Chapter 204: Eve (1)
“He was an Undead from the beginning?”
“If he didn't die even after killing a guy whose specialty is Necromancy, it is a possibility we have to consider.”
I continued speaking immediately.
“I have heard rumors. Among those who have mastered Necromancy, there are those who even turn themselves into Undead.”
Before dying helplessly without being able to do anything, they rather die first and become a body that does not die.
“What kind of crazy talk is that?”
Right.
She must think, what kind of insane talk is this.
But honestly speaking, would a sane person master something like Necromancy that handles corpses?
“If the Stras the Kapers caught back then was something like a puppet, surely someone would have noticed.”
However, including Toric, no one noticed.
“Because whether it is a clone, a doll, or a shapeshifter under suggestion, there are things that are bound to be different if it is not the person himself in the end. Furthermore, if it were the Kapers' observation skills, they would have been able to notice it sufficiently.”
Because it was the person himself.
“On the other hand, an Undead, for example, a vampire is also an Undead, right? But outwardly they look like they are living just normally. Well, although that is a story for when they are not receiving sunlight.”
In addition to that, although they do have ‘corpse-like’ aspects in that they are generally very pale without blood color, anyway, if one thinks about the existences that ordinary people think of when they hear corpse── like zombies or mummies, it can be said that they look sufficiently like a person who is perfectly alive.
“…Certainly.”
At that time, Toric, who was listening to my story with his arms crossed, nodded his head and agreed.
“Your words also have a point.”
It was not as if there were no outstanding mages among the Kapers who could see through the fact that Stras was a fake in some form.
However, there are almost no masters of Necromancy.
Not only in Kapers, but in this world in the first place.
As I said earlier, mastering Necromancy requires quite… a talent.
A talent of really feeling no hesitation in handling corpses that were once living beings.
Therefore, practically, there was no one who could have noticed the fact that Stras, who is a master likely to be counted within at least three fingers when it comes to Necromancy in this world, had already become Undead.
“…Then what, he won’t die even if we kill him?”
“Normally. That is.”
As already proven, an Undead does not die just by having its head cut off.
“Speaking of Stout, do you remember when we conquered the tomb together?”
“…Could I forget that?”
At my question, Ibi retorted immediately with a hollow chuckle.
Then, perhaps recalling the humiliation (?) she suffered at that time, she started to glare at me sharply.
Honestly, since I also didn't really have anything to say about Ibi's treatment (?) back then, I avoided that gaze slightly and continued speaking.
“Back then, the drunkard focused on attacking the ‘Core’. This time is the same. No matter how much we cut off the guy's head or burn him completely to turn him into a pile of ashes, eventually, unless we eliminate the Core── the ‘Heart’ that makes the guy move, he will continue to revive.”
When we killed the mob Undead, the fact that they ‘died’ perfectly was, actually, if one had to be precise, only that they looked like they died.
To take the Undead like skeletons we encountered in the tomb back then as an example, those guys were existences that moved by the mana floating in the place called the tomb.
Because of that, if mana is supplied continuously, they will revive someday.
However, moving is one thing, but since reconstructing a completely shattered body to ‘bring it back to life’ requires much more mana, in other words, a long time, they just remain in a state of being ‘dead (seemingly)’.
On the other hand, boss-level Undead like the drunkard were only able to move if there was a medium that could act as an engine from the start.
This was the same for Stras too.
So if we destroy that ‘Heart’ which is the engine, we can properly kill the guy who didn't die even when his head was cut off.
The problem is,
“It is too obvious, but the guy wouldn't carry his only weakness around with him.”
In the case of the drunkard, since it wasn't a case where he became Undead by himself in the first place, he carried the ‘Heart’ around continuously, but Stras had no reason to do so.
“Does that mean we have to find it?”
“Right.”
Then the core question would be, where on earth did he hide it?
“A place like… a secret safe?”
“…Then what if he hid it somewhere f*cking far away? Doesn't that mean we have to go find that first?”
“Would we have… the leeway for that?”
“We don't.”
The Allied Forces of the wall and the Demon King's Army have both already started moving.
Therefore, the right time to invade the 「Demon King's Castle」 was now, and only now.
There is no second chance.
“Then…”
“Don't worry. The ‘Heart’ will surely be there, in the 「Demon King's Castle」.”
“How are you certain?”
Because I saw it myself.
I couldn't explain it like that, could I?
And there was no need to.
“He wouldn't have put his only weakness in a place out of his hands. The risk is too big.”
For example, let's say he buried it in a remote dungeon somewhere on the continent.
It would surely be safe until it is discovered.
However, what if it is discovered?
No matter how tightly he hid it in a place no one could find, the risk when it is really found by one in a million chance is too great.
No matter how many traps he lays or troops he deploys, eventually, it is a difficult matter to deal with as long as he himself is not there.
“Naturally, he doesn't carry it around, but since it is his only weakness, he would naturally want to keep it under his management. So that he can deal with it at any time.”
It means he puts it in a place ‘visible to the eye’, as is commonly said.
Only then would there be no incident of his weakness being exposed and stolen without his knowledge.
“…I am of the same opinion as Bin. If it is that guy, he wouldn't want to leave such a variable.”
Toric also nodded his head and showed an appearance of being convinced.
“Speaking frankly, there is no ‘Dungeon’ in this world as hard to conquer as the 「Demon King's Castle」, right? There is no place where he can protect his weakness from enemies as safely as that place.”
“Certainly…”
“And, didn't I say earlier? That Stras is almost always ‘shut up in the Torture Room’.”
“──Ah.”
It seemed everyone noticed by now.
Yes.
“It is the Torture Room.”
In that place, the guy's ‘Heart’ is there.
It's not because the guy is a perverted bastard who loves torture too much…
No, well, actually that is also correct, but.
“Because there is a decisive reason why he cannot leave that place. Isn't that it?”
Of course, knowing the location of the ‘Heart’ and whether we can find it easily is another story, but.
“The problem is whether the guy would meekly hand over his heart.”
Decisively, unless the guy leaves there, we have no choice but to be interfered with by the guy.
Who commands an Undead Legion that does not die no matter how much we kill them, just like him.
“…Then what, doesn't it mean we just have to wipe them all out once and then take it?”
One might think so.
Actually, it is also one of the methods.
“That could be possible. If we had enough time and leeway.”
But that place is the 「Demon King's Castle」.
Not only is the Undead Legion he commands not our only enemy, but even after catching the guy, we have to deal with an existence much trickier than him.
Called the ‘Demon King’.
Therefore, we had absolutely no time or leeway to engage in a war of attrition by fighting the Undead Legion head-on.
“……It seems like bait.”
Even if I hadn't brought it up, the veteran Toric had already realized this fact.
“Will be necessary.”
“Yeah. I have the same thought.”
In the end, the best method was for someone to secure the ‘Heart’ secretly while someone else dealt with Stras and attracted the guy's attention.
“I understand. I will do it.”
At this, Toric spoke calmly without a shred of hesitation.
“I will deal with the guy. In the meantime, you guys find the guy's heart.”
Saying that it was the work he had to do.
***
Since the operation meeting (?) was over, it was now time to really take a ‘Rest’.
However… as expected, sleep wouldn't come easily.
We were facing the ‘last battle’ for real now.
Even though I pretended to be calm as usual in front of my colleagues, I am also a person.
Naturally, I was nervous.
Knowing the ‘Strategy’ and actually executing it are different things.
Furthermore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that not only my life but practically the fate of this world depended on this battle.
Without a bit of exaggeration, that is.
“…Have we really come this far?”
Of course, it wasn't simply because I was nervous.
At first, anyway, there was work to be done.
And since it would be the end for me and this world if I didn't do it, I did it whatever it was for now.
But really, now the ‘end’ has started to become visible.
Even if that end is either way.
So well… it means I'm feeling various complicated emotions, in a word.
So, to clear my head for a moment, I quietly left the room so as not to wake the other colleagues who barely fallen asleep and was walking alone near the castle.
“…Hey.”
But, it seemed I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.
“Why, can you not sleep either?”
I let out a chuckle deliberately, and turned my back toward the back where the voice came from.
“Do you want me to sing a lullaby?”
As I pretended to be calm as usual again and showed a cunning smile like that.
“Ah, f*ck off.”
Ibi, who was leaning against the wall, waved her hand in disgust just like usual.
“Or what, are you planning to take a walk together intimately?”
“I came to see because you suddenly went out in the middle of the night, wondering if you got bewitched by something weird again, you bastard.”
“So that means you were worried about me? Wow, I am moved.”
“……Well.”
“Huh?”
“Can’t I, well, worry?”
“Uh…”
While I was slightly flustered as a rather honest (?) reaction returned… different from expectation at the timing when ‘Ibi-language’ would have normally returned, Ibi scoffed as if she was dumbfounded and shook her head.
“F*ck…”
Then, she seemed to mutter a curse alone suddenly.
“…Rather than that.”
Soon she took her back off the wall she was leaning on.
“…Since the situation wasn't the atmosphere for it, I let it pass, but, f*ck, so what on earth was that?”
“Eh? That?”
“…You know what I'm saying, you trash bastard.”
Just as I was about to retort, I really don't know?
Seeing the color of her face that was clearly visible even in this late night, I could immediately notice what ‘that’ was.
“Ah…”
So…
“That… you mean what I did with Lily, right?”
If Ibi, who usually just spits out most words immediately without a filter, is showing a reaction of… commonly called being shy, finding it hard to even spit it out while hesitating like that, surely it would be nothing but that.
As expected, perhaps it was the correct answer, Ibi clicked her tongue briefly and let out a sigh soon.
“Well, judging by the circumstances, I know you did it to awaken that kid's power. Actually, she used that barrier or whatever after that too.”
“…It seems you understood well, is there a need to explain more?”
“…Isn't that why I am asking?”
However, although I understood what she was asking, only ‘why’ she was asking… I still couldn't know.
“…So, was that all?”
“What?”
“Really, was that all.”
“What do you mean…”
So for now, I tried playing innocent as usual.
“Ah, by any chance, are you jealous right now?”
“……If I am.”
It was, of little use though.
“So what.”
“……Hu, huh?”
“If I am jealous, what are you going to do about it.”