Chapter 7

"Hmm... interesting..."

As I walked with Reina, I observed the dark emblems of the people we met along the way.

【Night Vision】 grants benefits in night vision, and 【Black Spear】 grants benefits in spear handling.

It seems that, like other attribute emblems, they are not limited to just magic.

Among them, there was even an old man who possessed the 【Dark Cloud】 emblem, which benefits not only dark magic but also wind magic.

Everyone has various emblems...

While I was thinking this, Reina peered at my face.

"Have we seen everything in the grounds?"

"Oh, right. Thank you."

"How was it? Did you find anyone suitable?"

However, we're not choosing servants based on emblems.

There wasn't anyone with emblems particularly suited for butlers or maids. There were many who would be attractive as guards, though.

In any case, I plan to approach each one and ask if they would be willing to become a servant.

Of course, I will also inform them of my position.

"For me, anyone would do... After all, there's a possibility that no one will accept... Hmm?"

In the midst of this, I noticed someone in a monk's robe.

In a vast, fenced-off plain, several crosses and T-shaped tombstones stood. This was a place Reina hadn't shown me.

There, a person in a monk's robe was digging the ground with a spade.

"That's..."

Upon closer inspection, the face was not human.

It had a large nose and a pig-like face. The body was also round and short, like a child's.

An orc, or perhaps a demon born from a human and an orc. Since monsters are not allowed here, it must be a demon.

Reina spoke up.

"That's Elysia. The gravekeeper Elysia."

"Managing the cemetery?"

"Yeah. She's been working here even before I came. Are you interested in Elysia?"

"Huh? No, I was just thinking I hadn't seen her emblem yet."

"Oh, but Elysia's emblem isn't dark; it's a holy emblem, she said."

So, she's a demon living here.

Reina brightened up, as if remembering something.

"I think... it was 【Holy Knight】!"

A holy emblem, on par with my brother Louis' 【Holy God】 and my fiancée Yuris' 【Holy Maiden】, is a powerful and rare emblem.

"She looks scary when she's doing her job, but she's a good person. The temple people often say bad things about her, but she always smiles when I talk to her."

"Really?"

She must be used to the bad talk.

If the conditions are right, she might be willing to become a dedicated servant.

"Alright, I'll go talk to her."

"Wait! It's dangerous from there!"

"Huh?"

"This place... it's where people with dark emblems like us, and demons and monsters, are buried... and because of that, undead often appear... look."

Glowing orbs appeared in the cemetery.

Those are wights, a type of undead.

The wight approached Elysia, who was digging the ground.

"Dangerous!"

"It's fine."

When Reina said this, Elysia turned around and released light from her hand.

The glowing orb disappeared upon being bathed in the light.

Elysia then resumed digging the ground as if nothing had happened.

As a 【Holy Knight】, she can use holy magic. That's why she's been doing this job as a "gravekeeper" all this time.

Reina told me.

"I don't think Elysia will agree. It's said that because she's the gravekeeper, there are fewer undead in the cemetery."

"But, I'll at least talk to her... Ugh."

The moment I stepped into the cemetery, I felt as if my body was being crushed.

When I concentrated, I could sense dark magical energy leaking from the cemetery's soil.

In some places, it's not uncommon for magical energy to already have an attribute. Volcanoes have fire attribute magical energy, and the sea has water attribute magical energy.

"This is why undead appear..."

It's well known that demons use magic to summon undead.

I don't know what tools they use, but the undead are likely being created using this dark magical energy.

"You can come in well, Alec."

"Yeah. But, Reina, it's better if you wait."

"O-Okay! Be careful!"

I headed to Elysia alone.

"Um, Elysia?"

"Yes? You are..."

Elysia turned to me.

As Reina said, she was indeed smiling, but her expression seemed somewhat dark.

"I'm Alec."

"Alec... Your Highness."

Elysia noticed the medal on my chest and immediately tried to kneel.

"Wait, it's fine as it is."

"But..."

"It's really fine. I came here to ask a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes. I want you to become my dedicated servant."

At these words, Elysia froze as if time had stopped.

"Elysia?"

When I asked, Elysia looked around nervously.

"Me, a servant to a royal? Why me?"

Elysia looked at me with a fearful expression.

She seemed anxious, as if she might be used as an experiment.

...It's faster to show than to explain.

"I can't find a servant who will accept me. Because of this emblem."

"That's... a dark emblem, isn't it?"

She didn't show disgust, probably because there are more people with dark emblems here.

Elysia seemed to understand the situation. People with dark emblems are often shunned in society, and I am no different.

"I see. If it's what Your Highness says, I have no right to refuse."

"I'm not forcing you. If you understand the conditions of this contract and the fact that I am a prince with a dark emblem, that's fine."

"The conditions... but, Your Highness, I think the temple will not allow it."

"The temple?"

"Yes. If I leave, undead will leak out from this cemetery. There is so much dark magical energy here that even I and the temple can't completely eliminate it."

Indeed, dark magical energy is spreading across the ground.

"Then... I will eliminate this dark magical energy."

"Wh-What? But, you are..."

"I think I can do it now... surely."

I pointed my hand at the ground.

Suddenly, the magical energy in the ground gathered towards me.

"The magical energy!?"

Elysia seemed to notice the movement of the magical energy.

So much magical energy...

If I use it incorrectly, it could cause great damage to the capital.

Such was the power of this magical energy.

I stored this magical energy in my own Pandora's Box. The dark magical energy was being sucked out of the ground.

"The ground..."

Elysia looked around in shock.

The ground, which was covered in dark magical energy, quickly became bright.

Holy magic can only eliminate darkness.

But those who can handle dark magic can move dark magical energy.

Almost all the dark magical energy was about to be absorbed... hmm?

I noticed some magical energy that wouldn't be absorbed.

It was writhing in the ground... and eventually emerged from the soil.

"This is!?"

A large skeleton, maintaining its shape, emerged.

In other words, a skeletal dragon, a dragon that has become an undead.

"Your Highness, run!! I will handle it!!"

Elysia readied her spade.

But, I was the one who brought this out.

I pointed my hand at the skeletal dragon, which was gliding low in the air.

The skeletal dragon was gathering purple light in its mouth.

"Powerful magic... but, I have this."

I opened my Pandora's Box and gathered the dark magical energy I had just stored in my hand. If I could change the surrounding magical energy to darkness...

"–【Black Crossbow】!"

A jet of black energy was released from my hand.

The skeletal dragon also released purple light in response...

"Your Highness, this is reckless... Huh!?"

Elysia's spade slipped from her hand as she spoke.

The dark magic I released not only instantly eliminated the skeletal dragon but also sent it flying high into the sky.

Elysia and I stared up at it in amazement.