and Kehling!"

The old man, who had heard this, was about to kiss Karina's feet.

The innkeeper barely stopped him, and in the end, he loaded more than the promised supplies.

The last item loaded onto the carriage was something carried by two men.

The innkeeper looked at Todd with a somewhat doubtful expression.

"The coffin you requested. I don't know what you plan to do with it…"

Todd smiled and clasped his hands.

"Thank you. Please take care on your journey."

"May the gods bless your journey."

The blessing of the gods. The taste was bitter.

Todd forced a smile.

Thus, the refugees crossed the bridge and followed the tributary of the Alesang River, while Todd's party went upstream.

Karina, leaning her chin on her hand in the swaying carriage, muttered.

"Ugh, it's not a bad feeling…"

Todd, noticing her trailing off, grinned.

"Well, how about it? Although we're still minor, we've started the journey of a hero who makes a name for himself. Miss Esteritz, aren't you happy?"

"You were the one who suggested helping those people. You were the one who cleared the trolls and gave the dead soldiers a proper funeral!"

"Hmm. Isn't this what you wanted? To elevate the name of the Red Magic Tower and gain fame as a mage."

"You took the credit from me. Aren't you angry?"

"I don't know."

Karina, frowning, asked.

"What's your real intention? You're pushing the credit to me for some other reason, right?"

"It's just burdensome for me right now."

"…For now?"

Karina, pondering Todd's words, didn't ask further.

Death is irreversible.

The force that defies the natural order, which everyone takes for granted, is hardly tolerated.

Why did the servant of the long-dissolved Black School appear?

Or had they not disappeared but been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to re-emerge?

Karina's head throbbed.

Generally, black mages live in desolate ruins, cemeteries, or sewers, feast on human flesh, and plot to disrupt the world with their evil magic. They deceive the masses with their cunning tongues and lure innocent children to be sacrifices.

The prejudice widely known and Karina's perception were not much different.

To her, the necromancer before her was a different kind of being.

His diet was not human flesh.

He ate food in bowls and plates like Karina and did not mutter impious prayers alone.

Certainly, wicked black mages would never let go of the souls in their grasp.

He sent the dead who had fulfilled their duties and even went through the trouble of giving them proper funerals.

His abstemious attitude towards alcohol and his polite speech, which he consistently used even with monsters, made her realize he was genuine.

Looking back, his actions resembled those of ascetics.

Perhaps the evaluation Karina made of Todd in the carriage was correct.

Fundamentally, ascetics also rejected the secular world and were a kind of madmen.

'It's too early to judge.'

She was, after all, a student of the Red Magic Tower.

Karina's observations of Todd were too fragmented to make a judgment.

As long as his intentions remained unclear, she needed to continue observing and being cautious, continuing the uncomfortable journey.

Although it wasn't part of the task assigned by her teacher, Karina firmly believed it was her duty as a Master.

Meanwhile, Todd, noticing the enthusiastic gaze of the mage, was suppressing a smile.

He could see what was going through her small head.

Although Karina was clumsy, she wasn't stupid.

Of course, if she failed to meet his expectations, things would be different.

The carriage jolted forward.

The inevitable reaper, wielding a large scythe, was harvesting the land.

The passengers, each with their own motives, willingly threw their fates into the crossroads of life and death.

///

Ding—...

'I call upon you. Fallen one. Scattered one. Ascending one! You shall come to this land like a bolt of lightning…'

Someone was calling him.

Todd, opening his eyes, muttered.

"…Teacher?"

Leaning against the luggage, Karina's head kept nodding. She frowned every time the carriage jolted, but showed no signs of waking up.

Her muscles screamed in pain from the uncomfortable ride, but the intense pain that felt like her body was being torn apart was familiar.

Every time he cracked his stiff neck, a ominous sound of bones grinding could be heard.

Just as he was about to open the stopper of his water flask, Todd's eyes flickered.

The smell of burning flesh.

It was carried by the wind into the carriage.

Soon, the carriage came to a sudden stop.

Bang!

Karina's head, which had been sleeping, hit the luggage.

Her body trembled.

"Endure it, Miss Esteritz."

Karina, clutching her head, had a murderous look in her eyes.

"…If there's no good reason, I'll burn that guy's hair off."

"Such a pity. Soren's hair is already as sparse as if a meteor had swept through it."

What would be the point of taking the last few strands?

Well, taking from the poor might be a more cruel act than taking from the rich.

Outside, Piet's awkward voice could be heard.

"Hey, we need to get out for a moment."