LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 78
Chapter 78: Conversation and Atonement
After finishing the introductory lesson on necromancy, I returned to my room.
I simply disposed of the low-level undead bugs by tossing them out into the sunlight.
Before they could hit the ground, they turned to ash in midair. Even though undead are said to be weak against sunlight, they were surprisingly fragile.
“See? They’re useless, aren’t they?”
As Enma sniffed in disdain, I watched the ashes scatter in the wind.
“By the way, losing their physical form causes the soul to return to the spiritual realm.”
Although, it comes with a price of damage, Enma added.
“Therefore, reusing souls is quite a tricky problem. As they travel between the material and spiritual worlds, their essence diminishes more and more. But for a seasoned necromancer like me, it’s a different story. Unless something extraordinary happens, I’m able to protect the souls.”
Eventually, I’ll teach you techniques for soul protection too, he said with a smile.
“Well, well! To think we’ve already gone as far as creating undead! I was just hoping the incantation for the gate to the spirit world would succeed; but your memory and magical manipulation talent exceeded expectations! Hats off to you!”
I never knew I had such talent nearby! Enma squirmed with joy.
For an introductory lesson, the results were quite promising. He was looking forward to the next session too!
And thus, today’s class ended.
“Wow, wow!”
Liliana, who was lounging on the bed, bounced up to greet me.
“Good girl.”
“Kyuuun…!”
As I patted her head like usual, my mind was somewhere else.
My gaze was drawn to the corner of the room, not to the pleasantly squinting Liliana, but to the soldiers’ skulls arranged on the shelf.
It was already midnight for the demon race, time for sleep; however,
There was still something to do.
Things I needed to accomplish…
“Summon, huh.”
…Ah.
“The revival of those bugs didn’t yield as much power as I thought.”
With an image of Enma lounging inside me, he spoke.
“Most likely, at this stage, it’s because you were already looking forward to the true taboo that lies ahead… the taboo of awakening the slumbering souls of your brethren.”
…Indeed.
The skulls of the soldiers I killed. There’s no better material for summoning them…
Enma stated.
“There are several starting points for summoning souls.”
– Corpse or relics
– Location of death
– Name or alias of the target
Among them, skulls are said to harbor particularly strong impressions of the deceased…
“As long as you can summon the soul, the next matter is how to command and control it.”
That itself is the essence of necromancy.
“Basically, older souls tend to lose their reason and become more emotional. The feelings they had at the time of death linger strongly. Usually, they are negative emotions. Only a small fraction can communicate normally—hence, we need to exert magical power to assist them.”
There is a technique to reconstruct the original reason using the summoned soul as a foundation. It seems that way exists.
However, just because you summon a soul doesn’t mean it will obediently follow your commands. Rather, if they were soldiers of the same alliance, they would likely resist and refuse cooperation even in death.
“That’s when a variety of tricks come into play.”
Another technique will be required. Sealing emotions, forcibly reading thoughts, erasing unnecessary memories—
“There are plenty of ways to bind the soul, inflict pain, or provide them with joy… to subdue and soothe the soul. …Ah, but don’t worry.”
I don’t know what he thought of my expression.
“Rest assured. I’ll teach you everything, Jill-kun…♪”
With a beaming smile—
The essence of necromancy is a parade of such abhorrent sorcery. I must learn these techniques moving forward…
“…In that sense, simply summoning them for a chat feels like…”
I invoked a soundproof barrier just in case, sneering at myself.
“It’s just child’s play.”
I lined up five skulls on the bed.
Kneeling before them on the floor… it really felt like some sort of evil cult ritual. There’s even a headless elf serving beside me.
“[Aorato Teihosu Po HoriZui――]”
Gathering dark magical power, I opened the gate.
“[Inirie Enne Uosu Fapanah――]”
Using the skull as a base, I searched for the souls.
—Ah.
I found them quickly.
The dead warriors swarmed toward the gate.
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
The souls burst forth from the gate, cloaked in my dark, ominous magical power.
They struck at me with fists, screaming in hatred.
Thud, thud—as their fists were all obstructed by my protective spell. Sorry, but I’m using this to safeguard my own soul.
“――Uuuuuuh!!”
With a growl, Liliana stood on end, preparing to unleash the light of purification.
“Wait! Wait, wait! They aren’t evil!”
The bad one is me.
They have… long since lost their faces, body outlines, and even their reason.
But they know who I am. They know who killed them…
—How dare you kill us!
—Damn demon race!
—Perish!
Emotions of unspoken fury and hatred reverberated without words.
“I’m sorry…”
I could only bow my head. Normally, instead of protective spells, I should have gotten beaten to a pulp until they were satisfied.
But if they’re enhanced by my magical power and hit me mentally, the aftereffects could be devastating.
That won’t do. It would obstruct my purpose.
Still, I wanted to apologize. After killing them unilaterally and summoning their souls, I had the gall to show my face…
I wanted to promise them.
I would definitely avenge the Demon Lord and save the alliance.
Originally, I intended to apologize after everything was over, but according to Enma, the afterlife doesn’t exist; souls eventually wear down and return to the power of the world.
If that’s the truth, there’s no time left.
Now is the time to apologize and make my vow…
As I continued bowing my head, eventually, the force hammering against my protective spell weakened.
And then, it stopped.
“…?”
When I lifted my head, the comparatively well-defined man in the middle was restraining the other four.
“I feel like…”
In a hoarse voice, he spoke.
“…I’ve been having a strange dream…”
It seemed not only his outline but his consciousness was clear as well.
“He was supposed to be the enemy—the hateful demon race—but you seem just like a human hero…”
I felt his gaze.
“Such… a strange fellow’s dream…”
Teach me… he said.
“What are you—who are you? You said something at the end…”
Death to the servants of darkness. Yet you, yourself, are supposed to be a servant of darkness…
“I’m… curious about that…”
Is that so…?
It is, isn’t it…?
If I were in his—this seasoned soldier’s position—
Of course, I would think that way. I’m sorry for disrupting your sleep…
“I am—a hero. A former human.”
I spoke, detailing my participation in the assault on the Demon Lord’s castle. How I had lost to the Demon Lord. How I found myself reincarnated as a demon prince…
And using my position to bring down the Demon Kingdom from within. I confessed the sin of abandoning the people before me.
The seasoned soldier listened quietly, while the other four appeared bewildered. I couldn’t tell if they fully understood my tale, given their reasoning was already wavering.
—Don’t mess with me.
—How can you believe that tale?
—From any angle, you look like a demon.
If anything, their anger seemed to reignite. Well, yeah… if you were suddenly yanked from the spirit realm by dark sorcery and told by the very person who killed you that you were a hero, you’d feel angry too…
Moreover, from their perspective with reason fraying, I must be rambling nonsensically…
…Oh, but only one thing.
I had proof of my status as a hero.
—Oh gods of light, if you still have mercy.
“[Holy Light, come to my hand.]”
At the silver light gathered on my fingertips—angry souls retreated as if overwhelmed.
—A hero indeed.
—The holy light.
—So bright…
The powerful light that guided and protected them in life.
Now that they were dead, it seemed instead…
Yet still, it seemed they approached cautiously, as if trying to verify the authenticity of that radiance.
One of them came closer and peered into the white flower-like light—
Suddenly, he reached out.
“What—!?”
The soul would be burned—I tried to pull my hand back, but he touched the sacred light just before I could.
The silver light wrapped around the soul like a flame.
With a fshhhh sound, like plunging red-hot iron into water. The holy light meant to purify and gravely injure the undead… however, it drove away the dark magic he was cloaked in.
“Ah…”
The blurred spirit, clouded by dark magic, regained its outline. A young soldier’s face came into focus, his eyes filled with clear will, fixed on me.
“…You bastard.”
His fist lightly poked the top of my head. His fist slipped past the protection spell.
Because it wasn’t an attack.
“I was waiting for my hometown… my childhood friend… I wanted to marry her when I returned…”
He squinted, as if gazing into the distance.
“That girl… what was her name again—no, I…”
…Though he seemed to have regained his personality clearly, his soul was near frayed.
“In any case—there’s a mountain of things I want to say to you—but…”
He closed his eyes.
“Please… protect the alliance… the people… and her, the one I loved… please…”
His body faded, shimmering and sparkled away.
“……”
Another soul reached out. As the murky darkness was dispelled, a serious-looking soldier appeared.
“I have left behind a wife… and a daughter… their names are…”
He grimaced painfully.
“Isabella… and Nina… my name is… Kaito.”
As if wringing out the remnants of his memory.
“I’m sure they’re struggling to get by… if there’s a chance…”
“I understand, I’ll definitely help. I will help…!”
“Thank you…”
With a fading shimmer, he too disappeared.
“Just right—”
Another soldier regained his outline in the silver light.
“I had a brother around your age…”
He patted my head gently, looking lonely.
“Hang in there—you’re—”
Come back a little later—he left behind.
He too, flickered away into glowing light.
“To be honest, I still… hate you.”
A soldier who still had remnants of youth glared at me.
“But if you told me to switch places with you, I’d—no way, not a chance…”
He gripped tightly onto my hand, which burned with holy energy.
“Definitely—defeat the Demon Lord. Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.”
“…Yeah. Yeah!”
“Fuh… Until then… don’t punch me, okay…”
As if reaching his limit, like a candle wick burning out—
He too crumbled away.
“……”
At last, only the seasoned soldier remained, arms crossed.
He still wore my thick dark magic around him.
“You young folk…”
Shrugged the seasoned soldier.
“You’re so soft-hearted—quick to believe my words—comfortable to let it all go…”
He sighed exaggeratedly.
“I’ll take a bit more time… to sleep near you. Someone has to keep an eye on you, right?”
With a smirk.
He was slowly drawn back into his own skull.
—It doesn’t make sense to just keep them as decorations. Use his bones along with mine.
His brusque words echoed in the room.
“…Thank you…”
I could say no more than that.
But I wiped my eyes and vowed anew.
I will definitely defeat the Demon Lord.
And—save humanity.