Necromancer Of The Black Bible (40)

After finishing the meeting with the Archpriest, I sent word through someone that I needed a few days.

The reply that came was:

<Rest well. Her Holiness the Pope will be busy for a while. At least half a month will pass before she summons you, so don’t worry.>

Reading the reply, I thought the writing was elegant—and that I needed to be even more cautious.

‘I mustn’t let my handwriting be exposed.’

Nocturne could help with a few important signatures, but if I casually wrote a letter, I’d be exposed immediately.

‘Good thing I used someone else to deliver the message.’

Pretending to be someone else for long without prior knowledge is extremely difficult.

If it weren’t for finding my master, I would’ve quit this charade long ago.

‘It doesn’t suit my nature anyway.’

I placed Archpriest Alexo’s letter on the desk and looked around Mikel von Raiernov’s room.

A massive library holding thousands of books, and on the opposite wall, hundreds of paintings.

They were all portraits of children.

According to Nocturne, they were portraits of the children Raiernov had adopted into the monastery.

Raiernov has adopted over 500 children so far. All are registered as his foster sons, and many actually revere him like a father.

[So that’s why his reputation here is so high.]

Most likely, yes. That’s also why he received more divine Power than others.

The Power Raiernov wielded, huh.

What kind of power did he actually have?

Even recalling past conversations, I couldn’t tell.

I only remember him being annoyingly fussy.

Raiernov’s primary Power was healing. He could cure even severe illnesses, so people constantly lined up to see him.

[Then it must be the same now.]

Didn’t you notice when you came here?

[Hm?]

I recalled the sight on the way to this annex, just as Nocturne mentioned.

Many had lined up at the monastery gates, smiling at me. With Nocturne’s explanation, I finally understood why.

And I now realized why the young priest who delivered my message had asked if I was truly resting today.

‘Since I said I’d rest, they must’ve sent everyone away.’

That may work today, but tomorrow they’ll gather again.

Now that they know I’m here, they won’t give up.

‘They’re desperate.’

Nothing is harsher than being sick.

And the older you are, the harder it is to recover.

For such people, a healing priest is like rain in a drought.

‘So me returning instead of Raiernov… is a misfortune for them?’

Unlike my past life, they won’t receive healing.

I lack both the Power and the ability.

And most of all, I feel no reason to heal them.

‘It’s not like it benefits my life.’

I left the desk and approached the partition in the corner.

It was a bathroom.

There was a tub just big enough for me, filled with clean, warm water.

Thanks to enchantments, the water remained warm even after a long time.

I undressed and sank into the tub.

The warm water soaked my body, stirring a different sensation.

‘Hm… colder than expected? No, not cold—just not warm.’

Strange.

With steam rising like this, I should feel warmth.

Then Equinox’s voice came.

[It’s because of your resistances. Your body now resists fire, frost, lightning, and poison. You are fully immune to poison, and have around 60% resistance to the others. These values will rise as you increase your Mana Rings.]

Hearing the explanation, I understood.

Back in the cave, I hadn’t felt cold even without sitting by the fire.

It must’ve been because of my frost resistance.

[So I need to focus to feel warmth?]

[Yes. Similar to when you focus to taste things.]

That was a relief.

At least there was a way to feel sensations as before.

I closed my eyes and focused on the warmth.

Finally, my senses came alive.

A prickling sensation spread as warmth touched my skin.

It seeped into my skin and vessels.

And with it, a long-forgotten heat welled inside me.

“Phew—”

How pleasant.

My heart grew hot and thudded stronger.

I noticed my second Mana Ring was nearly purified.

Soon, the third Mana Ring would grow. Then my consciousness might travel through time again.

During that time, I’d be completely defenseless.

If I left things unprepared, my identity could be exposed here.

‘I almost overlooked something important.’

I rose from the tub.

I dressed in fresh underclothes and robes, then sat at the desk.

I rang the bell, and soon a knock followed.

“Enter.”

With permission, a young priest entered.

Theo, was it?

He’d been running errands, including delivering messages to Alexo.

I gave him instructions.

“My condition isn’t good.”

“Really? Should I call a healing priest?”

Theo asked with genuine concern, but I shook my head.

“I know my body best. I have the herbs I need—I’ll treat myself.”

Coming from the Theocracy’s best healing priest, Theo accepted it.

After a pause, he spoke.

“Investigator Mobin just came by and left something.”

“Something?”

“He said they were tools for preparing medicine. Shall I bring them in?”

“Ah.”

I remembered what I’d asked Mobin for earlier.

I’d thought it would take at least a week, yet he had them ready the very next day.

‘He’s very obedient.’

Satisfied, I nodded.

“Hurry with it. I’m not feeling well.”

“Yes, right away!”

Theo rushed out.

Soon, he returned with several other priests carrying items.

Glass vials and heating tools.

A large cauldron was set on a stand over my fireplace.

They set up a clean, black, enchanted table, creating a decent laboratory.

Like a wizard’s study.

‘Something’s missing…’

I checked the setup and realized what.

“Bring two display cabinets, like the ones in my bath.”

“Yes, at once.”

“And three partitions as well.”

“Yes.”

At each order, the young priests bustled about.

Within an hour, I had a satisfactory laboratory.

With cooking tools, too.

After everything was moved, Theo brought a bag and set it down.

It thudded heavily on the floor.

“Investigator Mobin asked me to deliver this too.”

Opening it revealed sturdy plate armor and a sword hilt.

The crest marked them as William’s armor and magic sword.

I smiled with satisfaction and patted Theo’s shoulder.

“Well done. Thank Mobin for me.”

“Yes, I will.”

As he was about to leave, I caught his sleeve and added:

“From now on, let no one enter my room. I’ll take meals here until I recover.”

“…Understood.”

Theo bowed with a solemn face.

“Please recover soon, Father.”

“I’ll try.”

I smiled faintly, and Theo bowed again before leaving.

I immediately locked the door.

Then carefully checked everything.

Preparations for when I would lose consciousness.

Then I thought of William.

Equinox had said only a dispel spell could break it—but this situation was different.

My Mana Rings were still spinning.

If the rotation stopped even briefly while the Rings multiplied, William’s and my disguises would collapse.

[You’re correct, Honored Master. Normally the spell wouldn’t break, but Mana Ring growth is different. You must prepare for William’s disguise to fail.]

At Equinox’s advice, I sat down, closed my eyes, and focused on William.

Finding the one carrying my core mana wasn’t difficult.

We were faintly linked by threads of mana.

William was in the middle of the Academy in District 5.

He seemed to be mingling with other students there.

I whispered to him.

[William. Can you hear me?]

William wasn’t surprised at all and replied immediately.

[I hear you, Master. What is it?]

[My Mana Rings will multiply soon. When that happens…]

[The spell will break.]

How calm.

As if he had already expected it.

[I anticipated this would happen sooner or later.]

[Be ready—it will break soon.]

[Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone learn my identity.]

His reply was reassuring.

Yet I felt some doubt—it came too easily.

But William was one of the Twelve Heroes. The most skilled, their leader. Such a man would not lie.

So I chose to trust him.

[Good. I’ll contact you when I wake.]

[Yes, I’ll wait.]

Ending the conversation with William, I felt all was ready.

After checking once more, I reached into the robe I’d discarded earlier.

Inside was the soulstone I’d stored.

The Soulstone of the male Sand Dragon Amur.

I pulled it out; a brilliant golden light shimmered from it.

The light flickered mysteriously, as if whispering to me.

Absorb me.

Free me from here.

Please… release me….

The longer I gazed, the stronger its whispers grew.

I stared at it and answered simply.

[Don’t beg so much. I’ll grant your wish.]

With that, I swallowed the soulstone whole.

Moments later.

My heart throbbed painfully.

My Mana Rings spun at incredible speed, and searing heat shot through my body.

Thwack-

Agony, as if my heart were splitting.

And then, I lost consciousness.