Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Bosses and Santas Survive by Piercing True Hearts (6)
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Dalia thrust the book at me forcefully. Her stern face, without a trace of a smile, was quite intimidating.
It suddenly occurred to me that educating my little sister might be harder than the necromancy I’d have to take up from now on.
How on earth had she carried a book as big as her own torso? The cover was emblazoned with large, ominous letters reading *Magical Beast Bestiary*. Next to it, a flimsy piece of paper labeled “For Children” fluttered pathetically.
“The little lady might be mistaken, but this big brother isn’t going out to play.”
*I’m going to bury someone for your sake.*
“But since you’ve asked so nicely, I’ll pick out a gift with care. It might not be exactly what you have in mind, but I’ll do my best…”
I couldn’t detect even a hint of anticipation on Dalia’s impassive face. Watching her made me feel a bit deflated.
“I’ll try to snag the flashiest lizard I can find. You stay put at the mansion and wait nicely. No wandering around alone at night. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“What a stubborn little thing.”
Her sheer bullheadedness somehow reminded me of *my* little sister. Treating Dalia well felt like a way for this deficient big brother to atone.
Dalia’s expressions were so subtle that it was hard to tell if she was satisfied with my response.
“Dalia, you need to learn how to smile like a kid from now on. Kids have to smile while they still can. The older you get, the more you’ll just end up with hollow laughs.”
“Lord Duke, what are you saying to a girl who’s not even five yet…? Besides, Young Master, you’re still a child yourself.”
Dalia hesitated as if to say more, but then Muriel came dashing up behind her at an astonishing speed. It wasn’t the pace you’d expect from a middle-aged nanny. Was this Charisma trait somehow boosting her running too?
“Miss! I thought you were sleeping in your room! I locked the door tight—how did you get out?”
“Through the window…”
“What?! Come here right now!”
I waved goodbye to the helplessly dragged-off Dalia, then boarded the carriage. I examined the magical beast bestiary she’d given me.
The servants had clearly worked hard to preserve Dalia’s innocence in this bestiary. The gruesome monster illustrations were oddly blurred out, and new paper was pasted over the descriptions.
The bloodthirsty dragon Dalia wanted was among the most vicious-looking ones, boasting brutal destructive power.
Kids this age go crazy for dinosaurs anyway, right? It’s like the fantasy world’s T-rex. Nothing to worry about.
I snapped the bestiary shut.
“Asking for a magical beast as a gift, though. Lady Dalia sure is unique. First kid I’ve seen who loves a magical beast bestiary.”
Dandel peered curiously at the bestiary with an innocent grin. I wondered if I could grab one of the hearts floating over his head and pop it, then turned to look out the window instead.
It’ll be fine. Dinosaurs are kids’ eternal idols…
***
Wild lands teeming with untamable magical beasts. Even on the fringes of forests beyond the empire’s reach, people manage to live. To protect those people and exact revenge on the beasts, the Slos Mercenary Group was born.
Bound by a sense of justice that anyone should be able to hire mercenaries for protection from magical beasts, it was a vigilante group of sorts.
The Slos Mercenary Group swiftly grew by recruiting hidden talents from the wilds regardless of status. Byproducts from magical beasts sold as luxuries to nobles.
These days, the group even runs an amateur merchant company, expanding its operations further.
Among the Slos Mercenary Group, swordsman Kaku was famed for his prowess.
A hermit master who vanished after unrivaled feats in the group.
A genius at beast subjugation with immense strength and superb skill. He was once the group’s very symbol.
But even heroes need to clock out. Weary of endless battles, he retreated to a small mountain village. There, he meets the orphaned boy Pippin. Pippin adores Kaku and later becomes his prized disciple, learning swordsmanship and martial arts to serve as a hero aiding the crown prince.
Hero Pippin, one of the main protagonists of *Flower in the Slumber*.
As a protagonist, Pippin grows to become a beast-slaying machine. In game terms, he’s second only to the crown prince in strength.
*Snip him in the bud while he’s still a novice.*
Oblivious to my plans, Dandel buzzed with excitement like we were on a picnic.
“The Slos Mercenary Group! I’m so thrilled. It’s where those legendary heroes made their names in beast subjugations.”
“First, I want to stop by the village, secure lodging, and check on how the villagers are faring.”
*Gotta confirm where that Pippin brat is hiding.*
“The mercenary group comes next. Our destination is far from the capital, so its operations aren’t well-known. Sturdy trees nourish their leaves to the tips of their branches. No matter how remote the village, as the duke, it’s my responsibility.”
“Wow, as expected of Lord Duke. Showing concern even for folks on the edge of the duchy.”
[♥♥♥]
I could see innocent Dandel’s affection ticking up slightly. Pretending not to notice as another heart blinked into existence. What’s good is good… Ignorance is bliss sometimes.
The carriage ran for half a day. The village was so out of the way that even reaching it was no easy feat. We’d have to camp overnight.
Fortunately, the spacious carriage made sleeping in it no issue. As duke, I’d luxuriate inside, while the coachman and Dandel kept watch by a campfire.
“Lord Duke, please rest in the carriage. We’ll have camp ready in no time.”
“Ah, then I’ll take a short walk. I’ll stay nearby, so no need to come looking. Too much hassle.”
“Yes! Be back before sundown!”
While Dandel and the coachman set up camp, I hurried off. A nearby lake overgrown with thickets was perfect for hiding.
A chance to practice magic as a necromancer.
Soon, I was out of sight. The lakeside was untouched by human hands, with trees and grass sprawling wildly. Unfamiliar creatures rustled around me before fleeing with soft *scritch-scratch* sounds. The sun dipping low made it a bit eerie.
But this spot was secluded enough that no one would spot whatever magic I tested.
First, let’s practice that spell I used once before.
“Fireworks!”
I cast while combing through my status window and memories. What appeared before my eyes was thick black smoke. Amid the gloomier-than-a-thundercloud haze, pale lightning crackled and fizzled out.
“Huh? This is way off from what I remember. Last time it was more like…”
Something was wrong. I tried Fireworks over and over. Same result each time.
No trace of the funeral’s flashy, beautiful effects. Just smoke like the grim reaper crashing a birthday party and belching.
Anyone would peg it as a necromancer’s skill. The kind of pitch-black effect that screams necromancer just right.
“If I’d unleashed this at the funeral…”
A chill ran through me. My arms prickled; I rubbed them briskly. Showing off reaper belch at a funeral would’ve branded me a demon or tanked my reputation. Forget bribing the bishop—I’d have been groveling with bribes to avoid his wrath.
Arrogant misjudgment. For some reason, disaster was averted, but still…
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Personality: Arrogance - Defense constantly reduced, but affection rises quickly.
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The status window’s personality description grated today.
“It was just one flub. Arrogance? Ridiculous. No more mistakes from now on.”
If I studied my magic more thoroughly, it’d be fine.
“If I find a magic tutor, I could learn proper spells too.”
Now I got why Sierra learned lame magic in the game. Makes sense she wandered subpar magic academies and back alleys hunting a teacher. Necromancer spells were awkward to use.
When do I find a magic tutor? Such a hassle. But it’s all for living well.
“This time, I’m gonna live right! Effort counts as talent! I’ve got talent!”
Encouraging myself, I decided to check the most important skills.
[Door of Death] and [Necromancer Summon].
Gloomy magic—best used out of sight.
“I’ve cycled through dozens of classes so far. Adding necromancer’s no big deal.”
I straightened up and slowly input the command.
“Door of Death!”
An unfamiliar sensation gathered in my arm. My vision dimmed slightly, and a path appeared before me. Instinct told me how to move: how to open the Door of Death, which way to channel power to lure spirits.
I swept my arm in an arc, as if tearing the air. A black-burning trajectory followed my motion. Unlike Fireworks, a bleak, cold aura enveloped my body.
Soon, along the trajectory, a door of black, rust-like steel materialized. Faint green light pulsed, tracing the engraved patterns to form a path.
“This is the Door of Death…”
*More like a manhole cover…*
A somber aura billowed from the pale manhole. It had the majesty to be called Door of Death.
Size and shape screamed manhole, but the name was Door of Death—something epic had to be behind it. Death Door. Not just any door—with *Death* upfront.
Spirits are souls; they’d slip through, decompress, or have their own way.
In my old world, horror movie ghosts squeezed out of tiny old TVs just fine. This world’s spirits should too.
*Please, Sierra. Even if you were a worthless scaredy-cat duke, tell me your necromancy was decent!*
“Necromancer Summon.”
I reached for the death manhole. A bizarre sensation hit—like my life force was being sucked inside. In response, black aura seeped from the cracks with a *chi-ji-ik* hiss.
“…”
But the manhole—no, Door of Death—refused to budge. Instead, a cheeky *ding* drew my eye. The status window.
[No summonable spirits available.]
My head spun with a *ping*.
It was absurd—no spirits to summon?—but mostly the massive mana drain. As tension released, the Door of Death crumbled to dust.
Exhausted just summoning a stupid manhole lid.
My legs buckled; I collapsed into the grass. Clutching my dizzy head, I checked the status window. The issue was obvious.
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-Black Eyes: See wandering spirits.
-Door of Death: Summon the Door of Death.
-Capture: Catch stray spirits and turn them into familiars.
-Necromancer Summon: Summon the Door of Death to call spirits.
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Capture. That single word froze me solid.