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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Silence. You call yourselves servants of the Goddess, yet you attack villages and preach your righteousness.”
Athena, annoyed, silenced the captives.
Then, one of the mercenaries spoke.
“Could it be… Do Inha-nim?”
“Do Inha?”
“The one who used to work in Doriem… and isn’t that Kayla-nim beside you? I thought you had left for another territory.”
Just as he recognized them, they also recognized him.
As soon as they realized his identity, the village gates opened.
They entered the village to a warm welcome, and cheers erupted when he announced he had come to assist Doriem.
He learned about the current situation from one of the Doriem mercenaries.
“Their forces have suddenly increased, as if they’ve received reinforcements. The fighting was initially concentrated along the border, but part of our front line has collapsed.”
As a result, small enemy units had infiltrated Doriem, raiding villages and disrupting supply lines.
“So, other villages are also at risk…”
“It’s a possibility. However, their primary objective seems to be disrupting our supply lines, so they’ll likely focus on those.”
“I’ll need to investigate.”
He interrogated the enemy commander, the two priests, and the paladin.
While the priests and paladin remained tight-lipped, the commander, a mercenary who had lost all his men and saw no hope of escape, offered information in exchange for his life.
Naturally, after extracting the information, he didn’t spare the commander.
It was a valuable Expert-level corpse.
Since he hadn’t brought any undead besides the Phantom Steeds, he decided to turn the commander into a Skeleton Knight.
‘This is a good opportunity to acquire Expert-level corpses and create more Skeleton Knights for Entin.’
Judging by the number of horses they had, he could also create plenty of Skeletal Steeds.
After the interrogation, he eliminated the priests and the paladin.
While he was disappointed he couldn’t extract much information from them about the Goddess Religion, he learned one thing.
‘As expected, they’ve mostly sent fanatics.’
Their unwavering faith, even under torture, was evident.
Unfortunately, their faith was directed towards the Goddess of Light.
“It seems the situation on the front lines is quite dire…”
“We still need to meet with the lord.”
He needed to inform them of his arrival and make some requests.
The interrogation had taken some time, so they stayed the night and then headed towards Doriem’s main castle.
The villagers were reluctant to see them go, but they lacked the funds to hire him, and he was leaving to address the root cause of the problem, so they didn’t try to stop him.
‘Even if they had the money, I wouldn’t have stayed.’
As expected, Doriem’s main castle, the heart of the territory and the lord’s residence, was already on high alert.
Warning shots rang out as they approached, and he shouted towards the castle.
“I am Do Inha, the recognized warlock of House Lineta! I’ve come to assist Doriem on behalf of the royal family and House Lineta!”
His announcement caused a commotion within the castle, and a soldier rushed out to meet them.
He recognized the soldier, they had seen each other around Doriem.
“It’s been a while.”
“I-is that really Do Inha-nim?”
The soldier immediately replied,
“I’ll inform the lord immediately.”
Once their identities were confirmed, the castle gates opened, and despite their small numbers, they were greeted warmly, perhaps due to his past reputation.
The soldier returned with a message from the lord.
“He requests your presence immediately.”
“Very well.”
He had anticipated this.
The lord wasn’t alone when they arrived.
Colmail, the branch manager of the Doriem Mercenary Guild.
Otriokar, the branch manager of the Doriem Magic Tower.
And Viscount Rosscare Doriem, the lord of Doriem.
The three most important figures in Doriem were all present.
There were a few guards present, but their numbers were surprisingly small.
‘Are they all deployed to the front lines?’
The forces he had seen on their way here hadn’t been very large either.
They had committed most of their forces to the front lines and were still losing ground.
Doriem’s situation was clearly dire.
‘They’re in this state despite their initial success…’
It couldn’t be helped, considering the enemy had received significant reinforcements.
He had heard that Doriem had the upper hand at one point… It was a bittersweet realization.
Viscount Rosscare rose to greet them.
“I’m grateful you’ve come to our aid in these trying times.”
“It was only possible thanks to the goodwill of the royal family and House Lineta. And the fact that I’m a mercenary vouched for by the Doriem branch of the Mercenary Guild also helped.”
“We are fortunate indeed. I never thought Colmail’s decision back then would prove so beneficial…”
Colmail smiled wryly at the lord’s indirect praise.
He looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept properly.
The lord and Otriokar, the Magic Tower branch manager, looked equally haggard.
“Is this the extent of your reinforcements? Or are there more on the way? I haven’t received any other reports.”
“We are the reinforcements.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed the lord’s face.
He understood.
While they were skilled, this was a war.
While they could influence the outcome, it took exceptional individuals to single-handedly turn the tide of a war.
And he knew they weren’t at that level yet, at least not in the lord’s memory.
His gaze met Otriokar’s.
‘He’s advanced.’
He wasn’t sure if it was due to his research or the frequent battles he had fought during the crisis, but Otriokar had reached 6th circle.
It was a surprising achievement, considering he had deemed it unlikely.
Perhaps because of his advancement, Otriokar recognized his true power.
“An Archmage…”
“Otriokar, what are you talking about?”
“Could it be… but, no… that’s impossible… but…”
Otriokar stammered, looking incredulous.
He then composed himself and asked him seriously,
“Did you… no… have you… reached 7th circle?”
He had intended to reveal it anyway, so he calmly confirmed it.
“Yes. I’ve reached 7th circle. That’s why we were able to deploy such a small force.”
The deployment of an Archmage.
A necromancer, specializing in warfare, no less.
While they were few in number, they were more than just a small group. They were exceptional individuals capable of turning the tide of war.
The three of them looked astonished, and a glimmer of hope appeared in their eyes.
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He had already learned about the current situation from the captured attackers, so there was no need to discuss it at length.
The lord expressed his gratitude when he mentioned he had eliminated the raiding party.
He explained his capabilities and his intended course of action.
While eliminating the enemy units that had infiltrated the territory was an option, it wasn’t efficient.
Exceptional individuals, like Masters and Archmages, were undeniably powerful and could influence the outcome of a war.
However, they were still limited by their individual capabilities.
While necromancers were an exception, he currently lacked the undead forces to make a significant impact.
Therefore, tasks like defending a single location or hunting down small enemy units within the territory would be a waste of his abilities.
He intended to address the root cause of the problem—the breach in their front lines—and establish a base there, using it to amass undead forces and launch a counteroffensive against Jutus and its allies.
“There are a few things I need to discuss beforehand. And I have some requests.”
While this was technically a request from the prince, he could still negotiate with the lord of Doriem.
The lord himself had admitted to being unaware of the reinforcements, and given the dire situation, he was unlikely to refuse his requests.
“What is it?”
As expected, the lord asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“First, I need to increase my undead forces. I’ve only recently become an Archmage, and my existing forces are currently deployed elsewhere, so I’m short-handed.”
He was being truthful, but the lord didn’t seem too disappointed.
He was an Archmage, after all. While a necromancer’s power was diminished without undead, it didn’t change his level.
As he had demonstrated by eliminating the raiding party, even with limited forces, he was still powerful.
He was simply unable to operate at his full potential, which was why he was making these requests.
“Therefore, I’ll need some time to prepare before we can reclaim the lost territories.”
“…You want corpses.”
“Indeed.”
He raised a hand, stopping the lord, who looked troubled.
“I’m not asking for the bodies of your soldiers.”
Deploying undead created from the bodies of their fallen comrades would likely demoralize the troops, even in their current dire situation.
It would also damage the lord’s reputation.
“Enemy corpses will suffice. I’ll use them to bolster my forces.”
“You want me to provide you with those?”
“You don’t have to deliver them personally. There should be plenty left unburied on the battlefields. Just grant me permission to use them.”
That was more convenient for both of them. Having them collect and deliver the corpses would be a waste of manpower.
And it could also spread unpleasant rumors, further demoralizing the troops.
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“And I’ll claim the people from the territories I reclaim as… spoils of war.”
“……”
The lord fell silent when he stated his intention to take the inhabitants of the reclaimed territories as essentially slaves.
He was likely imagining all sorts of horrors, given that he was a necromancer and a dark magic user.
He hadn’t gained a reputation for cruelty during his time in Doriem.
He had been too busy working openly, and thanks to the Mercenary Guild’s vouching and his good relationship with the Magic Tower, he had a mostly positive reputation.
Therefore, the lord hadn’t anticipated such a request and was likely trying to make sense of it.
While the lord’s assumptions were incorrect, he had another reason for this request.
‘Should I have agreed?’
It was Prina’s request.
She had asked him to do this before he left for Doriem.
While the influx of refugees and the royal family’s support had increased Lineta’s population, they were still short-handed, given the size of their territory.
She wanted to use this opportunity to address the shortage and had asked for his cooperation.
He had asked if it would be alright, considering many of the people would be followers of the Goddess Religion, and she had confidently stated she would work with the Cardinal to convert them.
He had agreed, as it was a request from his fiancée and ally, and she had also shielded him from the prince’s unwanted advances. However, with the lord’s reaction, the atmosphere had become slightly awkward.
“…Very well. It is customary to allow mercenaries to claim spoils of war… I apologize for referring to you as a mercenary…”
“It’s fine. I am technically here as a mercenary.”
While referring to an Archmage as a mercenary could be considered an insult, he didn’t mind.
“I intended to execute all those aligned with the Goddess Religion anyway, and simply reclaiming the land is sufficient for us. I won’t interfere with how you utilize the people you acquire.”
“Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll consider this in lieu of payment for your services.”
The lord’s face brightened at his offer to waive the payment.
As a mercenary vouched for by the Doriem branch, he was entitled to payment, but he wasn’t short on funds, and the concessions he had secured were sufficient.
“That is a relief. Our finances are strained due to the unexpected war, and I was worried about…”
Maintaining the mercenaries currently fighting on the front lines was already a burden, and he had been concerned about how much it would cost to hire an Archmage.
He confessed that he had only been able to hold out this long thanks to the resources he had hoarded due to his past ambitions.
Even those were rapidly dwindling, and they were nearing a critical point.
His words clearly indicated his desire for a swift end to the war.
After successfully concluding their negotiations, he turned to Colmail.
“To reclaim our lost territories and push into Jutus’ territory, I’ll need someone familiar with the area.”
He wanted a guide.
Colmail nodded.
“I have someone in mind. He’s currently deployed on the front lines, but I can recall him.”
Colmail said he would send a messenger with the orders.
That was enough.
The lord seemed apologetic for not being able to provide more support, despite having an Archmage assisting them, but he preferred it this way.
He valued his autonomy.
The lord also expressed his trust in his judgment.
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