As soon as I exited the carriage, I saw the scene of Albert and the Ghouls attacking the barrier, but I was too late to prevent the deaths of the four ghouls. However, Albert seems to have been the best out of all the Ghouls I had, since he"s still hanging on while half-dead.I cast a "Concentrated Spell: Ice arrow" and attacked the captain. This single arrow had the power of all ten arrows I can summon with the spell, and not only it is faster, but also harder to break. The Captain was instkilled by the surprise attack.
But I didn"t plan on fighting myself. The barrier would be raised again in a few seconds, once the Martial Artists stabilized their mana. Even If I can launch a powerful spell, it would only be able to crush the barrier momentarily.
I never considered fighting myself anyway…
Along with me, forty-odd guards came out from the carriage. Their skin was pale, and grey energy was still surrounding them…
Those were all ghouls.
"Attack." I ordered.
All the ghouls dashed to attack, combining their power using the battle formation they were trained in during life. Their movements weren"t simple like those of a newly born ghoul, but fluid, and demonstrated swordsmanship stronger than that of any other person present. As expected of death-sworn that were born to kill, they were the perfect undead.
With their experience, nothing bad should happen. Even if the ten enemies left are stronger individually, the power of this squad doesn"t count on individual strength anyway.
After I left the service to the ghouls, I approached Artmer calmly. Although someone who knows me would see that I am actually waiting to be praised, so I can brag about my awesomeness.
Artmer"s mouth was wide open in surprise, if his jaw went any lower, it would probably dislocate.
"Vry! Did you advance just now?!" He asked, although he was still surprised, Artmer recovered his composure fast, as a good merchant should. But he couldn"t contain the excitement in his voice.
"Yes and no…" I answered, copying Sixth"s smug tone. "Those last seven that died were enough to make me advance and restore my depleted energy. But I didn"t count with that in my original plan." I answered, pointing at the ghouls that were thrashing the men from Pica in the distance.
"What do you mean? Are those ghouls special?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yes. Those are actually ghouls beyond my control. They don"t affect my limit, retain their memories and still have all the advantages a ghoul should have. However, I cannot control them in exchange for that. This variation of the Raise Ghoul spell is only useful when the Ghoul is already loyal, but they are still your men, so consider this a gift."
Hearing my explanation, Artmer smiled wryly and nodded. Although these men would still be useful, there is no way they can be surface forces of the guild. It"s not like things would go well if someone discovered the Black Gold family has undead, so they can only become shadow forces. First level Martial artists aren"t something Bosta lacks anyway, but death sworn Martial artists are a little better.
The two of us talked while the battle wrapped up. As expected, the ghouls demolished the enemies, and only ten of them died in the process.
After the battle finished, Albert came to me, completely healed after eating and entire corpse. A ghoul"s recovery is indeed astonishing, since even his severed arm grew again.
Albert kneeled in front of me with his head low.
"Lord Knight…" Albert said solemnly.
"Great work. I knew you were a true warrior from the beginning." I praised him, putting my hand over his shoulder.
"Lord Knight… If possible, can you bring my brothers back to life? They fought well, and I hope my liege would reward them for their efforts." Albert requested, bowing his head even lower.
I looked at the fallen ghouls and back at Albert. They were pretty much useless, I can replace them easily if I want to, but through my connection with Albert, I can understand his feelings. So, I agreed to his request.
Albert carried the corpses and put them in line, some corpses were lacking limbs, but I can fix that…
I waved my hands in the motions to cast the Raise Ghoul spell…
But the Necrotic Energy refused to raise them again.
"What? What is wrong? Why can"t I raise them again?"
It didn"t make sense. They were corpses all the same, so what kind of reason is there for me not to be able to raise them? Is this the same as those RPGs where you can only raise a body once?
"No, this isn"t an RPG. Their souls have already been touched by the Necrotic Energy, so they have been granted eternal rest after dying once again. Only through some materials can you raise them again by forcefully calling their souls from the void." Sixth said suddenly.
"So, they can"t be raised again without materials?" I thought, not talking with Sixth out loud.
"Yes. You also need to carry their corpses around as a medium, but within… A month or so, probably, their souls will be too adapted to the void, so raising them again would be much more difficult then." He explained.
"So, I can"t do anything? Should I just leave them there?" I contemplated, although I didn"t mean to talk with Sixth, he answered anyway.
"There is a way actually… To preserve their souls, so you can raise them again when you have the materials." Sixth whispered at my ears, like a tempting Devil. I already knew that whatever he would propose, it"s not good for me.
"My second brother knows a lot about death, so I can ask him for the magic that would preserve souls… For a price, of course." He said.
Although I knew that price would be harsh, the allure of that spell that sounds pretty useful is just too much.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Your a.n.a.l virginity…"
"f.u.c.k you!"
"Just kidding…" He laughed, and then followed with something else. "I am incredibly bored after nothing interesting happening in this last year… So, I want you to let me… Alter reality a little. So, things will get more interesting. It"s not going to be anything immediate, nor obscenely dangerous. It will actually even be an opportunity for you to grow."
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I don"t know what he wants to do… But it scared me to let him do so. There"s no way in h.e.l.l I would accep…
That I would accep… Refuse…
(There"s no way I would refuse…)
"There"s no way I can refuse your offer, it is too tempting." I thought. My head hurt a little for some reason after I answered.
Sixth looked at me weirdly for a moment, but then shook his head dejectedly and said.
"Who knew you were one to take risks? Okay. It"s done, the information is already in your head."
The deal was done, and I really received information directly to my mind. It"s as if I knew this spell since the beginning.
It is peculiar, that differently from any other spell, this spell uses a chant, instead of gestures.
As soon as I received the spell, I pointed at the corpses and chanted.
"Reeftuoumereno! Ophio, suoopumeliosuo opfe tuohioef feabliolioefno!"
I have no idea what those words mean, but the spell worked.
A kind of chain came out of my body, one that I couldn"t see, only feel. It attached itself to the corpses and pulled something to the inside of my body.
I could feel the nine souls inside me, they inhabited my spirit and slept there.
After getting the souls, I turned around and said out loud.
"I can"t raise them again. I"m sorry Albert." But in my mind, I said: "I"ve got their souls. I"ll revive them after getting the materials."
Albert nodded with a gloomy expression on the outside, but through our connection, he said. "Thank you, my liege! I"m sorry for the trouble my brothers caused you!"
Albert obviously listened to mine and Sixth"s conversation, since he could both, see Sixth and listen to my thoughts.
"Let"s go. We still have to reach the capital." I urged Artmer, and both of us continued to the capital.
We arrived soon, and Artmer was elated to have completed his mission. He went to Bosta"s headquarters to report, while I stayed in a hotel he booked for me.
I was tired from the trip, so as soon as I arrived, I slept…
…
Unknown to me, something was happening in another s.p.a.ce.
Inside a modern apartment, a man with sloppy clothing sat on a couch, looking at me sleep on the hotel.
"I"m sorry… But it"s not easy to do what must be done by walking the beaten path." He said, smiling wryly as he smiled at someone in front of him.
"It"s okay… Both of us know how he is, and if push comes to shove, you can still interfere once or twice." That person said.
"Yeah… But I would rather not have to interfere much…" The man answered.
The two of them looked at me sleeping… Their reasons unknown.
"Am I the only one who thinks it"s weird to watch him sleep?"
"But he"s so cute while sleeping~~"
This person is still crazy… The man thought.