The Death Knight Awakens
The pitch-black room was completely windowless and shrouded in gloom.
In the center of the chamber stood a middle-aged man dressed in a plain black robe that exuded a distinctly sinister aura.
“Research Log Day 1124. Recording begins for Experiment Subject 7.”
At the man’s words, a faint crimson glow seeped from within the floating skull beside him.
“Subject 7 is nothing short of my masterpiece. Because it was already a strong specimen, unlike the other experiments, there were no side effects during skeletal reconstruction or organ replacement.”
The man continued murmuring to himself while staring at the skull that emitted the soft red light.
“The final stage of physical modification, mana circuit reconstruction, has been judged successful as well. The seventy-two-hour stabilization period immediately after reconstruction has just been completed, and the internal mana components are now smoothly transitioning to magi.”
The man fell silent and shifted his gaze toward the center of the room.
Against the eerie crimson magic circle, the sight of a snow-white silhouette.
The owner of that silhouette was a woman who wore not a single scrap of clothing.
Fluffy hair that blended the shades of silver and white.
Skin as pale and clear as that of a human, yet far more luminous.
Above all, her features were so exquisitely beautiful they seemed to defy the very concept of humanity.
She was nothing short of a living embodiment of beauty.
Yet her eyes were unfocused and vacant, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Hoo hoo. More than anything else, look at her beauty. Even after such a long life as a necromancer, my aesthetic sense has not died, it seems.”
The man gazed at the woman with a deep, unpleasant glint in his eyes, then spoke again.
“A once pitiful woman has been reborn through my hands into a knight capable of easily overpowering five knights, and into a goddess of beauty so exquisite she would make even the goddesses jealous.”
Before long, the man stepped closer to the silver-haired woman and wore a filthy smile. With the tip of his fingers, he gently stroked her chin.
He touched her with extreme care, as if handling a fragile sculpture on the verge of shattering at the slightest touch.
For a moment.
“The weapons ordered from the Black Cult side have finally arrived just in time. My beloved Ludmilla is finally ready to step into the world.”
Still stroking her chin, the man reached down to caress the magic circle on the floor and continued his muttering.
“The Black Cult side plans to use Ludmilla as a spearhead to conquer the lands of the southern continent, beginning with the estate of the Casthal family. But that’s impossible. First, Ludmilla’s blade will strike straight at the leaders of the Cult.”
“After completing the final seventy-two-hour tuning process, I will begin the Ludmilla Awakening Ritual. Recording ends.”
The moment the man finished his muttering, the crimson glow on the skull faded away.
— Creak.
At the same time, the door to the room opened.
Following the door, two grotesque bipedal creatures carrying a stretcher entered the room.
Just as one of the monsters reached out its hand to lift the woman onto the stretcher—
— Bang!
— KRRK?!
One of the monsters was sent flying into the corner of the wall by the man’s casual wave of mana.
The monster that crashed into the wall showed no sign of understanding what had just happened to it.
“Who dares reach out a hand toward my beautiful Ludmilla? You filthy creature.”
The man looked down at the monster with a look of utter contempt.
He then shifted his gaze back to the silver-haired woman and gave a careful flick of his fingers.
Instantly, the woman’s body rose lightly into the air and gently floated onto the stretcher.
After placing the woman on the stretcher, the man gave a nod to the two monsters.
— KRRK.
— Ke, ke-ruk…
In response, the two monsters carefully lifted the stretcher and exited the room through the door.
***
In the center of a dark and spacious laboratory.
A tank device connected by countless pipes stood there.
The tank was filled with green liquid, and inside it floated the silver-haired woman.
“Research Log Day 1125. Recording the awakening process of Experiment Subject 7.”
The man stood before the green tank and muttered softly. Immediately, the skull beside him emitted a crimson glow.
Then the view of the room shifted to a position that allowed a full view of the scene.
“Initiating. Removing the neural inhibitor.”
In response to the man’s command, the skeleton servant pressed the button on the control device.
Along with the mechanical operation, the respirator attached to the woman in the tank was detached.
Once the respirator was removed, all the rubber tubing devices piercing through every corner of her body were separated.
In the spots where the tubes had been removed, small holes left by the needles filled almost instantly with fine, smooth skin as if nothing had ever happened.
“Demon-flavored injection.”
Following the man’s next instruction, the skeleton servant turned the lever on the control device—
— Sluuush.
The green liquid filling the tank was sucked out entirely through the pipes.
Soon, the tank was completely empty of liquid.
“Capsule open. Activating awakening magic circle.”
— Wiing…
This time, accompanied by a mechanical sound, the tank descended into the floor.
All that remained were the woman in her natural state and the devices securing her.
The instant the tank disappeared, the magic circle drawn on the floor beneath it began to glow brightly, flooding the entire room with purple light.
“Haa. Haa.”
Within the purple light, the man cleared his throat and began chanting the prepared incantation.
“In the name of your master, Zern Cormier, I declare this.”
“Knight of the Abyss, open the gates of darkness and cross the river of the dead. Bind your incorruptible flesh and your soul as sharp as a blade.”
“The scales have fallen, the funeral rites are over, and your night will now begin in my name.”
“Rise. Death Knight. Your petals have been dyed black, and your thorns shall bloom only for me.”
— Bwooong!
The magic circle responded to the man’s chant by glowing with even brighter purple light.
— Shuuuruu…
Finally, the purple light of the magic circle dimmed, leaving only the dark lighting that had originally illuminated the room.
And in the midst of that darkness.
The woman opened her eyes.
“Ooo…”
The man fixed his gaze on the silver-haired woman.
His eyes were filled with an emotion resembling ecstasy.
“Releasing the restraints. Continue continuous status monitoring.”
Following the man’s words, the skeleton servant nodded and once again manipulated the machine.
— Kiing.
The moment the restraints securing the woman on the platform were released, she naturally took a step forward and stood before the man.
***
Her eyes opened as naturally as if she had always been awake.
The scenery was quiet, and her mind was blank.
Amidst the quiet scenery, the first thing that entered was a middle-aged man with a wrinkled face dressed in a pitch-black robe.
He was smiling at her, staring straight into her eyes.
“Can you hear me?”
The man in front of her spoke to her in a trembling voice.
She quietly nodded, and the man continued.
“Ludmilla. Are you prepared to obey my command, Zern?”
Yes.
My name is Ludmilla, and this gentleman is my master, the great necromancer Zern-nim.
“Yes. Master Zern. I am awaiting your command, Master Zern.”
She answered respectfully.
Zern-nim smiled faintly and spoke again.
“Ludmilla. As my sharpest blade, are you prepared to eliminate my enemies in my place?”
Yes.
I am the Death Knight created by Zern-nim, and my blade was forged only for my master.
“Yes. Master Zern. I am your sharpest blade.”
Her answer could not hide the joy on Zern-nim’s face.
“Hoo, hoo… My beloved Ludmilla! Do you truly love me?”
Then he asked if she loved him.
Yes.
I am the only woman in this world who loves Master Zern with all my heart.
“Yes. Beloved Master Zern. I am ready to offer everything for beloved Master Zern.”
She smiled and answered her master.
“Hoo, hoo…”
Zern-nim showed an even larger smile.
Next, he carefully placed his wrinkled hand on her shoulder.
Then Zern-nim turned behind her, moving the trembling hand on her shoulder to her left breast.
“You should be grateful, Ludmilla. You were once a pitiful woman, but I have recreated you as the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Zern-nim placed his remaining hand gently near her right hip and added another sentence.
Yes.
Actually, I was once a pitiful woman…
Eh? Pitiful woman…?
At the single word, an unfamiliar feeling began to arise.
An inexplicable pain surged to the back of her head along with an emotion she could not name.
At the same time, an unknown memory flooded her mind like waves.
An unexpected strike from behind.
A line begging for the forgiveness of some unknown person.
And the lieutenant Hans who had rushed to save her right next to her.
And Hans shouting her name—Elise.
Elise?
Whose name is this?
Who am I?
Ludmilla? Elise?
Elise? Elise?!
“Warning, mental instability. Warning, mental instability.”
A skeleton emitted a warning in a dull tone.
At the same time, an unknown emotion surged like waves.
Within the swirling vortex of emotion, her mind snapped awake, and the flickering flame of her fading self flared back to life.
At the same time, the situation came into view once more.
An unknown dark room.
Skin even paler than before.
A skeleton in servant attire.
And finally the disgusting old man groping her body.
“Kyaaaaaaaak!!”
She could only let out a scream.