The Necromancer Who Was Despised - The Necromancer Who Was Despised chapter 193
“If we had the same goals from the start, we would have found a compromise easily. But suddenly bringing up the engagement issue was too much.”
Of course, that was the best decision at the time.
Prina thought that if she wasn’t the first, it wouldn’t work out, and that a sudden surprise attack was the best way to achieve that.
If Kayla had been the Master back then, it wouldn’t have been necessary.
But even now, it’s good that we’ve become friends.
“The royal family is more obsessed with the Master than I thought. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the drawbacks outweighed the benefits.”
I knew it would be troublesome, but I thought it was worth considering.
However, after having a conversation with Prina and becoming friends, I realized the drawbacks were greater.
That’s why Kayla rarely shows a regretful expression.
“What can I do? I have to accept it.”
It’s in the past now.
“That’s right. Ah, Prina asked me to stop by Rinetta before going to the capital. She said let’s go together.”
The capital is the imperial city.
“Are you busy?”
“Internal affairs are important, but our priority is higher,” she said.
It’s true that the royal family’s desire for Kayla is unsettling.
“Of course, that’s the most important thing, but there are other matters to attend to as well.”
“My younger sibling is in the capital.”
There’s also a need to hire talented people who are lacking in the kingdom.
“There’s also the top-tier contract.”
We had only been in contact with one merchant through the royal family.
However, the royal family is now trying to take away the soldiers they provided, and we can’t rely on just one merchant anymore.
Promoting the stability of Yeongji and attracting various merchants was a necessary task.
There was a reason why it was busy, even if it seemed calm on the surface.
However, as the conversations with Priogaha got closer, they decreased.
The kingdom was in chaos, and there were incidents everywhere.
The subjugation didn’t go well, and we kept running into monsters, and when we followed the road, we encountered thieves.
Moreover, every time we passed through a small territory, the checkpoints were strengthened, and there were even people who knew Kailla was a free knight and tried to pull him into their territory.
Even the lord of the territory was shocked when he saw a large number of undead and kept his mouth shut.
As he escaped from the noble’s house, he let out a sigh.
“Recently, I’ve only met relatively decent and sensible people, so I’m twice as tired.”
He was a reckless guy. He was talking about noble insults, but it felt like watching a spoiled brat.
“You don’t know our military power, so that’s why you’re doing this.”
In other words, if they were weak, they would be caught and forced to work under someone like that spoiled brat.
“Yes, that’s how the world has always been.”
The nobles in the royal capital probably wouldn’t be much different. On the surface, they might appear more refined or concerned with honor, but fundamentally, they prioritized their own interests.
It wasn’t for nothing that Priogaha was trying to move together with us.
“I mustn’t let my guard down.”
Although Priogaha was a count, he had mostly lived in the countryside.
Still, as a renowned family and having dealt with the crown prince, he didn’t seem entirely ignorant, but he could still be deceived by cunning people.
As we crossed the royal territories and reached the border of Priogaha’s territory, we could sense a different atmosphere.
At that moment, a group of soldiers approached us from one side.
“Who are you?”
“We are the royal support troops.”
Kailla stepped forward and replied to the soldier’s question, showing them the royal insignia on the order and the badge proving her free knight status.
The soldier saluted as soon as he saw the royal insignia.
“I apologize!”
“Please guide us to the commander. It’s an important matter.”
“Understood!”
Although there were only two of them, they had the royal insignia on the order. That attitude was natural.
“If they knew the crown prince wrote it himself, they would be shocked.”
As we followed the soldier’s guidance and looked around, we found that there were more troops stationed than expected.
It was no wonder, given that this was a duchy with a master, and they were preparing for a significant battle.
This wasn’t the main battlefield, but it was one of the front lines where the royal territories and the Goddess’s territories clashed, so it was impossible to be unprepared.
“There are no signs of battle, though.”
Since this was Priogaha’s territory, the royal side might be preparing for unexpected situations, or maybe the main battlefield was in a state of temporary truce, and this side was quiet.
“After all, the master is currently inside the territory.”
If we made a mistake, everything would be ruined.
“Nice to meet you. I am Count Prefen.”
“Prefen…?”
“He is also the owner of this territory.”
The territory adjacent to the Prioga family’s domain was somehow tied to the royal family.
“It seems they have control over their own territory, even appointing a commander.”
Judging from their attitude towards us, it seemed they had heard something.
“I am Do In-ha.”
“I am Kayla, a free knight.”
“It’s an honor to meet the mage and master. I’ve received orders to cooperate fully. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
The only exception was the soldier.
That was the promise.
I asked him for guidance, and he explained how we would move.
“…Just go straight, is that right?”
“Exactly the opposite. We’ll push from the other side. There’s a possibility that those fleeing will come this way, so please understand.”
“Fearing the remnants of the defeated army is not a big deal, but it’s possible… Especially since Master Luchesa is currently residing in the territory. Even with a mage and a master, it’s just the two of them…”
He seemed to be harboring doubts, listening to my words.
I understand.
If we were to lose pathetically, the retaliation might come to them as well.
However, he couldn’t actively stop us.
He had received orders from the royal family to cooperate with us, and right in front of us were the two – the master and the mage.
Despite his fears, he could only say that much, and in reality, there was nothing he could do.
Was I being too sensitive?
It seemed I had become a bit sensitive after meeting that annoying noble on the way. However, explaining it all would be tedious.
Since I had brought the royal family’s orders, I was closer to being the superior.
Moreover, I wasn’t asking for troops, so as the on-site commander, there was nothing I could do.
After taking a break until sunset, Kayla and I quietly moved along the border of the duchy.
However, it wasn’t that easy.
“Be thorough, even at night.”
Reconnaissance team.
Even though the battle was in a state of ceasefire, the duchy’s soldiers were diligently patrolling.
It seemed the duchy was indeed a duchy.
Unlike noble families that used mercenaries as their main force, the reconnaissance team was moving in uniform.
“Regular army…”
“It seems they’ve received proper training.”
Killing them wouldn’t be difficult, but it wouldn’t take long for our invasion to be discovered.
It seemed they had made preparations for that.
There was no major issue. I was thinking of crushing them with military power anyway.
The only important thing was not to get caught until we reached the other side of the territory.
I observed them and soon realized there were no mana users.
“This will be easy.”
I quietly used magic to cover us in darkness.
If there was a sound, I wouldn’t know, but since Phantom Steed was floating slightly in the air, there was no sound.
We weren’t making a large-scale move, and there was no mana user, so we weren’t approaching the reconnaissance team either. Therefore, we could move quietly to the other side.
We moved cautiously, and by the time the sun was about to rise, we arrived at our destination.
“Kayla.”
“Yes.”
“Your target is Master Lucres.”
“Yes.”
“The opponent is someone who has been a master for over ten years.”
“…….”
Kayla was not ordinary, but the possibility of her being pushed back was high.
Although she had shown remarkable adaptability, pulling out the Oracle Blade stably despite not being a master for long, it was impossible to surpass someone who had been a master for over ten years in an instant.
“That’s why the possibility of you being pushed back is high.”
“I know.”
“I’ll support you, so if it gets dangerous, just defend.”
“Yes.”
If she only defended, Lucres wouldn’t be able to easily defeat Kayla either.
She had the Armor of Vitality and the Earth’s Shield.
Even the Oracle Blade wouldn’t be easily broken.
Especially since the user was a master of the same level….
“Don’t move until Lucres appears.”
Kayla nodded, as if she understood.
I pulled out the undead knight squad led by Entin from the dimensional fragments.
It was a knight squad with over 140 members, all equipped with skeletal horses and personal gear, rivaling a great lord’s army.
Moreover, they didn’t get tired.
—Greetings, master.
All the knights kneeled towards me, bowing their heads.
I gestured for them to rise, and Entin, as if waiting, shone his blue gaze and asked me.
—Is it our turn?
“Yes.”
I spoke calmly.
“It’s a punitive expedition. Kill anyone who resists.”
I would kill as many as possible and turn them into undead.
It didn’t matter if they were regular soldiers, mercenaries, or civilians.
Even if they didn’t resist, it was uncertain if they would survive.
It would depend on the whims of the author of the prophecy.
At my words, Entin unleashed the pent-up ferocity.
As he mounted his horse and raised his spear, over 140 skeleton knights raised their spears together.
Entin took the lead, and with a fierce cry, they charged forward like an explosion.
Dududududu.
The skeletal horses didn’t get tired, so they were at full speed from the start.
Each knight had a skeletal horse, so they formed a terrifying cavalry unit, and the undead knight squad galloped across the land at an incredible speed.
“What, what is this?!”
“Invasion! It’s an invasion!”
“How could they be on our side…? Could it be a betrayal…?”
The nearby scouts were momentarily stunned, but quickly fired a signal flare.
“It’s undead! They’re undead!”
“This is crazy! We have to retreat! Fall back to headquarters!”
The scouts were all light cavalry, equipped with light gear and agile bodies, making them fast.
With the signal flare, they had alerted others to the abnormal situation, and all they had to do was escape.
However, the speed at which the undead knights were charging was beyond their imagination.
The distance between the undead knights and the scouts of the Prioga Duchy was rapidly closing.
“What, how can they be so fast…!”
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They were undoubtedly fast, but the undead knights’ speed was even more incredible.
Each skeleton had basic enhancements, and the undead knights’ riding skills were exceptional, surpassing those of the scouts.
The lead Entin caught up to the scouts and raised its sword.
Aahhh!
Human screams echoed through the early morning sky.
◈ Conquest
Although they had killed all the scouts, the fact of the invasion itself had been exposed.
However, since none of them had returned alive, they did not know our scale or that we were undead.