The Prisoner Exchange
It was here in Pentamonium that Simon first learned the news: Magnus's Legion was preparing something vicious.
—Wine?
—Not while we're on duty. Let's get straight to the point.
It had happened just yesterday, on the rooftop of their lodgings under a full moon, when Kajan had called him out.
—I have a report regarding the mission.
What Kajan told him was rather shocking.
A few months ago, Magnus had staged his 'Invasion of Roc Island.' Even though it hadn't been Magnus himself, only a clone, the mere fact that he had penetrated inside Roc Island was a huge scandal—such an infiltration would have been impossible without a mole on their own side.
In response, Nephthys assembled a dedicated investigation team and looked into Evangelos, the Crow on duty at the time of the incident, uncovering suspicions that he was secretly colluding with Magnus.
But Nephthys didn't arrest him right away. Instead, she placed a curse on him without his knowledge and decided to wait until she had irrefutable proof.
That curse was designed to send a signal to headquarters the moment the word 'Magnus' ever passed Evangelos's lips.
Time passed, and once Evangelos was dispatched to Pentamonium, they confirmed that he had spoken the word 'Magnus' several times.
Two of Nephthys's closest Crows immediately crossed over and apprehended him. While they were casting a mental curse to pry information out of him, his brain burned out. Evangelos hadn't gone down easy—he had placed a death curse on himself, one that would trigger the moment a specific keyword was spoken.
—Because Evangelos died too soon, the information the Crows managed to extract amounts to just two things.
Kajan held up two fingers toward Simon.
—First: an Ancient Undead of Magnus's Legion is here in this Pentamonium. And second—
The second finger pointed straight at Simon.
—Tomorrow, they will execute some kind of plan to get their hands on you.
Evangelos had died only after setting every piece of the plan to unfold on a precise timetable. Because no one knew what that plan contained, there was no way to stop it in advance.
So the Crows passed everything they'd learned to the Pentamonium side, and Pentamonium—declaring it would not be swayed by such a crude kidnapping plot—tripled its security and announced the academic conference would proceed as scheduled.
—Their target is you, Simon. The Crows have issued a formal recommendation for you to return to Roc Island. Pack your things right now and—
—No.
Simon shook his head, then met Kajan's eyes.
—This is a crisis, but it's also an opportunity. I'll be the bait.
Whether Simon was there or not, their plan would be carried out in Pentamonium either way.
And the Ancient Undead set to execute the kidnapping still had no idea that his collaborator, Evangelos, was dead.
On the strength of those two facts, Simon made a bold decision.
—The idea of using yourself as bait to draw out an Ancient Undead is a good one, but it's far too dangerous.
—Dangerous?
Simon clutched the hem of his uniform.
—Then tell me, turning that around—has there ever been a time when I was safe? On Roc Island, in Pentamonium, Magnus has thrown me into danger every chance he's had! If I can't escape his threat no matter where I go, then I'd rather—
Simon's eyes burned with resolve.
—I'll counterattack from my side.
In the end, Kajan relayed Simon's proposal to the Crows over communications, and the Crows accepted it.
—Kajan, let me confirm one more time. You're certain that Ancient Undead doesn't know Evangelos is dead?
—Yes, certain. According to the autopsy, there were no traces of any other curse.
—Good. Then from here on out, leave it to me and my Legion.
Simon summoned Erzsébet, who had been waiting in subspace, and ordered her to transform into Evangelos.
Then they would let 'Evangelos' go about his business as if he were still alive, and simply wait for the attackers to approach them first.
And the very next day, the plan of the Ancient Undead known as the Zombie Butler was set in motion.
The Zombie Butler's plan far exceeded anything anyone had anticipated. It was no mere surprise abduction—he had punched a hole clean through Pentamonium's barrier and poured zombies into the city itself.
Even so, forewarned by the Crows, Pentamonium responded swiftly and kept the damage to a minimum. But the Zombie Butler's scheme was airtight.
He had prepared a whole array of contingencies keyed to Simon's movements. And the main plan hinged on Sasha.
Pentamonium was configured so that the moment an external attack triggered the alarms, a barrier would automatically spread across every Glass Tower. The Zombie Butler predicted that if he funneled zombies into the tower where Sasha was and wrecked its first floor, Simon would tear his way through the barrier to rescue her.
Simon had pierced even a Saintess's barrier in the Neutral Zone. The Zombie Butler had deduced, with perfect accuracy, that in this Neutral Zone the only person capable of tearing through Pentamonium's barrier was Simon.
And so, in a place sealed off from all outside contact behind that barrier, Simon and the Zombie Butler came face to face. Then 'Evangelos' brought in the captured Sasha, and the Zombie Butler believed every last detail was unfolding exactly according to his script—
[From the very beginning, I was never—]
At the most decisive moment, Evangelos's face split in two.
[—on your side?]
The ally he had trusted with iron certainty, Evangelos, had in truth been Erzsébet in disguise. And she hadn't kidnapped Sasha at all—she had protected her.
It was a triumph born of Nephthys's masterful information warfare, and of Simon's cunning in exploiting it two hundred percent to strike the Zombie Butler from behind.
Then Simon tore open one of the Perpetual Magic Circles etched into the captured Zombie Butler's flesh, opening a communication channel to his master, Magnus.
And he said:
"Let's make a trade. If you want this one back, bring me Akemus."
A move to drag the 5th Legion Commander Magnus himself to the negotiating table.
Simon fully intended, this time, to reclaim his father's undead.
[Grrragh!]
Bound in spider silk, the Zombie Butler twisted against his restraints, face contorted with fury.
[Do not listen, Legion Commander! If they intend to use me as a bargaining chip, then you must never— annihilate me instead!]
Then he turned his head away.
[Pay me no mind! Kill them all!]
—Uwaaaaah!
—Uwooooooooh!
Nearly twenty white zombies began to charge.
Serne, Kajan, Prince, and Erzsébet closed ranks around Simon, shifting into battle stance.
[H-hah! There sure are a lot of them!]
Prince darted out to the very front.
[Not that I'm scared or anything! I'm a hero, after all!]
"No need to worry."
Kajan said, utterly relaxed.
"I've called in the best reinforcements money can't buy."
Shwaaaaaaaaaah—!
The words were barely out of his mouth.
From the building's ceiling, an enormous volume of seawater came crashing down like a waterfall.
The black water flooded in with the force to swallow the entire building, engulfing the horde of white zombies in a single sweep. Like a black hole devouring light, the white zombies' bodies vanished without a trace.
"A boy's untainted dream is worth more than anything in this world!"
And there, in the midst of that black sea, a man with the bulk of a giant stood with his right arm raised high.
"And those who would stand in the way of that dream—I will NEVER forgive them! Um!"
Simon broke into a wide grin and shouted.
"President Phantasos!"
Kizen's Student Council President, Phantasos, snapped his fingers. The seawater converging at the center burst outward with a BOOM, hurling the white zombies in every direction.
KA-BOOM!
KU-BOOM!
Devastating destructive force. All twenty white zombies slammed hard into the glass walls and crumpled to the ground in a heap. The impact was so violent that their limbs and necks bent the wrong way.
Phantasos let out a booming HAHAHAHA!
[Is... is that even a human?]
Prince made a rather dumbfounded noise. At that moment, the captive Zombie Butler showed a faint smile.
[It's no use.]
Shllk.
Shhh.
Despite an impact that had shattered every bone and pulped their flesh, the twenty fallen white zombies were already stirring, wobbling back to their feet.
[Do not underestimate them. They will keep moving until their bodies are ground to dust!]
Erzsébet flexed her fingers, tightening the web around the Zombie Butler, but he only smiled a chilling smile.
[Pay me no mind! Kill that big one first!!]
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The white zombies lunged at Phantasos. Simon cried out in alarm.
"President Phantasos! Get out of there!"
"Um, I'm fine!"
Standing right where he was, arms folded, without lifting a finger, Phantasos was the very picture of ease. The lead white zombie swung its arm at the completely unguarded President—
Thud!
—but fell short, face-planting into the floor before it ever reached him.
Thud! Thud!
The white zombies behind it fared no better. The undead staggered forward, their steps slowing, slowing—and then they all collapsed in a heap.
[N-no way!]
A moment later, all twenty white zombies lay sprawled across the floor in a perfect circle, with Phantasos standing at the center of it.
[What... what is this?! What have you done to my Baekgwi?!]
"Simple."
Phantasos grinned and held up a single finger.
"I put them to sleep!"
Everyone wore blank expressions.
The Zombie Butler, trussed in spider silk, screamed as if in convulsions.
[That's impossible! The concept of sleep does not exist for the undead!!]
"You're absolutely right."
Phantasos stroked his chin.
"So we simply define 'sleep' for the undead as—'the act of lying still with all activity, including consciousness, halted'—and then have them perform it."
[!!! What kind of nonsense—!]
"That nonsense."
Phantasos spread both arms wide.
"Is spread out on the floor right there, isn't it?"
Only then did the Zombie Butler's face go slack, as though he'd been struck in the back of the head with a hammer.
A curse sorcerer who casually overrides and rewrites even the natural laws of the dead, to say nothing of living creatures.
This was none other than—
'The strongest necromancer in all of Kizen!'
Simon's eyes turned bright and sparkling with admiration.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Startled out of listening to Phantasos's booming laughter, Simon whipped his head toward Kajan. Then he lowered his voice.
"K-Kajan! Is it okay for President Phantasos to find out?"
"Find out what?"
"...That I'm a Legion Commander."
"Don't worry. The President is one of Lady Nephthys's closest people, same as me. He's trustworthy."
Simon relaxed. So that's why the two of them were so close, despite seemingly having nothing in common.
And then—
—How entertaining.
A voice neither of them knew, from someone not even present. Simon's head snapped around.
Crack-crack!Rip-rip!
The Zombie Butler's forehead split open, and from within it a human eye pushed its way out.
The eyeball swiveled with a wet grinding sound, glancing around briefly before fixing precisely on Simon.
—What do you think you're doing with my subordinate, Simon Polentia?
The voice flowed out from the Perpetual Magic Circle drawn across the Zombie Butler's body.
[L-Legion Commander!]
The Zombie Butler hung his head in shame. A sinister chuckle drifted from the magic circle.
—What sorry state is this, Butler? Your problem is that you're much too soft-hearted. I told you to charge in with the intent to annihilate Pentamonium.
[...I am ashamed.]
Simon turned his body and stared straight into Magnus's eye protruding from the butler's forehead.
"No more words are necessary. I have exactly one demand."
Simon's eyes flashed.
"A trade. Akemus for this man."
—KHAHAHAHAHA!
A enormous laugh burst out. Simon held his tongue and quietly waited for the answer.
—Audacious. Utterly audacious.
Simon had a fair idea of what Magnus was after.
Acquiring more Ancient Undead.
There was no way a man like that would simply toss away a precious Ancient Undead of his own.
And at last, Magnus's mouth opened.
—Name the time and place, whelp.
The situation was swiftly brought under control.
A hole had been torn in the barrier and outside zombies had poured in, but Pentamonium's rapid response kept civilian casualties to a minimum. Fitting for an event full of necromancers, the sheer number of combat-ready personnel proved a tremendous advantage.
Above all, the Zombie Butler's goal had never been 'massacre' in the first place—it was to trigger a state of emergency and lure the Glass Towers' barriers into activation.
Unlike Magnus with his typical thuggish temperament, the Zombie Butler was the type who prized the Legion's reputation. He would carry out the order to abduct Simon, yes, but he desperately wanted to avoid the 5th Legion making an enemy of the entire Dark Alliance at an event attended by nobles from every kingdom.
So much so that even his own master, Magnus, had called him out on it.
—Your problem is that you're much too soft-hearted. I told you to charge in with the intent to annihilate Pentamonium.
In the end, the Pentamonium incident was contained, and the Zombie Butler fell into Simon's hands.
No major lives had been lost, but the atmosphere had grown far too chaotic to continue the event, so Pentamonium declared the academic conference over and began sending everyone home.
Simon too was slated to return to Kizen without fail—until Student Council President Phantasos used his authority to intervene on his behalf.
And now—
The prisoner exchange begins.
Whiiiiiiine—
The location: an empty, uninhabited field not far from Pentamonium.
In that vast plain where grass sprouted in sparse patches, Simon stood clad in Pier's Bone Armour.
Beside him was the Zombie Butler, his entire body bound fast with Erzsébet's spider silk, curse talismans, and restraints of every kind.
Silently, Simon checked the watch on his wrist.
'Five minutes to go.'
The tension had left his mouth bone-dry.