Chapter 75

In the midst of the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

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"Kurt, what's happening in there?"

"Who knows? But I bet it's nothing good."

We had deliberately gone on an inspection to the wilderness to make Kurt, who had obtained some magical artifact from the younger Rookner, explode.

The inspection itself was necessary, at least in name.

Currently, the Baumayster territory consists of three parts: the independent barony where Brother Paul will become a baron, the viscountcy where I will receive the majority of the land, and the barony.

The border between them was just a plain, but to avoid potential disputes over the borders in the future, it was necessary to properly divide them.

However, it didn't have to be today.

The main purpose was to trigger Kurt's explosion.

'It seems to be lying in wait without any issues.'

Kurt, along with the few remaining supporters of the blacksmith Eckhart, was armed and heading to the inspection site from the dark.

Of course, any such actions would be transparent to Mr. Blanterac.

Even after arriving at the inspection site, it was clear that five people were hiding in a nearby thicket, watching us.

I wondered what kind of magical artifact he would use, and just as I was bracing myself, Kurt suddenly appeared before us and started blowing an old ocarina-like object.

Then, black smoke-like masses began to spout from the surrounding ground, forming a tornado that enveloped Kurt.

'Self-destruct?'

'No, the inside of the tornado is probably safe. After all, he's a user of a magical artifact.'

It seemed that, like the eye of a typhoon, the center was unaffected by the black smoke.

However, it was noted that only Kurt was safe.

Was it due to the influence of the black smoke?

Soon, the screams of those presumed to be Eckhart and his supporters could be heard.

'Only he's safe, and the rest are doomed. How ruthless.'

'What a perfect disposable tool. He's a small-time villain, indeed.'

Mr. Blanterac's evaluation of Kurt was harsh.

However, it seemed that such characters were not uncommon even during his adventurer days, and he didn't seem to have any particular thoughts about it.

Moreover, Kurt himself was not always safe.

Soon, his dying screams could be heard.

'Somehow, I understand what kind of magical artifact it is. Kurt was just a disposable tool, after all.'

It seemed that the black smoke was dangerous to touch.

We, along with Mr. Blanterac, were deploying a magical barrier to protect ourselves from the black smoke-like objects that were surging from a distance.

All the people who came for the inspection hurriedly entered the magical barrier.

"Is this a bug?"

"No, it's a manifestation of resentment."

El's question was answered by Elise, who was knowledgeable in this field.

"Huh? Can resentment manifest?"

"It's the power of that flute, I guess."

Ina's question was answered somewhat ambiguously by Elise, as she was not particularly knowledgeable about magical artifacts.

"Hey, does the mentor know?"

"Probably, it's the 'Flute of Resentment.'"

"Flute of Resentment?"

Surprisingly, the mentor seemed to have an idea about the magical artifact Kurt was blowing.

The Flute of Resentment, it seems, was a magical artifact created in ancient times for revenge.

It turns the user into a powerful undead using their own resentment and the resentment gathered from the surroundings, to kill their target.

It is a magical artifact that sacrifices the user to ensure the target's death, and while not as dangerous as the 'Dragon Tamer's Flute,' it is still recognized as a dangerous item in the kingdom.

"So, it's also on the black market?"

"The Flute of Resentment is easier to obtain than the Dragon Tamer's Flute, so to speak."

If the Dragon Tamer's Flute were used, the worst-case scenario could be the destruction of an entire city.

However, with the Flute of Resentment, it often results in the death of the target and a few others.

The kingdom's stance on which is more dangerous is clear.

"Either way, the target is me, right?"

"Ahaha, it's a tremendous manifestation of resentment! Baron Baumayster must have been hated a lot!"

"That... It's not a laughing matter..."

The black smoke, still gathering from the surroundings, had formed a giant tornado with a diameter of fifty meters and a height of about a hundred meters, centered on Kurt.

We were so startled by its enormity that we hastily retreated.

"Uncle, I remember the tornado was much smaller in the book I read..."

"There are several factors to consider..."

First, this wilderness was an open area.

Resentment, it seems, is relatively easy to generate.

Plants and insects being trampled by running deer.

Rabbits being hunted by wolves.

Bears drowning in rivers or cubs dying before they can grow.

In human society, being scolded by a superior.

Slight annoyances in daily life.

A small amount of resentment is generated and seeps into the surrounding area.

"But it dissipates like evaporating water over time."

In ordinary places, this is true, but in so-called 'bad lands,' the accumulated resentment can harm those who use the land.

In the capital, if someone is killed and their resentment is strong, the resentment in the area can amplify and become a source of energy for evil spirits.

"In other words, the man's resentment was stronger than expected, and a large amount of resentment from the wilderness is gathering around him!"

There were no people in the wilderness who were brutally killed without cause.

The amount of resentment that could be gathered from one place was minimal, but the vastness of the wilderness meant that even a small amount could accumulate.

"So, we need to stop Vel's brother from blowing the flute, right?"

"Rather than stopping him, we need to destroy the magical artifact or the user!"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

El seemed to feel a sense of discomfort at the mentor's statement that they would destroy Kurt, not kill him.

"El, why do you think Baron Baumayster and Mr. Blanterac immediately deployed the magical barrier? Because if a person is exposed to such a concentrated amount of resentment, death is inevitable!"

The mentor explained to El that Kurt was probably already dead, as resentment is a negative element that can cause illness or death in large quantities.

"A normal person would go insane instantly. After that, their bodily functions would shut down in a short time..."

Elise explained, looking at me with a guilty expression.

In other words, Kurt and his followers were likely already dead.

"Elise, there's no need to worry. To put it bluntly, it's self-inflicted."

I truly hoped for his death.

I had endured countless troubles from him.

In the end, he even attempted to assassinate me.

Moreover, even if he survived here, there would be no good outcome for him.

To eliminate any future threats, the Margrave of Breichreider and the central nobles would not let Kurt live.

"But why is the sound of the flute still continuing?"

"Simple, it's a magical artifact!"

Ina's question was quickly answered by the mentor.

It was in the shape of an ocarina, but the flute was a magical artifact.

Once activated, it would not stop until it killed the target.

The melody, which I thought I had heard somewhere before, continued to play from the ocarina.

"Huh? Until it kills the target? But that guy is already dead, right?"

Louise's question was also mine.

Kurt was already dead, so why did the flute and the gathered resentment still recognize me as the target?

"The answer is that the user of the flute is turned into an undead to control the mass of resentment. Boy, this will take a lot of effort to purify."

Mr. Blanterac, who was focused on deploying the magical barrier, reported that the giant black tornado was changing.

Looking in that direction, a giant, fifty-meter-tall figure made of black smoke stood there.

"Mass of resentment..."

"Also, look at the chest part."

Following Mr. Blanterac's advice, I saw that Kurt, whose skin had turned a burnt brown and had become a zombie, was embedded in the chest.

Kurt still had the ocarina in his mouth, and the melody continued to play.

Looking closer, parts of his neck and limbs were torn off, and the wounds were blackened.

"It seems the followers were turned into zombies first, died from being eaten, and then became the core of the black giant after death. What a ruthless magical artifact."

Indeed, it was a magical artifact I would never use, no matter how desperate I was.

The followers were also embedded in the giant's torso and limbs, like decorations.

"Is this the first time I'm seeing an undead?"

The core seemed to be Kurt's zombie, but it also included four other zombies, and the majority of its composition was a mysterious giant made of black smoke-like resentment.

What category of undead would this fall under?

"Disgusting. We can't even eat the flesh. We should destroy it quickly."

According to Vilma, it didn't matter.

If it were a wild animal or a monster we could eat, there would be a sense of accomplishment in defeating it, but this undead should be destroyed quickly.

She tugged at the hem of my robe, urging me to destroy it quickly.

"But it seems strong, doesn't it?"

The magical artifact given by the younger Rookner shouldn't be able to do much.

It was a good opportunity to trigger Kurt's explosion.

However, Mr. Blanterac seemed to be speechless at the ominous nature of the black smoke giant.

"Mr. Blanterac!"

"Yes... You were really hated by Kurt, weren't you?"

"That's a bit late to realize, isn't it?"

It was entirely based on Kurt's delusions, but the resentment was still overwhelming.

From his perspective, my very existence was a curse.

Moreover, instead of living a quiet and modest life, I had slain a dragon and become a noble.

To Kurt, this was unforgivable.

After all, he was the heir and the eldest son.

And then, he demanded that I use the money I had to work like his slave.

It was all about Kurt's convenience, and I, who didn't fit into his plans, was an obstacle that needed to be eliminated.

I wasn't a saint to accept such a person just because we were blood-related.

"So, what do we do?"

"What do we do..."

The black smoke giant, having absorbed all the resentment from the unexplored land within the range of the Flute of Resentment, was already punching at me, its target.

However, the punches were blocked by the magical barrier deployed by Mr. Blanterac and me, and had no effect.

Still, the continuous punches and the impact of the giant's hands hitting the barrier made a loud noise, which was psychologically frightening.

Of course, it would be frightening to have a fifty-meter-tall giant aiming its massive fists at you, even with the protection of a magical barrier.

"If that's the case, it's my turn! If something happens to Baron Baumayster, His Majesty will be sad! Let me handle it first!"

The mentor came to protect me, so theoretically, it was correct.

However, considering the nature of the mentor's magic, it might not be very effective against the black smoke giant.

"I'll use a magic I don't usually use to finish it!"

As he said this, the mentor synchronized his magic power, passed through the magical barrier we had deployed, and cast a body enhancement spell.