Reincarnated into a Werewolf
Chapter 69 The Necromancer’s Last Door (First Half)
And so it was decided that Glenstadt Castle was to hold a coronation for the succession of the name of Demon Lord. We could not proceed without any ceremony, and it would at least clear things up once and for all. It also had the purpose of being a memorial to the late Demon Lord.
Master had also decided to make Ryun Height her base after succeeding to the throne.
As far as public events held at Glenstadt, this looked to be the final one.
The night before the coronation.
In a room in Glenstadt Castle, I listened to Master as she spoke
“Being the Demon Lord is not about simply being "the strongest demon’. You must possess G.o.d-like power; transcend.”
“You can say that, but even you can’t be like the late Demon Lord.”
There is no doubt that the Master’s magical ability is world-cla.s.s, but that is only when compared to humans and monsters.
She is not like the Demon Lord, whose power was like that of a G.o.d.
Master nodded at my words and continues.
“That is right. But as long as I take on the name of Demon Lord, it won’t do for me to be fainting every time I use some magic in succession.”
“You don’t even get that far in the best of times…”
Even when she does try to use magic consecutively, not being able to gather the needed types of power prevents her. There is a need for her to wait a while.
It is very similar to cooldowns for magic and special attacks in games.
“The truth is, there is something I can do about this problem of running out of magic power.”
The words were so unexpected that it surprised me.
“There is something you can do?”
“Yes. If I succeed in this, I too will gain powers equal to that of the Demon Lord…”
“Gain?”
“…maybe.”
That’s certainly vague.
“In truth, I should have tested it a long time ago, but the ever-worrying Demon Lord had long forbidden it.”
I’m lost.
In the first place, I do not understand the need for Master to become stronger.
“Master, it is not as if you were chosen to be the Demon Lord due to your promising strength.”
For the First Division; it was you and the late Demon Lord’s long and unyielding relationship of trust.
For the Second Division; it was your kindness that saved them twice.
For the Third Division; it was your character.
The reasons vary, but they all accepted you as Lord for factors other than strength. If anything, I think they do not care too much in regards to your strength.
If that is indeed so, then it might be the first time in the history of monsters.
However, Master just shook her head.
“I understand that well. But I also understand that I cannot allow myself to be accidentally killed, either.”
Master cleared her throat; suddenly a far away look came to her eyes.
“Every time a Lord dies, the subjects are shaken. If the second Demon Lord were to die right after the loss of the late Demon Lord, then do you not think, that we would be moving even further from the Demon Lord’s will?”
“That’s, well…that’s true.”
If Master were to somehow die, it would certainly cause all of us who are already dispirited to become even more so.
Master cracked a smile and continued.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of taking reckless chances. Theoretically, there is no real imminent danger to it.”
“Um, that actually has a very worrying ring to it.”
Master gave a forced laugh.
“You are truly impossible. I will explain it to you now, and I expect you to listen well.”
An impromptu lesson now began because of my unnecessary comment.
“Necromancy is not mere sorcery. It is also philosophy. A philosophy to face death.”
She murmured as she held her small hand over the flame of a candle.
“And Necromancers have something they call "The Last Door’. Do you know what that is?”
The last door opened by those who face death.
“One’s own death?”
“Well done.”
Master gave a childlike smile.
“One may call himself a Necromancer, but as long you are living flesh; you will die. It is then that your true worth as a Necromancer comes into question. How you face your own death.”
A long time ago, Master once came close to death, and she still hasn’t died. In my previous life, this would be like being in a coma, lying in bed with a tube connected to you from above; but still living.
And so she has not opened "The Last Door’ yet.
Master nods; as if reading my thoughts.
“When I face death, everything that I am, will come into question. "What is life, what is death’, those kinds of ultimate questions.”
“That’s a hard one…”
“It is. But well, I’ve lived a long life. At least, I have come to my own conclusions on those matters.”
Master laughed and sprang off of her chair with a grunt.
“However, if I open this door, I will never be able to reverse what happens. And I cannot deny the possibility that it could negatively affect my personality.”
What the h.e.l.l is going to happen?
Master looked up at me; appealed with a sober expression.
“And for safety, I want to enlist your help, my apprentice.”
“I think Mereen would be a better…”
Master shook her head dismissively.
“I can rely on no one else for this task. The person must be a full-fledged sorcerer, on top of being seasoned in the art of combat. “
“Oh, this sort of thing again….”
Out of all of Great Philosopher, Gomoviroa’s apprentices, I am the most accustomed to tough situations. I am a Werewolf after all.
And thanks to that, I’ve been forced to partic.i.p.ate in many horrible experiments and rituals. All in spite of specializing in strengthening magic.
Oh, well. I will help.
It’s for Master’s sake.
“I understand. But I beg you, don’t summon any more devils.”
“This is getting old. I told you that was just an accident.”
Being chased by a devil that was summoned from a different dimension, the nightmare of it’s continued, vicious attacks; I never want to experience that again.
I thought it would return to its home by morning, but that devil f.u.c.k, he stayed and continued to attack Master for days on. He should feel what it’s like to have to protect someone.
If we ever meet again, I’ll tear him to shreds.
Master cleared her throat and announced:
“This one will be easy. Now, come down with me, to the underground laboratory.”
“Underground?”
“I’ll tell you some old stories on the way.”
“The old stories of the elderly are way too long…”
“Even a special lecture by the Great Philosopher Gomoviroa?”
Master’s voice echoed down the spiral steps of the castle.
“There was once a small kingdom of humans here. And this kingdom was ruled by a family of sorcerers. They used the power of sorcery to protect their country from monsters and foreign armies.”
However, this kingdom fell all too soon due to fighting amongst human; she explained.
“They placed too much confidence in their own magic. Blinded by power, they had forgotten what was important. That there is nothing more fearful than the malice of another.”
The king’s arrogance caused the resentment of the courtiers, it is said that their betrayal caused the kingdom to fall.
The castle was surrounded by traitors, the royal family was seized and every one put to death.
“I was the only exception. My mother put a healing spell on me that faked death, I slowly recovered all the while being in a state of apparent death.”
“I see…what?”
“What’s the matter?”
“So then, this is your homeland? And.. you are a real princess?”
“We were a collateral line so I was not in a position to succeed the throne. Though, officially, we were part of the royal family.”
I hadn’t heard this before. I"m shocked.
Master made a face as if this was nothing, and shrugged her shoulders.
“Do you not find it strange, that the Demon Lord army was so conveniently able to acquire this ruined castle?”
“I just thought someone happened to discover it…”
“No, in truth, I am the landlord of the Demon Lord army.”
So this place was being rented out, huh.
“Well, in any case, this country fell, towns, fields, and forests were all buried. I thought it would be perfect for a little hiding place.”
She had reached the end of the spiral staircase and now stood in front of a very old looking door.
“I had my throat pierced by a spear, the same as the others in my family. It was years later that I finally regained consciousness; you can imagine how scared I was.”
“An unbelievable experience…”
It must have been painful, and so frightening.
“What surprised me the most was that the kingdom had fallen and become a ruin. I do not know what transpired, but clearly, the traitors were not prosperous.”
It must have been an internal conflict. If that was the case, it is a well-deserved end.
“The rest of my line had rotted and turned to bones. On top of that, my own wounds had healed around the spear in my throat, the wound had to be reopened when I removed it. I suffered through that agony for three days and nights.”
I finally understand why Master, shy as she is, fears humans more than monsters.
It is no surprise having experienced such a thing in childhood.
Master explained that she then lived alone in the abandoned ruins.
Destroyed or not, there was no lack of places to live in the castle, and the outside world was much too dangerous for her; still a child.
“Day after day, I contemplated on my own. On why something like this had to happen. And I began to research Necromancy with the hopes of resurrecting my father and mother.”
Of course, Master quickly discovered that this was not possible. The irreversibility of death is frighteningly strong, no secret of Necromancy could make the resurrection of the dead possible.
While it is possible to conjure the spirits of the dead, this usually just amounts to a blurred apparition, lasting only a few seconds before vanishing.
And so Master had lost her reason to live. Now, living through time without end, she could do nothing but continue to acquire knowledge of Necromancy.
She says that it would be over a hundred years later that she would meet another person.
“At that time, I still had not found the answer to "The Last Door’. However, after being called a philosopher and other things and taking apprentices, I have finally found the answer.”
“Is that so.”
Master chuckled and looked up at me.
“Why, you are the one that showed me.”
“Me?”