"Urghhh..."
The black mage, who hadn't betrayed his master to the end, thrashed against the ropes binding him to the chair.
I stared at him in disgust.
"Aren't you in pain?"
"Fucking... hurts...!"
"If it hurts, why not spill it? You massacred a whole village—why's your loyalty so damn stubborn?"
Even back in Korea, I'd heard of similar cases.
Gangster code or some shit? Busan tough guys or whatever...
These types always have this pointless loyalty.
And this guy was the real deal.
It pissed me off. The thugs who used to hassle me back then idolized some gangsters, calling them "hyungnim" and all that crap...
I hated that kind of "loyalty."
"That guy's dead anyway. Might as well save yourself, right?"
The black mage glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
"I... can't betray the young master."
"Young master? Noble-born, huh?"
"..."
He clamped his mouth shut, face twisting like he'd let it slip by accident.
I was so dumbfounded I smacked the back of his head.
Crack!
"Gahk!"
He spewed blood and toppled over, chair and all.
"So. Anything else you know?"
"...The young master will... kill you all...! And that Karma brat... he'll die screaming...!"
"What's the grudge? Beef with the Karma family?"
The black mage's body twitched slightly.
I stroked my chin, lost in thought for a moment.
Not surprising.
Just look at Linehit and the other nobles in the support troops.
The Karma family clearly had some serious pull.
Plenty of room for clashes with other houses... and if one of them got wiped out?
Very plausible.
I glanced down at the shadow kneeling politely.
"You gonna talk?"
"Of course."
"Your attitude's gotten awfully polite."
"No way. I've always been this courteous."
"Smooth talker."
The shadow had gotten polite. It knew its own situation.
That I was its only ticket to survival here.
Squelch.
"So, where's that black mage bastard?"
"In the center of this forest."
"Where's that?"
"It's, uh... on the way to the cave the priest smashed last time..."
"..."
The one whose entrance I smashed?
Gotta dig it open again.
But not a bad deal.
I was gonna do it anyway!
"You kinda look like a slime, no matter how I squint."
"A slime...! Me, compared to such a pathetic monster...!"
"Monster, huh?"
"...Yeah, I do resemble one a bit. Hehe."
I stepped out of the tent, slime shadow in hand, and the waiting crowd swarmed over.
"How'd it go?!"
"Did you get the black mage's location?!"
"Quiet, all of you."
I put a bit of force into my voice, and the noisy bunch shut up.
Once silence fell, I spoke.
"Interrogation's done. Now we find the black mage and take him down."
"Oh. We'll come with..."
"No. Just a small group. It's dangerous."
"But this is a matter of noble pride!"
"I work better alone..."
Hold up.
I paused mid-sentence as I was about to say I'd go solo.
Wait, do I even need to go alone?
They'd get in the way, sure, but exposure to mana means inspections.
Which means I get paid.
Not bad at all.
It wasn't life-threatening anyway, and today's show was basically free.
I'd already warned them it was dangerous—if they still wanted to tag along, that was on them.
"...Fine! Let's go together!"
"As expected of a man who knows honor! Hey, prepare to march!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Oh. Leave the soldiers. Just knights. Too many and it's a hassle."
"But..."
"Wanna fight undead made from soldiers? Be my guest..."
"On second thought, knights alone should suffice."
"Wise choice, as befits a noble."
A little flattery, and Linehit bared his teeth in a grin, bellowing orders to prepare.
"Um, Priest?"
"?"
Nipella approached cautiously and whispered.
"Did you use some holy spell or something?"
"...No. I'll head to Mosik Karma for now."
"I'll come with you."
Leaving Linehit behind, Nipella and I headed to Mosik's tent.
Flap!
"!"
Inside, Mosik clutched a liquor bottle like a precious treasure.
"...What are you doing? Isn't alcohol banned?"
"Th-this... I mean... I wasn't gonna drink. Just holding it..."
"Hand it over."
Nipella confiscated it immediately.
How'd he even hide it?
A quick glance revealed a dug-up spot in the floor.
Buried it underground?
Is this kid really a minor?
Wonder what counts as adult here.
"Young master."
"..."
While I pondered, Nipella soothed him like a mentor beyond professor.
"You seem anxious."
"...Yes. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard. You're going after the black mage who cursed me..."
"Yes. He's a criminal before an enemy. As a noble and a mage, I have a duty to catch him."
He expertly calmed Mosik.
"Don't think we're sacrificing for you or anything. The future lord can't get hung up on personal grudges. Karma is a count family. You'll be a count someday, right?"
Count?
Damn, they're a big deal.
No wonder they'd clash with other nobles.
"And soon you'll enter the academy. Can't show weakness there. Steel yourself. You're not that fragile."
Sounds like bad blood for sure...
Should I ask?
"Sorry to interrupt, but Mosik."
"...Yes?"
"Any grudges with other nobles?"
"...I don't..."
"Really no idea? Be straight. Helps explain why the black mage cursed and wants you dead."
But Mosik truly looked clueless.
Makes sense—he didn't seem rotten, same age as me, what would he know?
Curse hit young too...
Would've been nice to know sooner.
No biggie. Doesn't change the hunt.
"I might have a guess."
Nipella chimed in.
"Oh? What?"
"There was a family ruling lands near this forest. Violated imperial law, got wiped out."
"Imperial law?"
"Yes. This forest belongs to the Temple of Light. Commoners or woodcutters are fine, but nobles need papal seal to develop or even enter freely."
Hmm.
"And Karma handled the extermination at the temple's request."
Noble from that wiped-out family?
Why temple-owned?
No need to suspect—that cleared it up.
Thought it was just remote... not this remote.
Hardly anyone came—turns out it was protected.
"So your presence here..."
"Yes. Black mage hid here, so we got permission to hunt. Got lost at first without paths, command issues too..."
I nodded, stroking my chin.
First off, the black mage was likely the head or heir of that exterminated house.
But it didn't add up.
...Reaping what they sowed, no?
They touched what they shouldn't.
Whatever their side, becoming a black mage was unforgivable.
Time to go.
"What's with the slime?"
Nipella pointed at the shadow in my left hand.
"I-I..."
"Oh. Familiar. Was forcibly bound to the black mage. Planning to purify and free it."
"But it's pretty dangerous."
"Look. What's a puny slime gonna do?"
I squeezed the hand holding the slime hard.
"K-Kweeeek..."
It writhed in pain and went limp.
Nipella eyed the shadow—now a weird liquid blob like the ones outside—and slowly nodded.
"...True, slimes are training fodder even at Sky Academy. No need for my worry if a priest handles it."
"Nah, I appreciate the concern."
"Then I'll prepare. Can't let it happen again."
"Sure."
"Mind watching the young master? A little holy power..."
He nodded with a kind smile, reassured, and left.
Once the professor was gone, Mosik bit his nails anxiously.
"..."
Mosik reminded me of my past self. Minus the family issues—he had people to lean on...
Didn't make his pain less real.
Pain's relative.
It eroded his mind, stunted his growth.
Violence in its own way.
I looked down at him and spoke.
"Now you've got a chance. To change yourself. The curse eating your body and mind will be gone."
"..."
"Grab it. Overcome the aftermath and change—or not. Your call."
"I..."
"Don't answer me. Answer yourself. Okay? Not someone else changing you—you change you."
Urgh. Kinda cringy.
"Me? Never got the chance. You do, Mosik."
"..."
Mosik bowed his head, silent.
He'll figure it out.
As an outsider who didn't know his full story, I'd said my piece.
Meddling further was nosy overreach.
Right on cue, Nipella returned in a thicker robe, with other nobles and knights.
"Priest. All set."
"Let's move. Mosik, stay put. Obviously don't go anywhere. Uh... you, knight?"
"Yes?"
I called over the listless knight and stationed him at Mosik's tent.
"Guard him well."
"But I..."
"Spare me the 'I'm not good enough' crap. That insults my choice in you."
He really was about to say it and shut his mouth.
I patted his shoulder with my heel.
"Just do what you can. No moping about inadequacy."
"...Understood."
"Alright, let's go."
"Yes!"
The nobles, knights, and servants glowed with fervor.
Hope of getting out now.
Maybe they'll pay up.
If not, I'd squeeze it out. This world rewarded that.
"Follow me."
I started running at a moderate pace.
"Right turn. Right turn."
Like a GPS?
"Straight a bit more, then right at the big tree for a left."
The shadow was pretty reliable.
Problem was.
"Huff, huff...!"
"...Why are these nobles even in support troops?"
Linehit and one nameless noble.
Already panting after a short run.
Nipella, matching my stride, cleared his throat awkwardly.
"A bit of a pretext. Knights alone lack presence, and lords favor personal involvement..."
"Fine for my wallet, but next time tell 'em to assess the situation first."
"Yes, I'll..."
"Huh? Money?"
Nipella eyed me questioningly, but I ignored it.
...Misheard?
No, you heard right.
"Hah, haaah... slower... please..."
Breaths grew rougher behind.
Can't just ditch 'em...
March slowed naturally.
Servants and knights minded the nobles; I couldn't abandon them.
Ditch 'em for real?
Tempting impulse, but.
The jingle of coin sacks on their backs calmed me.
No. Money's worth it.
A whiny cash cow.
Made it bearable.
Short-term gig anyway!
"Close now. Stay sharp."
Approaching the clearing where I'd subdued the shadow.
"Hey. It's gotten darker?"
"Wh-what... why here...!"
"?"
Odd reaction.
Sniffed—stench thickened.
Stench blocked by the slime—now shadow.
Here?
Sweet.
I yelled to the knights behind.
"Black mage nearby! Especially watch the ground—mana's pooling!"
The moment I shouted, the earth flipped like it'd been waiting.
Crunch!
"Uwaaak!"
Linehit tripped, ankle grabbed by something.
Gleaming white bone.
"Master!"
His servant splashed holy water in panic.
Sizzle!
Holy water hit bone, melting it away.
"Uwaaah! S-save me!"
Bone dissolved; Linehit scrambled back, ankle free.
The grabbing servant bolted into the woods too.
That blockhead...
Clatter clatter!
Predictable?
More white bones erupted under Linehit, seizing his feet.
A knight shoved past the servant, drawing his sword tight.
"Outta the way!"
Slash slash slash!
Sword aura extended long, shooting at the bones.
But it didn't connect.
Clatter clatter!
More skeletons surged from earth, bodies blocking the aura.
Whoosh!
Earth flipped again—something burst out.
Tattered robe, blue glow in sockets.
"...Lich?"
Someone muttered; I answered.
"Nah. Too weak for that. Think knockoff or downgraded version. China-made?"
No way a true lich—born from a near-archmage's fall— was this feeble.
The degraded lich reached out, snatching Linehit.
I moved to blast divine power, but paused at its aura.
Hold on.
Thick mana poured from the degraded lich.
Far clearer than the damp mana soaking the area!
This familiar vibe...
Then, a hellish rasp from the degraded lich.
☠ CURSE ACTIVATED ☠
"If you want this one alive, offer me that young priest. Then I'll return him!"
Nipella roared in fury.
"Don't spout nonsense!"
Meanwhile, I untied my bundle, gripped my sword.
☠ CURSE ACTIVATED ☠
"Fine, one hour. Fail to find me, and this noble dies! Blame your incompetence! Or your god! Guha—"
I ignored half its drivel and charged.
Bloody divine power coated the blade. Distracted by its monologue, the degraded lich noticed me late.
☠ CURSE ACTIVATED ☠
"W-wait. How'd you get here so fa— "
A red line slashed across the degraded lich's neck.
Divine power mercilessly erased it.
It vaporized into smoke. No Linehit.
Tch.
Already taken?
No matter.
"Everyone! That way!"
As said, skeletons reeked of local mana—distinct from his.
Easy to track!
My nose locked on his mana; I flared divine power on the blade and shouted.
"Save Baron Linehit!"
"Waaaaah!"
Knight rode the hype, charging that direction.