18. Awakening
"Hah... haaah...!"
In a forest not far from the now-ruined city, the blonde necromancer Carol fled desperately.
"After her! She's over there!"
The maid outfit was utterly uncomfortable—tailored to the tastes of that now-dead count, with its short skirt making running easier but exposing skin that got scratched by branches and leaves, leaving small wounds everywhere.
A horde of pursuers trailed her, most from the Red Evil Mercenaries.
"That fucking bitch runs like a damn rabbit for a mage!"
"Stand still, you rotten cunt!"
With two comrades dead and many more injured, their voices seethed with rage. Despite exhaustion from the endless battle, they chased her relentlessly.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it...!"
Why the hell do I have to go through this?!
Carol spat curses nonstop, feeling utterly wronged. Her necromancy in the city could have razed two or three counties flat. But no—every undead she summoned was smashed, even her near-ultimate Necropolis spell handled with ease. She'd sent the three highest-tier undead from the guild master, thinking at least two would take them down... but then.
That guy with no mana, who looked utterly useless—just a dimwitted bait for traps and hostages—had staggered back from the brink of death and flipped the situation with some bizarre power. He absorbed the death mana filling the city, then sucked up even more from the undead, revived the dying women, and grew stronger on top of it.
"What the hell is that...? It doesn't make any sense!"
She'd never heard of such an ability. Priest enhancement spells were vaguely similar, but regenerating lost limbs or curing disabilities? That was miracle territory, the kind the Holy Nation's frothing devotees worshipped their saintess for. And this guy wasn't even a saint—he had no holy power, no mana at all. Using death mana for it? Absurd.
Plus some barrier that deflected every attack... From Carol's view, having witnessed it all, nothing but bafflement fit.
But she had hope. That dumb assassin bitch, Regina—starved for affection, craving connection despite being a killer. She'd tricked her easily into becoming the core of a near-ultimate undead. Victory seemed certain. She'd scraped every last drop of mana for it. Regina's undead had shown devastating power crashing into their camp. Up to the clash with those three women, Carol thought she'd won. That undead was that strong.
But...
"How the fuck do they suppress it so easily?"
It makes no sense...
She was Black Gold rank—one of only five under the guild master's direct command. Her final, ultimate undead. How do they crush it like that...?
"You crazy bastards..."
The moment the composite undead—Regina—lost an arm, Carol's instincts screamed: Run now. She couldn't face those three women and their supporter Ian alone.
"Hah... haaah...!"
First, report to the guild master. About the guy absorbing death mana for freakish powers. She'd grasped the situation fast and bolted.
But then the Red Evil Mercenaries started a swift search, spotting her mid-escape.
The mercenaries grabbed her. She tried every trick to slip away...
"I-I don't know anything. I'm just a normal maid working at the lord's castle..."
"Bullshit, necromancer bitch. The stench of corpses from your mouth is burning my nose—who you trying to fool?"
One mercenary glared with venomous certainty. Despite his guts pierced and ribs shattered, leaving him critically wounded, rage over dead comrades fueled his dogged search. It was Kalon.
"Wh-what are you talking about...? Gack?!"
"You think we're idiots, you damn whore?"
As she protested, Kalon seized her collar. Certain she was a necromancer, Carol mustered all her strength to shove him off.
"L-Let go!"
"After her!"
And so she'd been hunted by the Red Evil Mercenaries ever since.
But she'd won in the end. She'd shaken them off, reached the forest's edge, and escaped completely!
Stupid mercenaries! They hadn't caught up yet, still clueless. Sneering as she emerged—
"Finally made it. Was getting bored waiting—good thing."
Someone had outflanked her long ago, waiting outside: Karlson, leading healthy mercenaries on Queen Bella's orders to capture Carol.
He and his men had been lying in wait.
"Wha...? How the fuck are you here?"
Carol's eyes bulged at the sight.
What? These assholes here?
"We've been waiting here ages."
"What...?"
She recalled the pursuers she'd ditched. She'd definitely lost them...?
No, it was her foolish delusion. The mercenaries never planned to catch her in the forest. For a frail mana-less necromancer like her—unused to physical exertion—evading battle-hardened pros was impossible from the start.
Out of loyalty to Bella, they wanted Carol intact for her... while inflicting maximum suffering. Terror and exhaustion drained her strength as they herded her their way, pretending to chase just hard enough.
Slow-footed mercs on purpose, per orders. Karlson had toyed with her from the beginning, watching her flail desperately with her pathetic stamina.
"Mages holed up with books must lack street smarts. Blindly charging into empty spots, not even noticing the lure. Right, Kalon?"
Just then, her pursuers emerged from the forest behind. Kalon smirked and nodded at Karlson's words.
"Yes, brother. She was so easy to drive, I worried she had mana left to trap us."
"You fucking pricks...! Daring to mock me?!"
Realizing the game, Carol screamed in fury. Karlson calmly nodded to his men.
"Mock? Let's see if those words hold when you face the comrades you killed. Seize her. Gag mandatory. Taking her to our queen."
When Karlson and the Red Evil Mercenaries first dragged in Carol, calling her a necromancer, the shock hit harder than a sledgehammer to the skull—worse than realizing Jubi was undead.
"Carol was a necromancer...?"
"You know her?"
"...Yeah. Jubi, the kid I mentioned?"
"The one Regina cared for?"
"Oh, you remember?"
"Of course, my lord—your words, I remember them all."
...That's a bit scary.
A twinge of unease, but whatever. She was one of my women.
I brushed it off casually. "Yeah...? Anyway, she was the maid who helped Regina with Jubi."
Carol, always at Regina and Jubi's side—makes sense now she was a necromancer. Perfect for handling undead emergencies.
And it clicked other things.
"Ah, that explains it..."
I recalled being moved to solitary in the tower. She'd kept her near Regina and Jubi till then—why lock her up suddenly? By then, I'd suspected Jubi. Sent her away so I wouldn't notice?
Tsk... Anyway, not important now. Bella let me interrogate first, so she could figure out how to free Regina from that undead.
I approached Carol—bound tight, kneeling—and squatted before her.
"Long time no see, huh?"
"Mmph...!!"
Gagged, unable to speak, she glared murderously. Fierce. Should I ungag her?
Glanced at Bella...
"What're you looking at?"
"Just wondering if it's okay to ungag. Can't talk."
"Do it."
"Won't she cast necromancy?"
"Let the bitch try."
Bella yanked Carol's hair, whispering something. Carol paled instantly, nodding frantically.
Bella stood, still pissed. "Good now. Untie."
"...Yeah."
What'd she say to terrify her like that mid-binding? Ask later.
Thanks to Bella, easy sailing. Ungagged, I asked how to separate Regina from the undead.
Simple, doable immediately.
"J-just remove the magic stone. It's not easy, so I can do it for—"
"Oh, really? Simple."
Just absorb the stone like before.
"Sim...ple?"
"Why?"
"Calling that simple—what bullshit...?!"
Bella scowled viciously, cutting her off.
"This fucking bitch still talking short? Think my husband's your buddy?"
"H-heek...! Sorry...!!"
"Hey, Bella."
"Don't stop me. Seriously. Even you, Ian."
"Not stopping... I'll wait outside. Wrap it up."
Tsk... Wanted more intel, but can't push. She'd held back for me.
"My lord, learn anything?"
"Yeah, super simple."
Then Cheong-ah and I headed to Regina.
"Yeonja, come?"
"Yeah, Dina. Need to absorb that magic stone. Calm the undead."
"Worry not."
As I approached, the headless undead flailed... but Dina's kick subdued it instantly.
I absorbed the neck's magic stone. The body melted away, revealing nude, wounded, unconscious Regina.
Hm... Regina's got a killer figure.
Before I could admire, four hands covered my eyes.
"Don't look, my lord."
"Avert thine eyes, Yeonja!"
And so we saved Regina.