Published: August 15, 2025
Today, three chapters are posted simultaneously.
This is the third chapter.
The source of the piercing screams was near the central tower. Although it was some distance away and the surroundings were growing dim, it was immediately obvious because undead were fleeing in panic there, creating a no-man’s land.
There, unlike the majority wearing ragged, tattered clothes, stood a small group of undead clad in old but splendid equipment. Probably a dozen or so, but no more than twenty. They were almost entirely one-sided, driving the other undead away with metal rods or whips they held in their hands.
“Are those the so-called ‘guards’?”
“Yes, remnants of former staff members.”
Though they were a tiny minority overall, their status and personality from their living days still seemed to influence them. They were aggressive and relentlessly tormenting the prisoner undead. The prisoner undead showed some will to resist, but overall they seemed to be fleeing, perhaps influenced by their past lives.
Despite overwhelming numbers, they were being beaten and pushed back one-sidedly. This was probably due to differences in equipment as well as their former positions in life...
“The guards move more smoothly than the other undead.”
“I think they’re ghouls or skeleton warriors inside.”
Ghouls are an advanced type of zombie, and skeleton warriors are an advanced type of skeleton. Ghouls have bodies closer to human corpses and have improved athletic ability compared to zombies. Skeleton warriors move more like humans and handle weapons, making them more dangerous.
Moreover, unlike other undead, they seemed to be surrounded by a black mist. Even from a distance, they gave off a strong feeling of repulsion, something more unpleasant than other undead. That must be the miasma I’d heard about, thick enough to be visible.
Miss Remily, who confirmed they were advanced types, had a dark expression that seemed to affirm this suspicion.
“Are they really that troublesome?”
“Not just troublesome, more like a pain... The miasma itself is like poison, so it’s dangerous to get too close. Light magic is also neutralized, reducing its effectiveness, which makes things even more troublesome. In terms of combat ability, they’re not much different from normal advanced types. They’re somewhat more aggressive, but their movement only improved from subhuman to human level, so for us it’s just a minor difference.”
“We knew they’d almost certainly be here. That doesn’t change what we have to do. We’d better just take them down quickly.”
Since those guards appeared, the other undead became restless, making it impossible to relax and eat. As long as they’re around, we can’t expect the magic to work as before. Just as Mr. Seaver said, it’s better to take them down quickly.
Right after thinking that, a new question popped up. Would my magic even work on those guards?
“I’ll try it once.”
I asked permission and added more ingredients to the container. The fire blazed up anew with fresh fuel, and despite the heat searing my skin, I prayed and had the smoke slime deliver the smoke. I sensed they didn’t want to come too close, so I didn’t push it and stayed as close as possible.
The dispersed smoke converged in one direction, slipping through the gathered prisoners and flowing down the stairs. The scene looked like a river current, obscuring the undead’s feet. When the tip of the smoke reached the guards, their reaction was obvious, but—
“They reacted, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect. Looks like we just angered them.”
I felt their sharp weapons turn toward us, accompanied by screams similar to before. Ignoring the prisoners they’d been focused on until moments ago, they pushed through the crowd, though it didn’t clear the way. They seemed to face some resistance, so it would still take time to reach here.
“This magic doesn’t work on all undead, does it?”
“No, I think it depends on the cause of death or the individual’s aggressiveness. This magic is basically memorial rites—it doesn’t fit the image of forcing it on others. Acceptance has to be voluntary, I guess.”