Death Knight (2)
"I apologize for the discourtesy that occurred yesterday, Young Master Klein."
The knights of the Paul Wyvern family were only able to reach me after going through the family's formal procedures and receiving Heinkel's permission.
Though both were ducal houses, the difference in power between Leinrant and Paul Wyvern was incomparable.
Perhaps because their pride had been wounded, the expressions of the knights bowing before me did not look comfortable.
"I read the invitation Aunt sent. When do we leave?"
Ignoring their expressions, I spoke, and one of the knights answered me.
"All preparations for the journey have already been completed. We can depart whenever the Young Master gives the order."
"Really?"
After hearing that, I fell into thought for a moment.
I was heading straight into the enemy's stronghold. I couldn't go in completely unprepared.
'Just looking at those knights alone, if it weren't for Aunt's orders, they look ready to pounce on me immediately.'
Seeing the murderous-looking knights made a sigh escape me naturally.
My swordsmanship had improved somewhat, but my overall strength was still lacking.
If I appeared before Helian without any countermeasures in this state, my head would be gone in the blink of an eye.
'But I can't keep delaying it forever either…'
As I thought that, I turned my head and looked toward a corner of the mansion's backyard.
'I was planning to try it carefully while watching the situation, but this works out better.'
"Fine. We'll depart in three days."
Once I finished thinking and said that, the knights exchanged glances before standing up.
"Understood. We will inform the waiting personnel as well."
"Right. Ah, and…"
I stopped the knights who were about to leave the reception room.
"Do you have something else to say?"
At the knight who asked in a stiff voice, I gave a faint smile and said,
"Tell Buken to take good care of himself."
As the person responsible for breaking Buken's ribs said that, one of the knights' eyebrows twitched.
"We shall see you again later."
With those final words, the knights left the reception room, and after they departed, Dunkel approached me.
"According to the contents of the invitation, I will not be able to accompany you. Will you be alright?"
"Not at all. I probably won't come back alive."
When I said that casually, Dunkel's expression immediately turned serious.
"Then why did you accept the invitation?"
"Because it was an opportunity worth staking my life on."
Answering Dunkel's question, I rose from my seat.
The maids moved as though to accompany me, but I waved them away.
"I can't throw away a perfect opportunity to approach the enemy's heart just to protect my own life."
"Approach the heart of the enemy… Young Master, surely you don't mean Lady Helian…!"
"What, are the families going to war or something? It's not that."
I cut off the startled Dunkel.
Assassination.
Easy to say, but considering what would happen afterward, it was something I neither could nor should do.
At least not now.
"Then why is your going there such an opportunity, Young Master?"
"I can gather information."
While admiring the scenery visible through the corridor window, I continued speaking.
"What state Helian is in right now, whether there are people who bear grudges against her, what the internal power structure of the branch family looks like."
"You mean you need to know the enemy in order to make plans."
"That's right. And if things go well…"
Trailing off for a moment, I continued,
"I might even be able to use necromancy to sow chaos over there."
There was a reason why countless military factions across the continent avoided making enemies of necromancers.
The comrades who fought beside you yesterday became your enemies today.
Regardless of victory or defeat, that situation alone was enough to leave trauma behind.
"It'd be too risky to use it on Helian herself, but if I turned one of her aides or close associates into an undead and had them attack…"
As memories from my previous life surfaced, a twisted smile crept onto my lips.
But while I spoke, Dunkel frowned and opened his mouth.
"Young Master, that's…"
"Not something a knight should do?"
When I said what he had been about to say first, Dunkel slowly nodded.
"If we fight our enemies using methods like that, then how would we be any different from them?"
"We wouldn't be different. We'd just be equally rotten. But."
As I said that, I looked directly at him and asked,
"Isn't caring so much about appearances exactly what brought things to this point?"
Dunkel was left speechless by my sharp criticism of Leinrant.
"Dishonorable, cowardly behavior. While you were busy saying things like that and standing proudly on your principles, weren't you driven all the way to this situation?"
"..."
A territory invaded by the branch family.
A house slowly falling into ruin.
As though recalling all of that, Dunkel wore a heavy expression, and I turned my back to him.
"Even so… Leinrant must not abandon those things."
Dunkel had repeatedly been rendered speechless by my words, but for that one statement, he did not yield.
"Why?"
"Because if we lose our honor and faith and live only for profit, then we lose our identity as knights."
"Honor and faith."
At Dunkel's firm voice, I asked once more.
"After things have come to this… are they really that important?"
It wasn't mockery or sarcasm.
It was pure curiosity.
As someone who had lived his entire life as a necromancer, I simply could not understand the way they thought.
"They are important."
Nodding at my question, Dunkel placed a fist against the left side of his chest.
"More important than anything else in the world."
A faint smile and clear eyes.
For a moment, seeing Dunkel's eyes that did not waver in the slightest despite my cynicism, I saw him.
The knight who had thrust a sword into my heart while holding onto hope instead of despair or resignation.
'Berkel Leinrant…'
Looking at Dunkel, I smiled back.
Right.
This was why I had started all of this.
To see the face of that hopelessly foolish hero once again.
To witness with my own eyes the next generation's Berkel Leinrant—the one Berkel had wanted to create.
"…Then that's a relief."
The symbol of Leinrant's knights.
After confirming it, I spoke to Dunkel with a deeply refreshed feeling.
"Because unlike you, I'm not an honorable knight. I'm an evil necromancer."
***
"Mnn… heheh…!"
Late at night.
After checking on Arin sleeping in the room next door, I quietly rose from my seat.
Whoooosh—!
The mansion's backyard, swept by the predawn wind.
Standing there was an old stone building, my destination.
"As expected, it's still here."
The place I arrived at was the Leinrant family mausoleum.
Running my hand along the stone pillar standing beside the entrance leading underground, I descended below and pushed open the marble door.
Krrrrrr…
As the heavy stone doors opened to either side, blue stone coffins made from bluestone revealed themselves.
Kuuuuuu….
The six stone coffins lined up on both sides.
From Berkel, the founding duke, to Rudel, the previous duke.
This was the resting place of the successive dukes who had led the history of Leinrant.
"Most of the souls have already passed on. Not even traces remain."
I spoke as I examined the coffins one by one.
Seeing how clean they were, as though they had been maintained until recently, I released demonic energy from my heart.
"But… there's still one soul lingering behind."
After saying that, I stopped at a certain spot.
One coffin was absorbing the demonic energy pouring out from my heart.
It stood before the coffin of the previous duke, Rudel Leinrant.
"I can't even imagine what Heinkel would say if he found out about this."
I had already suspected it to some extent, but confronting it directly left my mind reeling.
"Still, I can't turn back after coming this far. And…"
Looking at Rudel's coffin reacting to my demonic energy, I frowned.
"The attachment is even stronger than I expected. At this rate, this soul will become a wraith."
A necromancer is one who guides souls to the place they are meant to go.
As both a necromancer and a member of this family, I could not allow the former duke to become a wraith.
Feeling Rudel's soul bound to the mausoleum, unable to depart, I carved a contract seal onto the coffin using demonic energy.
— I speak to the unfortunate one bound by the karma of life.
Crackle!
Like flames igniting black smoke, the demonic energy surrounding the contract seal glowed blue.
'What the eyes of a soul see is not form, but essence. Even if I introduced myself as Klein, he'd just think it a lie.'
The most important thing in speaking with souls was truth.
Reminding myself of that once more, I continued the incantation.
— In the name of the guide, Archimond, I shall illuminate the path before you.
After confirming the contract seal growing brighter and brighter, I added the voice of the dead to the spell.
— If you wish to walk the path I have lit, answer the contract.
The moment the final incantation ended—
Fwaaaaaash—!
The brightly shining contract seal vanished as though it had been erased.
The mausoleum fell silent again, as if nothing had happened.
But not long after, an unfamiliar voice flowed into my mind.
— This is hardly a place to talk, surrounded by the graves of my ancestors. Come outside, necromancer.
A voice calling for me.
Proof that the soul settlement had succeeded.
'So the title of previous duke wasn't for show. He sucked up every last bit of demonic energy.'
Feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion, I stepped out of the mausoleum.
Within the white reed field swaying in the predawn wind,
a figure wrapped in shadows stood watching me.
"Rudel Leinrant."
When I called his name, the dark figure slowly approached me.
— At first, I wondered what circumstances led my adorable grandson to become a necromancer and seek out this old man.
As Rudel spoke, his spirit stretched a hand toward me.
Shhhh—!
Black smoke gathered at his will, taking the form of a long sword.
— But to think the arch-enemy of Leinrant would wear the flesh and blood of Leinrant itself.
A chilling voice, entirely different from his calm tone until now, tightened around me.
'He's testing me.'
The fighting spirit released by a knight close to the pinnacle.
Even so, without the slightest wavering, I faced him and spoke.
"I already explained the situation through the contract seal. It's not a bad proposal."
— No, it isn't. In fact, I found it admirable.
Though Rudel said that, the wariness directed toward me still hadn't disappeared.
— But as the one who once bore the burden of Leinrant, I cannot easily trust the family's greatest enemy.
The black smoke slowly approached me.
Then, raising the black sword in his hand, he pointed it at my throat.
Death Knight.
One of the highest-ranking undead, created by anchoring the soul of a powerful knight into a spirit body.
However, to complete the contract with such a soul, one must engrave their mark upon the completed spirit body.
There were two methods.
Overwhelm the soul into submission with absolute demonic power,
or gain the soul's consent and cooperation.
"Then I'll prove it."
I drew the sword hanging at my waist.
It was the iron sword I had brought with me.
— Prove it?
"Proof that there are no lies in my contract. And proof of my promise to release you from your karma."
As I said that, I raised my sword to Rudel's throat—the same Rudel who had his blade aimed at me.
— ...!
Bathed in moonlight, my pale-white sword faced Rudel's black blade.
It was the exact same stance he was using against me.
"They say a knight's trust comes from the sword. Am I wrong?"
Recalling words Heinkel had once spoken, I said them aloud, and Rudel's spirit flickered.
Whoooosh—!
Rudel stepped back several paces and adjusted his stance.
In response, I lowered my own posture and prepared to face him.
And the next moment—
Clang—!
I blocked Rudel's sword as it slashed toward me.
A speed impossible to perceive with the naked eye.
I hadn't reacted to it—I had predicted it from the stance he took beforehand.
— No… you are not wrong.
Under the moon hanging in the night sky as our only light,
the sword dance with the spirit began.
And to me, it looked almost as though he were dancing in joy.