21. O Eclissi (3)
21. O Eclissi (3)
It didn't take much to pressure Gyeonghan.
With his weapons confiscated and two Skeletons standing beside him, one holding an axe and the other a hammer, he didn't seem capable of even thinking about resisting.
He just lay perfectly prostrate on the spot, all four limbs bound.
'Sacrifice Appraisal.'
『Name - Gyeonghan』
『Job & Grade - Official Tracker』
『Attributes - Stamina 12 Technique 16 Endurance 8 Magic Power 14 Resistance 13』
The fact that the target had already fully surrendered was proven by the 'Sacrifice Information' floating before my eyes now.
Whenever a target completely surrendered while I had control of the body, or whenever a creature lost its mental or physical life functions, the dungeon core treated the target as a 'Sacrifice.'
The target before me fell into the former case.
『Traits - Trace Finding, Specialization: Fighter』
『Specialization: Fighter - Receives bonuses on both throwing and shooting.』
And that was a shame.
If it weren't for just this, I wouldn't have needed to kill him.
"You're treating me as if I'm nobility."
"B-but you are a noble of darkness, are you not! My Lady!"
"Hm."
He shamelessly uttered such cringeworthy words without a flinch. Of course, this was an observation I could only make because I was the one with the advantage.
It was also something other Dungeon Lords would have simply been delighted to hear.
"You speak as if you have experience fighting us."
"C-could that ever be! This lowly one has merely overheard many things!"
"Have you?"
"Yes! Absolutely! So please, even if there has been a discourtesy, I beg your forgiveness...!"
He seemed to be worrying that the time he had tried to lay hands on Sonia might have bothered me.
In truth, I held no particular grudge over that.
Whether it was Sonia, Lemia, or Maria, I hadn't had much time to grow close to any of them, had I? If one grew attached from just a single journey, then the continental saying that 'the world is one family' wouldn't have been far from the truth.
Besides, they were enemies to begin with.
"P-p-pl-ple-please, if there is any task, command me to do anything!"
"Do you have reason to believe I find you worthy of a task?"
"I thought that if you didn't, you wouldn't have called me aside separately!"
"You're sharp."
As I observed his reaction for a moment, the man began to carry the conversation forward on his own.
Just as I had thought when watching him before, it was quick-witted and sly behavior.
Exactly as I had expected.
"I-I am merely mortified for daring to presume to meet the gaze of one so exalted!"
"Then I am glad you know it is rude."
"H-hiik! I am sorry!!"
Even while prostrating himself and letting out a heavily suppressed voice, he somehow managed to enunciate clearly; it was impressive, in its own way.
I imagined his life for a moment.
Humans often mistake 'difference' for 'wrongness.' It was like that even on Earth, where information could be transmitted instantly from one side of the planet to the other, so here it would certainly be worse, not less.
Thus, this man who had crossed from the Western Continent to the Eastern Continent by some fate would have often been ignored or scorned by people.
So naturally, his wits sharpened, and just as naturally, malice must have accumulated within him.
And thus, he had gained an ability.
"I intend to use you as my eyes."
This was one of two things I wanted from him.
A spy.
Even if I simply killed this man, I would be able to obtain the 'trait' I desired most.
But what was important to me now was the efficient use of resources. To that end, I had deliberated on whether there was anything more I could extract from him, and at last, what I decided to take was his 'sharpness.'
Sharpness that activated far more keenly against a hostile person.
"Sh... shall we just form a Contract then?"
Yet despite being so sharp, he was a man utterly incapable of hiding his own feelings.
To think he was so delighted, believing a Contract from me meant not only his survival but also a means to gain power.
From what I had seen in that city, among those who had been his neighbors, there must surely have been decent people. Yet he showed no consideration whatsoever for the harm he could bring them.
"Do you believe I would take someone like you as my retainer?"
When his face suddenly brightened like that, I couldn't help but have a capricious, malicious impulse as well.
Probably because he wasn't a person I particularly liked.
"Th-then...! Hiik...! P-please spare me!"
"Why would I erase you?"
"Please... I-I beg you...!"
"It would clearly be a waste of the effort to dispose of your existence."
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Gyeonghan expressed his gratitude by thumping his head against the floor. Seeing blood pool on the ground, I felt I was finally getting a handle on this man.
Then this should do.
"I will take your body from you."
"P... pardon?"
"I did not permit you to raise your head."
"I-I'm sorry!"
Thwack!
The startled man lifted his head. But more startled by my words, he slammed it back down, and in that instant, a cracking sound seemed to ring out.
At this rate, he would break before I could even use him. I shouldn't tease him any further.
"If you do your work well and at last gain my favor, I shall then grant you a more powerful 'human' body in place of that wretched one. So strive for it. For now, however, you will use the body I give you."
Of course, unless Gyeonghan achieved some grand overnight awakening, that was almost certainly not going to happen.
Though I hadn't lied.
"Th... then what becomes of me?"
"You will be a slave who uses the body I give you."
"P-please... can I not serve you as I am?"
His voice was choked, on the verge of tears. But there was no compromise on this point. To begin with, his current body was to be used literally as a 'Sacrifice.'
However, I didn't bother to reveal such inner thoughts.
"Your appearance is too notorious. There was no one in the city who didn't know you. And many bear you grudges."
"That is... true, but..."
"As such, you cannot properly serve as the eyes in my shadow. I intend to give you a different body you can use."
"A different... body to use..."
"You're troubling me."
I cut off the answer to the question there, and Gyeonghan lay prostrate on the spot, falling into thought for a moment.
It was a brief silence where I could almost hear his eyes and brain turning.
"I... will do it."
"Good. Then, endure a brief moment of pain."
"Huh... eh?"
Crunch!
"Cough...! Sp-spare...!"
With a single gesture of my hand, one of the Skeletons standing beside him drove the bone dagger it held into his heart.
As the man, who had been babbling stupidly unable to understand my words, collapsed vomiting blood from the sudden oncoming pain, the Skeleton grabbed him by the hair and forced him upright.
So he could see me properly.
"I told you I would not erase you. I shall not erase you. So now, be born again. 'Summon: Cerebrum Skull'."
I approached him like that and tapped his forehead once with the staff.
Then he met his death.
Crack! Crunch-crunch!
"Guh... gaaghh...!! Aaaghhh - !!! S-spare me - !!!"
The magic power I had already roused seeped into the man, and what happened before my eyes thereafter was truly grotesque. So much so that even though I had mentally understood it and mentally prepared for it, I would have frowned if I lacked 'nobility.'
So let me skip the detailed description and only tell the result.
『Name - [ ]』
『Title/Entity Name - 'Cunning' Cerebrum Skull』
『Attributes - Stamina 1 Technique 13 Endurance 4 Magic Power 12 Resistance 9』
『Traits - Central Nervous System Takeover, Member of Necropolis』
『Title - Cunning: A title given to an entity with superior Technique and Magic Power compared to others of the same kind.』
『Central Nervous System Takeover - Replaces the target's spinal cord and skull to seize and control the body. Can switch bodies if desired, but the original body dies.』
A summoned creature shaped like a serpent made of skull and spine, having shed its original body like a husk, coiled around the arm of one of the Skeletons, awaiting my command.
Examining its state, the Stamina and Endurance, which were useless, had dropped drastically, while its necessary abilities had been maintained as they were.
Its blue eye-light had been clouded by the pain from its lifetime, yet it still appeared to retain a reasonably clear intelligence.
"Among those remaining, summon Susan. She will be the most suitable."
An apprentice-grade warrior, of little benefit even if I turned her into a sacrifice now. She hadn't been particularly notable in action normally, had originally had no connection to Gyeonghan, and from what I heard, had no family either.
There was no better body to let Gyeonghan, now my subordinate, infiltrate the city again.
"Your name from now on is 'Talhan'."
"Undersstood... rreceive ordersss..."
『Name - Talhan』
And so, a short while later, the 'Cerebrum Skull' that had seized the central nervous system of the woman called into the room and taken control of her body, stood before me awaiting orders.
The tears not yet dried, and the teardrop marks wet with those tears, were striking.
Her speech was slurred as she wasn't yet accustomed to the body, but that would likely correct itself soon.
What was more important was what I would instruct him to do.
"The first order is to find your former comrades who know the story of Lemia and Maria. Those three, including Velvet. You know them, yes?"
"Yes... I knoww them..."
"It would be best if you changed your manner of speech. You're too rushed right now."
"I... will do sso..."
There were still those outside who knew about me. Those who knew the vicinity of my dungeon, or those who would soon learn that Maria and Daniel had disappeared.
I needed to seize control as much as possible of the scattered information along the roads.
Before their guild, the 'Shadow Blade,' came to know the details.
"If I find them... what shall I doo...?"
"Bring them. If that's not feasible, find a way to kill them on the spot. Though you know which I prefer, of course."
"I... knoww a way..."
"Good. That's fortunate. That crafty head of yours will have its use."
If this guy actually did well and brought back a favorable situation or information, it might even sway my heart, which was presently unmoved.
Rewards to loyal subordinates.
For that was only right.
"I shall... go and returnnn..."
"I shall anticipate your usefulness."
Besides him, who was now her, I had also already decided what to do with the remaining two.
For Jacob, the trap expert, I would 'handle' his mind over a longer period so I could absorb his knowledge for my own use. And for Robin, if he proved to have no other use, he would simply become my Skeleton.
And so I sorted out the four people.
"Summon Leonis."
Thus, a few days later.
At last, I summoned the mage who possessed yet another vital piece of knowledge for me, and the man who loved Sonia.