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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“The launching ceremony will begin shortly. Please take your seats.”
“The Second Fleet’s flagship is complete. How time flies.”
“I heard there were many design flaws in this airship…”
“It’s the first ship using this new technology. The issues will be addressed in subsequent models.”
A grand airship, its protective covering removed, was unveiled as orchestral music filled the air. The tenth airship of the Allied Forces, the flagship of the Second Fleet.
Transylvania, the Murderer, sat in the stands, indifferently sucking on a blood pack.
“This tastes bland.”
It was Yoo-jin’s fault. Ever since tasting his blood, all other blood tasted the same. It was as if her taste buds had been reprogrammed, a rather unpleasant sensation.
“Who’s the commander of the Second Fleet?”
“Yulia Petenburg, I hear. The flagship captain hasn’t been decided yet.”
“The Witch of Petenburg…? Hmm. I still can’t believe Petenburg is a major player in the Alliance…”
Transylvania clicked her tongue, watching the old men shake their heads. They still saw Petenburg as a small city-state, unaware of its true influence.
It was the Witch, with her vast wealth, who had collaborated with Tay’s workshop to establish the communication network that spanned the globe.
The Alliance’s efficient command system relied entirely on Petenburg’s network, but these old fools seemed oblivious.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter if they don’t understand.’
The Alliance, formed by the Holy Empire, Petenburg, and Palana, had established a unified military command after Yoo-jin’s death.
With Palana controlling the North and Petenburg dominating global finance, the Alliance had quickly amassed an impressive air force of ten airships, led by the Saintess’s efficient command system.
Their ground forces numbered close to a hundred thousand.
Other nations, though not core members, had joined the Alliance, some mocking their extravagant spending, but no one truly cared.
The day of reckoning was coming, and those who weren’t prepared would face annihilation.
Airships were the only weapons capable of combating the overwhelming enemy that threatened their world.
“Damn it…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Emergency summons from the Frost Duchess. You lot can leave now. Your contributions barely made a dent in the cost of that airship anyway.”
“W-What?! You crazy Murderer! We treated you like a person, and you dare-”
“Shut up.”
Transylvania ignored the hangers-on, the smaller nations who had joined the Alliance out of fear of being left behind, and hurried away from the launching ceremony.
The Frost Duchess’s message was urgent:
‘Undead remnants active again. Requesting backup.’
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“There are still remnants…?”
Tap. Tap.
Jill Diner, the Saintess, nervously paced in the Allied Forces command center in Petenburg, biting her nails.
They had succeeded in exorcising Luna and neutralizing his Transcendent Being, thanks to Yoo-jin’s sacrifice.
Most of the frozen undead army had been crushed beneath the collapsing dungeon, but a few had escaped, burrowing into the ground.
Only a dozen or so, but they were a constant nuisance. If they were simply mindless, powerful creatures, it wouldn’t be a problem, but they were intelligent, employing hit-and-run tactics, exploiting weaknesses and retreating when cornered.
They targeted undefended villages, infecting the populace and bolstering their numbers, then raiding patrols for weapons and armor.
Their numbers had once swelled to ten thousand, but the Alliance leaders, forewarned by Yoo-jin, had acted swiftly, implementing quarantine measures and tightening their encirclement, reducing the undead army back to a few hundred.
But the closer they got to complete eradication, the fiercer the resistance, the greater the casualties.
They had settled for containment, maintaining a tight perimeter while remaining vigilant. It was the best they could do.
The undead remnants, seemingly unable to breach the encirclement, had been inactive for a while.
“This is dangerous. They’re probing for weaknesses. They’ll attack soon…the area where the new recruits are stationed.”
But the undead remnants had resumed their activity. They were likely assessing the Alliance’s strength before attempting a breakout.
“Please…”
Jill prayed, hoping for a bloodless victory. These days, her life was filled with such worries.
People died like ants, and the weight of command, the responsibility for their lives, was immense.
If only Yoo-jin were here…he would have found a solution…he would have held her hand, easing her anxiety…His absence felt particularly acute today.
“Huu…are the defenses reinforced?”
“Yes, Saintess. All perimeter walls are on high alert, and reinforcements are en route.”
Jill straightened up, her jaw set. She had to be strong. She couldn’t let Yoo-jin’s sacrifice be in vain.
Many paladins and priests had joined the Alliance, placing their faith in her. She was responsible for their lives.
The command center emptied as her aides left. She was alone, studying the map displaying the current situation, when a familiar voice spoke behind her.
“I sent Transylvania. It should be fine.”
“Frost Duchess?! Why are you so late?!”
“I’m sorry. I rushed here as soon as I heard…”
Jill rushed towards Yerina, embracing her. Yerina, her face damp with sweat, gently patted Jill’s back, then pulled away.
“I’ve taken care of the initial response, but…I’m scared. I’m afraid…more people will die…”
“Don’t worry. Your response was perfect. This is an opportunity. A chance to eradicate the Necromancer’s legacy, the undead army, once and for all…!”
Yerina exaggerated slightly, trying to reassure Jill. Jill’s expression brightened a little.
She might appear strong and resolute, calmly commanding her troops, but the pressure, the knowledge that countless lives depended on her every word, every gesture, weighed heavily on her.
She only allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of Yerina and Yulia, the only ones who shared her burden, her worries.
Yulia, however, was busy launching the Second Fleet’s flagship, so Yerina was her only solace.
“You’re doing your best, Saintess.”
“My best isn’t enough…”
“You’re doing great. You’ve brought the Alliance this far, from its fragile beginnings. We’re now strong enough to face any nation.”
“Huu…”
Yerina understood.
She simply offered a comforting smile and a pat on the back. She knew she was just a substitute for Yoo-jin, but she didn’t mind. The Saintess needed someone to lean on.
[Incoming transmission from Transylvania. Connect?]
“Connect, Linda.”
[Frost Duchess! Did you confirm the location?!]
“What?”
The mana stone glowed red, Transylvania’s voice urgent, her words breathless. She was running.
[It’s a decoy!]
“What do you mean?”
[A diversion! I saw figures on the horizon, the ground trembling…I thought it was them! But they were just…scarecrows!]
“…!”
A decoy.
Yerina’s eyes widened in shock. She knew the undead remnants were intelligent, but this level of tactical planning…
They had sent reinforcements, and it was all a ruse? If not there, then where?
Yerina frantically scanned the map, and Jill contacted her aides, when…
“E-Excuse me…? The enemy has crossed the river…? Their numbers…close to ten thousand…?”
“Oh!”
They had breached the perimeter. The entire undead army, ten thousand strong, in a single, daring gamble. And they had succeeded.
“R-Reinforce the perimeter! Establish a second line of defense along the next river…!”
“There are over ten cities within that area! At least fifty thousand civilians are in danger!”
“This can’t be…”
Jill and Yerina’s faces paled. If only Yoo-jin were here…
“There’s no other choice. Establish a secondary defense line and evacuate the civilians. Casualties…are unavoidable at this point…”
“Ugh…”
They banished the thought, knowing its futility. They hadn’t given up hope, but despair gnawed at them. They were tired.
They hadn’t found any clues about the greater enemy Yoo-jin had faced, and dealing with the undead army and Belphegor was already overwhelming.
The Allied Forces, though powerful, were no match for ‘Him,’ a being who commanded an entire world.
‘I don’t know…I don’t even know if we’re doing the right thing anymore…’
How had Yoo-jin fought this battle alone? His absence grew more profound with each passing day. She wished he would appear, magically, and tell her they were on the right path, that they were doing well.
Not in her dreams, but in reality…
“I’m leaving early today.”
“What? Master Craftsman, already?”
“I told you yesterday. I have someone to meet.”
“But…on such a busy day…is it someone important?”
“…”
Tay paused, changing from her drab work clothes into something more presentable, considering the assistant’s question. A bittersweet smile touched her lips.
“Yes. Someone precious. Someone who…made me who I am today…”
She practically lived in the workshop, so her decision to leave early surprised everyone, but no one objected to her rare outing.
The carriage carrying Tay left Basel, traversing mountains and valleys, arriving at a desolate wasteland.
Newcomers often struggled to believe that a lush forest had thrived here just a few years ago.
“You can drop me off here.”
Tay hopped out of the carriage, then paused, a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her.
“Huh?”
She turned around, a peculiar feeling that someone had called her name, but there was no one there. T
ime had definitely passed, but she couldn’t recall what had happened.
‘Must be my imagination.’
She had probably zoned out, exhausted. She shrugged it off and continued towards the graveyard, then spotted a familiar figure walking ahead.
A girl in a black training uniform.
Sogong.
“What? Did you skip training?”
“It’s his death anniversary. I had to come. Busy people can’t make it, but useless people like us should pay our respects.”
“I’m not useless. I crafted the mana stones for Yulia’s communication network.”
“Is that really important right now? Such a child.”
“Coming from someone smaller than me…!”
“Being big doesn’t make you an adult.”
They bickered, grabbing each other’s collars, then coughed awkwardly and separated.
“It’s been a while.”
“Yeah. How have you been?”
“Same as always. Crafting mana stones all day.”
They had first met at Yoo-jin’s funeral. They had nothing in common, but they had become surprisingly close. It had started with a fight.
Sogong had been badmouthing Yoo-jin behind the funeral hall, and Tay, overhearing her, had confronted her.
They had wrestled, pulling each other’s hair, rolling on the ground, until Tay realized it was Sogong’s way of grieving, of remembering him.
Perhaps because they appeared to be around the same age, Sogong, Tay, and Nameless had quickly become friends, meeting frequently.
“Where’s Nameless?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her since the Archmage inauguration ceremony. I heard she’s in the North…”
“I should ask the Frost Duchess.”
“How’s Guiho doing?”
“Master? She’s…fine. The burns from the fire elemental haven’t completely healed, so she’s been struggling, but she’s getting better.”
Sogong scratched her head. It wasn’t a pleasant topic. Tay, sensing her discomfort, cautiously approached the subject.
“And you?”
“I…”
Sogong’s mouth snapped shut, her lips pressed together as she hesitated.
“Oh.”
Tay instantly regretted her question.
The world was in chaos, with undead remnants and Belphegor still at large, all the superhumans busy, and Sogong, a powerful curse user, was here, visiting a grave.
She should have known better than to ask.
“It’s…been hard…”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Tay patted Sogong’s shoulder, and they walked towards the grave, expecting to see the lone tombstone standing tall, as always…
“Huh?!”
“Oh!”
They gasped simultaneously. The tombstone…was broken, split in two, its inner compartment empty.
“They took the sword!”
“Who would do this…?”
Strange.
Grave robbers usually targeted the coffin, not the tombstone. But only the tombstone was damaged, the grave itself untouched.
They exchanged puzzled glances.
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