Chapter 26

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: Necromancer's Dungeon Test

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The royal palace of the Bata Kingdom was a place you had to visit at least once, whether you liked it or not.

For reporting on this incident and for Melissa's official succession, the king's approval was absolutely necessary.

While riding in the carriage, Melissa racked her brains finishing up the paperwork she hadn't been able to handle back in the territory.

Meanwhile, I focused on creating mana circles—essentially the foundation of necromancy.

Fortunately, no one noticed the necromantic mana I was handling.

Extremely refined necromantic mana was no different from life force itself.

It was like no one noticing or questioning the air around them.

If I had my way, I'd have stayed in the county and perfected ice cream instead of bothering with the palace or whatever, but there was no helping it.

At least it was a relief of sorts.

There were no annoying interruptions on the way to the capital in the carriage.

We smoothly arrived at the capital, home to the palace, where the bustle felt worlds apart from the county.

Countless merchants came and went, and the streets teemed with people.

"There are definitely more people here than in the county."

"Stop gawking around like an embarrassment."

"Hey, aren't you amazed? Look at all these people!"

The capital's hustle and bustle seemed purely fascinating to her.

But from my perspective, it wasn't anything special.

Not when I remembered my past life, crammed into a tiny country with fifty million people.

If anything, the capital felt a bit quiet for what it was.

"I'm going straight to meet His Majesty the King and get my Expert certification. There's a noble banquet tonight, where they'll hold the countship succession ceremony. Please, just don't cause any trouble in front of the royals and all those nobles."

With that, Melissa dropped off only the luggage needed for the inn and headed straight to the palace with her attendants.

Of course, sending her off alone made me uneasy, so I summoned the only wraith I had—Tibel Cascadia's spirit—to stand before me.

His soul was already shattered beyond repair, but its form lingered, so I turned it into a wraith.

Not a skeleton form, but a proper wraith.

Its appearance was the typical blue-tinged ghost you might see anywhere.

"Can't send you out like this; you'd be useless."

At my command, it let out a short, beastly howl and staggered.

In my memories, when I arrived at the Hall of Necromancy, I received just one staff to help me use necromancy.

God, so many deaths.

Swords killed cleanly if they hit, but fighting goblins helplessly with just a staff? My head throbbed at the memory.

Even as ancient history, the horror was vivid.

"Let's start by giving you physical force."

I wrapped necromantic mana around its entire form like a coating.

Then I crammed it full inside, corrupting it like dyeing it in my colors.

"Librarian."

"The circle magic I've learned—is it very different from what other necromancers use?"

Cases where I had spells they didn't, or vice versa.

Thinking about it, I'd turned every spell into my unique magic.

Though the ideas came from my memories, of course.

With physical force granted, the next step was boosting its base specs.

He'd been a mid-tier Expert, but I'd continuously torn at his soul, leaving his mind in ruins.

To make him truly effective, I had to reinforce him my way—strongly.

There'd still be clear limits, of course.

The three elements I prioritized were strength, speed, and senses.

If I hadn't wrecked his soul, he could've been far stronger now.

No regrets about my actions.

Of course, I didn't stop at one layer of reinforcement spells—I stacked them two or three times.

"Hide in Melissa's shadow. If anyone tries to harm her, unleash your physical force and block them. Even if it destroys you."

Necromancers faced persecution only in certain countries or as remnants of the past, just for practicing their art.

At my order, Wraith Tibel slowly phased through the wall and vanished.

"Come to think of it, there's an underground dungeon in the capital."

Why would a kingdom's capital have one? It was a bit ridiculous, but this dungeon had existed for centuries, vast beyond imagination.

It was also the source of the Bata Kingdom's immense wealth in resources.

Fortunately, monsters never emerged from it, making it the prime spot for adventurers to explore.

"Hmm, a few hours maybe..."

There was a banquet tonight, so I could pop in briefly.

No rush to buy ingredients for ice cream or magic tools for necromancy.

I stood up right away.

"Whoa!? Young Master! Where are you going?!"

Sir Hapon, Melissa's knight, followed me with a panicked look.

"Just a quick dungeon trip."

"The capital dungeon? Why would you..."

"A stroll. Don't follow."

He looked reluctant at my words.

"But the Young Lady ordered me to protect you..."

"Sir Hapon."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Stay put. Unless you're planning to force me."

He shut his mouth at my question.

"I'll bring back something tasty on the way. Rest up till then."

"Urgh..."

Shaking off Sir Hapon, I strolled outside toward the dungeon district.

"Oh..."

The dungeon entrance was a massive building.

Two soldiers guarded the gate.

"What brings you here, sir?"

"Leon Cascadia, eldest son ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of House Cascadia."

I flashed my status plate casually, and they snapped to attention.

"Welcome, young master. What brings you to this place...?"

"Nothing much—just thinking of entering the dungeon. Can I?"

"Uh... by yourself...? Ah, yes, go ahead."

I drew my sword slightly, flashing aura along the blade, and they stepped aside.

They didn't want the hassle of clashing with a noble's son.

"Thanks for your work."

"Young master, you can freely enter up to the 5th floor, but below requires special permission."

"Appreciate it."

I had no plans to go deep.

The deeper you go in the dungeon, the stronger the monsters.

This one periodically spawned monsters, which dropped magic stones when killed.

"Let's see... the end of this dungeon is still unexplored, huh."

No one knew what lay there, but some power kept spawning monsters and stones.

Magic stones were used by mages or sold to merchants for everyday magic items.

Like the refrigerators and freezers in the county—magic artifacts.

"Looks that way."

I considered drawing my sword as usual but changed my mind.

Why had I come to the dungeon for a stroll again?

To test necromancy and unleash my wraiths—the perfect spot.

I couldn't dig up graves for undead fodder, so monsters would do.

I scanned the area, then extended my hand toward the two approaching goblins.

Two debuff spells and a poison fog erupted in an instant.

The goblins twisted in agony from the sudden poison and debuffs, foaming at the mouth and collapsing soon after.

"Necromancers are gangsters through and through."

Nothing beats overwhelming numbers.

I extended my hand toward the dead goblins, yanking something from the air like ripping cloth.

Their souls were dragged out simultaneously.

They screeched at me but cowered in terror from the dominion in my necromantic mana.

"Now, focus here. Look straight at this."

I flipped them the bird.

A black flash burst from my finger, transforming their soul forms into my undead possessions.

"Line up. I'll reinforce you."

I coated their bodies in necromantic mana, quickly boosting strength, speed, and senses like with Tibel's wraith.

Stacking... three layers would do.

A good staff would make it easier, but when had I ever relied on one?

Physical force emerged in the goblins' necromantic-corrupted wraiths, and they swirled around me like escorts.

Not hidden in shadows, so with physical force, they'd be visible to others.

So what?

"Alright. Now go make more friends like you."

Monsters anyway.

"Bite everything you see."

Veins bulging like they might burst, they charged ferociously at the next wave of goblins.

What are the strengths of undead?

They don't tire—that's first.

They don't die from vital hits—that's second.

In other words, an immortal army.

Of course, my undead handling differed from shoving skeletons forward.

I mainly used wraiths—souls stripped of flesh.

Normally, wraith undead lack physical force, unable to smash or slash directly.

But I solved that by granting physical force.

Though weaker than in skeleton form, they became freer from physical laws.

Like Tibel's wraith lurking in Melissa's shadow.

Terror-stricken goblins fled madly, but dozens of goblin wraiths pursued relentlessly, pulping them.

No need to arm them.

They were stronger than before.

Goblins being weak helped, too.

When I first became a necromancer and commanded undead—not even wraiths, just basic skeletons—it was a struggle.

Lack of dominion was the issue.