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The Necromancer in Shadow by TheOminousRain
Anime » Eminence in Shadow Rated: M, English, Horror & Humor, Cid Kagenou/Shadow, OC, Words: 548k+, Favs: 386, Follows: 387, Published: Oct 27, 2023 Updated: Aug 9
768Chapter 40: The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 40: The Calm Before the Storm
I defeated Iris, leaving the crowd in awe. Now my position as Iris' suitor is secure. On hallway on the way to the VIP booth, I meet Beatrix.
"Fascinating fight. Your name is Claude Normann, right? I look forward to tomorrow's match." She says in a soft voice.
"Likewise, Lady Beatrix."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"You can ask anything."
She lowers her hood and exposes her beautiful face. "Have you met an elven girl who looks like me?"
I am absolutely stunned. Not by her beauty but by her resemblance to No. 001.
"A-Ahh… I don't think I have." I lie through my teeth.
"Really?"
"Really."
"You're not lying?"
"Indeed, I'm not."
"I see. I was looking for my niece. Since many people came here for the Bushin Festival, I thought she might be here. I also participated in the Bushin Festival because I was looking forward to clashing blades with strong people like Shadow and Necromancer who I heard was in this kingdom but sadly they didn't participate in this tournament."
"W-Well… they are criminals so I don't think they'll be allowed to participate." One of them is here though, right in front of you. Still, she's an airhead isn't she?
"I see… Your swordsmanship. Where did you learn it?"
"It was self taught."
"Is it? It's almost unbelievable that such a style is self taught. Then again, I've never seen someone wield sword like that." She must be referring to the halfswording method. It's strange that the people of this world haven't figured out this technique.
"Thank you very much. Maybe tomorrow you should ask around to see if anyone has seen your niece."
"I asked Princess Iris and she didn't know. I also asked Cid the other day. He also didn't know."
"Is that so?" Oh? So she met Cid too?
"But I can sense that Cid has a potential to be strong." Cid? Strong? Pffft.
"Really? You think so?"
"Yes. I think so."
"Very well. I'll trust your judgment, Lady Beatrix. Now if you'll excuse me, I must depart." I bow as I bid her farewell.
"See you tomorrow." She bows back and we part ways.
The match of the day is over and I went home with my sister. She's strangely quiet today. I wonder what happened.
"Is something on your mind, Charl?" I ask while we walk the streets together to our apartment.
"I… met with the king today… And he…"
"Ah. My planned engagement with Iris, isn't it? I've heard of it."
"But… Don't you love Sherry…?" I stop walking. Sherry huh…?
"You said you would take responsibility of her."
"I did. But we haven't done the deed, in case you're wondering."
"Ehhhh!? Then why did you say you will take responsibility!?"
"Hee hee hee." I cover my mouth with one hand while chuckling.
"You're a meanie, brother! I was worried about your feelings!" She shouts as she hit my back lightly multiple times. Eventually she stops.
"Haaahh… So, do you like Sherry?" She asks after a sigh.
"… Yes. As a friend." I answer... lying but not really lying… it's complicated.
"Do you like Iris?" She asks again.
"Well, she's not as bad as you think. She's mature but surprisingly girly and…"
"Do you like her or not!?" She asks yet again.
"That comes with time, Charl."
"Well, make up your mind before you regret it!" She says with a pout before walking away.
"Yes, yes! I know!" I say as I chase after her. Haahhh. What a troublesome sister I have. Always meddling in my love life.
It is already night and yet I couldn't stop training, despite my wounds. The knights, the servants and even Alexia tried to make me stop but… It's not enough. Not enough at all. I'm too weak. My defeat at Claude's hands revealed just how weak I am. I must push on! I must!
"Aghhh…." I finally succumb to my fatigue and fall to my knees. Pieces of wood and stones surrounds me, having fallen victim to my rage and frustration.
"Dammit! Not yet!" I shout as I tried to stand back up.
"It's not good to push your body too hard without giving it rest. You'll just harm your body even further." A soft female voice says behind me.
"Lady… Beatrix…" I mutter between heavy breaths as I look at her direction.
"But I…"
"Give your body some rest. You won't get stronger without it. Trust me."
"Ughh… I… Okay… Thank you…" I reply as I collapse on the ground, nearly losing consciousness.
She picks me up in a princess carry.
"Lady… Beatrix… How do I… get strong…?" I ask desperately.
"You are strong." She answers.
"But not enough… not nearly…." I grit my teeth in frustration.
"Everyone has their own ways to become strong." She answers.
"Will you… help… me… teach me your… ways?" I plead weakly while out of breath. She couldn't answer. Then I remembered the reason she's even here.
"….Ah. Forgive me. You have your own… duties to fulfill… I can't…"
"It's okay. I'll teach you what I can during my stay in Midgar." She answers sincerely.
"T-Thank… you…" I say as I finally allow my consciousness to slip away.
In the night I sneak out of my apartment room after putting my sister (who once again insisted on us sleeping in the same room but different beds) to sleep with hypnosis. She is less cautious now and thus it is finally possible to put her to sleep. I teleport to my base in Everick to train Sherry again in the magic arts.
She has grown exponentially stronger since we began our lesson. She no longer has nightmares about people she killed and can now kill people without hesitation. She still takes no pleasure in killing, although… so do I.
She also absorbed my lessons about magic like a sponge, now capable of casting spells and enchanting items. I never shared my spellcasting knowledge to anyone but I did taught some other people about enchanting so I won't be the only one working Pseudo-Artifact production but she has surpassed them all in such a short time.
I did gave Nelson a staff that allowed him to cast spells though. If he survived any longer than he did, he might be able to crack the code and cast spells independently after a few years… and that's if he didn't rely on the Artifact too much and studied seriously.
But anyway, Sherry's talent is astonishing but as a beginner she's still heavily reliant on Artifacts to strengthen herself. Without equipping Artifacts, she would be weaker than the even zombie Mundane Mann, the weakest of my Seven Wraiths, who I need to replace soon.
I manipulated her into becoming crueller and more obedient towards me with a carrot and stick approach. I would wear the Necromancer's mask and behave coldly while giving her a task and then reward her by taking off my mask and give her praises, hugs and headpats as Claude when she managed to finish the task.
She also took my research into hypnosis and starts exploring brain altering magics with an unhealthy obsession that scares even me. It seems like she has chosen her ultimate weapon. But since this research will take time, I told her to focus on destruction magic first in order to increase her battle potential.
She is slowly becoming the perfect pawn… the perfect villainess I wanted her to be.
"Lord Necromancer! Look! I managed to cast Chain Lightning!" She says with a happy face.
"Good work, apprentice." I say as I take off my mask and give her a headpat, which earns her a smile.
"Now listen, Sherry. Tomorrow I will take you to the field. We're going to Midgar Royal Capital."
"To Midgar?"
"Yes. Our objective is to serve as a distraction as Perv Asshat assassinates King Midgar."
"I see. I shall prepare myself then." She replies callously, not at all disturbed about the plan to kill a monarch.
"Good. Some of the other Seven Wraiths members will assist you. One of them would like to clash with Beatrix after all. And you'll need this." I say as I give her a black robe and a white mask.
"Very well. Thank you Claude."
You shouldn't thank me, my sweet Sherry. You really shouldn't.
*Knock knock knock* A knock on the door.
"Enter, Gilfried." The door opens, revealing the figure of the middle aged man who is currently a member of my Seven Wraiths due to his loyalty, reliability and because he is one of my first minions. He is also among the few who knew who I really am.
"My lord. Your agents in the Lawless City received message from Yukime reporting about suspicious activities in the Crimson Tower. They fear that the vampires have turned against you." Gilfried delivers his report.
"Hmph. I knew they would do that. They are preparing for the Red Moon."
"What!? Then we should-" Gilfried exclaims before I cut him off.
"We should let them do as they pleased. I wanted a sample of the Blood Queen myself after all."
"I see. As expected of you, my lord! To think you didn't fear the legendary Red Moon!" Gilfried says with a crazed expression.
"Indeed. Ignore the vampires for now. We must prepare for the event tomorrow."
In a luxurious living room inside the Villa rented by Oriana diplomats, two male figures sit on luxurious chairs facing each other.
The first figure is Perv Asshat, Mordred's most prominent pawn in Oriana. The second figure is King Raphael Geerk Oriana himself. King Raphael now looks healthier after resting and getting drugs out of his system, drugs that are no longer necessary to control him as the Necromancer has casted his hypnosis upon the king, making him a perfect pawn for tomorrow's stage.
"How are you feeling, your majesty?" Asks Perv Asshat.
"I'm feeling better now. Tomorrow I am ready to do my part." The hypnotized king replies with a sinister smile.
"Is that so? That's reassuring. What a terrifying ability Lord Necromancer has. I was scolded by Lord Mordred for asking for his assistance because it made me indebted to him but I believe this is worth it. Soon war will break out and you will be its catalyst. You are ready for it, don't you?"
"Do not worry, Lord Perv. I shall play the role of a mad king well."
"Really? Do you feel no shame or remorse for what you're about to do? To plunge your kingdom into war and chaos? And to doom your daughter into a fate worse than death?"
"Absolutely not. In fact I would do it with great pleasure." The king grins sadistically.
"Ha ha ha! To think that yesterday you were just a hollow shell but now you talk as if you're one of us already!" Perv says while grinning alongside the king.
"It is all thanks to Lord Perv and Lord Necromancer for showing me the correct path."
"Good. Very good." Replies Perv Asshat with a satisfied grin as one of his agents enters the room after knocking.
"Excuse me, Lord Perv. We have received reports from our agents about the identity of Mundane Mann."
"Let me guess. They didn't find anything?"
"Y-Yes. Unfortunately."
"Hmph. No matter. Lord Necromancer has already informed me of Mundane Mann's identity."
"Wh-What!?" The agent exclaims in bewilderment.
"Mundane Mann is a former aristocrat from Altena Empire who was disowned by his own family and was killed years ago by Shadow Garden when he worked for the Cult as a mercenary. The Mundane Mann that was killed today was the real one that was revived by Lord Necromancer's magic."
"B-But there is another-"
"Lord Necromancer said he will take care of him so we don't have to worry about a thing. Just focus our agents for tomorrow's mission."
"What about Iris Midgar and Claude Normann, Lord Perv?"
"He will also take care of them. With his power on our side, there is no chance of failure." Perv says confidently.
Author's Note:
Info dump chapter before the next chapter which will have action scenes. Also, progress could be slower or even halted for the next week (2nd December 2023 at the time of this writing) because I have some irl stuff to do so I'll publish all finished drafts before then. Also, I can't believe it's been a month since I started writing this fic. Time passes so fast.
TheVirtualPug: I wonder how the whole brother thing would work out once it's revealed that MM is Shadow.
Answer: Only Annerose assumes that, which fits her character.
primenidus: Brutal
Answer: You referring to her stomach or her emotional damage?
Wholesome07: Now, what will Mundane Mann will do with his battle against Claire?
Answer: You will see in the next chapter. I have a plan.
You're That Ninja: Rip mundane man v2, you won't be missed.
Answer: Press F to dump him in the river.
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