118. Tracking the Necromancer (1)
When people face a situation they can't comprehend or resolve, they go through three stages before accepting it in their minds.
The first is denial.
"B-bullshit! That can't be possible!"
"Why do you think it's impossible?"
"That bastard... he really commands the souls of the dead as his slaves... How could any ordinary human possibly do that...?"
If they'd known a way to resist, if there had been any means to fight back, the bandits never would have followed the necromancer.
But they had no ability, no method, no wisdom to counter necromancy.
Because they themselves were incapable, they arrogantly assumed even the kingdom's people—gathered with all sorts of talents—couldn't do it either. That narrow-minded thinking made it all the easier for Eunhyeon to pry into their psyches.
"We have a skilled priestess on our side. Have you heard of the 'Flower of Fernin'?"
"The Flower of Fernin?"
"Yes. She's the daughter of the Armitas ducal family. Before your bandit purge, she purified all the necromancer's humanoid chimeras in the forest."
"She... took care of all of them...?"
The bandit who heard Eunhyeon gaped in shock, repeating the words.
"Yes. If you provide information and help us catch him, I'll ask the priestess to ensure the necromancer can't touch your soul after your execution."
"......"
The bandit didn't answer right away. He pondered deeply, weighing in his mind whether the offer was genuine.
He had entered the second stage: doubt.
A faint possibility dangled before him, and he wondered if it was a lifeline or a rotten rope.
"How can I trust you? That priestess you mentioned hasn't proven a damn thing. I can't just blindly believe you! Just kill me now!"
Unfortunately, the third stage—acceptance—didn't take hold.
The bandit knew exactly how horrific the humanoid chimeras were, those abominations stitched from human corpses and demonic beasts.
That's why he'd groveled like a dog under the necromancer, doing every dirty deed to avoid that fate—and survived this long.
His mind now brimmed with terror: if he leaked info and they failed to kill the necromancer, his soul would bind to one after execution, dooming him to an eternity as a mindless monster.
Captured like this, he preferred a clean death over trembling in fear.
As the bandit stubbornly held out, the interrogation room door opened. Artia knights escorted other bandits inside one by one.
"...What the hell?"
The bandit talking to Eunhyeon scowled at his comrades filing in.
"What's this? Why'd they call us?"
"You... you didn't talk, did you?"
"Like hell I did!"
With over a dozen bandits gathered, the room erupted in chaos.
Clap!
Eunhyeon slammed his palm, drawing all eyes.
"Let's reintroduce ourselves. I'm the one handling your interrogations."
"Hey, who's that guy?"
The bandits muttered at Eunhyeon's words. One asked the bandit who'd been talking to him, but he just scowled silently.
"Look, words are useless. We won't spill anything. How about we change the deal? Make it more realistic and tempting."
"......! You mean... let us go free...?"
"Impossible. That's beyond my power, and you're guilty of murdering and plundering the kingdom's people. Execution stands."
"Then what...?"
"We'll delay it. Until after the necromancer's dead."
"What the hell does that mean? We're dying anyway!"
"Kill the necromancer, and you die like humans. Better than lingering in agony as those monstrosities, right?"
"......! Th-that's..."
"Think it over. Your death sentences are final, but we can postpone. If you give info, he'll rage and turn your souls into monsters anyway."
"......"
"But as long as you're alive, he can't touch you. He needs you dead to act. So we'll use your info to kill him first, then execute you."
The bandits stirred at "die like humans." Far more believable than some priestess purifying chimeras.
Not all bought it, though.
"You expect us to believe that?! No guarantee you'll kill that monster! I won't risk spilling for nothing and end up like that!"
"If he exists, you're not free even in death."
"What?"
"You think he just let you go without doing anything?"
"...What're you saying?"
"Your bodies bear his curse: 'Soul Binding.' On death, your souls enslave to him instantly."
"L-lies! Don't bullshit us!"
"Yeah! Why should we believe you?!"
"Prove it if it's real!"
The bandits panicked, the room noisy again.
"Sadly, can't. It only shows to my eyes. And you thought that bastard—who used you like dogs—would just leave you be?"
"......"
"You've been trapped since meeting him. Live in fear, die without peace, souls toyed with forever."
The bandits fell silent at Eunhyeon's words. They knew the necromancer saw them as corpse-fetching tools, disposable trash.
That's why they'd handed over raided villagers' bodies like dogs—to avoid eternal enslavement.
"At least our offer gives hope, doesn't it?"
"......"
"That's my best deal. Think it over and give a good answer."
Eunhyeon smiled and left. Outside, with the door left open for the crowd, Riod, two Artia knights from prior interrogations, and Elenoa watched him with odd expressions.
"Lady Elenoa, what brings you here?"
"You said you'd interrogate. I'm joining the necromancer hunt."
"Fair enough."
"But... were you really going to have me perform a soul-purifying rite for those bandits?"
"No."
Even with the door shut, the contents had leaked. Eunhyeon glanced at Riod—soundproofing broken?—but Riod shrugged like it was no big deal for criminal interrogations.
Eunhyeon chuckled in disbelief as Elenoa pressed.
"Then why offer it first?"
She grimaced at the thought of rites for rapist murderers.
"Just a proposal. Testing their reaction."
"What if they accepted?"
"Take the info, then backstab. It wouldn't be quality anyway. Bait's set; now we wait."
Elenoa tilted her head, confused.
"Huh?"
"Riod, return the bandits to solitary cells. No communication allowed."
"Got it."
"And..."
Eunhyeon's gaze flicked to the two knights, who averted their eyes uncomfortably. His smile was serpentine, predatory.
"You two... good at acting?"
To force the third stage—acceptance—the snake scattered more chum.
◆ ◆ ◆
"Damn it... what the hell do I do...?"
Locked in solitary, the bandit tore at his hair, lost in thought.
If Eunhyeon's "Soul Binding" curse was real, death meant enslavement regardless of leaks.
Then spilling everything to help the kingdom kill the necromancer was his best bet.
But it was all unproven claims. Terror of the necromancer made blind allegiance risky.
"Hey, they really delaying executions?"
"Huh?"
A voice from outside snapped him alert. He pressed to the bars, listening.
"Captain approved, so probably."
"Why bother with those scum? They killed villagers, raped women. Feeding them baffles me."
"Captain got chewed out for it. 'Delaying executions? Insane?' But he held firm. Compromise with court nobles: keep five in Mora, execute the rest."
"Compromise?"
"Too many to house—bad optics, against law. Execute all but five."
"What...?"
The bandit blurted in shock, like a hammer to the skull. He called desperately.
"H-hey!"
"Yeah?"
The Artia knights turned to him.
"Wh-what's this about executing all but five in Mora?!"
"Overheard us, huh?"
"Pretty much. Of you twenty, five spared; rest executed."
"N-no one said that in interrogation!"
"We just heard too. What can we do?"
"Eh, orders are orders."
The knights shrugged nonchalantly. The bandit inwardly cursed, frantic.
Shit, shit, shit! If I die like this... to that necromancer... no way in hell...!
He couldn't confirm the curse, but "what if?" gnawed, amplifying dread.
"Hey!"
"Yeah?"
"Info! I'll give it! Right now!"
The knights' eyes widened, exchanging glances. Unexpected.
One fetched paper and pen, sat, and transcribed the bandit's frantic spill: how they met the necromancer and alchemist, names, appearances—everything.
Normal info won't cut it... Need something unique, mine alone. That's how I make the five.
Even leaking, low-quality meant execution. Desperation spurred him on.