The Necromancer's Servant

"So this is such an interesting place? I definitely have to see it," Lord Borugan exclaimed after hearing Asa talk about the overview of Orford City. He had originally come to hand over his position as a local official to the court, and now he had nothing to do. "To be able to manage the orcs so orderly and build a city out of nothing is truly impressive. It's like a dream city! I must go! Such creative laws—they're practically an art form." The former administrator of Bracada's large, cow-like eyes sparkled, resembling the expression of a lecher who had just heard of an extraordinary beauty or a glutton who was dreaming of a lifelong delicacy. He was completely lost in imagining the rough city filled with orcs. "I'll set off tomorrow, I'm going tomorrow!" He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Boss, another pound of braised beef!"

Asa reminded him, "But there's a war going on in the west; are you trying to find death?"

"Of course, I'll take a detour through other countries. Thanks to you, I've saved up enough for travel expenses," Lord Borugan said proudly. "I don't understand why you think your friend will definitely lose. Even I can see he has a much better chance of winning."

"Um… I think someone with no status or position like him winning the championship doesn't seem useful. It would be better if he intentionally lost to gain the trust of the Prime Minister; that way, he could… So I thought he would deliberately lose this match," Asa said, pretending to be profound, taking the harsh words the Prime Minister had said to Rodhart as his own judgment. "Now I'm worried that he might be excluded by the Prime Minister due to a moment of impulse."

"You're worrying for nothing," Lord Borugan decisively stated. "If he wins, there will definitely be greater benefits. The court isn't just a group of people under the Prime Minister's thumb; defeating the Prime Minister's nephew at least proves to the military ministers that he has nothing to do with the Ernie family. The military needs someone who can connect with the people, and the Emperor also likes him. Naturally, he will have better prospects in the military than working under the Ernie family, which prioritizes kinship. Hey, friend, do you know what the most valuable resource in this era is? It's talent! I saw this clearly, so I placed my bet on your friend."

"Oh? Is that so?" Asa was momentarily taken aback. It did seem to make sense. "Well… actually, that's the case. The Prime Minister had bought him off, and he agreed at that time. If he really intended to win the match, why didn't he refuse in person? Isn't he afraid of angering the Prime Minister by changing his mind?"

"You're mistaken again," Lord Borugan refuted his judgment. "What he should fear is the Prime Minister. Colluding for personal gain during the selection of the Holy Knights is a grave crime. He could either risk killing your friend to silence him, which is a huge risk, or he could be caught by your friend, giving him leverage, and wouldn't dare act recklessly. A good tactic, a sharp mind, and a clever scheme." Lord Borugan bit into a piece of beef and chewed vigorously.

A clever scheme. Asa suddenly recalled when he first met Rodhart a few months ago. Back then, he was so naive and innocent, but now the things in his head were far beyond his understanding. It seemed that once someone matured, their progress was incredibly rapid.

Lord Borugan continued his discourse: "When I saw him in Bracada before, he didn't appear to be cunning. It's probably because he followed Duke Murak. Good people learn from good people, bad people learn from bad people, and those who follow witches only learn to dance madly."

"Do you know a lot about Duke Murak?" Asa asked. He had learned a bit about court matters and knew that Duke Murak had a good reputation.

"Not really. But from his good reputation, it's clear that he's a master of manipulation and cunning."

"Why is that?"

"Who is the best liar?"

"I don't know."

"The one who never lies is the best liar."

"What do you mean?"

"Because it shows that no one has ever caught him lying, and no one has any suspicion of him. For twenty years, Duke Murak has been the fastest riser in the Empire, and he's done it without leaving a trace. If he didn't play tricks, how could he have risen from below to this position? Do you think the bureaucratic world relies on honesty, hard work, and struggle? The key is that he has managed to reach this point while still maintaining such a clean reputation; that's the true master of manipulation. The greatest skill looks like clumsiness, the greatest wisdom looks like foolishness; not showing traces is the mark of a true expert. You can see it in your friend; a person with skills, talent, and a sharp mind comes to seek him out, but he doesn't entrust him with important tasks, instead keeping him as an ordinary citizen. What a clever tactic!"

"How so?"

"It's already marked as belonging to a particular family; how can it attract others to invest? Naturally, it must first show that this is a clean and ownerless talent. Once others have managed the business profitably, then suddenly revealing the property rights certificate—without any effort, it will be easily obtained. Isn't that a no-risk, high-reward deal? As for that important property rights document, heh heh, it's naturally the princess rescued from the dragon's lair in Bracada. When I was in Bracada, I could see that he was very fond of that duke's daughter. As for the effect of maintaining his status as a commoner, you've seen it; this is a great way to win the hearts of the people. Everyone loves a hero who rises from humble beginnings. He's arranged the path for this important piece without leaving any traces—this kind of tactic can only be executed by the upright Duke Murak; no one else could pull it off. Truly brilliant." Lord Borugan spoke eloquently, his air of an expert completely contrasting with his rough appearance.

"I say you're the true expert," Asa said, looking a bit more convinced at the crude-looking man in front of him. "Hey, with a mind like yours, it would be a waste not to do such things."

Lord Borugan smiled. His smile should have only slightly expressed some self-mockery, but his wide mouth opened so much that it seemed deliberate, as if he were mocking himself. "Doing these things requires not just a head, but also cunning. You have to be willing to put in the effort to think, constantly pay attention to others, and consider the consequences of every word and action. What kind of position others are in, what reactions they might have, and how these reactions will affect others… and so on and so forth… These things are more complicated than an alchemist concocting potions; I don't have the ability to handle that. At most, I can only see a little of what tricks they're playing."

"Damn it." Asa swore, "Why does everyone have such sharp minds? Now I've lost confidence in my own intelligence."

"That's mere cleverness," Lord Borugan said in a scholarly tone. "Those who are obsessed with power and manipulation are actually the weak who have been assimilated by this world full of power. True wisdom is true strength, having a firm self-awareness that is not confused by other emotions and the environment. Such people do not wish to compromise with the world, so they appear out of sync with their surroundings but are not rebellious. In their eyes, the world and themselves are equal. Being spiritually equal to the world, isn't that true strength? Just like you and me."

"Ha ha, flattery sounds nice," Asa laughed. "Unfortunately, I know that those weak officials can summon thousands of people with a single command and turn us strong men into meat paste."

"Because spirit and reality are always two different things," Lord Borugan recited again, then laughed, showing his big front teeth. "Just reciting. I used to be the librarian in my hometown's library. Alright, I'm full. I need to prepare for my journey." Lord Borugan finished his last piece of beef and let out a satisfied burp.

After sending off Lord Borugan, Asa returned to Sandru's big house. Although he was about to be promoted to priest, he still lived in Sandru's big house. He had never thought of changing places, nor did he think it inappropriate for a high-ranking priest to live in such a place. To him, it was merely a temporary addition obtained by helping the Grand Priest. However, after a few days, rumors spread that he was pious, humble, and, even after rising to a high position, remained grounded, still engaged in the basic work of comforting the souls of the deceased. This noble character and cultivation were considered exemplary by all clergy. He was also surprised that he hadn't done anything, yet his reputation was growing and becoming more significant.

Today, another invitation arrived. Sandru complained that these messengers disrupted his quiet life, as they would either vomit or urinate in fear upon seeing the situation here.

Since Bishop Ronis appointed him to the position of priest, Asa had been receiving invitations from Duke Murak almost every day to various dinners and balls. Each time, there were reasons and enthusiasm that made it impossible for him to decline. Thus, every evening he could truly experience the splendor of life in the royal capital. He was surrounded by elegantly dressed noblewomen and young ladies, indulging in unimaginable delicacies. Noble youths constantly sought the attention of beautiful women, sweating profusely as they danced one tune after another, before linking arms and moving on to continue to secretly sweat elsewhere. Many noblewomen and young ladies took an interest in the new priest, but his well-known piety and an aura that did not fit this atmosphere made it difficult for them to approach him.

The exquisitely crafted dishes and pastries were indeed delicious; even the most ordinary fruits were artistically carved and drizzled with honey, leaving Asa puzzled about what they were when he first saw them. The opulence was truly eye-opening, with golden and silver utensils, crystal chandeliers, and even the attire of the servants serving drinks—clothes that he recognized were the same ones that the adults in his village would only wear during festivals. Although this was quite a spectacle, Asa felt more invigorated sleeping in a tree hollow in the wild, chewing on insects and drinking fresh blood. He remembered vividly witnessing the shapes of people who had starved to death and had heard tales of places suffering from famine where people were forced to exchange and consume their own children. He had developed a habit of measuring value in terms he learned from Bracada, so he never found any significance in these luxurious things.

The compliments from others felt baffling to him because he could sense their insincerity. Most of the praise revolved around his unwavering faith and the limitless prospects ahead, which seemed less engaging than chatting with a butcher in the marketplace. Discussions about a certain marquis discovering minerals on his land and earning thousands of gold coins or the latest gossip surrounding a viscountess bored him to the core. Many times, he wished for a sudden reason to fight, such as discovering that a certain lord was a spy or that a certain young lady was disguised as a necromancer, but such fortunate events never occurred.

Whenever Asa became fed up with such occasions, the duke would come over to chat with him, always finding ways to keep him around, wanting him to gradually adapt to this atmosphere. However long it lasted, no matter how many times, Asa still felt completely out of place.

Two nights ago, he shocked everyone with one of his actions. He accidentally dropped a pastry on the floor, picked it up, blew on it, and then stuffed it into his mouth, chewing away. The people around him stared in disbelief at this nobleman. Asa only then realized he had done something rather extraordinary and felt a bit embarrassed.

At that moment, Duke Murak excitedly applauded him, using fervent words to praise his remarkable demeanor and the philosophical and meaningful nature of his actions. When everyone understood the duke's eloquent interpretation and responded with warm applause and respectful gazes, Asa noticed a strange expression beginning to surface on the duke's face. Consequently, Duke Murak did not send any more invitations the next day, and Asa finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat guilty for disappointing the duke's enthusiasm.

However, this time he received an invitation from Rodhart, earnestly stating that he absolutely must come. Regardless of his position, once one stepped into officialdom, socializing and networking were unavoidable. Thus, the military organized a celebration for this newly promoted knight. Asa had been quite fed up with such gatherings, but he suddenly became curious to see what Rodhart would be like as the main character in this scenario and how he might differ from himself, so he decided to go.

Many people attended the celebration. Everyone had high hopes for this knight recognized by His Majesty the Emperor, and ladies and young ladies came to see this hero, who was like a character from a novel.

As Asa watched Rodhart, smiling as he conversed with others and mingled with noble young ladies, he realized he truly couldn't compare to him in these aspects. Rodhart's perfect, charming smile had a strong appeal, concealing other emotions beneath, almost like a captivating mask. It effortlessly displayed various expressions without losing propriety. Asa recalled how naive and impulsive Rodhart had been when they first met, with every neural fluctuation on display. Comparing that to now, he understood that this smile was a skill. Although still somewhat awkward and just beginning to practice, it was evident that he had great potential.

"I owe my success today to you. I really thank you," Rodhart said, finding a moment to come over to Asa. Only when facing this friend did his face lack that charismatic smile, revealing genuine feelings that lacked the dazzling shine, accompanied by a sense of sentimentality and other emotions that shouldn't appear on the face of a triumphant hero.

"I heard the Prime Minister's conversation with you," Asa said softly. "Was it Duke Murak who suggested you do that?" He felt that only the duke had such prowess and vision.

Rodhart looked surprised and shook his head. "No. How would the duke know about this? Did anyone else find out?"

"Don't worry, no one else knows," Asa said, looking intently at Rodhart. "You're impressive, you know. That tactic is quite different from the chivalry you used to talk about."

Rodhart nodded helplessly. "The situation demands it, so we must use effective methods to handle it. It's normal to feel uneasy when starting these things, but it's like overcoming chickenpox. As long as you can conquer the discomfort of the first time, it gets smoother afterward." He smiled at Asa innocently. "We must face problems head-on, gather the courage to solve them, and not let fanciful principles limit our actions. This is something I learned from you."

"Are you sure?" Asa glanced at him skeptically. "I can't do such things."

"I need you to help me with something," Rodhart said quietly. "You must help me. Only you can."

Asa suddenly recalled that when Bishop Ronis had entrusted him with this current task, he had also prefaced it with similar words, causing his heart to tighten. Such requests generally weren't for anything good, but facing Rodhart's trusting and somewhat pleading gaze, Asa found it hard to utter a word of refusal.