Leon, Step Back. I Know Her.
"Leon, step back. I know her."
"Understood."
Leon nodded and obediently retreated.
Lilith parted her lips with a soft hmph and said, "Dark elves, huh. Yoahim, you've run into some rough company."
Sasha bristled at that and took a step forward. Staring straight into Lilith's eyes, she shot back, "And who the hell are you to say that?"
"You don't know me? I knew dark elves were ignorant, but this is a whole new level. You're in Barakan and you don't even know who I am?"
As Sasha's face twitched, Lilith let out a mocking chuckle.
"I'm a member of the Kalsara Council, ruler of the Frostfire, master of the mage tower. There are plenty more titles I could list if I wanted—should I go on?"
Instead of giving her name, Lilith rattled off her grandiose epithets. It was a deliberate show of the vast gap in status between her and Sasha, who had no rank or titles to her name. Sasha twisted her lips and muttered, "......So you're the tower master."
Lilith didn't reply, just flashed a beaming smile. But that smile pierced like a dagger to the heart.
Sasha let out a stifled grunt and stepped back again.
"And maybe hide your faces in the city? People are watching," Lilith added, directing it at her.
Leon and Sasha let out an ah and quickly pulled up their hoods.
Dark elves had a terrible reputation in society. Sure, some had converted and integrated, but the stigma was hard to shake.
"So, Yoahim, didn't you leave Barakan this morning?" Lilith asked.
Yoahim nodded. "Yeah, that was the plan. But I took a new commission from the mercenary guild and made a quick trip."
"A new commission? And you wrapped it up before the day was out?"
No matter how simple the job, leaving the village and coming back took days. The travel time alone made it so.
Yoahim pointed at Leon. "This guy had a scroll. Made it fast."
"So you met these two through the commission? Then why are they calling you 'Apostle'?"
She must have remembered what Leon had said. Yoahim gave a quick rundown.
"......Yeah, so now they serve me as their lord."
"They're useful. Quick on their feet, good in a fight. Made the job a breeze."
"I could do better."
"Huh?"
Lilith tilted her body sideways, lifting her chin slightly. "I could do it better. Everything these two can do."
What the hell? Yoahim glanced at her before replying, "Doubt it. You don't strike me as the fighting type."
With her pale skin from avoiding sunlight, Lilith didn't look like much of a brawler. She was probably a wizard through and through, but she couldn't exactly replace Leon and Sasha's frontline roles.
Lilith's cheek twitched as she replied in a chilly tone, "......If I wanted to, I could."
"Nah, you probably can't even run properly......"
Lilith clenched her fists tight. Spotting it, Sasha stifled a laugh with a khk.
Lilith shot her a sharp glare, and Sasha quickly wiped the smirk off her face. In contrast to Lilith, Sasha boasted healthy, bronzed skin and lifted her chin proudly.
"Don't worry, Tower Master. I'll take good care of the Apostle—for you too."
Lilith ground her teeth softly.
Yoahim, caught between the two women, looked utterly baffled. He nudged Leon's side with his elbow. "What's with the sudden vibe?"
"No idea, Apostle. But usually, tough problems solve themselves if you just kill 'em."
"Shouldn't have asked you, idiot."
"Even if it's you, Apostle, I can't forgive trash talk like that. Watch your mouth, Apostle."
"......No, you're the idiot."
Yoahim sighed heavily.
Lilith and Sasha, glaring daggers at each other, snorted derisively and turned away. With the standoff over, Yoahim spoke up.
"So, what brings you here, Lilith?"
At his question, Lilith's stiff expression softened again.
"I told you earlier. Meeting wrapped up, so I stepped out for some air."
"Meeting? About Haellagos? It's over already?"
Yoahim had grabbed breakfast and headed out to the ruins with Leon and Sasha right after. Now back in Barakan, the sun was setting and dusk was falling. A major issue like that must have dragged on for hours.
"Yeah. Perfect timing, actually. I've got a favor to ask, Yoahim."
"A favor?"
"The Kalsara Council doesn't think this is just Barakan's problem. Similar stuff's probably happening in other cities. I need you to deliver a letter requesting cooperation to the Tolstone mage tower."
"Can't you just fly there with magic? Why me?"
Lilith shook her head. "I've got a ton on my plate besides this. Barakan's a big city—shit happens every day. Haellagos's threat is serious, but it's not immediate. Lower priority."
Yoahim had no experience running a city, so he just nodded. Delivering a letter was no big deal.
Lilith was the client, so the pay would be generous, and travel expenses covered too.
"Alright, I'll take it."
"Thanks. Head out tomorrow? Come to the tower in the morning."
"Oh, Lilith. One thing I wanna ask."
"What?"
Yoahim cleared his throat with a khm and glanced around. The street was busy, but no one paid him any mind. A few eyes lingered on Lilith, but they were too scared to approach a grand mage. No one nearby to overhear.
"Any chance of scoring some corpses around here? The more, the better."
Lilith blinked with an huh? Her eyes demanded an explanation, so Yoahim mumbled, "Uh, got some experiments to run...... Not doing anything bad."
Lilith giggled like a schoolgirl and nodded. "No idea what you're up to, but there's a dump north of Barakan for executed criminals' bodies. I'll tell the warden—swing by later."
"Thanks, Lilith."
"No problem. Like I said, Yoahim—you're the master of my soul. I'd do anything for you. Corpses? Easy."
Her words carried an eerie edge, like she'd make fresh ones if needed. Yoahim cleared his throat again.
"Khm, anyway, I should head out. Got stuff piling up."
Lilith turned with a smile, waving goodbye. But she suddenly spun back, leaning in to whisper hot breath into his ear.
"......I'll allow one."
Allow what? Yoahim stared at her, bewildered, but she just grinned and vanished toward the tower without explanation.
"......What the hell?"
Yoahim rubbed his flushed ear and turned to Leon and Sasha. "Let's hit the mercenary guild first. Report the commission and renew my rank."
The three headed to the guild.
It was nearing night, but plenty of mercenaries still milled about inside.
Yoahim approached the same man who'd given them the first job.
"Commission complete. Details from the clients."
The man eyed Leon and Sasha alternately, scratching his head. "Already back? Not even a full day?"
"Teleport scroll."
"Not some scheme to rush your rank, right?"
Yoahim showed him the golden chalice to dispel the doubt. "Found it in the ruins."
The relic had turned ordinary after Yoahim absorbed its power, but solid gold was solid gold.
The man fiddled with it and nodded. "Looks legit. Hand in your plate—new one's ready tomorrow. You're Steel rank starting then."
Bronze to Steel tomorrow. Higher rank meant better commissions, fatter pay. And a mercenary's rank was a weapon in itself—even scum thought twice before messing with Steel.
"See you tomorrow."
Yoahim's group turned to leave.
"Leon, Sasha—head to your room and rest. I gotta run an errand."
The guild's second floor was an inn; Leon and Sasha already had a room.
Sasha asked, "Apostle, you heading for those corpses?"
"Yeah."
"But why corpses......?"
Sudden corpse-hunting was creepy to anyone. Sasha worried Yoahim might be veering toward devilish paths like Haellagos.
Leon grabbed her shoulder. "Sasha, don't pry too much. It's the Apostle's business. Must have a reason."
"But......"
"World's full of weird fetishes. Apostle just gets excited by corpses."
No, you psycho. Yoahim's head throbbed.
"......Not that, so shut up. Might be late—don't wait up."
"Be honest with yourself, Apostle."
"One more word and you're getting hit for real."
Leon clamped his mouth shut. Sasha dragged him upstairs, reminding Yoahim not to be too late.
"Alright, time to go."
Yoahim headed to the spot Lilith mentioned—north of Barakan, the criminal corpse dump.
"This it?"
Too dark to see much, but he spotted the massive pit.
Carrying a lantern, he found the warden yawning.
"You Yoahim?"
The fat warden sized him up. "Young guy with weird hobbies...... Tower Master's orders, so I won't pry, but don't do anything too fucked up. I'm clocking out."
Yoahim nodded as the man left. Once gone, he glanced at the sky—pitch black, perfect cover for shady work.
Carefully descending into the pit, Yoahim's boots squelched over the mushy corpses. Plenty of rotting executed bodies.
He swallowed, exhaled sharply, and bellowed,
“RISE!”
Necromantic power enveloped the dead bodies.