Chapter 82
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Believers and Unbelievers (3)
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A short while later.
The battle was over.
Bear and Conal dragged a captured knight from the Order of Silent Compliance before me.
"Kuh...!"
Bear and Conal gripped the knight's shoulders.
As they bore down with their strength, he couldn't hold out and dropped to his knees before me.
Even so, his eyes burned with murderous intent.
If his body had been free, he would have lunged at me right then and there.
"I have a question. Just how big is the Order of Silent Compliance? I'm curious about your total numbers."
At my opening remark, the knight spat on the ground.
He shot back with a twisted smirk.
"You think I'll answer that?"
"Yeah, that was too sensitive a question, huh?"
I scratched my head and replied.
Still, his reaction was somewhat positive.
He hadn't completely ignored me.
It meant he was open to talking.
As long as I didn't pry into the order's secrets, I could probably glean some useful info.
'Should I ask why they attacked me?'
The knight's gaze remained sharp.
Even in this situation, he was clearly looking for a chance to kill me.
That sparked my curiosity.
Why did he harbor such hatred toward me?
We'd only just met today, after all.
"Why exactly did you attack me?"
"Kill me. Or I'll kill you."
His response to my question was completely off-topic.
But I couldn't back down here.
I wanted at least one answer.
"Come on, you can tell me that much, right? It's not even a secret. I haven't done anything to wrong you guys, so why come after me? If I'm gonna get hit, let me know the reason first. Make it less unfair."
I infused my words with genuine grievance.
Because it really was unfair.
The knight started chuckling.
Then he lifted his head and stared me down.
"You say you haven't wronged us? What a joke. Little mage. Your crime is learning magic."
"What's wrong with learning magic?"
I asked out of true curiosity.
His eyes gleamed strangely.
"Magic is the power of the gods by nature. Using a right granted only to them—what else could that be but a sin?"
"So you're hunting mages just because they learned magic? Not for any actual crimes they've committed?"
If you want sweet replies, start with sweet words.
His aggressive tone had rubbed off on me naturally.
"You're a dumb mage. I just said learning magic itself is the sin."
"Even so, shouldn't you prioritize groups like Eremus over innocent mages?"
"Mages or black mages, you're all sinners the same. No need to discriminate in punishment."
"So the charge is blasphemy or something?"
"Exactly."
"Alright, I get it—learning magic is the sin. But saying magic is the gods' power... what's your basis for that?"
"His word."
"God of the Firmament?"
Did mentioning the God of the Firmament rub him the wrong way?
The knight scowled.
But he didn't deny it.
So I pressed on.
"Is there a passage in the Church of the Firmament's doctrine that says magic is the gods' power?"
"Hmph... you've heard enough already. Kill me now."
The knight closed his eyes after saying that.
He'd been chatty a moment ago—why the sudden change?
Did he think he'd spilled too much?
"Can't you tell me just this much?"
"I have nothing more to say to you. Kill me."
He demanded death, but I had no intention of ending him yet.
I still had questions.
"Fine, something else then. Do you know a mage named Digori by any chance?"
The moment I mentioned my master's name, the knight's eyebrow twitched.
To prod him further, I repeated what I'd heard from the black mage's thought body.
"Word is he clashed with seven of your order's squads, beat them, and vanished. He's been missing ever since."
A furrow creased the knight's brow, then vanished.
His face was blank as he kept his eyes shut.
But I saw through the act.
He just didn't want to show his feelings.
That alone was answer enough for me.
"Sounds true. The Order couldn't catch Digori, and he's still missing, right?"
No reply this time either.
No change in his expression.
'That's a yes.'
I figured as much.
What I wanted was news on my master.
Even asking now about something from three months ago, he didn't deny it.
Master was still missing.
Disappointing.
"Oh, one more thing. Last one."
"Shut up and kill me."
"Have you ever heard the God of the Firmament's voice?"
"Kill me."
"Guess not. I have."
His face twisted at my words.
The strongest reaction yet.
My jab had landed perfectly.
The final question was bait for mockery, and his change in expression brought me satisfaction.
Heck, I deserved to vent a little.
I'd nearly died just for knowing some magic.
"It was a truly beautiful voice."
Honestly, I barely remembered it.
Two months ago.
Just one phrase.
All I recalled was it was a woman's voice.
Plenty to troll him with, though.
"And if the God of the Firmament spoke to me, he doesn't seem to hate me, does he?"
The knight's face flushed with rage.
He couldn't hold back anymore and glared at me, bellowing.
"Don't insult me with lies—kill me already!"
"It's not a lie. I really heard the God of the Firmament's voice."
"Uaaagh!"
The knight tried to lunge from his knees.
If Bear and Conal hadn't held him, he'd have punched me for sure.
"End it."
The knight thrashed and roared.
I nodded toward him.
Gilbert, sword already drawn, strode forward.
"Don't think this is over, mage! We're always watching you!"
Did he sense his end?
He shouted in furious defiance.
I wasn't too worried.
Today's fight proved they were manageable.
As long as no three squads—nine or more—came at us, I was confident.
'Elite few means they can't muster numbers easily. No worries for a while.'
I watched the knight, thinking that.
Soon, Gilbert swung his sword.
Thud.
The knight's head fell.
Situation resolved.
"Hoo..."
I sighed and looked at the burly trio.
Their chainmail was battered all over, proof of the fierce battle.
But no wounds on them.
The armor had done its job.
Good.
"Let's search them for anything useful."
I said that and started rummaging through the Order knights' bodies.
The devouring earth had buried some; I had Gilbert dig them out.
Nothing.
"No gear of note besides their equipment."
Bear's report.
Spot on.
Even the gear was plain, everyday stuff.
Minimal kit to hide their identities.
'At least it's not a total loss.'
The fight had leveled me up.
Something that hadn't happened beating Desmond, the eastern branch head, rose in one go today.
Proof of the knights' strength.
We'd held the advantage with the ambush; otherwise, it'd have been a slugfest.
'What about the bodies?'
I pondered the six corpses.
Order knights' flesh—prime undead material.
Waste to leave them.
Necromancer's judgment.
'Six undead would leave me 547 mana. That's fine, right?'
Death Deferral spell for six: 480 mana.
Undead boost, Nemesis of the Living, for six: 120 mana.
Total 600.
From my 1,147 pool, still 547 left.
Mana grows with elixirs or grimoires anyway.
Best to turn the bodies into undead.
Bonus: destroys evidence.
No bodies, no late realization of defeat.
'Start with two.'
I wanted all six, but mana limited me to two now.
Battle drain.
Do two first, then one by one as mana regen.
'Here goes.'
I cast Death Deferral, spending mana.
Two of the six stirred.
Wounds intact.
But severed parts reattached.
Necks back on.
The two undead looked rough—clearly corpses to anyone.
'Fix looks with Body Sculpting later. Hide 'em till then.'
With bones, flesh, blood, heart substitutes, Body Sculpting could humanize them.
Thought Endowment possible now too, with enough mana.
Their old gear as material.
'Big gains.'
The knights who'd ambushed me.
Undead now—revenge served.
'Next ambush? Bring it.'
Dunno their exact strength, but knight-level at least.
Six more knight-equivalents.
No sweat even if more come later.
After finishing the fight with the Order knights,
we rejoined the group safely.
When night fell and we set camp,
I slipped out with the burly trio.
Needed a secluded spot to test the new undead knights.
'Come out, all of you.'
At my mental command, six undead emerged from the brush.
I cast Thought Endowment right away.
Couldn't during day due to low mana.
Shrrk.
Belts as material—six vanished.
The undead grew smarter.
Appearance unchanged.
"Alright, let's check your full power."
Undead vs. Bear and Conal.
Was gonna use Gilbert, but these two volunteered.
"One-on-one first."
At my order, they paired off.
Bear and Conal dominated.
The undead knights, who'd held edge in life, lost pathetically.
Power dropped sharply as undead.
'Too soon to be disappointed.'
Body Sculpting would toughen them up.
Then they'd hold against Bear and Conal.
Next order.
"Now, two-on-one?"
Bear and Conal each faced two undead.
It was even.
Satisfying.
Swap them for Order knights—same result.
No more fear of those guys.