Necromancer Of The Black Bible (70)

The beast with a silver mane didn’t take long to devour everyone here.

The last remaining porter fled desperately, but he couldn’t escape the beast’s pursuit.

The beast chased at tremendous speed and tore into the porter’s head.

Then it greedily consumed the torso and limbs.

Crunch, crunch, craaack-

A large pool of blood formed where it fed, but it soon seeped into the ground.

Having devoured all twenty-two members of the expedition, the beast leaned against a nearby tree to catch its breath.

Hoo-, hoo-, hoo-

Its ragged breathing gradually steadied, and its rapidly heaving chest calmed.

As it gazed at the sky, the beast’s form suddenly transformed.

A woman with long silver hair.

Though there was no moon in the night sky, her form was clearly visible due to the soft silver glow emanating from her hair.

She was Pope Lactea of the Kallios Theocracy.

Lactea wiped the blood from around her mouth, stood up, and looked back.

A scene of cannibalism with not even a corpse remaining.

There was a wet pool of blood, but it sank into the dry ground, becoming inconspicuous.

‘Good. This place is definitely out of sight.’

Some time ago, she received a report from the Bureau of Investigation.

It stated that scenes of cannibalism, presumed to be the work of a witch, had been found four times within the Theocracy.

The report, submitted by an Investigator named Sanchez, was so detailed and logical that it left no room for rebuttal.

It included evidence proving the blood was human, not animal, along with the discovery of demonic energy powder and silver hair at the scenes.

Based on all this evidence, he concluded it was the work of a witch, not a human.

Lactea stroked her long silver hair that fell to her chest and muttered.

“He’s too clever for his own good.”

Lactea repeated the name Sanchez several times.

He was a capable Investigator, but if left unchecked, he might discover that she was the true culprit.

She resolved to stop him somehow before that happened.

‘By the way…’

Lactea looked down at her hands and thought.

‘My strength is starting to return.’

As she clenched her fists, a faint divine power began to course through her body.

This much power should sustain her for about three days.

‘I should be able to have a conversation with that Damian.’

The reason she had previously sought Raiernov out was to find a way to replenish her dwindling power.

Until now, Lactea had been using divine power by inhabiting the body of a saintess.

In fact, the name “Lactea” was originally the name of the saintess she had taken over.

Her true name was “Eliastra.”

The very name Equinox had called her.

Eliastra looked at her body, now depleted of divine power.

The body of Lactea, which had ruled the Theocracy for over eighty years, no longer held any divine power.

As a result, aging had begun, and she had even started reverting to Eliastra’s true form.

To prevent this, Eliastra sought out Raiernov, but the one she met was Damian, disguised as Raiernov.

‘Will he agree to a deal?’

In a world where gods have died, trust between humans vanished long ago.

Oppression and submission were the order that sustained this world.

Eliastra pondered a deal with Damian in light of this world’s order.

His power was undeniably strong.

In her prime, perhaps, but with Lactea’s body drained of divine power, she couldn’t guarantee victory against him.

Even so, whether he would accept her proposal was uncertain.

The first reason for this thought was Equinox’s presence.

Equinox was like the shadow of Kallios, the God of Light.

He was the pure Darkness on the opposite side of Light.

Such a being wouldn’t lie like creatures tainted by chaos.

‘He said he was the one I was waiting for.’

The one she was waiting for was only one person.

Kallios, the God of Light.

But he could never return.

That’s why Equinox added about Damian:

-This person is the new one to take his place.

‘Someone to take the place of Lord Kallios?’

It was hard to accept.

But since it came from Equinox’s mouth, it couldn’t be ignored.

After a moment of thought, Eliastra clenched her fists tightly.

‘Equinox stopped someone from killing me. That means I’m needed. So a deal is possible.’

All that remained was to meet them.

It was much later than expected.

But they would surely come.

‘Then I’ll be able to get what I want.’

A faint smile spread across Eliastra’s lips.

Her current state wasn’t sustainable for long, but knowing there was someone to resolve it put her at ease.

‘Shall I head back now?’

She began to walk slowly.

As she moved along the mountain path, she sensed the presence of another being.

A sharp killing intent emanating from near a small tent.

Curious, Eliastra looked toward the mountain’s summit.

A faint purple light was rising from there.

‘That’s not it.’

She turned her gaze toward a clearer source of energy.

It was coming from the ground nearby.

Something coiled underground was wary of her.

It stared at her for a while but didn’t seem likely to attack first.

‘A spiritual beast?’

Deep in the mountains, sentient spiritual beasts often dwell.

Such creatures strongly dislike intrusions into their territory.

It seemed this one was guarding its territory too.

‘It must be protecting something inside the tent.’

Eliastra let out a small chuckle and spoke.

“Be grateful my power isn’t at its peak.”

Then she quickly headed toward the Theocracy.

As she completely vanished, something wriggled and emerged from the ground.

The Sand Dragon Geo.

Now grown to an enormous size, Geo coiled its long body around the tent and looked toward where Eliastra had disappeared.

“Piiiii-”

Confirming she was gone, Geo peered into the tent it was guarding.

There lay the dried-out corpse of Verdin.

Verdin’s soul awoke from chaos just moments ago.

He came to his senses due to the tremendous energy he felt nearby.

Where am I?

Until just before, he had been seeing his past life.

Verdin Lucas van Theodore.

Though granted the surname of the Theodore Barony, he was originally from the slums.

As a child, he was caught stealing in the market by the knight corps, but defeating an apprentice knight in a one-on-one fight caught the commander’s eye, leading to his enlistment.

Joining the knight corps was a great stroke of luck for him.

The work was hard, but with the hope of one day becoming a knight, he persevered day by day, and eventually passed the entrance exam to become a knight.

The glory of that time lingered like a sweet memory.

His success didn’t end there. He succeeded in several subjugation missions, and the king appointed him as the guardian knight of the third princess, Lillian.

But he lost Lillian here at Shadowpeak.

Princess.

As his thoughts reached this point, the chaos began to clear.

His past memories became recognized as the past, and he could recall how he ended up here.

Right. It was thanks to Father Damian.

Intoxicated by something, he killed all the bandits here, then requested death from Damian, a priest of the Theocracy. And a mysterious boy accompanying the priest took his life with overwhelming skill.

Ah.

Verdin touched his chest.

He felt nothing, but it was as if he could sense the moment a sword pierced his chest.

At that moment, a voice came from beside him.

-You’re awake?

Turning his head, he saw a familiar-looking spirit gazing at him.

-You probably don’t remember me, do you?

-Sorry, but I don’t.

-It’s okay. It’s only natural. We only briefly crossed paths in life.

The spirit’s voice was laced with deep regret.

Sensing this, Verdin asked him.

-Did you die here?

-Yes.

It was a short answer, but it conveyed a lot.

Because he knew full well what kind of treatment one received dying here.

So he didn’t ask further and moved forward.

-Where are you going?

-I’m looking for someone. Ah.

Verdin turned to the spirit and asked.

-Do you remember a woman who was with me? Princess Lillian?

-Oh, that woman was a princess?

-Yes.

Verdin took a step toward the spirit, but it stepped back and said,

-I don’t know. It was too long ago to remember.

-Is that so?

Verdin slowly looked around.

Now as a spirit, he could sense many things.

It was a feeling of perceiving with his whole being, not just his eyes.

He sensed various unknown energies and the presence of other spirits watching this place.

Verdin looked at them and asked the spirit in front of him.

-Is there anyone here who remembers Lillian?

-Probably not.

The spirit’s face seemed to smile faintly.

Smiling, the spirit continued.

-Even if it seems like they’re looking this way, it’s an illusion. They’re not interested.

-But they’re definitely aware of this place.

At Verdin’s response, the spirit giggled.

Then it slowly circled him and replied.

-That’s an illusion. You’re the one who’s aware. Your senses are like a mirror. You only feel what you want to see and feel.

-Then what are they doing now?

-Most of them are probably reliving their lives over and over. Like you were just a moment ago.

Only then did Verdin fully realize he was dead.

The spirit was right.

They never approached this way.

If they were interested in the conversation he was having with the spirit in front of him, they would have come over to join in.

As his thoughts reached this point, a question came to mind.

-Then why are you talking to me?

-Oh. You finally caught on.

The spirit stopped in front of Verdin and grinned.

Then it came closer and said,

-I’m interested in you.

-What kind of interest?

-I just have a feeling you’ll join us.

-Me, with you?

Verdin still couldn’t grasp the spirit’s intentions.

The spirit, closely observing him, replied.

-Don’t you want to meet Lillian?

-…!

Verdin remained silent, and the spirit continued.

-I don’t know who Lillian is or where she is. But I know who can find her.

-Who can do that?

At Verdin’s question, the spirit raised a hand and pointed to a place.

It was the mountain’s summit.

Near the peak of Shadowpeak Mountain.

A thick purple cloud was slowly rising there.

As Verdin confirmed this, the spirit whispered secretly.

-Go there and find the Lord of Wraiths. Say Calix sent you, and they’ll let you meet him.

With that, the spirit vanished with a faint whoosh.

Verdin began moving toward the purple cloud the spirit had pointed to.