Chapter 9

009

Humans burn like bonfires.

Piles of corpses rise like torches, and the land where they once enjoyed life has turned into a furnace, consuming the remnants left behind.

Soren spat out a thick saliva and muttered,

"Disgusting."

Compared to the village he had visited before, this place had been relatively prosperous.

It seemed to have a nearby ferry, which would have seen a considerable amount of traffic.

As if not trying to hide who had done this, a grand spear was planted at the entrance of the village.

A wolf flag fluttered in the wind.

When Karina waved her hand, the spear bent under an invisible force and fell to the ground.

"......"

There were no survivors.

Although the flames had not yet subsided, making it difficult to enter the village, Todd examined the outlines of the corpses visible from a distance.

"The massacre happened quite some time ago. Judging by the size of the maggots, it's been more than five days."

"It must have rained here too, yet the fire hasn't gone out... This means..."

"It's a fire raised by power. It will likely continue to burn for another two days."

"Mr. Wizard, can't you extinguish the flames?"

She shook her head.

"Unfortunately, the fire has already become uncontrollable. Extinguishing it requires more magic power than starting it."

They were getting closer to the battlefield.

It was necessary to conserve their strength and allocate it appropriately.

Piet, with his eyes tightly shut, was deep in prayer. Soren, who had been observing Todd, spoke up.

"Mr. Black Mage, I understand what you're thinking, but we're also in a hurry. Right? It's a pity for those people, but..."

Todd nodded.

"Let's get in the carriage first. I'll briefly comfort the spirits and then we'll go."

The necromancer opened a flask and drew a circle.

He filled the bottom of the censer with a little water and lit it with a flint.

Holding a bell in his left hand and the censer in his right, he slowly shook them.

He did not speak words of mourning or sorrow. Instead, he whistled softly and called out.

The smoke rising from the censer spread and projected a hazy film-like illusion.

Soldiers appeared out of nowhere, a standard-bearer with a wolf flag, the anxious eyes of children, and prisoners who seemed to have been brought from other villages.

No one asked which side they would be loyal to.

After gathering grain sacks and anything valuable, the rest were cleared away like weeds.

The cries of those begging for mercy gradually faded into silence.

The illusion dissipated.

The necromancer then spoke.

"Here, these poor souls return to your embrace. We, who originated from the earth, shall return to a handful of dust. In the embrace of a mother like the sun, let them rest peacefully like children—"

Suddenly, the wind blew.

"Please have mercy."

The sin of tears filled to about 30%.

If he had comforted this many spirits, he could sleep peacefully tonight.

When Todd, who had put away the censer, looked back, no one had boarded the carriage. Piet, in particular, had an indescribable expression.

"......Todd, who are you?"

Todd, who had put away the censer and the bell, replied.

"I am a mortician."

Piet, who let out a small groan, asked with difficulty.

"Do you believe in your father Solmar and his authority?"

"I don't know."

Todd, who chuckled, suddenly looked at the people standing at the entrance of the village.

"I do not ignore my father's solemn position as the head of the family. However, sometimes the compassionate care of a mother is needed for those my father cannot attend to."

The father that the creatures of this land worship is the god of order, Solmar.

Then, who is the mother that the heretical necromancer worships?

Piet had never regretted his lack of insight as much as he did now.

He knew he was not knowledgeable enough to engage in theological debates with Todd.

Unspoken words lingered in his throat and then dispersed.

"Let's go."

As Todd was about to board the carriage, a crow landed on a charred linden branch.

Caw.

The large crow cawed.

There was a reason crows were called harbingers of death.

They are more intelligent than commonly thought, finding places where the shadow of death looms to enjoy a fresh feast.

The crow, which had been looking at Todd, suddenly took off and flew away.

Todd, who had been watching the direction the crow was heading, called out.

"Mr. Soren. Do you see the crow flying ahead?"

"You can't be serious, you want us to follow it?"

"Yes. When it disappears from sight, we can continue straight. It seems we might part ways soon, so let's split the payment here."

The fence-sitter replied with a somewhat uneasy voice.

"Mr. Mortician, just remember, I'm known for keeping my mouth shut like a lock! I, Soren, have lived by my sense of honor..."

Piet silenced the rambling Soren.

"Shut up and drive the carriage! Do you still think Todd is that kind of person?"

"No, it's better to be clear. Old man!"

The carriage, after some hesitation, finally moved again. Karina, still looking tired, was dozing off, leaning against the luggage.

It was commendable that she had already cast defensive spells using her magic.

Todd also closed his eyes.

The final moments of people still covered in blood were vivid in his mind.

However, he felt no particular emotion.

He had witnessed countless forms of death, and burial had become a routine ritual.

Todd's composure remained unchanged as he performed the rituals.

There was a time when he feared death and was enraged by the injustice of a world where human lives were worth less than flies.

But as he walked the path of necromancy, more than just the bodies he had personally handled were buried.

Countless agonies and thoughts that burned like flames and then vanished like bubbles were also buried by Todd.

Seeing many corpses does not make one insensitive to death.

Humans are inherently structured in a way that they cannot become so, constantly shedding, cutting away, and burying.

The necromancer Todd was created through this process.

It was a rite of passage for an outsider of the civilized world to survive in the world of savagery.

"......"

Suddenly, a long-forgotten phrase from a distant past, buried in an old memory drawer, came to mind.

'If you don't study, you'll end up doing jobs like your father.'

Yes, Father. You were right.

He had always been ashamed of the profession he had taken up.

Who would have known that the family history would be useful in this way?

It's in the past.

Todd smiled.

The boiling thoughts subsided, leaving only emptiness.

///

Two days later.

As the carriage traveled through the forest, a strange gaze was felt.

Looking out the window, the fir trees were swaying in the rain.

It was as if they were beckoning, "Come here, come here."

Narrowing his eyes, he saw that the dense branches were filled with crows.

Their pitch-black eyes, like glass, blinked and stared at Todd.

Despite their large numbers, not a single crow made a sound.

They were waiting in silence, perhaps a form of etiquette before a grand feast.

Todd knocked on the board separating the driver's seat from the luggage compartment.

"Mr. Soren. Let's stop the carriage here."

"Huh? The old man said it would take two more days to reach the next village?"

"A battle will soon break out ahead."

No one contradicted Todd. They seemed to have also sensed the heavy atmosphere in the area.

Looking at the group who had gotten off the carriage, Todd smiled.

"Then, let's settle up here?"

"Wait. If there's a battlefield ahead, shouldn't we observe the outcome and then decide?"

Piet's suggestion was met with resistance from Karina.

"What? Just stand back and watch, and then sneak in after the fight is over?"

"I'm not like you, Mr. Wizard or Todd. I'm just a simple merchant with no mysterious powers or sharp intellect. I've lived this long because of my ability to choose the right lifeline."

The wizard growled low.

"Even after seeing the atrocities committed by the wolf lord with your own eyes, you can still say that?"

Soren defended Piet.

"It's sad about the dead, but the living have to keep going. Who are we to judge right and wrong? As the old man said, we can only chase after the lord who gives us more coins. Can you survive in these harsh times by worrying about every little thing?"

"You despicable merchants! You're like cockroaches that feed on the soles of shoes!"

Karina, with a fierce expression, harshly criticized them. Piet seemed to be struggling with a guilty conscience, but Soren showed no signs of wavering.

"Call me whatever you want, wizard. But can your grand sense of mission or conscience fill your stomach? It's all futile. Even if I end up in hell, I'll enjoy life to the fullest while I'm still alive and have a few blood-stained coins."

There's nothing more exciting than watching a fight.

It's a confrontation between someone who has pursued ideals in an ivory tower all their life and someone who has survived by conforming to the realities of the world.

It will be a good experience for the young wizard, who still retains a fiery purity.

But like a flame, it will burn fiercely and then gradually fade.

Will this dreamer still maintain his passion at the end of this journey?

Just imagining it is a delightful process.

However, raising their voices in argument here was meaningless.

A fierce battle was imminent.

"Miss Esteritz. I understand that your noble character cannot tolerate this, but rushing in now is not courage but recklessness."

The fiery gaze of the fire mage immediately turned to him.

"Why, necromancer? Your purpose is no different from theirs. You just need to collect the spirits after the battle is over."

"Once the battle starts, it's difficult to distinguish friend from foe. As you've seen, there are wizards on the wolf lord's side. If you intervene for the border lord's army, you might inadvertently disrupt their formation."

Todd explained calmly.

"The spells used by military wizards on the battlefield must be thoroughly agreed upon in advance. Commanders need to consider this when deploying troops and effectively striking the enemy. Weren't you informed of this tactical coordination at the Red Tower?"

This content is certainly taught, but Karina's thinking was clearly clouded by the series of events.

Evidence of her confusion was visible.

As he stepped closer, Karina instinctively took a step back.

"Imagine a suddenly unknown wizard starting a fire on the side. Even if the spells are directed at the wolf lord's side, how will the border lord's soldiers react? Will they cheer for Miss Esteritz or be inspired to fight?"

His deep, dark green eyes were like a murky pond.

"If I were the commander, I would immediately withdraw my troops. An uncoordinated variable is too risky on the battlefield. Miss Esteritz's intentions are good, but the impact on the battle is unpredictable."

"......So, you're telling me to just stand by and let the border lord's soldiers die?"

"Rarely does an army get completely wiped out in a single battle. Especially in a conflict between powerful nobles. Even if the border lord retreats here, there will be plenty of opportunities to turn the tide."

Of course, the border lord, who is now on the defensive, will be in a difficult situation, but Todd hopes for a more dramatic entrance.

"In short, we need to wait for the right moment. Now is not the time. Calm down and think clearly."

Karina, biting her lip, replied with a pained expression.

"I'll reserve judgment for now. I'll see it with my own eyes and make a decision."

Her finger pointed at Todd.

"But remember, I won't be a mere observer."

The necromancer, bowing respectfully, smiled and replied.

"Then, shall we go?"

To the stage where countless souls will burn.