Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Gravekeeper
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Gravekeeper.
A figure who had been active in the same era as the Groundskeeper and the Sentry.
He earned the title of Gravekeeper from the Sentry himself.
The dungeon that the Sentry had sealed shut.
For some reason, the Gravekeeper wandered around that place, standing guard over it.
Not much was known about the Gravekeeper.
Only that he went by the unusual name of Gorgodon.
Leyzon knew this because he'd played Dungeon Replay.
'Has the Gravekeeper really been alive all this time?'
The Groundskeeper was still alive and kicking, too.
It wouldn't be strange if he was one of the long-lived races.
But the real question was why he'd helped Siliel with his research.
"You're saying this Gorgodon guy was the Gravekeeper?"
The Black Widow's eyes went wide; she clearly hadn't known the name.
"Did Siliel ever mention anything about him to you?"
"Yeah, I heard something once about a weirdo named Gorgodon helping with the research."
Was it just a coincidence that the names matched?
Or was it actually him?
Either way, one thing was clear, even if the truth remained elusive.
"Looks like we need to track down this Gorgodon."
The Gravekeeper was from the same generation as the Groundskeeper.
Which meant the Groundskeeper was likely to know something about him.
And not long ago, Leyzon had picked up some info on the Groundskeeper himself.
Flamehead had asked Phirsiran about him.
Perfect timing.
Time to cash in another Flamehead favor.
Leyzon pulled out a telegraph sheet without a pang of conscience.
He scribbled a quick message and sent it off.
Scratch-scratch—
Flamehead must have been watching, because a reply came right back.
What a prickly guy.
But soon enough, more text appeared.
Leyzon tucked the telegraph sheet away safely.
Flamehead would handle it, no doubt.
"I'll look into the Gravekeeper thing myself, so that's sorted."
Leyzon stood up from his seat.
"Now let's dig into this elf mass suicide."
The massive forest fire in the World Forest.
Another incident highly likely tied to all this.
Outside the World Forest.
Leyzon was being guided by search captain Zid.
"Me again...?"
Zid muttered with a hollow look on his face.
He'd been assigned to guide Leyzon last time, too.
He never imagined chasing off the Black Widow would lead to this.
"What's wrong, Zid? Don't wanna play tour guide?"
"H-ha, no way."
Leyzon grinned as he asked, and Zid stiffened up in response.
He couldn't afford to get on the guy's bad side—who knew what might happen.
"Leyzon, I truly appreciate what you did this time."
Zid bowed his head in genuine thanks.
Yggdrasil had survived thanks to Leyzon, plain and simple.
The other elves shunned him for being a Half Dark Elf, but Zid kept expressing his gratitude.
Leyzon didn't chew him out, sensing the sincerity.
"Looks like all that scolding I gave you paid off, huh?"
"Yes, exactly as you said. It's broadened my view of the world in so many ways."
Zid gave a wry smile in agreement.
"That aside, I have something to tell you about the elf suicides."
Did he know something?
Leyzon perked up his ears.
"A few days before the suicides, the previous High Elf left the forest alone."
"Left the forest by himself?"
"Yes, I was on night watch duty at the time and got the report.
I offered to send someone with him, but he snapped at me and said he'd be right back."
Zid gazed at the forest with unease.
"In the end, we had no choice but to let him go alone.
And he returned sooner than expected.
Looking back now, I think he might've gone to scout the suicide site."
Leyzon rubbed his chin.
He didn't buy that the elves had killed themselves.
"Zid, you think the High Elf would commit suicide?"
Asking a local, Zid naturally shook his head.
"They say suicide comes with warning signs.
At least, the previous High Elf showed none of them."
Even to another elf's eyes, there'd been zero signs of a mass suicide.
Something had definitely gone down.
"Alright, then we'll figure it out starting now."
Leyzon stepped into the forest and halted.
A charred wasteland of ashes.
Half-buried in the ground were elven graves.
Elves had a custom: if they died in the forest, they were buried right there.
Born of nature, return to nature, no matter where.
Leyzon couldn't raise souls himself.
But he had an undead tied to him who could.
"Phirsiran."
At his call, a soul seeped from his body.
Long ears, pale skin.
A fluttering jet-black dress.
The ghost princess, Phirsiran.
Phirsiran slowly opened her eyes.
They met Zid's.
"Wha— huh?"
Confusion flickered in Zid's eyes.
He'd seen her before.
"Zid Agrasil. Still kicking, I see."
As Phirsiran's lips parted, Zid clamped his mouth shut.
Zid was the one who'd condemned Siliel and Phirsiran's marriage in the past.
He couldn't stomach elf and dark elf blood mixing.
Phirsiran glared at the bowed elf before turning to Leyzon.
"Phirsiran, can you help?"
He knew dealing with elves wasn't pleasant for her.
Especially the previous High Elf, who'd opposed the marriage fiercely.
But it was necessary, so he asked—and Phirsiran smiled sweetly.
"A request from you, Leyzon? Of course. Though... maybe I could mess with him a little first. What do you think?"
"Do whatever you want."
Phirsiran's lips twisted into a wicked grin.
Zid shrank back and quietly retreated.
He shut his eyes, imagining the previous High Elf's fate.
Sacrifice the few for the many.
That was his hope.
Phirsiran stood before the grave.
A chilling aura began to swirl around her.
A bone-freezing cold.
It seeped into the grave.
Thud—
A sound echoed from within.
Something slowly rose from inside.
A bearded elf.
The risen figure stood there blankly.
Phirsiran's eyes flashed.
"High Elf, Silbriel."
At her call, the ghost elf slowly raised his head.
His eyes were vacant.
"Still out of it, huh."
Phirsiran's hand rose.
She slapped Silbriel across the cheek without hesitation.
Crack!
Silbriel's head snapped to the side.
Phirsiran's eyes burned with venom.
Personal grudges were fueling this.
"Zid, what'd this Silbriel guy do back in the day?"
"...He said every awful thing imaginable to Phirsiran.
Siliel, her husband, was actually his child.
Though he'd disowned him long before."
News to Leyzon.
Siliel had High Elf blood?
'Which would make Phiran a mix of dark elf and High Elf blood.'
Phiran's lineage was no joke.
"High Elf, Silbriel."
Meanwhile, Phirsiran called him again.
No mercy for her father-in-law.
"Gahk."
A harsh cough burst from Silbriel.
He finally snapped to, lifting his head.
His eyes widened slowly.
"You wench!"
Iron chains erupted from the ground as his rage exploded.
Soul chains bound him in an instant.
Silbriel thrashed in shock, but they only tightened.
Thud!
He slammed face-first into the dirt.
A ghost, yet his face twisted in pain.
"Instead of performing for your summoner..."
Phirsiran stomped her heeled foot down on his head.
"Who do you think you're calling 'wench'?"
Leyzon let out an involuntary whistle.
Phirsiran was always so demure around him.
But now he realized she'd been holding back.
'Well, yeah. A dark elf without fire in her belly? Unlikely.'
Dark elves were feisty by nature.
Phirsiran being meek was the real oddity.
Good thing Phiran wasn't here.
He'd have seen a new side to Mom.
"You mangy bitch! Defying nature, clinging to this world for revenge, summoning me?!"
Silbriel bellowed at Phirsiran.
She didn't flinch.
Just stared back indifferently.
"Silbriel, from now on, you answer only my questions."
"Nonsense..."
His tongue unraveled like thread.
"Wha— whaah."
Silbriel panicked, his speech garbled.
No words came out.
"You might've been a spirit arts master in life."
Phirsiran crushed his outstretched hand under her heel.
Venting years of torment.
"I still remember every vile word you spat at my husband.
Words no parent should ever utter."
Insults that had stabbed Siliel like daggers.
Phirsiran remembered them vividly.
"Things are reversed now. You're just a summoned soul."
Silbriel's face drained white.
Before Phirsiran, he was nothing but a helpless daytime ghost.
She demonstrated exactly what happened when you crossed a soul necromancer.
Zid trembled behind Leyzon.
He vowed to eat healthier and live long.
Hoping time had dulled Phirsiran's grudge a bit.
She finally restored his tongue.
"Now, tell me everything that happened here.
I know you wouldn't kill yourself. Every elf knows it. What went down?"
"..."
Silbriel hesitated, but her urging forced his mouth open.
He couldn't defy her command.
"...I heard a heavenly revelation."
His eyes glazed over blankly.
"A heavenly revelation telling me to come here."
Leyzon's gaze sharpened.
He stepped up beside Phirsiran.
"Tell me more about that."
A heavenly revelation.
The Judgment Lord's prophecy.
Leyzon had finally spotted the connection.