Ch 38

Chapter 38

10. Night of the Dead (2)

A powerful necromancer could subdue human souls through subjugation contracts, make them his people, and use them like slaves. The story of an adventurer who was captured by a necromancer then corrupted and turned evil after extreme torture was a common story in various adventure stories. Naturally, Serati was frightened.

“To become a necromancer’s person?”

It can never happen. It should never be accepted.

‘But…’

Both arms were too empty to just cut off and refuse. The future was also very bleak. Was it really worse to fall, and turned to evil than to lose your arms, and lived a miserable life? Sarati stuttered and asked.

“If you really are a necromancer… Can you get my lost arms back?”

After hesitating for a moment, Karnak answered, “Yes.”

Actually, no matter how much necromancy was used, regenerating severed limbs was not an easy task. It was correct that the related technique was not developed because it was not necessary, rather than because the technique was difficult.

This problem could be easily solved by simply transplanting some of the other corpses or sprouting arms of darkness. Why would an evil necromancer bother to take the hard road by thinking about the other person’s life?

However, Karnak could bring Serati’s severed arm back to life. Even with the meager current command power was also possible. Barros, who was a member of his family, bought and ate fictitious dates.

Because of his rude tone, Barros was the only person he could trust in the world. There was a time when he devoted all his energy to regeneration techniques because he couldn’t turn his precious attendant into a normal person after being disabled. Although it was a method that lost its meaning after changing him to a Death Knight later.

“It’s possible. It’s possible, but…”

Serati asked impatiently at Karnak’s disapproving attitude.

“Then what’s the matter?”

“Because I don’t want to. Did I tell you? I’m staying away from necromancy as much as possible.”

Indeed, Karnak intended to release her after briefly erasing her memories.

“Make Serati your follower!”

As an Aura user and even a beauty, it would definitely be useful, but it was not a very attractive option for him now.

“That’ll be living like before.”

If he had pursued power in the first place, he would not have developed chaos magic. He must have just been raising his commanding power.

“That, like that…”

Serati was taken aback. This was an unexpected answer. In fact, she had some doubts inside. She wondered if he was deliberately trying to seduce her to enslave her later.

Looking at her in confusion, Karnak suddenly sent a magic message.

[Hey, Barros.]

[Why, Young Master?]

[You are doing this on purpose.]

Even Barros was well aware that the complete loss of a body part could not be healed even by the priest’s divine spells. Even though he knew it, he deliberately induced a conversation in a way that he could heal with necromancy.

[Why did you do that?]

[This lady is pitiful. I’ve had my limbs cut off in the past, so I know that feeling well, right?]

Barros didn’t think much of it until later, saying that the young master would make it again, but he still vividly remembers the despair he felt when he lost his arm for the first time.

[I want to help if I can. It’s not too difficult for you, isn’t it?]

[Don’t make a fuss.]

Barros was a little taken aback. Karnak was no longer the old Demon King.

[Are you having a hard time right now?]

[Of course, it’s not as easy as before, but it’s possible for about one person. But can I really have this lady as my follower, me?]

After seizing the weakness of a young beauty and forcing a contract with her, he could make her a slave to his soul and could use it as he pleases.

[I think this is something a really nasty villain would do?]

[I guess you were aware that you were a really nasty villain? It’s surprising.]

[That’s why you’re doing this to live as kindly as possible.]

No matter how he thought about it, it was ambiguous.

[This is bad. Are you sure?]

Barros came to a clear conclusion.

[Miss Serati can do as she pleases.]

He just needed to explain the situation well and passed the choice. Then, the outcome was up to her. Wouldn’t this be enough to live like before?

[Right!]

His mind became clear. Feeling relieved, Karnak called to her in a gentle voice.

“Miss Serati.”

“……Yes?”

Inadvertently, her tone changed to respect. It was proof that her heart had already been broken.

“No matter how much I avoid necromancy, it’s a bit too much to leave you alone now.”

“So what are you saying?”

“You decide Miss Serati. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Would she continue to live with disability, losing part of her memory and losing both arms? Or would she live as a member of Karnak and get her perfect body back? Serati couldn’t answer. It was not an easy choice. Of course, she desperately wanted to get her arm back at any cost…

“…What do I have to do to become one of your people? Should I sell my soul?”

Karnak laughed.

“That’s what you do when you contract a demon from hell to gain power. I’m not giving you some kind of power, am I?”

Serati was puzzled, not knowing why he was laughing. Was that some kind of joke for the necromancer?

“Then is my soul stained with darkness?”

“Doesn’t a painful wound always glow divinely just because it’s healed by a divine spell? The same goes for necromancy. It’s just your arm and soul at the end of regeneration. It’s not really dark or divine.”

In fact, it was difficult even to be stained in the dark.

“If my family members are full of dark energy, won’t my identity be found out? I’m in a position to try to get rid of it even if it happens.”

Serati was perplexed. It seemed a little different from what she had heard. Wasn’t becoming a necromancer’s subordinate turning into a demon thirsty for blood and slaughter?

“Then… What will happen to me when I become your servant?”

“Miss Serati’s soul is subdued by me.”

Karnak’s explanation continued.

“To be precise, it completely reveals the composition of the soul. Only then I can see the blueprint of your soul and regenerate the arm.”

“I see.”

Some terms would take place first.

“If you betray me, you will be punished with death, or if you reveal my identity to others or if you point a knife at me.”

“Right.”

“Should I obey your orders unconditionally?”

“It’s possible, but I’m not going to do that.”

“Why?”

“Because we have to manipulate Miss Serati’s mind. In this case, the ability to deal with auras will be greatly reduced, so there’s no reason to weaken the abilities of the followers, is there?”

Unconditional obedience was not a very good thing. For example, if in a fit of rage, Karnak told Serati to die. What if Serati really went out and died? This would result in the loss of one competent Aura user.

“That’s why other necromancers also don’t manipulate the minds of their followers halfway. Either make them into puppets devoid of reason, or they leave their free will behind and use only the forbidden.”

Serati was shaking more and more. After hearing it, it wasn’t as bad as she was prepared for. Of course, that was a story under the assumption that Karnak was only telling the truth.

“Isn’t this much different from a knight who just makes a layered oath?”

Translator: Anom

Proofreader: Orange

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Of course, things were much worse than that. Because Karnak held her life. But weren’t the two arms being compared? Was it really an unfair contract to serve a lord whose identity was dangerous in exchange for her arms back?

“The choice is yours, Miss Serati.”

A soft voice echoed through her ears.

“Being a free agent, missing arms, future as a prosecutor.”

It was a soft, gentle, yet heart-piercing voice.

“Only you can weigh which one is more valuable.”

As he finished speaking, Karnak was proud inside. He kindly explained, helped her understand, and even gave her a chance. Nothing was forced.

“Hey, I’ve become a lot more like a people-person dealing with this, right?”

Watching him from the side, Barros made a strange expression. Clearly, Karnak was making a proposal to Serati with good intentions, and trying to live as humanly as possible…

“Why does the devil seem to seduce an innocent girl? Is it your mood?”

In the end, Serati made her decision.

“Please make me your follower, Lord Karnak.”

* * *

Constraints of subordination was an incredibly complex, high-difficulty technique. An ordinary necromancer would be able to conclude a contract only after preparing for half a day or more, and then develop the spell for a long time. For Karnak, who was the King of Death, it was enough to just drink a cup of tea.

“I ask in the name of the master of darkness, Karnak Zestrad. Serati Allen, will you be my follower?”

“Yes.”

“Then, open your mind and accept the contract.”

Karnak placed his palm on Serati’s kneeling head. Dark magic ran down the top of her head and penetrated her entire body.

‘Gosh!’ Instantly triggering an aura, she almost resisted.

“If you haven’t heard the voice that followed. Then you will get back what you lost.”

After reaping all the auras, Serati accepted the darkness of Karnak meekly. At the same time, excruciating pain was felt from the severed arm.

“Kuh! Ugh!”

A change could be seen in her eyes as she moaned. The scabs on the carbonized arm began to peel off. At the same time, new arms sprout. It honestly didn’t look good.

Unlike divine spells, which healed wounds with dazzling light, necromancer’s regenerative technique caused bones to sprout and red muscles to rise above them. This was the way that created covering, hideous tendons, and blood vessels. On the surface, it was really creepy and terrifying. Even so, Serati was drenched in joy.

“Ah, ah…”

It was an arm. The two arms that were lost were growing again. Even the pain was a sweet sight. Karnak removed his hand from her head again.

“Serati Allen, hereby you have become a member of my household.”

Unknowingly, honorific words flowed out.

“Yes, my lord…”

And she just fell down. Barros smiled as he supported the fainting Serati.

“It reminds me of the old days. I fainted like this too.”

“Did that hurt that much?”

“I feel like my whole body is being torn to pieces. That’s why you couldn’t use this during combat, right?”

“Well, I envy the church’s healing arts.”

Suddenly, Barros tilted his head.

“Wait, am I no longer a member of the young master’s family?”

“No.”

Going back through time and space, everything in the past went back to nothing. Of course, there was no contract of subordination with Barros.

“So, you were able to have Miss Serati as a follower”

“Right now, I can only have one follower with my power.”

“Then, I can’t regenerate even if I lose my limbs?”

Barros trembled. He wondered if he had dug his own grave while being kind. Karnak replied as if it was no big deal.

“Why can’t you? You can.”

“How?”

“We can break the contract with Serati and make you a follower again.”

“If the subordination contract is broken, Miss Serati will die on the spot, right?”

“That’s unavoidable. We can’t make you disabled just to save this lady.”

“Ah, that’s a very nice word, but…”

Barros stared at the stunned Serati.

“I need to dry my body well. Is this girl’s life hanging on my limbs?”

It was a shame if she passed out. Had she heard that conversation, she might have regretted her choice. Anyway, it was time to make plans for the future.

Barros asked, “What are you going to do now?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

Currently, Karnak has two options. After preparing for the first counterattack, they could rescue Alius and Riltain. Second, the two give up and run away from Trist City.

“If you want to live like a human being, of course, you lose first, right?”

The problem was that he couldn’t deal with Straf with just chaos magic. He had to use necromancy spells. That’s how he could win.

“Why is that? Until now, when you didn’t have eyes to see, you used necromancy skills well.”

“There are too many eyes, in this case.”

Straf’s commanding power was considerable. To deal with him, it was not enough to secretly use your strength like before.

“I have to use necromancy in earnest on a fairly large scale, but no matter how I look at it, it seems like I’m living like before?”

Returning as an evil necromancer, he turned the city into hell and saved his colleagues. Without touching the evil power, he just abandoned his colleagues and ran away.

“Which one is correct? This one?”

“I don’t know. It’s really confusing.”

They put their heads together and thought about it for a long time, but they couldn’t easily find an answer. In the end, Barros came to a similar conclusion again.

“Let’s ask Miss Serati when she wakes up.”

“Huh?”

“That lady is a proper human being, unlike us.”

“Right! Hey, Barros, aren’t you getting smarter?”

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