I Became The Academy Necromancer

Chapter 306: Their Corpses

Normally, I would have expected to camp for a day before arriving at Graypond from Forsville village.

However, Gloria and Lucia didn’t stop. They switched the coachman at regular intervals, and Lucia used her holy power to restore the horses’ stamina.

And if that didn’t work, they would just bring in new horses altogether.

Hence, the journey that began early in the morning ended around the same time the next day.

[Yawn, are we there?]

The Dark Spiritualist, who had been resting with her head on my shoulder, rubbed her eyes sleepily and woke up.

Being a ghost, she didn’t need to sleep or even have sleep crusts in her eyes, but she still maintained her human habits intentionally.

I wasn’t sure what it meant, but seeing her try to maintain this routine, it must have had some purpose behind it.

“Yes, we are here.”

Though they did mention there would be a banquet in the evening. The King had probably given us half a day to freshen up and recover from our travels.

[Ahh, I want to sleep more.]

The Dark Spiritualist pressed her cheek against my shoulder. Perhaps due to her past experiences with a fox and a cat, her movements were languid yet captivating.

[Deus, I want to sleep more…]

“…”

The Dark Spiritualist slid down slyly and laid down on my thigh. It reminded me of a cat playfully asking for its back to be scratched, but it was unclear whether the Dark Spiritualist was doing it intentionally.

“We should get off soon.”

The view of Graypond, which I hadn’t seen in a while, spread outside the window.

It was a beautiful city.

Even after facing numerous obstacles and undergoing the harsh trials of tragedy, its inhabitants still lived with vibrant vitality, like fresh fruits.

It truly is a beautiful land.

I felt as though I had now reached the end of my journey. I visited countless places, but in the end, this land remained the one that resonated the most with my heart—familiar yet filled with longing.

As we entered downtown in the early morning, I saw people waking up and preparing for the day.

Even those moving hurriedly stopped for a moment to glance at the carriage, wondering who was inside.

And then.

Dooong.

The soft sound of a piano echoed through the morning.

Like dew dripping from the leaves, it was calm yet spread out, lingering long and wide.

[Ah, it’s Owen.]

Was it because it had been quite some time since I last heard this?

Though I wasn’t particularly fond of music, the boy’s performance felt sweet to my ears.

He has grown.

No, it wasn’t just because it had been a while.

The boy must have grown through his own struggles and thoughts during my absence.

And now, he must have wanted to let me know before anyone else. That was why he started playing at this perfectly timed moment.

“Everyone will start waking up soon.”

[Ahaha.]

Even though I said that, I rested my chin against the window, savoring the performance of my one and only chosen apprentice.

Of course, the dead must have naturally accumulated in Graypond during my absence.

I could even see them rising slowly, listening to the boy’s music.

And as if entranced by something, the souls flew toward the boy playing on the road.

[Isn’t this a fitting return for a Soul Whisperer?]

“Yeah.”

Closing my eyes leisurely, I leaned back against the seat. My body loosened and a smile formed on my lips as I savored Owen’s growth.

As if it were carried along by the flowing performance, the carriage glided smoothly onto the palace grounds.

“It is time to get up.”

Still sprawled across my thighs, the Dark Spiritualist pouted and reluctantly rose.

[You didn’t even pet me once.]

“Is that what you were aiming for?”

[When Fluffy and Fluffy II did this, I couldn’t help but pet them right away.]

“You are not them.”

I grasped the staff and stepped out of the carriage. The Dark Spiritualist hovered beside me, her hand on my shoulder.

From the carriage ahead, I saw Lucia and Stella stepping out together.

“His Majesty is still probably resting, so please take some time to recover from the trip. After all, you’ve been holed up in the carriage for a long time without a break.”

“I see.”

I nodded and handed her a book I had left in the carriage.

“I enjoy reading this. It made the journey less boring.”

[A Saintess as a writer, what an interesting combination.]

“Huh?”

Lucia looked startled as soon as she saw the book I handed her. In case it slipped your mind, Lucia used the pen name ‘Lusain’ for her romance novels.

Her novels were quite popular and it seemed that she had published a new book during my absence. The combination of a Saintess and a writer didn’t quite seem to fit, but she must have put in the effort whenever she had the opportunity.

“Th-this… where did you get this?”

Her face turned red as she stared at her own book. I gestured toward Gloria behind her with my eyes.

“The Royal Knight Commander gave it to me. She suggested that I give it a read if I were to get bored.”

“Gloria!”

Embarrassed, Lucia immediately rushed to confront Gloria. I stretched my sore, fatigued body and exhaled.

I am indeed tired.

[I’ll give you a massage.]

Stella, who was with Lucia until now, smiled brightly and offered. While I would have turned her down in the past, now…

“Thank you.”

After receiving a massage from her once, I changed my mind immediately. Stella was a skilled masseuse.

The Saintesses surely knew how to keep busy with various side jobs.

One was a writer, and another was a masseuse.

[I-I’ll do it too!]

“No need.”

The Dark Spiritualist jumped in from the side, but I could tell she would just press down randomly without any technique.

Right now, my body felt like glass, so only someone as skilled as Stella could touch me without making me uncomfortable.

“Deus!”

At that moment.

A man stepped out of the palace gates. Wearing pajamas with only a cloak draped over his shoulders, it was the master of this land—Orpheus Luden Griffin.

“Your Majesty.”

I had assumed he would be sleeping since it was still quite early in the morning. However, the roughness to his skin suggested that he must have stayed up all night waiting for me.

I immediately got on one knee and offered my greeting.

“Your Majesty, I, Soul Whisperer Deus Verdi, apologize for my delay, but…”

However, my words were cut off abruptly as Orpheus pulled me into a rough embrace without warning.

“My friend, my dear friend!”

“…”

I always thought no other adult male would treat me in this manner except for Darius. However, Orpheus tightened his grip on me, unwilling to let go.

“You will never understand how heavy the burden of being unable to protect you feels like.”

“There are others watching. Please maintain your dignity.”

“Hahaha! You’re just the same! Exactly the same!”

He gave me a hearty slap on the back before stepping back. But his hand remained on my shoulder.

“I’m so glad you’re safe. I hope you understand how much joy it brings me to see you again.”

“I can feel it deeply.”

I subtly turned my body and pointed to the carriage directly behind the one I arrived in.

“The princess is in there. It seems she has fallen asleep with the friend she made at the academy.”

Seeing the carriage carrying Eleanor and Aria remain unmoving despite our arrival, it seemed they were yet to wake up.

Orpheus, who started to walk towards Eleanor’s carriage, suddenly stopped and glanced back at me.

“I heard about Forsville Village and the bishops. Also about the crazy drug called Yellow Flower.”

“…”

“It was extreme, and surely you wouldn’t claim to be unaware that it was an overstep of your authority.”

The immediate executions and the violent act of burning the entire village to the ground were certainly not something I was permitted to do.

“But I trust you. I’m sure you had your own reasons for reacting in such a manner.”

The king’s radiant smile pierced my heart painfully.

It must have been the pangs of conscience.

And it surely wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

As Orpheus walked towards Eleanor, I turned back towards the entrance to see another person waiting for me.

“Lord Soul Whisperer.”

Standing there was a boy, already shedding tears. It had only been a few months, but he seemed to have grown taller.

“Owen.”

I gave him a small smile and extended my hand.

“That was a beautiful performance. You must have worked hard.”

“Lord Soul Whispereeeeer!”

As the boy ran toward me, crying, I embraced him and patted his head gently.

Only now did I truly feel that I had returned.

***

That evening.

Many influential figures attended the grand banquet.

The lighting was reminiscent of gold, the extravagantly luxurious food, and nobles engrossed in conversation while holding wine glasses.

It seems that the King has put a great deal of effort into announcing my return.

It was clearly evident how much effort King Orpheus had put into announcing my perfect return as the Soul Whisperer.

“I heard from Erica of your return. It’s truly a relief.”

It was Ellan Bright, the head of the Bright Household and Erica’s father.

“I knew someone like you wouldn’t die easily. Whatever happened, it seems I made the right choice in siding with the right person.”

The head of the Zeronia Household, Gilthea Zeronia, extended his thick hand for a handshake.

Even the heads of the two households with whom I had an alliance didn’t miss the chance to attend.

The smiles on their faces clearly showed that they felt reassured by having me as their backing and they weren’t even trying to hide it.

“Thank you.”

And as most of the information that Erica had provided me about the Wellington Trading Company came from these two households, I, too, treated them favorably.

Thanks to their assistance, I was able to track down Forsville Village, which was attempting to cultivate the Yellow Flower, and launch a surprise attack.

“But does this mean we’ll have to sever ties with the Wellington Trading Company?”

“Hmm, that will be a bit troublesome.”

As expected, the two heads of the households tried to subtly inquire about my future plans.

Because the very fact that I had looked into the Wellington Trading Company meant I was planning to turn against them.

And given that the Trading Company had extensive connections, they were subtly hoping I would deny it, but I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“You should sever ties with them as quickly as possible.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll have to contact my family.”

I wasn’t planning to let it slide easily, so I merely advised the two households to find another merchant guild.

Just then.

“May I join you for a moment?”

A tall man stepped between us. The heads of the two households turned still, clearly displeased, but since I had asked them to step aside, the situation naturally shifted, leaving only the tall man and me facing each other.

“Lord Soul Whisperer, I’m truly glad to see you back. I am Victor Wellington from the Wellington Trading Company.”

“There is no need for me to introduce myself, right?”

“Ah, of course.”

I clicked my tongue as I looked down at him as he placed his hand on his chest and bowed his head.

“I received the gift you sent. You certainly do not hesitate in your actions.”

“A merchant’s life is all about speed, isn’t it?”

Barely a few hours after I entered Graypond, the Wellington Trading Company had sent luxurious gifts, all while keeping it discreet.

And I accepted them.

Seeing that I didn’t refuse their bribes, Victor Wellington likely believed there was room for negotiation and came to seek me out.

“I was planning to come find you first.”

“Haha! It’s an honor! But I wouldn’t want to waste your precious time. If you call for me, I will come anytime.”

Victor Wellington smiled brightly.

Having inherited his position from his now-retired father, it was clear he was still a young businessman.

Tall and attractive, with a broad smile that revealed his gums and well-groomed blonde hair, he seemed to know exactly how to win people over.

“No, I will be coming to your company. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

“Pardon? What do you mean…?”

He seemed to have trouble understanding what I was saying.

“I mean, I am going to personally visit the Wellington Trading Company to destroy it.”

A servant passing by offered wine. Taking the glass, I let the wine spill into my mouth, the sweet aroma enveloping my senses.

I felt elated.

It could be because of the particularly rich taste of wine, or perhaps it was due to Victor Wellington’s twisted expression.

“W-What do you mean?”

His face tightened as he ground his teeth together, veins bulging on his forehead. A businessman should know how to maintain their composure.

Despite being older than me, he was the embodiment of a hot-blooded businessman.

“I am saying that, regarding the Yellow Flower distribution, I will pursue it relentlessly and completely destroy everything, including your trading company.”

“Huh, huh… Lord Soul Whisperer. Did you not receive the gift I sent?”

“I received it. I will make sure to wear the boots you sent the day I come to visit you.”

Both the Dark Spiritualist and Stella praised the boots for their excellent quality. They fit me perfectly, and the comfort was outstanding.

“You received them and still say that?”

You took my bribe, didn’t you?

Are you okay with that?

Are you ready to die with me?

I gave a slight smile in response to the questions hidden in his words.

“Of course.”

“…”

“Struggle hard. After seeing the dance of drug addicts, ordinary dances no longer excite me.”

My provocations were now landing perfectly. Assuming I’d be more favorable towards him just because I accepted his bribe, Victor had already lost control from the start, causing the situation to slip away from him.

“There are many nobles and religious figures connected to the Wellington Trading Company. We also support some places through donations.”

“They are all just old excuses.”

“It means we have numerous allies. Even if your position is solid, once our trading company decides to fight back, we can still cause you serious problems.”

“Anything else?”

“…We are the ones who have a direct contract with the royal family. Revealing my dirt could be seen as proving the incompetence of the royal family.”

“Interesting.”

If I attacked them, they would do anything to drag me down.

Upon hearing that, I asked him nonchalantly.

“But will you be okay?”

“…What?”

I was genuinely curious.

“I do not think you will have time for this. My steps are heavier than expected. If you want to scream, you should start preparing now.”

“Do you truly… Do you truly need to see our blood for this to end?”

As he bit his lip, glaring at me with hatred, I gave him a faint smile.

“No.”

In order to avoid any misunderstanding, I declared clearly.

“It will only end when you all become corpses.”

***

https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken