Chapter 54

53. Act 1, Scene 4: The Abandoned Mine Haunted by Undead

*

Let me correct that. Calling someone like Diemonica could be an excessive insult to a perfectly fine special forces member. Fernandez chuckled.

‘If Diemonica’s body is gone, but his personality remains, that would be a truly horrifying insult.’

-Now I see how you treat your ‘brothers.’

Ignoring Faijashi’s sarcastic remark, Fernandez looked at Angela. Her cold, inorganic appearance was like that of a doll. It wasn’t a face suited for infiltration or ambush.

“So, Angela. What brings the Imperial Special Forces here?”

The Dane Kingdom was one of the Empire’s allies, continuously supplying materials and military power for the Empire’s wars. Moreover, this village was an illegal immigrant settlement outside the kingdom’s jurisdiction. It could escalate into a diplomatic issue.

Angela lowered her voice, slightly frowning as if discussing something utterly repulsive.

“Have you heard of an organization called Necropolis?”

“…Huh?”

Necropolis Undercatacombs…? Its active period would have been during the peak of my previous life. Besides, Pertas didn’t exist in this era. Fernandez was thrown into confusion.

Did the Empire know about the Undercatacombs before Pertas broke the seal?

-Was the Hundred-Year War the Empire’s intention?

‘Isn’t that too far-fetched? All the Empire gained from the Hundred-Year War was ruins.’

-Not yet.

Looking at Fernandez, Angela nodded.

“It must be unfamiliar to you. Even within our special forces, it’s considered a low-credibility myth… But half a year ago, we found evidence of them.”

“…A heretical group?”

“Similar, but more sinister. We can’t pinpoint their identity or their base. The ruins we discovered date back at least fifteen hundred years.”

Angela sat at the table. She pulled out a small piece of paper from her pocket. It had a drawing of something bizarre.

“Fifteen hundred years ago, there was a dark mage who claimed to be the God of Death. It’s a legend, but have you heard of ‘Nightmarish Mumto’?”

At least I know more than you. Fernandez swallowed slightly. How much does the Empire know about this?

In ancient times, there was a dark mage who stood at the pinnacle of necromancy. Some say he was of royal descent, others say he was a vagrant from the lower class. But that’s not important.

He turned his city into a land of death that even the depths of Hell would fear. A place where the dead rose, and immortal skeletons and corpses roamed. The city of the undead. Thus, everyone feared it and called it ‘Necropolis.’ The city of the dead.

The western region was said to be a prosperous paradise flowing with milk and honey at that time. Like all legends, it’s probably exaggerated. But the scars left by the death legion created by that necromancer turned it into a wasteland. A wilderness where no one could live.

After numerous purification attempts, the wasteland no longer has the dead roaming. It’s just an endless wilderness. But beneath it lies the Necropolis, sealed by the heroes of that era at the cost of their lives.

All the literature warning about them has disappeared into history, and the horrors they caused are buried under the wasteland’s soil. A man who became a demon in life. The grand magician who reached the pinnacle of humanity. Nightmarish Mumto. He lies dormant there.

‘If the seal of Necropolis is broken, we would know.’

-They said the ruins were excavated.

Angela continued, looking at the troubled Fernandez.

“You seem to have heard of it. You’re not an ordinary knight, are you?”

“Do you have to use such a funny tone?”

“Occupational hazard. Please understand.”

Angela spoke like a soldier and tucked the drawing back into her pocket.

“Anyway, this makes the conversation easier. Nightmarish Mumto. An ancient heretical group led by that sinister being. The ruins our special forces discovered are in the western wasteland, now part of the Empire’s territory.”

Angela leaned closer to Fernandez, her green eyes shining like emeralds.

“About thirty years ago, we learned that something escaped from these ruins. The special forces immediately formed a team to track their traces.”

“So that’s why you’re here?”

“Yes. Although it hasn’t been reported to the higher-ups yet. Their traces are clearly heading towards this kingdom. Other members have been dispatched to different regions, but headquarters suspects this area.”

Despite her words, her eyes showed not doubt but certainty. She looked at Fernandez.

“I won’t pry into your identity. You must have your reasons. But I need your assistance.”

“Why should you trust me?”

“I don’t.”

She shook her head firmly.

“I don’t trust anyone. But you recognized the ‘mark’ on the people of this village.”

“Because I’m chasing them.”

“Exactly!”

At that moment, Fernandez thought he should slightly adjust the direction of the act. From a young, righteous knight to a young special forces member of a righteous secret organization. At least this was closer to the truth.

-Disgusting, doubled. Amazing.

‘Don’t be amazed yet.’

Chuckling inwardly, Fernandez tried to maintain a stiff expression. Whether his effort worked, Angela looked impressed. There was a familiarity in her gaze, as if looking at a fellow professional.

“Do you know their identity?”

“Decayers. A large-scale global demon-worshipping group. This doesn’t seem to be their main base here, but I might need your help.”

“From what I’ve investigated, you will.”

Angela spoke expressionlessly but with confidence.

“Decayers are a smokescreen! I personally regret that your pursuit has been in vain. Because the ‘being’ I’m tracking is possessed by a Decayer executive!”

‘What is this now?’

-Getting interesting, isn’t it?

Fernandez slowly pondered Angela’s words. Summarizing the information from this special forces member:

1. This village worships a demonic sect affiliated with Decayers.

2. The Decayer executive controlling this area is possessed by a spirit from Necropolis.

3. Therefore, this village is not just an ordinary…





The abandoned mining village, disguised as a Decayders-affiliated settlement, is within the influence of the Necropolis!

A very intriguing situation, but there’s one problem.

Fernandez fell into deep thought as he looked at Angela.

The lack of evidence. That was the biggest issue. For evidence of the Decayders, the butterfly-shaped necklaces worn by the villagers were enough. Other evidence could be gathered over time.

But the evidence of the Necropolis was solely Angela’s statement that she had “tracked them down.” Moreover, the Decayders and the Necropolis had too few commonalities!

“Can you prove it?”

“Ah, I’ve been waiting for you to ask that.”

Angela spoke with a confident voice.

“It’s been almost three days since I infiltrated this village. Behold what I’ve prepared!”

She rolled up her sleeve, revealing her pale forearm. Black characters were densely inscribed on her clean skin. Familiar magic circuits were embedded into her skin.

Among the magical schools of the Leviathan Empire, it bore the magical composition of fanatics obsessed with destruction and explosions.

‘Philainneil University?’

It was the emblem of Philainneil University, known as the Empire’s School of Destruction! A magic factory that churns out mages with the full support of the Empire’s military! Fernandez struggled to maintain his composure.

A special forces operative from the den of bomb-makers who could explode at any moment… It reeked of danger. Fernandez recalled the destruction caused by those bomb-makers in his past life.

And a mage who had this emblem embedded, having prepared for three sleepless nights, couldn’t possibly have cast a moderate spell!

“Wait, hold on. Is that what I think it is?”

“Do you have expertise in magic? I’m growing more curious about your identity!”

Angela’s eyes sparkled dangerously. With an expressionless face, she indifferently pressed a beastman’s trigger, as if activating a detonator. It was a direct, inorganic gesture befitting a graduate of Philainneil University.

Without even the slightest attempt to conceal the method of pressing the trigger or the way she composed her magic and manifested the spell. Simply focusing on the act of activating the technique.

‘Basic Destruction Technique Type E, Level 3.’

-Don’t stop me. I’m curious.

Faijashi’s gleeful face seemed to flash before his eyes. Fernandez clicked his tongue briefly and tightly gripped his sword hilt. What was about to happen wasn’t hard to predict.

-Krrrrr…

A vibration rose from deep underground.

-KWAAAAAAANG!!!

-KWAJIJIJIJIK!!!

A monstrous roar erupted from one corner of the village. The walls shook from the tremendous vibration, the roof tore off, and dust and stones fell.

*

-Krrrrr…

Kailen stood up abruptly, staring at the shaking lamp on the table. An earthquake? He quickly grabbed the lamp as it swayed and fell.

-KRRRRR!!!

“AAAAAH!!!”

A massive tremor followed. Kailen crouched hastily as the cracked window shattered. He crawled under the table. An earthquake!

What a terribly unlucky day. First, encountering trolls while traveling, then having to practically give away goods at the abandoned mining village, and now an earthquake?!

Then, a massive explosion shook the earth!

-KWAAAAAAANG!!!

-KWAJIJIJIK!!!

“What the hell is this?!!!”

It happened in an instant. The roof flew off, the walls crumbled, and a hot wind slapped his cheeks. He trembled, staring at the dusty street. In the distance, a burning barn was visible!

The fire from the barn spread to various parts of the village. The little food left in the village was burning. Kailen, with his merchant’s instincts, assessed the remaining assets of the village.

The earthquake and explosion were merely side effects. The person behind this had expertly set fire to the village’s only food storage.

With the long spring and summer ahead, the villagers of the abandoned mining village, now without food, would never survive that period. Kailen quietly made the sign of the cross. Starvation or becoming bandits and being hunted down—these were the only choices left for them.

“Put out the fire! Quickly!!!”

“AAAAH! Put out the fire! Put out the fire!!”

Men rushed out, throwing blankets and water onto the barn. The fire, fueled by the dry early spring, wouldn’t die down so easily.

Kailen quietly slipped out of the room. He needed to gather his servants and mercenaries. Staying in this village any longer was dangerous. This place was no longer a refugee camp but a den of bandits.

*

Fernandez brushed off the dust and looked at Angela. From her perspective, these were just lower-class people, foreigners at that. She wouldn’t feel any remorse if they died. She was a special forces operative.

Deep within him, anger began to simmer. There was no clear evidence that the entire village had been swayed by the demon cult. Only a few villagers wore the cult’s symbols around their necks.

Perhaps for food, perhaps for hope. The way the demon cult approached these poor serfs, who couldn’t bear the heavy taxes and fled, was obvious. They would have provided food or lured them with sweet words.

Not all of them were innocent. But neither could they all be deemed deserving of death.

-You’ve gone soft.

Even if Faijashi grumbled, Fernandez looked at Angela.

“Is this your method? Burning down their only food storage?”

“Your anger is justified. You’re more righteous than I thought.”

“Then can you predict that I won’t cooperate with you?”

“No, sir. Do you know what this is? What kind of meat does this look like?”

Angela stirred the thin porridge on the table, covered in a layer of dust from the fallen roof. A small piece of meat clung to her fingertip.

She carefully tore the meat. It split into dry, fibrous strands.

“Judging by the cut, it looks like… an arm.”

“…What?”

“Human flesh.”

Angela’s expression turned cold. She wiped her fingers on the table and stood up. She pointed to the food storage where the villagers were gathering.

“The biggest reason I decided to infiltrate this village and start my operation is that. Look, sir. In the flames, don’t you see something?”

In the burning barn, through the gaps in the flames, for a brief moment.

A trace that Diemonica’s eyes could never mistake appeared.

Fernandez’s grip tightened. It was a familiar sight.

The stench of death. The acrid smell of burning flesh. Screams mingled with the flames, the kind of smell you’d expect in such moments.

The smell of people burning.

Angela declared.

“This settlement hunted people for meat.”

It was a sight all too familiar to Fernandez. In a past longer ago. In a future further away. Something that often happened.

The sight of people hunting and eating other people.

“Kirhas.”

“Your Excellency!”

As if waiting, Kirhas, who had been lying in ambush, rushed in. She glared at Angela with wary eyes. Fernandez twisted his dry lips and spoke.

“Torchman. Let’s get to work.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Not part of the original plan, but it was time for the Inquisition Officer to act.