The Necromancer's Servant

The nobles from all countries have arrived in the royal capital, and the hunt will begin tomorrow at the hunting grounds. Tonight, there was banquet in the royal palace.

Griffinhart XVII has a kind and pure character, free from any arrogance or indulgent vices. Yet, at the end of day, he is simply a young man who loves to have fun. Holding such a lively banquet seems to be his interest. For the young king, this type of events are also part of prestige of the nation, so the event is extravagantly lavish. The finest wines and the most exquisite dishes are being brought up to the table continuously, and the noblewomen seem eager to exchange all their wealth for the clothes they wear, with countless jewels sparkling under the lights, dazzling everyone.

Yet, even the most brilliant jewels cannot compare to the charm displayed by the Marquis. Even though he is no longer a young and passionate youth, he remains the favorite of all women. True charm never fades with age; youthful handsomeness is merely a trivial embellishment that attracts young girls who are just beginning to feel love and do not yet understand how to appreciate men. The Marquis appears to be ageless, and as his sharpness becomes tempered into a mature demeanor, his allure becomes more pronounced through life's trials and tribulations. This is when a man is most attractive. Coupled with his originally handsome appearance, the grace and charisma in his every gesture, and his immense reputation, he draws women in more effectively than the most expensive perfume.

As soon as the Marquis and his companion Asa appear at the venue, they are immediately surrounded by a tide of women. The innermost layer shows no restraint in their interest in the man, teasing him without hesitation, while many throw flirtatious glances at Asa. The next layer consists of those who want to maintain some decorum but still find it hard to resist his mature charm, and the outermost layer is simply curious to catch a glimpse of this most charming man in the continent.

The Marquis adeptly engages with the surrounding ladies, demonstrating his elegance and skill as he navigates their attentions. After a while, he manages to break free from this crowd of admirers and takes Asa to join the circle of nobles and dignitaries from various countries.

If Duke Murak's social interactions resemble finely crafted artworks—smooth and flawless—the Marquis's approach is pure artistry. He dismisses practicality, unafraid to offend anyone, and his boldness often catches attention, appearing almost confrontational. He expresses his discontent openly, making his individuality all the more appealing. Whenever he speaks to someone, he effortlessly draws their emotions into a crescendo with his words, gestures, and expressions. When necessary, he can deliver a sharp quip that leaves others reeling and unable to retaliate, ensuring no one dares to cling to him too closely. Among the most distinguished guests, he moves with ease.

Although Asa still doesn't particularly enjoy such occasions, he has learned to be mindful of his behavior and no longer resorts to actions like picking at the food. However, he still struggles to appear as cheerful and lively as those around him. Nevertheless, the legendary diplomacy he displayed during the battle against the five thousand rebels has earned him great fame, adding an extraordinary aura to his composed demeanor. Like a statue on a pedestal, even with a blank expression, he commands attention.

With the Marquis's help, Asa quickly becomes the most enigmatic and significant guest in the eyes of these dignitaries. Many express their gratitude for his efforts in averting danger for their merchants and show interest in the details of this achievement. However, Asa politely declines to discuss further matters, stating he has urgent business, but agrees to join the hunt the next day after their persistent invitations.

After completing the preparations here, the two men proceed to visit King Griffinhart XVII. Participation in the hunt requires the king's approval. In tradition, clergymen should be excluded from such recreational activities.

King Griffinhart XVII met with some guests from various countries at the beginning. Right after that, he joined a group of young nobles, fully immersing himself in their company. He is a young man lacking in authority, preferring fun and festivities. At this moment, he is happily chatting with a lady named Christine.

Not long ago, on a particularly dull evening, the playful young king, feeling restless, disguised himself in commoner's clothing and sneaked out of the palace to visit a casino in the capital. He unwittingly lost a sum of gold coins there. While this would normally be a trivial matter, a beautiful young woman nearby, upon seeing this seemingly poor young man losing everything in such a short time, claimed the casino cheating. The outraged lady started a big fight with the casino owner. After creating a chaotic scene in the casino, the lady even got back some gold coins for the young man.

Shortly after, Duke Murak arrived, and it was then that the young king learned that the fiery young woman was actually the duke's daughter. However, fearing that the duke would recognize him, the young king quickly made his escape. He doesn't want the older ministers know he had left the palace to gamble. It would not end well for him.

After returning to the palace, the young king couldn't help but think of the duke's daughter. However, he felt it inappropriate to summon her directly. It wasn't until today that he finally got the opportunity to see the woman he had longed for.

Upon their first meeting, Christine is startled. The king immediately gestures for her to remain silent about their previous encounter at the casino. Christine, understanding the situation, keeps her composure, and the two quickly find themselves engaged in delightful conversation.

"Your Majesty, may I interrupt your delightful conversation with this beautiful lady?" The Marquis speaks to the king with his characteristic unrestrained tone, yet his demeanor and charm make his words acceptable. "The Priest Commander and I want to let you know that, at the invitation of various royal courts, he will be participating in the hunting event tomorrow."

"Sounds good," the king responds, clearly uninterested in being interrupted. He nods and waves his hand dismissively. "You may go."

Suddenly, a noble youth interjects loudly, "According to church regulations, clergymen are not permitted to partake in such activities. Oh, but perhaps this clergyman can make an exception, considering he boldly seeks out prostitutes."

"Really?" All attention, including that of the king, turns to this remark.

This is bad. Asa curses inwardly, recognizing the malicious intent behind this comment; it belongs to the son of the prime minister.

The Marquis speaks up, directing a pitiful gaze at the young man. "My dear nephew, how can you still speak so rudely? Although we all know you have long coveted this clergyman's position and are aware of your disgraceful behavior, there is no need to fabricate such baseless lies. This only reveals your embarrassing defeat and jealousy, along with your narrow-mindedness, nothing more."

The surrounding young nobles stir in murmurs. Everyone is aware of the inexplicable beating of prime minister's son a while back, but nobody knew it was the work of this clergyman. It's not surprising that a spoiled young man who is used to bullying others would resort to slander after suffering a blow.

It's entirely acceptable for an elder to chastise a younger relative. Although they have long known that the uncle's peculiar temperament is hard to provoke, no one expected such a situation to arise. Struck by this unassailable remark, the young noble's face turns to deep red by angry.

Ignoring his transformed nephew, the Marquis turns back to the king, saying, "By the way, Your Majesty, Bishop Ronis asked me to inform you that tomorrow he will request Captain Roland to discuss some important matters. Please give your consent."

"Sure, let him go," the king immediately nods, his expression almost elated. Captain Roland usually stands guard during the king's outings or events, responsible for king's safety. However, his strictness and meticulousness do not align with the youthful preferences of King Griffinhart XVII, who is eager to enjoy the hunt without the presence of a stuffy guardian. Thus, the king sees this as a fortunate opportunity.

The Marquis feigns a worried expression and continues, "But this does raise concerns about your safety, Your Majesty... I suggest having as many military elders and guards accompany you as possible to protect your safety."

"No need, no need," the king dismisses. "We are not deep in enemy territory; we are just outside the capital. Just take three or four dozen guards; we don't need to make a big fuss about it." Griffinhart XVII has always despised those overly serious old men. Moreover, upon the Marquis's reminder, he recalls the need to maintain a lively atmosphere. "Issue my command: military ministers are not to participate in the hunting event tomorrow. We have esteemed guests from various countries present tomorrow. I don't want them to be bothered by military ministers' conversations about warfare. They are all hot-headed, and what if they disrupt our diplomatic relations?"

The Marquis and Asa exchange a smile, surprised at how easily they managed to arrange all the preparations. As for Captain Roland and others who might obstruct the plan, Bishop Ronis will find a way to keep them from moving.

As they turned to leave, the Marquis suddenly spoke to his still-discomposed nephew. "Dear nephew Modo, I heard you tried to scheme against this clergyman once, is that true?"

The prime minister's son gave him a dark face, and didn't say a word.

"Actually, you don't need to do this," the Marquis said in a solemn tone. "It's nothing to be Asamed of if one is not as capable as others, but using underhanded means to harm others is wrong. That only shows you are lacking in ability, and the confidence to confront your rivals directly." He looked his nephew up and down, and shook his head regretfully. "But it seems true you are not as capable as him; the gap is too vast. So remember, don't try your despicable schemes any more."

Ignoring his trembling nephew, the Marquis turned and patted Asa's shoulder softly. "Let's go; the superficial scenes and supporting characters are all set. Now let's prepare the real and dangerous props."

The magic academy was unusually quiet that night. The grand cathedral sank itself into darkness, with only a majestic shape remaining visible. Asa and the Marquis walked toward a small light beneath that shape. According to Bishop Ronis's arrangement, High Priest Kusbert was waiting for them at the church entrance.

Kusbert was in his forties. He had a lean build and an ancient-looking face, with a pair of somewhat dull eyes. He was known for his strong sense of justice and responsibility, as well as his fierce hatred of evil. He not only had devout faith, but also achieved great success in battles against heretics. Although his methods of dealing with heretics had sparked controversy—having once burned over two thousand alive—his loyalty to the church and exceptional capabilities had secured him a high position. Recently, when Bishop Ronis advocated for peace with the Orford, he actually opposed it. In his mind, those filthy and evil orcs did not deserve to stand on equal footing with God's people.

"It's too late; the Bishop said you should have arrived five minutes ago," the High Priest said, glaring at the Marquis. He had been the Marquis's classmate at the magic academy, and it was clear that the Marquis's style would not be welcomed by anyone with pious faith. He turned his stern gaze toward Asa, warning, "Remember that as a clergyman, 'strictness' is an essential quality."

"Yes," Asa nodded out of courtesy, but inwardly he gave him a gesture of disdain. This guy seemed quite unhappy that Ronis had promoted such an unqualified newcomer. He often criticized Asa's casual attitude.

"Still so rigid. No wonder you've managed to maintain your pure virginity. Or maybe it's just that you've been spiritually oppressed for too long, making you so stiff..." The Marquis glanced at the High Priest's piercing gaze and quickly waved his hand. "Ah, forget it. Those who can't take a joke are really boring. Let's go inside."

The two followed Kusbert into the cathedral and arrived at the central altar.

The massive statue at the center of the altar remained holy and majestic even in the dark. The High Priest recited a strange incantation and pressed down on the statue's base. The enormous statue quietly shifted aside, revealing a hidden door underneath. The door had a lock on it. After Kusbert unlock the door, a long underground passage appeared. The three of them descended down the passage.

The passage was dark and damp, filled with a strange stench. As they went deeper, the odd odor intensified, and the air grew more humid and suffocating. Asa had the bizarre impression that they were walking toward a giant cauldron boiling corpses.

The smell lingered in the narrow space, and made it feel like stuffing a lump of rotten cotton into lungs when breathing. The air of the Lizard Swamp had already been unbearable, but compared to this, it felt like the scent of a refined lady's boudoir. Asa glanced at the Marquis, who, accustomed to the scent of perfume, now wore a calm expression, walking with the same elegance as if still at the luxurious banquet. This made Asa feel admiring; The marquis truly knew how to handle himself in any setting.

"I spent several years at the magic academy, and if it weren't for Bishop Ronis sending me here, I wouldn't have known that this dungeon is actually beneath the most sacred cathedral," the Marquis said to Asa. "'Beneath the most sacred surface lies the most filthy flesh.' What do you think of that line?"

"Inham, watch your words and actions. At least you are a member of the magic academy. You are also a priest based on your academic background. Don't think you can speak recklessly just because you have noble status." the High Priest said coldly, leading the way.

The Marquis shrugged, looking somewhat regretful. "At least I'm stating a fact, articulated in a more artistic manner. You should be grateful that I'm not a clergyman; otherwise, I would certainly reform the church's system and remove people like you who lack any sense of aesthetics."

The High Priest turned his head and took a look at the Marquis, then kept going down the passage.

"Hey, what kind of place is this?" Asa felt a wave of magical energy brush past him; it felt like crossing through a magic circle. As the magic circle activated, strange howls began to echo in his ears, and the foul stench intensified.

"This is the sacred church's dungeon that imprisons the most dangerous criminals. Of course, it's not just for humans; the majority are evil creatures and undead monsters. Some have special value for preservation, while others are used for research and experiments to elevate our great white magic to a higher level. I had only vaguely heard about these matters before. This dark side cannot be revealed to the pure-hearted and simple-minded common people. So it's likely the highest secret of the magic academy. There are probably no more than five people who know about it, and now they've added two more," the Marquis said with a tone of mockery. "So we should consider ourselves honored."

"Honored, honored," Asa nodded, feeling a bit of cold sweat forming on his forehead. If Bishop Ronis intended to imprison him, he would likely be confined in this place right now.

The High Priest snorted. "I advise you not to speak recklessly to your juniors." He turned to Asa, his expression serious. "You must remember your sacred identity and not let those foolish words disturb your mind."

"Yes," Asa nodded again.

Finally, they reached the end of the passage, where a vast space suddenly opened up before them, and the howls and stench emanated from this place.

The granite walls were hollowed out and divided into individual cells by steel bars the thickness of a human arm, with various monsters imprisoned inside. In one cell, a three-headed dog with the size of a horse violently crashed against its cage, three massive mouths drooling and roaring madly. In another cell, several evil eyes waved their tentacles, trying to attack the sudden appearance of these targets with magical beams from their tank-sized eyeballs, but the beams couldn't penetrate the magic barrier of the cage, causing a series of crackling sounds. A Medusa slithered to the cage's edge, with her snake hair writhing, gazing with the legendary ability to petrify. In one corner, a massive figure sat silently; it had the head of a bull, the legendary Minotaur.

These were evil creatures from the distant underground world of Nigen, rarely seen even by the most renowned adventurers. Asa was surprised to find them imprisoned in the church's dungeon.

On the other side, the undead monsters were much quieter. They did not roar; the skeleton warriors, zombies, and wraiths sensed the presence of humans and tried to rush over but were repeatedly bounced back by the magic barrier on their cages. These creations of necromancers had lost their masters' control, and kept only simple basic awareness. They didn't even need to eat, making them the most convenient prisoners.

"Wow." Asa gasped in astonishment upon seeing so many strange creatures he had long heard of and wanted to see. "But no humans?"

The High Priest replied coldly, "The last one committed suicide a few days ago. They were leaders of the necromancer guild's heretical organization. However, after being imprisoned here, they all claimed they were not part of the necromancer guild, crying out to be let go. After being held here for some time, one by one they committed suicide; some bit through their own veins, others slammed their heads against the wall, and one even pulled out his own tongue. All these dark believers deserve their death, and their bodies didn't even need to be collected; they were simply fed to the monsters."

The Marquis shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "It's truly lacking in aesthetics. Are you sure those were members of the legendary necromancer guild?"

Asa walked to a few empty cells and asked, "Why are these empty?"

The High Priest answered, "Those were once used to imprison other undead creatures a long time ago. Ever since the magic academy was established, this place has been used to imprison undead monsters. It's been so long that perhaps they were eliminated at some point, and no one knows."

Suddenly, Asa felt the entire dungeon sway slightly. A strange sensation washed over him.

He looked around; it seemed like just an illusion since neither the Marquis nor the High Priest reacted. But the creatures outside suddenly fell silent, and the zombies and skeletons in their cages froze. The previously noisy dungeon fell silent.

"What's going on?" The High Priest finally noticed something was off.

Asa looked toward the deepest part of the dungeon; that strange feeling was emanating from there. He then realized that the light from the High Priest's hand couldn't penetrate, as if a dark energy consuming all light resided there. Vague glowing runes were barely visible on the stone walls nearby.

Tiny runes were arranged to form larger symbols, all meticulously aligned. Judging by its size, the magic contained within the formation had to be immense, but its effects were not felt here. It was clearly meant to contain whatever lay inside.

Asa pointed to the depths and asked the high priest, "What's being held in there that requires such a large magic formation?"

"In there? Isn't that just a wall?" The high priest glanced in that direction, then quickly looked away, shaking his head. Asa noticed that the high priest seemed to intentionally avoid looking at that area, as if he was unwilling to even glance at it.

Asa vaguely recalled something similar happening before... but where?

"What are you doing?" the high priest suddenly shouted, startling Asa.

"I just went in to see if there was anything interesting. Maybe some treasure left behind by monsters." The marquis' voice echoed from within a dark, empty cell. It seemed he had entered one of the cells on his own.

"It doesn't matter what's in there. Entering without permission is strictly forbidden. Get out now!" the high priest bellowed. "I really don't know why the bishop asked for such an unruly person to be here."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming out now. Why so uptight..." The marquis, with his hands behind his back, casually strolled out of the cell, giving the high priest a dismissive look.

The high priest, clearly at the end of his patience, abandoned all decorum expected of his rank and snarled at the marquis, "Listen up! It was the bishop who ordered me to bring you down here, and that's the only reason I've tolerated your presence. If you step out of line again, I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from locking you up as well. So finish what you came to do, and then get out."

The marquis completely ignored the high priest's near outburst and turned to Asa with a relaxed smile, brimming with confidence. "Trust my artistic instincts—I've already picked out the perfect props. They'll help us put on a magnificent show."