Chapter 45 - The Necromancer Who Was Despised

"Buktokki (Northern Rabbit)" "Master Zimnis, you are… truly a unique individual. Honestly, you don’t even seem human to me. Could it be that you have the blood of another race mixed in? Perhaps an elf." "Your words…" I quickly covered Kaila’s mouth and said, "Well. If we’re talking elves, don’t I look a bit too different?" "By human standards, aren’t you considered handsome? If you just cover your ears, one could believe you’re a half-elf. And your physique isn’t that large. As for your height… well, you’d be a bit short for an elf." In this world, humans tend to be shorter on average, possibly due to poor nutrition. Thus, even though I’m of average height on Earth, here I’m considered quite tall. Of course, nobles and knights are exceptions. Still, I don’t quite reach the average height of elves, who are generally over 180 centimeters tall. ‘Thin and tall.’ Elves, often seen as a race of beauty even by human standards, share similarities with their novel counterparts. Therefore, I replied with a light laugh, "Thank you for the compliment." Mutr, taken aback by my response, soon let out a chuckle. After that, there wasn’t much help to be offered. "From here on, I must work alone. I hate to say it, but without the necessary knowledge, you’d only get in the way." In the worst case scenario, it might all collapse and bury everything. "I understand. I’ll just watch." Since pretending to know something I didn’t would be pointless, I simply watched Mutr work on the repairs. Beyond occasionally changing the lantern, there was nothing for me to do. Surprisingly, the atmosphere wasn’t bad. Mutr showed no signs of discomfort towards Kaila and me, allowing for a pleasant mood to be maintained. Amidst the silence, only the sound of Mutr working could be heard continuously. Thus, the first day ended, and days passed without issue up to the third day. Mutr and I gradually became closer, exchanging jokes, secretly sharing drinks, and even brainstorming several times to conceive experiments for fixing Kaila’s leg. However, Kaila couldn’t get close to Mutr. Their relationship remained distant, not out of dislike, but seemingly due to a lack of interest in each other. Around the time half of the repair work was nearing completion, I posed a question to Mutr. "Mutr," "Yes, Master Zimnis." "This second passageway. Is it weaker than expected?" “…No, that’s not the case. Except for this spot, there hasn’t been any collapse, has there?” "Is that so? Then, what if," "What if a backdoor leading here from another place was created?" Mutr looked at me with a curious expression at my question. "A backdoor, you say." "Hmm… It should be fine, I suppose, as long as it's not near the recently repaired areas." "Ah, don’t misunderstand. I was just curious." "Why would I misunderstand? Besides, even if I had any thoughts, there’s only one person around who would consider them." That one person was likely referring to me. ‘Then the backdoor won’t be an issue.’ I had asked out of concern because there were signs of collapse, but from what I’ve observed, Mutr wouldn’t go around spreading the word, given his disdain for humans. "Then if it’s sturdy enough to withstand a backdoor, why did it collapse? Was it because of a Deathworm?" “…I’m not quite sure myself,” Mutr answered with a half-beat delay. "If the cause is unknown, there's a risk it could happen again, right?" "Then I suppose I’ll be called back here." "Hmm… is that so?" He seemed reluctant to elaborate, which meant he probably knew more than he let on. Given that the territory's lifespan was only a few months away, I figured there was no need to pry further. Following that, my relationship with Mutr didn’t deteriorate. We maintained an unexpectedly good relationship for a human and a non-human slave, and as the repair work was nearly completed, new information came to light. "…Lord Langbingk has returned alive, you say?" "Yes, that’s correct. Along with the scion, Rinly." "And his condition?" “…It’s not good. His injuries are severe… He can hardly use mana.” The scion, Rinly, suffered from severe injuries and had lost an arm. "That's serious." "Is it… possible to visit him?" "I'm sorry, but it’s difficult given his condition… I’ll inform you as soon as he’s in a better state." Returning Mutr seemed challenging now that managing to survive had been so tough. On the day Mutr finished the repair work, I told him, "The territory is in bad shape. It’s unlikely we can go straight back to the Count Siglen’s domain." "It doesn’t matter. Here or there… No, I prefer it here. At least you are here, Master Zimnis." Mutr continued with a slight smile, "It felt like being treated as a person for the first time in decades… It's regrettable that we cannot stay longer. But…" "What's wrong?" "Returning to the earldom might make these memories more painful." "…That’s…" "No need to apologize. It's unavoidable. With this cursed magic seal, there's no other way. It's not your fault, Master Zimnis. Actually, I enjoyed this time." "Is that so." I felt that the past two weeks hadn’t been wasted. ‘Given the chance… he would defect.’ Finding the 'whip', the control mechanism, was also necessary, but since Mutr would be moving with me, it seemed it wouldn’t be too difficult to obtain. As I was sorting through these brief thoughts, Mutr hesitated for a moment before quietly speaking up. "This is just me thinking out loud. Please, just let it pass." "If I were to create a backdoor in the second passageway… I definitely wouldn’t punch through the area I repaired. That place… will collapse in a few months anyway." "It seems the creator deliberately made it frail." Mutr, the creator of the second passageway, was standing right in front of me. I looked at him incredulously. But that moment was fleeting. "Yes, that’s correct." He must really despise humans, especially the nobles. ‘No wonder he didn’t lay a finger on the repairs.’ If he, being the creator, had intentionally made it flimsy… meddling in could have indeed led to its collapse. I’m not sure how he is treated in the Siglen Earldom. Given the state he was in when I first received him, it couldn’t have been good. However, it seemed that despite being a human myself, I had managed to gain his strong trust. ‘Did I benefit indirectly?’ It seemed I received more trust than expected, even though what I did was not particularly grand, considering their worst experiences. After today, I parted ways with Mutr, unable to see him for a while. As expected, sending Mutr back turned out to be impossible. Regaining consciousness, Langbingk had passed on the news that the Merchants' Guild intended to isolate the territory, and upon verification by the terrified lord, Langbingk’s words were found to be true. Unknown persons, either mercenaries hired by the Merchants' Guild or bandits, had completely blocked the path to the Siglen Earldom, isolating the territory in its entirety. ‘Just as I heard.’ However, since this was an unidentified fact, the Owlan Baron's household declared an emergency. Therefore, all requests were indefinitely postponed, and in my case, being rewarded with some rest after all the trouble. Thanks to my position as an honorary soldier, I could avoid conscription for a while, giving me some free time. ‘But, the situation will undoubtedly worsen, and eventually, new requests will come in.’ It’s predictable. I had made my mark and proven my abilities. The option not to involve me and my party in a crisis was off the table. ‘I should make use of this time to do what I can.’ Becoming a 3rd class opened up significantly more possibilities. The difference between a 2nd and a 3rd class is immense. Additionally, my capacity, about 1.5 times bigger than when I first reached the 3rd class in my previous life, paired with my experience and the staff’s amplifying abilities, I could do things comparable to a 4th class. ‘I’ve managed to create a Specter, but that was an exceptional case.’ The core ingredient, the shadow of a soul, was of too high quality. ‘The first thing I need to focus on is…’ Obviously, Kaila’s leg. While Skeletons were good, having made a Specter allowed me to postpone that project without issue. ‘With some free time available, I’ve prepared some plans, it’s time to give it a try.’ It has been a long time since I learned that Denok's physiognomy wasn’t a bad match. Kaila, likely anxious inside, hadn’t rushed me. ‘Skeletons… If I set my mind to it, I could create one in a short time.’ Given the situation, if not now, there might not be another chance for Kaila’s leg. Before departing for the outside residence, I checked the magic circle set up in a corner. ‘The damage is on this side today.’ I repaired part of the magic circle, and soon, it lit up, triggering the Dig magic. The ruby, given by the lord, was used as the mana source. Fortunately, being a low-tier magic, the ruby still hadn’t lost its glow. ‘If I do this right, a single ruby might be enough to complete the backdoor.’ The routine was to periodically trigger the Dig magic using the ruby as a conduit, and if the magic circle broke, I would come to repair it, continuing the pattern to deepen the pit. Even if I lost the ruby, completing the backdoor would be worth it. ‘It’s time to change direction and bore straight ahead.’ Now that sufficient depth was achieved, I modified the magic circle before heading to the outside residence. Excluding the times to repair the Dig magic circle, I practically lived at the outside residence, tweaking Denok’s physique and combining the reagents Athina had left to continuously create the necessary medicine. After investing about ten days into preparations, I reached an adequate level and called Kaila over. “You called for me, Master.” “It looks like you’ll need to stick with me for a while.” “Is there another request?” “No. Something I postponed before; it’s time to start again. If not now, we might not have another chance.” The atmosphere within the territory was gravely abnormal. Rumors suggested that all mercenaries deployed to other villages were being summoned back. In their place, neighborhood watch groups were planned to fill the void, weakening the village’s defenses, but the lord had no choice. Kaila nodded silently at my words. Briefly puzzled by her different response, the burning intensity in her eyes clearly showed her inner turmoil was anything but calm. Presumably, she maintained a composed exterior, considering the situation might lead to further delays. ‘She’s bracing herself.’ I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. At the news of me partnering with Kaila again, Athina showed a hint of disappointment. “I wish to learn more from the master…” “I’ll give you assignments. Don’t worry. You’re doing well already.” “It’s due to her leg… I don’t know what to say… But I hope she gets better soon.” “Thank you.” Given the dire situation of the estate, Athina, too, seemed eager to grow stronger quickly, probably worried about what would befall Thea should she die. When Kaila and I entered the basement of the outside residence, she showed a hint of surprise. “Is this… the same place as before?” “Right. Why?” “The magical energy feels denser.” “It should be. My level has increased, and it’s also because of this guy here.” I pointed to a semi-transparent scrap of cloth floating in mid-air. "That is… a Specter. It appears quite strong." Though it had recently absorbed a significant amount of energy while hunting alone, its prey was mostly limited to beasts and goblins, preventing any substantial growth. Given my absence and my instructions to avoid danger as much as possible, this limitation was unavoidable. Still, since it had helped in my recovery from fatigue, I was content. Therefore, rather than the Specter having become noticeably stronger compared to the past... ‘It must feel different to her.’ After all, while I am the Specter’s master, and Kaila is my servant, she is essentially an outsider to it.