◆ Avangarde Royal Capital, Central Avenue ◆
The King of Avangarde has died. It seems he passed away shortly after the fall of Satanakia, leading some to say it was as if he waited to confirm the safety of the kingdom before departing. Even while bedridden, he continued to work, refusing to stop despite anyone’s pleas.
Now, an unprecedented crowd has gathered on Central Avenue, watching as the coffin containing the King is brought forth. The sounds of muffled sobs and people breaking down into tears fill the air. Everyone mourns the King’s death. Among the procession carrying the coffin are Kirkton and Ritta, though they appear to show no signs of sorrow. The long line includes many dignitaries, but the King’s family is notably absent. Only the kings of Kashiram and Normitz attend as representatives of allied nations; the rest are strangers to me.
“I heard the King has been alone ever since the Queen passed away… No children, no heirs. What will happen now…?”
“Isn’t there talk of turning it into a republic?”
“It seemed impossible while the King was alive, but who knows what will happen now… Anyway, this isn’t the time for chit-chat. We have work to do.”
Since only important figures are allowed inside the castle, we wait outside. Our job is to apprehend anyone who might cause trouble during this state funeral.
“Your Majesty! Just once, let me see your face!”
“That’s not allowed. Please step back.”
“What the hell is this brat? I won’t…!”
“Step back, please.”
“Wait, is that the Flash Strike Girl?! Eek!”
Stopping excited individuals from approaching the coffin is part of our duty. Although soldiers are on guard, they alone aren’t enough. This is probably the most mundane job I’ve ever had, but we’re here primarily to prevent groups like the Comet Wolf Brigade from causing chaos. Their leader may be dead, but remnants are forming new factions, and local security forces are struggling to keep up.
I ponder for a moment. We’ve defeated various foes, including the Demon Lord Army, Noibranz, and the Comet Wolf Brigade. Even after defeating Satanakia, peace remains elusive. It’s clear that simply defeating a boss doesn’t end the conflict. Even without their leader, the unyielding subordinates continue to wreak havoc. Defeating one only leads to another rising in its place. I wonder, how long must we keep fighting?
“The King was incredibly popular, wasn’t he…?”
“Just look at the prosperity of the Royal Capital; it shows how capable he was. Even after the attacks from the Demon Lord Army and the Comet Wolf Brigade, the recovery was swift. In hindsight, the support from the Kingdom of Metallica played a significant role…”
“There was a time he tried to keep us here, but perhaps that was out of concern for the nation. If that’s the case, I might have done something wrong.”
As Tiferia passes by in the procession, I catch a glimpse of her profile. Normally, she would smile and wave, but today, she walks with a weary expression, devoid of emotion. With her leading the way, I thought no one would dare act out, yet there are still those who lose their composure. Still, there’s no need to turn pale as if facing imminent death upon seeing someone.
“Are we moving to the royal tomb next? We’ll follow, right?”
“Of course. In fact, we should be on guard for potential attacks there.”
“To think there are still groups like the Comet Wolf Brigade out there… They should just give up already.”
The Demon Lord Army isn’t just the Comet Wolf Brigade. Even the president of the Matere Trading Company engages in wrongdoing with a clear agenda. If that belief is akin to what I feel for Kurinka, then I understand. To me, Kurinka is everything and incredibly important. Even so, I can’t fathom wanting to find happiness at the expense of others’ suffering.
◆ East of Avangarde Royal Capital, Royal Tomb ◆
The tomb lies underground, where the kings of the Avangarde lineage are interred. Perhaps due to the presence of the tomb keeper, the place is remarkably clean, both inside and out. The underground is well-lit and surprisingly free of mustiness—unlike the Abyss Cave, which was dreadful.
“When Vandalsia was resurrected, many places were ravaged, but it seems this tomb remained untouched. Perhaps even the King of Destruction spared the resting place of his descendants…?”
“Who knows… Given his nature, he might have left it alone simply because no one would mourn its destruction.”
“That could be true…”
Only royalty and a select few are allowed entry from this point on, but we have been granted permission. The dignitaries insisted on ensuring the state funeral concludes properly. The royal family’s dedicated Exorcist is managing the body to prevent it from becoming undead, making this the safest tomb on the continent.
“Inside that coffin lies the King of Avangarde, doesn’t it?”
“They say the royal family intentionally avoids cremation. It’s to leave behind a physical testament of their existence as royalty, even in death…”
“Impressive as always, Kurinka. But leaving a body behind feels unsettling.”
“If it weren’t for the two of you, it would be considered disrespectful. Keep your chatter to a minimum.”
Kirkton gently admonishes us, though he looks utterly exhausted. After being freed from Vandalsia’s grasp, he has been working tirelessly without rest. As he said, no one dares to interfere with us out of fear of our strength. I couldn’t feel happy when Ritta informed me that even if they wanted to execute us, there were no methods available, leading to a sort of tacit approval. Still, that doesn’t mean we can act recklessly. I need to reflect on this.
“I’m sorry. Are we placing the King there?”
“Yes, next to His Majesty’s father.”
The King’s face, resting peacefully in the coffin, is surprisingly serene. Another coffin joins the many already lined up, a testament to the long history of the Kingdom of Avangarde. Vandalsia should have been laid to rest here as well. The first King of Avangarde, resurrected, and yet he caused so much chaos. Even after defeating him, I feel a surge of anger.
“Now, we shall commence the Soul Ritual.”
The Exorcist places two small bottles filled with water or something similar before the coffin and begins to chant. The Soul Ritual is a ceremony to prevent the body from becoming undead. As I listen to the arcane incantations, I gaze around the underground tomb. Humans eventually die. I wonder how long I can stay with Kurinka. Being in a place like this makes me acutely aware of death. It’s not the fear of dying that troubles me, but the uncertainty of what happens afterward.
The Soul Ritual also signifies the return of the soul to its rightful place, but what kind of place is that?
“I wonder where the King’s soul has gone.”
“To the Underworld; all souls return there.”
“Oh… I think I’ve heard something about the Underworld before.”
“The Celestial Realm, the Demon Realm, the Human Realm, and the Underworld. Each is a different world, and it’s said that only the elven woman, Meria, can open the door to it.”
“Meria… Wait, that’s strange. What was the name of that soldier over there?”
“I don’t know; I don’t care about the name of someone like that.”
The soldier who was supposed to be guarding us sways unsteadily and turns toward us. This is bad.
“…Juo? When did that soldier die?”
“You’re mistaken; that’s not Juo.”
“Oh, the Marionetter from that time…”
Marionetter Nentro. One of the Twelve Demon Generals, I thought we had defeated him in the Freezing Nation, but that wasn’t his true form. He possesses the skill to manipulate many with the Marionette Chain. Even within the Demon Lord Army, no one has seen his true appearance, as Shin mentioned, so it’s no wonder we fell for his trick. The question now is when he activated his skill to control them. This can only be attributed to Nentro’s high level of skill.
“W-What?! The body… This is absurd! The Soul Ritual should have succeeded without a hitch… Why is it becoming undead?!”
Now the Exorcist is in a panic. The coffin shakes violently, and the lid flies off. Standing before the startled Exorcist is the King himself. If he stands up when he should be dead, it means he has indeed become undead, just as the Exorcist feared.
“Protect the ministers!”
“Yes, sir!”
【The Living King has appeared! HP: 600】
Kirkton quickly orders the soldiers to shield the dignitaries. With Tiferia present, it should be unlikely for anything too disastrous to happen.
“Nentro, Juo is here too, right?”
“Of course, I’m here. Just as you wished.”
The lid of a distant coffin bursts open, revealing Juo. His small frame draped in a black robe remains unchanged since the first time we met. But that is likely the corpse that was inside the coffin. Juo possesses the skill to disguise himself using a corpse as a decoy. He escaped during the Combat Tournament using that very trick.
The Marionette Chain is a troublesome skill that even Rainis, an S-rank, couldn’t trace back to its source. It doesn’t bother me much, but if it keeps drawing attention from others, that would be a real headache.
“What kind of outrage is this in the royal tomb…!”
“If you didn’t want to be meddled with, you shouldn’t have left the corpse lying around for such ridiculous reasons. If you had just burned it properly, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“You scoundrel!”
“Wait, Kirkton.”
As I explained Juo’s skill, Kirkton placed a hand on his chest to steady his excitement. Yes, the more angry he gets, the more he plays right into Juo’s hands.
“To defy the Soul Ritual and turn it into an Undead… The rumored Necromancer is quite the master!”
“Ah, the Exorcist. The class that stands in opposition to Necromancers, and one I absolutely despise. Even though both of us manipulate the dead, for some reason, only Necromancers are ostracized from the magical community. You’re decent enough, being part of the royal family, but unfortunately, I’m still superior.”
Juo raised one hand, attempting to do something to the Exorcist. I quickly stepped in front of him to shield Juo. He frowned in annoyance, but soon returned to his mocking demeanor.
“You really are an annoying pest. If it weren’t for you, Kurinka would have been mine by now.”
“If you’re frustrated, why not try defeating me?”
“Haha, your taunts have sharpened. Well, I didn’t come here to defeat you. I merely came to deliver a warning.”
“A warning, you say?”
“The Holy Nation of Uzei is about to take serious action. But don’t even think about trying to take down Madias.”
He was spouting nonsense again. I was getting fed up, and perhaps it was time to make him disappear. If I touched that corpse, I could destroy Juo’s skill and break its hold.
“If you defeat Madias, many will grieve. Madias is needed by many. So, even if Madias does something in the future, you won’t be able to lay a hand on him.”
“If Madias causes trouble, I’ll reconsider.”
“One last thing… You have no allies left.”
Before I could respond, Juo seemed to release the skill himself, freeing the corpse he had been controlling. The mummified, emaciated body crumbled and fell apart. In the now silent Basement, Kirkton finally seemed to regain his composure and rushed toward the remains.
“Ugh… What have you done…!”
“I’ll fix the corpse for you…”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been relying on you for everything…”
“It’s nothing, really…”
“I’m going to disappear now. Unlike Juo, I won’t show any mercy, you know?”
The soldier that Nentro had been controlling was also released, collapsing to the ground. What remained was the aftermath of an intrusion into a state funeral that had been heavily guarded. Juo and Nentro’s skills could infiltrate anywhere. Among the Twelve Demon Generals, they weren’t the most formidable, but they were the ones most likely to deal us a significant blow.
And that last remark about showing no mercy? It meant they hadn’t forgotten their thirst for revenge. Was it directed at the kingdom that cornered them, or was it aimed at us?
“I’ve restored the king over there as well. He deserves to rest at least until he died.”
The king, now turned into an Undead by Juo, lay peacefully in his coffin once more. The events that had just transpired seemed to have shocked not only Kirkton but also the king’s aides and ministers. Some stood frozen in disbelief, while others trembled in fear. They couldn’t bear the terror of those who slipped in through the cracks.
“This is… no small matter. We must urgently have that person ascend to the throne.”
“Yes, let’s hurry.”
The king has no children, so I wonder if there’s a successor. I can’t shake this feeling of unease. Perhaps it’s a premonition from my past experiences, but it feels like something significant is about to happen. With Juo’s warning, I might be facing a great trial ahead—one that could be the biggest and final challenge of all.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Juo, Nentro, and Shin cannot bring themselves to hate these guys. They were once followers who believed in the Demon Lord. They were part of the same Demon Army as Shin. Rua and Kurinka are eager to defeat them, but if possible, I hope they can be freed from their hatred. They were victims once too. At this point, I must rely on the Demon Lord and Batram. I wonder if there’s any way to negotiate with them. It’s frustrating, but Shin can’t even begin to talk to them.