NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13
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Chapter 13
Richie’s Hideout (2)
Struggling to break through the hindrance barriers and sorcery increases one’s mana control and mana affinity.
Searching for the lich was also part of the training.
Therefore, no matter how much my students struggled, I didn’t lend them a helping hand.
I simply observed them from the sidelines until they could find their own way.
I remembered it took an average of about two years to find a lich.
My students tirelessly traversed the forest and nearby villages every single day.
I think the shortest record was four months?
Anyway, that was set by a wizard who had reached the intermediate rank “Advanced.”
But Riley broke through the barrier in less than ten minutes.
And then she effortlessly reached the lich’s hideout.
-…….
“…….”
A robe as dark as pitch.
Through it shone the unsettling eyes of a skeleton.
The lich was looking down at Riley with a bewildered expression.
A thick silence filled the air.
Finally, the lich, who had been standing there dumbfounded, spoke first.
“No! What the heck! How already… Cough, cough!”
The lich suddenly grabbed its throat and began to choke.
“Cough! No, wait, cough, I haven’t used that cool voice in a while, and now I’m out of breath.”
“……”
“A-ah, er, um, yeah. It’s fine now. Ahem!”
The commanding voice that had echoed through the forest was nowhere to be found now.
All that came from the lich was a feeble constant squeak.
After clearing its throat several times, it finally managed to speak again after about a minute, wearing an awkward expression.
“Wait a second. How on earth did you find me?”
“……”
“Did you really trace back my hindrance spells? Seriously?”
“Yes.”
When Riley nodded and replied, the lich let out a pure exclamation of admiration.
Well, to be honest, even I was amazed by the talent Riley possessed.
To use the “Pathfinding” I taught her to retroactively trace the lich, even I was surprised by such growth.
“What a monster……”
[Indeed, a monster.]
I had no choice but to agree with the lich’s statement.
*
Inside the lich’s hideout.
A massive cave.
Honestly, I questioned whether it was appropriate to call this place a ‘hideout.’
Inside the cave, there were over a hundred rooms, big and small, filled with various minions and monsters.
Basilisks, Cerberuses, Manticores, Bone Dragons, and so on. Those who would reign as bosses in top-tier dungeons were acting as lowly minions here.
“Over this way!”
The lich led us past those rooms to somewhere.
At last, we arrived at the lich’s cozy bedroom.
Clang—.
With the sound of bones clattering, the lich, who had briefly vanished, reappeared.
With a mug of warm tea, it settled in front of Riley across the fire.
“……”
“……”
The gazes of the lich and Riley tangled in the air. As Riley sipped her tea, she began to carefully observe the lich before her.
‘It looks a bit scary.’
[It’s true that liches do tend to look a bit scary.]
A skeleton of about three meters tall, draped in a black robe, certainly had the right to be intimidating.
Especially if that skeleton constantly made eerie clattering sounds.
[Good thing you didn’t unleash magic on the lich upon seeing it. One of my students got so freaked out years ago that he shot off a spell right away.]
‘Seriously?’
[Yeah.]
This was a story from nearly hundreds of years ago…
There was a student who, upon seeing the lich, was so shocked that he instantly cast a lightning spell.
Because of the automatic shield that surrounded the lich, the spell was reflected back, and that student, who had poured all his power into the spell, was out cold for nearly two weeks.
Well, now it’s just a funny memory, but at the time, it was genuinely a dire situation.
As I reminisced about the past and scanned the surroundings, I saw Riley still cautiously eyeing the lich.
Of course, it wasn’t a conscious action. Her body was simply reacting to her survival instincts unbeknownst to her.
From the lich emanated a sufficiently oppressive aura of evil.
[Hey.]
“Yeah?”
[Try to tone that aura down a bit. My student is uncomfortable.]
“Oh! Sorry. I’m just not used to meeting someone in such a long time.”
Upon hearing my words, the lich wore an apologetic expression and clapped twice.
Clap—.
The ominous aura that had surrounded it vanished without a trace.
“Is it better now?”
[Yeah, a bit.]
After all, the lich was a being that defied death.
Having rebelled against the laws of the celestial realm, they were cursed by the gods, thus inescapably radiating the aura of black magic.
[Now you understand, right? Why I raised new students instead of leaving the lich unchecked?]
‘Yes, I think so.’
One of the reasons I raised new students was because the very essence of the lich was rooted in black magic.
Black magic is strictly prohibited in the Empire. Everything related to evil is subject to punishment.
Worshippers of darkness.
Necromancers.
Black magicians.
….
Even those from the Thieves’ Guild supplying illegal materials to such beings.
There is even a state organization known as “Inquisition” specifically tasked with punishing them.
Thus, if I were to be with the lich, I’d be unable to engage in outside activities at all. The “Authority and Bonding Power” with that lich was severed, making it impossible for me to continue research with it.
That was why I had to present the lich as a training mentor for my new students.
Anyway.
What mattered now was that it was my turn to greet my old student whom I hadn’t seen in 300 years.
[So, how have you been all this time?]
“I’ve been well. What about you, master? I was worried something happened since you disappeared for nearly 300 years.”
[Well, um….]
There was indeed a big event.
I spent almost 300 years buried in the Academy’s library.
[What about you? You didn’t have anything happen?]
“Me? What could possibly happen to me? Since becoming a lich, I haven’t left this cave for 2000 years.”
[……2000?]
It had been hard for me to handle 300 years; what about 2000?
In this musty cave?
I’m sure I would have snapped.
But the skeleton seemed to think differently than I did, shaking its head and smiling brightly as it continued talking.
“What difficulty could there be? Researching necromancy, researching black magic, researching curses, meeting the occasional students you brought along, and then time flies by quickly, you know? Oh, right!”
The lich snapped its fingers, suddenly remembering.
“And five years ago, I had quite the time dealing with some adventurers who barged into my hideout!”
[……Adventurers barged in?]
“Yes.”
A question arose.
Could adventurers actually find this hideout? Hidden in the forest by all sorts of barriers and illusions?
Even if they found the hideout, how could they reach the lich’s quarters, traversing through so many monsters and minions?
[Explain in a bit more detail.]
“Just a moment.”
The lich took a sip of tea.
Drip—.
The tea flowed through the gaps in its ribs.
Seeing that ridiculous sight, I couldn’t help but murmur in disbelief.
[Why on earth would you drink tea if that’s the case?]
“I just wanted the mood.”
Grinning, the lich happily continued its story.
“Anyway, to continue explaining… there were adventurers who somehow found my hideout. How they found it, I have no idea. It just seemed like they got lucky.”
[…….]
“Anyway, they mistook my magical aura for a dungeon. They rushed at me the moment they saw me, so I had no choice but to fight back.”
Fighting against a lich.
What a reckless fool.
In a situation where fleeing would be the better option, they willingly attacked.
“If they had just come to greet me politely, I would’ve gladly given them some valuable artifacts and escorted them to the exit of my hideout… but without hesitation, they pulled out their weapons, so what could I do?”
[It’s surprising you expected a cordial greeting from them. Where in the world do adventurers greet a lich…?]
“I did!”
Riley interjected. I consciously ignored her and resumed communication with the lich.
[So what happened to the adventurers?]
“I had to hire them as my slaves since I lacked manpower. Oh, there they are.”
The lich pointed to one end of the cave.
Clatter—.
There, a skeleton carrying random junk was heading somewhere.
“Say hello. That guy is Jeremy. My right-hand man.”
Clatter—!
The skeleton called Jeremy began waving with a wide grin. The sound of bone clattering echoed from between its joints.
And upon witnessing that scene, I couldn’t help but once again voice my disbelief.
[Hey, that’s—.]
“Yes?”
[That’s a Death Knight, you madman.]
You said they were ordinary adventurers.
And you hired them as slaves.
But how in the world is a Death Knight among them?
“……Huh?”
At that moment, Riley, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, spoke in shock.
“That person…”
[Why, do you know them?]
“I can’t not know. It’s the Head of the Inquisition. They’re practically a figure of fear among the Thieves’ Guild.”
[Wait, hold on, what? What did you just say?]
Did I hear that wrong?
[The Head of the Inquisition?]
“Yes. I believe they disappeared five years ago during a mission and are still being searched for, and yet they’re right here?”
[……?]
Is this a joke?
“Master magician, can’t you see? That sword hanging from Jeremy’s waist?”
I followed Riley’s gaze.
As she said, there was a treasure sword hanging from Jeremy, who was carrying junk.
And…….
[Ah.]
On the hilt of that sword, a golden lion was engraved. That was the emblem of the Head of the Inquisition that had been passed down for hundreds of years.
[…….]
As I remained silent, the lich awkwardly scratched the back of its head. Changing its gaze to somewhere else, it started making absurd excuses.
“I didn’t know anything.”
[Don’t bullshit me.]
“I really didn’t know.”
[Stop talking nonsense, you crazy bastard.]
I continued.
[So you mean to say you haven’t left this cave for 2000 years? What the hell were you up to while I was absent that the Inquisition would come all the way here?]
“I don’t know.”
[…….]
“Seriously, I don’t know.”
[…….]
“It’s unfair! I genuinely didn’t know! I just fought off the adventurers who barged into my hideout! If they happened to be from the Inquisition, that must’ve just been coincidence!”
[Yeah, I don’t believe you.]
Originally, liches tend to go a bit crazy due to the influence of black magic.
In the past, I used to visit frequently to check on this guy’s mental state and adjust it…
But it seems the reins slipped a bit during the 300 years I was absent. There’s no way he hasn’t stirred up trouble.
Otherwise, the Inquisition wouldn’t have come all the way here.
[Ugh.]
I really ought to scold this guy soon.
*
Jeremy, who had briefly become the talk of everyone, returned to his slavery duties, disappearing with the junk.
The cave, now quiet, was filled with the lively voice of the lich.
“Ahem, anyway!”
Clap!
With the sound of bones clashing, the lich clapped its hands, lifting the mood.
“You came pretty quickly this time, Master? Even though my student is still just an apprentice, you’re here. I guess there must be some urgent reason?”
[What, is there anything special?]
Through training with the lich, I aimed to acquire practical experience.
However, for students who hadn’t even laid a solid foundation in magic, that experience was meaningless.
So, I aimed to thoroughly establish the basics of my students before coming to find the lich. Usually, I would train them until they reached the low ranks.
But Riley was different.
[I figured she would be able to keep up with the training with you right now.]
Riley.
If we were judging by circle stages, her level was still only in the Apprenticeship pitch of 1~2 circles.
Yet despite that, she possessed remarkable talent.
On par with a superb spirit.
A genius with far greater mana affinity.
Thus, even while steadily building her foundation, she could certainly digest this training and develop practical skills simultaneously.
“Well, I agree with that.”
Riley nodded in affirmation upon hearing my words.
By retroactively tracing its magic, she seemed to have grasped some understanding of her own talent.
[And there’s another reason.]
“What is it?”
[Do you remember the last student I brought with me? Marta Parhelrich?]
“Oh! The girl with silver hair?”
[Yeah. I have something related to her.]
I slowly began explaining my plans for revenge against Yan Irantes and the mastermind behind it all.
As I finished my explanation, the lich began to slowly organize what it had just heard, mulling it over.
“So… there’s a scammer impersonating the student Marta Parhelrich, and that scammer is still alive?”
[Yep.]
“And you, Master, want revenge on that scammer, so you’re trying to enter the tower she established?”
[Correct.]
The lich scratched its head and inquired.
“Why though?”
[Huh?]
“Why go so far as to enter the Irantes Tower for revenge? Wouldn’t it be better to enter another tower and apply pressure from there?”
Surely, one could think that way.
Given that Irantes is a newly emerged power that has grown in 300 years, there must indeed be opposing forces.
For instance, being displaced by Irantes, the existing “Five Great Towers.”
It would be a viable approach to enter such opposing towers and gradually attack Irantes with allies.
It seemed far more constructive than simply barging into Irantes Tower to plot revenge.
But.
[Then it wouldn’t be romantic, would it?]
“What?”
[From within, slowly, I want to smash it to pieces with my own hands. Doesn’t that sound more satisfying?]
I longed for romance.
“No, that’s a ridiculous reason….”
Hearing my words, the lich made a face that seemed to say it couldn’t believe it.
Wait, what? A pervert? So, this joker who made a Death Knight his right-hand man calls me a pervert?
“Wait. Riley, what do you think about this? If you follow the Master’s opinion, you’re putting yourself in more danger.”
“Well, that may be true, but doesn’t that method sound more thrilling and fun?”
“Yeah. So you’re crazy too.”