The Crimson Duke of War: Historian In Another World

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... we can't exactly avoid this just by leaving early... if what he said is true, then it'll likely follow us."

"I'm aware of that."

"So..."

Justinian sighed, smiling as he crossed his arms. "Yes, we have no choice but to help them."

Maria's eyes sparkled with Justinian's confirmation; it was clear she wasn't the type to just let an isolated town slowly disappear through a weird soul-harvesting killer.

Maria immediately went and showed her necklace to Justinian, her posture going tense as she laid out her own plan.

"This helps me channel divine energy... maybe if I use it tonight, it'll take the bait."

But Justinian had other ideas, placing a hand on her necklace to inspect it briefly before letting go. They still didn't know what they were up against.

And Justinian wouldn't like to face an opponent that could very well be a soul arcanist.

"Let's investigate tomorrow first, better if we don't rush things."

He threw a couple of petrified stones that he had collected throughout their journey into the ground. If he had the power to be able to create an army out of nearly anything, then he wanted to make sure he could create as many as possible.

"Warrior."

Ten stone warriors, their purpose? To keep watch for the night, even if they weren't that deadly, they could still prove as an effective alarm system.

And better yet, if the killer somehow used souls as its main source of combat, then it'll find a hard time dealing with the living tanks that Justinian had made.

"Do you feel safer?"

"...More or less."

***

They went to sleep earlier than they did yesterday. If they wanted to be productive in finding evidence or the nature of the killer, they needed enough energy to be able to even move.

And with them just freshly arriving after an hour of walking, they needed the extra energy.

But their restful night of sleep was abruptly cut when a deafening scream of a woman echoed throughout the mountain; the source wasn't even that far... it was just outside the inn.

"Justinian...!" Maria sat up, shocked.

Justinian moved quickly, heading towards the small hole to see what had happened, but despite his fast reaction, it was still too late.

And the only thing outside... was another dead body, more mangled than the last.

With townspeople and militia already gathering at the location.

"Drat."

***

Morning had arrived sooner than expected, and it was clear that everyone who had heard the scream last night hadn't gotten an ounce of sleep, and Justinian was one of them.

Not because he was scared, but he needed to ensure Maria was safe... and as a result, she was the only one who looked rested.

"You two should leave..." The innkeeper polished a glass. "It isn't safe anymore."

"I'm afraid that isn't an option, if we leave... it might just kill us on the path."

"Y-You're right... Gods above, help us."

After a quick meal in the inn, they headed outside to where the dead body had been found last night, but the only things left were the bloodstains and pieces of torn cloth; the militia had already taken care of it the night of the incident.

'I'm a historian, not a detective... I couldn't even find a single clue here, even if I spent an entire week.'

"I think I found something."

'What...?'

Maria kneeled to inspect the blood, touching it with her fingertips.

"Radiance."

She whispered under her breath, her words only audible to her own ears.

"The soul still exists... it must still be feeding on it!" Maria stood up, grabbing Justinian by his shoulders. "We can still help her get to the afterlife!"

"I know where she is... please, Justinian!" Maria gripped his shoulders with strength he didn't even know possible.

He was an arcanist... a literal demigod... but he still felt... pain?

It was clear that this entire problem could be her chance at awakening... and I couldn't deny her that, not if it helps me in the long run.

"Do you know where the soul is located?"

Maria nodded frantically; the chase had now started.

Maria didn't wait for him to say more.

She was already moving.

Her boots scraped against the dirt as she sprinted past the nearest alley, following whatever invisible thread the soul had left behind. Justinian followed, not because he understood, but because he trusted her instincts more than his own right now.

The town was quiet that morning, too quiet.

Even the wind sounded muted, as if it was listening.

Maria stopped.

Not in the forest nor any other part of town.

But at the old shrine they passed yesterday.

The wood was rotting now, the carvings faded, but there were fresh flowers at the steps. Offerings. Prayers. Desperation.

Justinian narrowed his eyes.

'It wasn't like this before... was it an illusion?'

Maria's voice shook. "She's still here."

He didn't sense anything.

No aura, no mark, not even lingering mana.

But when Maria stepped forward, the air changed. It felt… cold. Not physically. Something deeper. A stillness.

And that's when Justinian finally felt it; it was clear they were being watched... even the temptation to feast on Maria's soul was enough for it to try to reveal itself in the morning.

"Watch out!"

A voice rang out suddenly, and with it came the beast; it was a soul wretch, a being from the depths of the void itself.

The same void that Julius had to defeat in the novel's ending.

But what was more interesting... was the second thing that appeared, the same one that yelled out to watch out.

He was another novel character... or more accurately, from a spin-off of the novel.

The Jade Swordsman, Jiang Chen of The East.

The main character of the spin-off.

'The hell's going on!?'

Justinian grunted in confusion, but he still needed to move; the soul wretch was still heading straight to Maria.

CLANG!

"Not on my watch!"