Simon and Ellen walked along the forest path, chatting about various things.
During this time, Simon learned several details about Ellen.
It was said that during her time at Epnel, she had focused solely on the 'firepower' of the divine.
However, her abilities in other areas were severely lacking, and most importantly, she could not use even the most common healing magic, which led to her expulsion.
This was quite a serious disqualification for a priest.
When he asked why she worked so hard to earn money, it turned out she had lost her parents and was raising her younger siblings all by herself.
He could see a new side of Ellen.
"Um, um. Simon-nim."
Simon smiled gently.
"Just call me Simon."
"Ah, yes! Simon."
Ellen felt an inexplicable fondness for this boy.
During her time at Epnel, she had learned that necromancers were all terrible and ugly monsters.
But this boy was different.
In fact, necromancers were indeed human and had warm hearts.
"But why?"
"Hehe. Now that we’ve gotten a bit closer, and formed an alliance, I don’t have the skills to do anything to you two anyway."
She subtly extended her arms, which were tied with ropes, while glancing around.
"So, um... could you untie me now?"
Instead of answering, Simon continued to smile.
She began to sweat nervously. 'Ah, it’s not going to work.'
[Hehe! Finally gone mad!]
Pier, hidden beneath his helmet, glared with fierce eyes. [Look at this, boy! If you treat a prisoner well, they quickly forget their place and start crawling up! Just cut off a few fingers, and they’ll behave...]
"Ah! I-I’m sorry! I think I’ve lost my mind!" She quickly lay flat on the ground, and Simon stopped her.
"That’s enough, Ellen. Pier, stop it."
Pier lowered his great sword, and Ellen’s face turned red.
He felt that Simon was truly endlessly kind, yet had a sharp personality.
Soon, they arrived at the lord's castle.
As planned, Ellen hid inside Pier's robe, while Simon and Pier approached the castle gate.
"Stop! Who goes there?" The guards at the gate raised their spears and shouted.
Simon pretended to raise his arms and said, "We have come on the lord's request. I would like to see the lord directly right now."
"... What?"
"Did you get hit in the head with an arrow? At this hour, the lord?"
Simon nodded.
"Yes. It’s urgent, and I must see him immediately."
The guards scoffed, as if they couldn’t believe it.
"Really, we’re seeing all sorts of crazy people these days."
"Do you think the lord would meet someone just because you want to see him? Get lost while I’m still being polite."
"No, this kid seems suspicious. Just tie him to a post until dawn."
The guard nodded and grabbed the rope at his waist.
Simon still smiled and said, "You’ll regret this."
"You little brat, how dare you be so cheeky... Who are you? State your identity."
"I’m from Kijen."
The two guards froze for a moment.
"Ha ha ha ha! What the hell! This kid is really a crazy bastard!"
"If you’re from Kijen, then I’m Nephthys, you madman!" The two guards approached to bind Simon.
He willingly extended his arms, as if to say, "Go ahead and tie me up."
"What’s all this commotion?" At that moment, the captain of the guards appeared from the side door.
The guards gasped and saluted.
"W-We were about to arrest a suspicious person who claimed he wanted to see the lord."
"A suspicious person?"
"Yes, he suddenly claimed to be from Kijen..."
Hearing this, the captain's face turned pale. 'K-Kijen?' There had been mysterious disappearances occurring in the territory.
The lord, wanting to hide the unsettling events before an important ceremony, had secretly commissioned a task to Kijen.
Only the lord's closest aides knew this fact.
However, after three months without any response, the lord had given up hope for Kijen.
'...
But he really came?' The captain carefully examined Simon's appearance.
Sharp eyes, a relaxed demeanor, and even a tall armored man accompanying him for protection.
'It’s certain.' A chill ran down his spine.
This boy was truly from Kijen.
"... Bow."
"Y-Yes?"
"Bow your heads, you fools!" The captain shouted angrily.
The guards immediately lowered their weapons and placed their heads on the ground, standing with their hands behind their backs.
As the atmosphere suddenly changed, Simon scratched his head in confusion, while the captain approached him with his sword drawn.
[What’s going on?] Pier gripped the hilt of his great sword, but Simon raised his arm to stop him.
The captain stood before Simon, planted his sword in the ground, and knelt on one knee.
"The education of my subordinates is entirely my fault. I offer my life as an apology."
He then assumed a posture that seemed to extend his neck.
The guards around them gasped in shock.
'...
Oh dear, this is burdensome.' Simon bitterly smiled inside.
No matter how much he was from Kijen, was it really necessary to go this far? And even if he were a second-year student, Simon was just a first-year student with a life as fragile as a fly, not someone who could easily control the lives of others.
"That’s enough, please rise."
The captain stood up with a serious face.
"It was my fault for causing a commotion at this late hour. The guards were just doing their jobs, so please don’t scold them too harshly. Ah, you two, please rise as well."
The guards, who were sweating profusely, quickly stood up and took a disciplined stance.
Simon looked at the captain again and said, "May I see the lord? I have urgent matters to discuss regarding the commission."
"Yes, of course. This way, please."
[Hehehe!] Simon followed the captain, while Pier laughed mockingly at the guards.
The guards couldn’t even lift their heads.
'...
Does this make sense? Why is Kijen visiting such a backwater place?'
As dawn approached, the sudden visit from a Kijen representative caused a stir in the lord's castle.
When Simon entered the spacious reception room and waited, he was soon treated with great hospitality.
Warm bread and food, tea and wine were served.
Even the maids brought buckets of water to wash his feet, but feeling burdened, Simon quickly declined.
A little while later, "Oh my, oh my! We have the honor of meeting a distinguished guest!" A short, portly middle-aged man appeared, smiling broadly.
His face was swollen, as if he had just woken up.
"I am Count Raymond, the lord of Arnis!"
"I am Simon Polentia, a first-year student from Kijen."
The two shook hands lightly and sat down.
"You’ve traveled a long way! You came all this way because of my commission?"
"Yes."
"Haha! How can I repay this kindness... You must be quite tired from your journey! Forget about work for a moment and rest comfortably. I will do my best to serve you during your stay!"
"It’s not that tiring."
Simon leaned back deeply in his chair and said, "I came using a teleportation magic circle."
"Ah...! I see! As expected, Kijen is different! Haha! Here, here, have a drink! This is a special product made from the grapes of this land!" Raymond opened the cork of the wine.
The strong smell of alcohol wafted out.
He poured wine into a glass and extended his palm.
"Here, here."
"Yes."
Raymond quickly downed a glass.
It wouldn’t be polite to refuse, so Simon merely pretended to touch his lips to the glass.
After a moment, the maids brought out luxurious dishes, including a large roasted pig.
Simon declined, saying he had already eaten dinner, and said, "But I would like to discuss the commission."
"Oh, the commission! That’s important, but right now it’s night, and it’s more important to relieve your fatigue! Life at Kijen is not like school life, it’s a battlefield! Haha!" As Raymond clapped his hands, the side door of the reception room opened.
Simon was taken aback.
Women dressed in revealing outfits approached him in a rush, with about five more standing behind Raymond.
"Now, take your time and choose the one you like. Haha!" Simon had nowhere to look.
His face turned red as he stared down at his knees, while Raymond smiled with satisfaction. 'Even if he’s from Kijen, he’s still just a young cub with no teeth.' Perhaps it would be easier to manipulate him than expected.
As Raymond signaled, the women behind him wrapped their arms around Simon’s shoulders and arms.
Two others knelt beside him and began pouring drinks into golden cups.
"... Lord."
"Haha! Yes, which girl do you like?"
"I’m still a minor, and this situation is a bit overwhelming for me."
Although he showed signs of embarrassment, his voice was filled with strength and determination.
"I have important matters to discuss one-on-one with the lord. Could you ask them to leave?"
Raymond, locking eyes with Simon, swallowed hard.
This little guy had a certain presence about him, something that made him feel slightly uneasy.
"... If that’s the case, I have no choice."
Raymond reluctantly dismissed the women.
They left with disappointed expressions, throwing glances and winks at Simon as they went.
Simon thought he could never adapt to such adult culture.
"Now, it’s quite late. If your discussion is about the commission, we can talk again tomorrow..."
"No, it must be done right now."
"......"
Raymond forced a smile.
With the pressure coming from Simon, it was now difficult to simply let things slide.
This was the last move.
"Come in."
As Raymond signaled, another door opened.
A butler dressed in formal attire bowed deeply and placed a box in front of Simon.
The box contained the commission fee of 50 gold and various jewels.
"This is the commission fee. I apologize for telling you late, but the case has already been resolved. Please rest comfortably in the castle for the remaining time and then return to school after receiving the fee."
"That’s a bit different from what I found out."
Simon spoke softly.
"I bought information from the Thieves’ Guild. I believe there was an incident just this morning."
Raymond gritted his teeth. '...
Those damn fools! They’re no help at all!'
"You can’t receive a reward without completing the commission. I don’t want to be bothered later by the thanks coming down from Kijen."
"Haha! I’ll make sure that’s handled without any issues...!"
"Let’s talk about the commission."
"Just."
Raymond’s expression turned cold.
"If you want to stay, then stay."
"......"
"No matter how much you’re from Kijen, you’re just a first-year student trying to push against me, a count and lord? While I’m still being polite, back off from this matter. I’ll even pay the commission fee, so why are you being so difficult?"
Has he finally revealed his true colors? Simon smiled slyly.
"From persuasion to threats. You’re coming on strong, lord."
"......"
"You seem too excited. I’ll come back early tomorrow morning, so let’s talk then."
Simon slowly stood up, raising the corners of his mouth. 'Come on, make your move.'
And just as Simon had predicted, Raymond slammed his armrest.
"I told you! Stay here!"
Clang! Clang! Clang! Doors opened all around, and more than ten armed soldiers rushed into the room.
In an instant, Simon was surrounded by soldiers, but there was not a hint of panic on his face.
"In the end, it’s all about showing strength."
Simon casually gestured as if pulling an imaginary lever.
"Then I can’t just sit back either."
Whoosh! A spatial rift opened in the floor of the castle, and soon skeletons with blue flames swirling in their eye sockets burst forth.
"U-Undead!"
"It’s undead!"
In an instant, over ten skeletal soldiers rattled as they faced the guards.
The expressions of the guards hardened in an instant.
Anyone from the continent held a deep-rooted fear of undead and necromancers.
The fear instilled through education, history, and brainwashing was not something easily shaken off.
'H-How many are there?' Raymond’s pupils also shook.
He had heard that the measure of a necromancer's power was the number of summoned creatures.
Yet, a first-year student could control a squad-sized force! He was definitely not an ordinary person.
No, even claiming to be a first-year was likely a lie.
[Hahaha!] Pier threw off his helmet.
A skull with blue flames swirling in its eye sockets popped out.
"Ugh!"
"H-He’s not human?"
[Great! Very great! Our family is going to grow a lot today!]
Boom! Pier’s mouth opened wide like a monster.
Fear spread like a plague, causing the soldiers to tremble.
"Now."
Simon walked slowly forward.
The terrified Raymond unconsciously stepped back, and Simon took his place on the lord's seat, smiling.
"Are you going to continue?" The undead howled, thirsting for blood.