The Summoning Genius of the Necromancer School
Pier heard the whole story from Simon.
After taking the attack meant for Erzebet, Simon lost consciousness, and Pier and Erzebet formed a temporary alliance to face a common enemy.
Together, they captured the priest.
According to Pier, it was a rather dull battle.
"Let me down for a moment," Simon decided to listen to her story.
The priest, who had descended from the ceiling before suffocating in the smoke of the campfire, knelt down, tightly bound in a web.
"Thank you! Thank you! Ughhh! I was so scared!" She cried out loudly, clearly still young.
She looked to be around the same age as Simon or perhaps a year or two older.
"It doesn't seem like it's time for thanks yet. From now on, answer my questions."
"Yes! Sniff!"
"Are you a student of Efnel?" This was quite an important question.
Although Kizen and Efnel were in a truce, they were still enemies, and Simon releasing her could cause problems.
However, she shook her head vigorously in denial.
"No, absolutely not!"
[Hehe! A lie right from the first question.] Pier chuckled as he pointed his great sword at her.
The priest's face turned pale.
"It's true! Please believe me!"
[Wake up.] Terrified, she suddenly stood up.
Pier cut through the hem of her robe with his great sword from the bottom up.
Through the torn robe, a white leg appeared, revealing a pure white skirt.
As he went further up, a clearly identifiable outfit was visible.
It was the school uniform of Efnel, made by the Holy Empire, surpassing even Kizen's uniform, armed with advanced defensive dark magic.
The emblem of Efnel attached to the uniform was identical.
[Anyway, cunning priests always lie as soon as they open their mouths.] Erzebet placed her hand on the priest's shoulder and flicked her tongue.
The girl let out a small gasp and squeezed her eyes shut.
[There's no need to listen seriously.
Let's just kill her and continue our conversation.]
"Please believe me! I, I, actually..."
She blushed and lowered her head.
Then, biting her lip slightly, she cautiously opened her mouth.
"I was expelled from Efnel two years ago."
'...
Huh?' Wasn't she in her second year? Simon blinked in surprise at the unexpected answer.
Pier and Erzebet had indifferent reactions, but Simon was affected.
She looked at Simon with desperate eyes.
"Please believe me! I did attend Efnel for a short time! But I was expelled before I could even finish my first year, just a common fool scattered around the world! Killing someone like me would bring no benefit to Kizen!"
"Then why are you still wearing the Efnel uniform? I thought they would take it back when you were expelled."
Her face turned even redder.
"... I, I impersonated."
"Impersonated?"
"Yes. At that time, it was really tough, and I couldn't accept the fact that I was expelled from Efnel... So I forged a fake student ID and uniform and took on missions as an Efnel student to earn money! That's all!" Her expression twisted with shame and sorrow.
"But now the Holy Federation has caught wind of it, so I can't get any jobs... So I ended up taking on dangerous jobs with the Dark Alliance..."
[Are you really asking me to believe such an obvious lie?] Erzebet scoffed as she grabbed the hem of the girl's clothing.
The girl looked up at her with a bewildered expression, and Erzebet pulled hard on the fabric.
Rip!
"Ahhh!" Startled, she shrieked and shrank back.
Erzebet frowned at the torn piece of clothing in her hand.
[...
It's just a piece of cloth, isn't it?] The girl sniffled and lowered her head.
"Don't treat me so harshly."
Simon stood up and approached.
She shrank even more, turning her body to hide the torn part.
Rustle.
Simon took off his robe and draped it over her.
"Are you okay? Cover yourself with this."
"Ah... Thank you!" The priest's eyes glistened with gratitude.
And then...
[....] Erzebet, who was watching this scene, suddenly felt a whirlwind of complicated emotions.
"I'll ask again."
Simon returned to his seat with a relaxed gait.
"First, um. What's your name?"
It was a very kind question.
She quickly knelt down and answered.
"I-I'm Ellen Zile!"
"How did you come to take on this mission?"
"Through a broker who crosses the border... I heard there was a lucrative undead extermination job with the Dark Alliance."
Erzebet didn't hear a word of what Simon was interrogating.
"Have you seen the lord of Arnis?"
"Ah, yes! I spoke directly with him about the mission."
"Do you have any proof that you received the mission from the lord? Like documents or an advance payment?"
Everything felt very off.
Simon, who was being nice to a priest, and the priest, who was looking at Simon with fond eyes as she spoke.
'....' Purple petals fluttered.
Between the two exchanging words, Erzebet felt a certain scene overlapping.
It was still vivid.
A field blooming with violets, where two men and women whispered sweet nothings to each other.
The man she once loved more than anyone, Richard Polentia.
The woman who took that man away from her, Anna Cross.
It had been the same then.
Feeling a bad premonition, Erzebet had followed Richard and witnessed the two embracing each other while hiding in the bushes.
She saw the necromancer and the priest kissing.
[....] She thought she had forgotten.
But the heart, this terrible heart, was once again forming an eternal hell within her chest.
"Alright, this will do."
Simon obtained the documents provided by the broker, the advance payment from the lord, and the forged Efnel student ID.
As long as Ellen could save her life, money was not a concern.
All she wanted was to live, no matter what.
[Boy.
What are you going to use that for?]
"I'm planning to visit the lord soon."
Simon smiled.
"I have to take everything I can."
[Hahaha! Good, good.
Just like Richard's son!]
"Um, um..."
Ellen cautiously asked, glancing at Simon.
"So, can I now..."
[You said your name was Simon Polentia, right?] Erzebet interrupted Ellen's words.
[Your offer to join the legion.
I accept it.] Simon's eyes widened.
"Really?"
[Yes, but there is just one condition.] Her gaze turned fierce.
[You must strangle that priest to death with your own hands.
Right now.]
Ellen's face turned pale.
[That's all my condition.]
"......."
Simon raised his head to look at Erzebet.
As their eyes met, Erzebet felt her heart racing.
He really resembled him.
That man.
She thought it would surely be disgusting.
The child born from Richard and that woman she didn't even want to name.
But it wasn't.
That expressionless face made her heart race madly.
It tore down the hell of her heart and cast a warm spring over it.
She herself couldn't understand her feelings.
Again Richard? Have I really not forgotten him? Was it all just words of hatred? Isn't there any pride left? Half of that woman's blood flows in him.
'But.' Erzebet squeezed her eyes shut.
She really didn't want to admit it.
But she was already trapped, unable to escape.
"I am Erzebet, the leader of the Spider Legion."
Finally, Simon opened his mouth.
"Please tell me why I need to strangle Ellen to death."
[To prove it.] Erzebet said. [I want to know if I am worthy to serve you as a master.]
So.
Simon's voice was completely calm.
"Why do I need to prove my worth to serve you?"
[...
Huh?] It seemed like there was a huge misunderstanding.
Simon slowly stood up.
"Yes, you were once part of my father's legion, but my father is my father, and I am me. I will build my own legion with my own judgment and standards. But from what I've observed, you..."
Simon’s cold voice pierced through her.
It shattered her heart and reignited the hell within.
"You are an undead, yet you have too many emotions. You are swayed by your feelings and don't know what is important. What does killing that girl prove?"
With a jolt, her heart sank.
She felt exposed.
"Proving it is just an excuse. You just want to do what you want. You want to manipulate me according to your impulsive and lowly desires. I can't trust someone like you. Such an unstable existence has no value in my new legion."
Simon turned his back.
"Let's go back. Pier, Ellen."
[.......] The moment Simon's back was visible, Erzebet almost reached out her arm without realizing it.
"Seems like."
Simon glanced back, his eyes were so cold.
"I feel like I've just wasted precious time."
As night deepened, Simon emerged from the ruined castle, heading toward the lord's castle with Pier and Ellen.
[But boy.] Pier said. [Are you really going to give up on Erzebet? Her abilities are quite useful in many ways.]
"Ah, that won't happen."
Simon replied with a slight smile.
"This is just a power struggle. To avoid being swayed by Erzebet's obsessive nature in the future, it was a necessary choice. But one thing is certain, she will have no choice but to come looking for me later."
Pier's lips curled up.
[Does that mean, the fact that you were hit by the Holy Spear was all part of your plan?]
"I'll refrain from commenting on that."
Pier chuckled.
[Anyway, that little brat... is just like his father, scheming in strange ways! Hahaha!]
Ellen, who had been quietly observing Simon, interjected.
"I’m sorry about the attack back then."
"No, Ellen. You didn't aim at me, so it's fine."
"But are you really okay? The Holy Spear pierced your chest..."
Simon rubbed his chest and said, "I'm fine. Luckily, it seems that spear didn't directly pierce my core."
"Oh, that's a relief!"
In truth, Simon was unaware that the Holy Spear had indeed pierced his core.
Pier had witnessed it too.
In a fit of rage at having lost his contractor, he had thought of tearing apart Erzebet and the priest, but upon checking, Simon's core was intact.
The contract with the legion had also suffered no damage.
It was something that shouldn't happen logically, so Pier could only think that Simon had been lucky not to hit his core.
'It's a mysterious thing.' A core that doesn't get destroyed even when pierced by the holy.
No matter how much he thought about it, it didn't make sense.
"Pier? What are you doing over there?"
[No, I'm coming.]