“I-It’s an attack! Undead monsters are overflowing from the national cemetery and launching large-scale assaults on the houses of the royal capital! They are expected to reach here soon!”
“…..Undead monsters?”
Astrid furrowed her brow at the soldier’s words. She had anticipated bad news, but the content was unexpected.
Indeed, the content was unexpected. The royal capital, Horus, and even the cemetery of the grand city were protected by temple barriers without exception.
This was a measure taken to prevent disturbances caused by necromancy.
Especially in the case of the national cemetery, a barrier had been created by the Temple of God’s Law, mobilizing over a hundred priests. It would require over a hundred necromancers to break through it.
As Astrid pondered this, another voice called out from elsewhere.
“Has it been confirmed that they are truly undead?” Pascal Dragnote, Astrid’s father, who had been shedding tears until recently, now wore a grave expression as he addressed the soldier.
“Yes! I heard it from an old man who escaped from the cemetery, and I witnessed it with my own eyes! The main street is already swarming with the undead!” The soldier urgently replied.
“How many undead are there?” Pascal inquired.
“Not just a hundred or two hundred. There were at least a thousand! And if there are even more undead beyond the main street, the total number would be even higher!” The soldier reported.
“Good job on the report. Return to your post immediately and inform everyone to defend the gate. We will join them as well,” Pascal commanded.
“Understood!” The soldier nodded and quickly departed.
At this moment, everyone in the Duke’s household suppressed the joy in their hearts and followed the Duke’s orders.
Duke Dragnote decided to leave the mansion with his family. He believed it was necessary to assess the situation outside first.
As they stepped out of the mansion, they immediately realized that things were far from easy.
Goosebumps appeared on Duke Dragnote’s skin. Chills ran down his spine, and an unpleasant odor filled the air. Despite it being summer, the cold air emanating from the ground made it feel like winter had returned.
Astrid furrowed her brow and addressed her father. “Father, what is this…?”
“It’s a chilling and sinister magical power. And this scent of death. It appears that the enemy is indeed a necromancer,” Duke Dragnote explained, his expression grave. He sensed that someone who could control the dead and emit such a strong presence was far from ordinary. This conviction stiffened the Duke’s face.
At that moment, a voice called out to them from the direction of the mansion.
“Father! Nee-sama!” Claudia’s voice rang out.
“Clau!” Astrid exclaimed, surprised. As her words implied, there stood her younger sister, who had been confined to her room.
Astrid briefly wondered why her younger sister had come here, but then shook her head. It wasn’t surprising considering Claudia’s personality.
“Clau, you—”
“I don’t want to be told to stay inside the house! Father needs to go to the royal palace immediately, and even Nee-sama may have to go out to protect the city. In that case, my job is to protect this house, right?” Claudia declared.
Apparently, she had overheard much of what the mansion’s servants were discussing. Claudia was already aware of the situation. Astrid also noticed that Claudia had a sword at her waist.
Claudia’s point was valid. Duke Dragnote had his responsibilities as the Prime Minister, and Astrid as the vice-captain of the Dragon Knights.
Father and elder daughter exchanged a glance, finding the same answer reflected in each other’s eyes. They sighed simultaneously.
Thus, when the Dragnote family reached the outer gate, the commotion had already reached their ears.
The screams of people echoed in the wind, mingling with the roars of the undead. Fires had already broken out, casting a red glow that illuminated the night sky in various places.
Fortunately, the scale of the fires did not seem to be large yet. However, since the fire extinguishing teams were unable to stay due to the presence of the undead, if the sparks spread with the night breeze, the fire could consume the royal capital.
“We must quickly eliminate the roaming undead in the city and extinguish the fires. Additionally, we need to investigate the national cemetery. If the source of the undead is truly there, it is highly likely that the culprits are also there. I will send soldiers there as well,” Duke Dragnote stated.
Upon hearing the Duke’s words, Astrid voiced her agreement. “Yes. But our house’s soldiers alone won’t be enough. Father, go to the royal palace on a dragon and seek permission from His Majesty to dispatch the royal guards. Meanwhile, I will go to the cemetery with my dragon and determine the enemy’s position.”
“I understand. Be cautious. This is a large-scale operation. There must be more than one or two enemies,” Duke Dragnote cautioned.
“I know. Clau, while I’m away, protect the house, alright?” Astrid requested.
“Yes!” Claudia nodded in response.
Just as Claudia affirmed her older sister’s words, an unexpected laughter echoed, startling everyone present.
“Hihihihi! That voice, that appearance. Well, well… You have truly recovered,” the laughter came from an old man leaning against the wall of the Duke’s house, holding a biwa.
As they turned their attention to the source of the laughter, they saw an elderly man joyously laughing amidst the dire situation. Duke Dragnote furrowed his brow upon seeing him.
On the other hand, the sisters recognized the face of the old man and appeared surprised. Claudia couldn’t help but ask a question.
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“U-Uncle? Why are you here?”
“…Clau, who is that person?” Duke Dragnote inquired.
Claudia quickly answered her father’s question. “Um, he is someone who plays songs for the deceased in the national cemetery.”
“In the cemetery? Hm, could he be the old man who fled from the cemetery that was mentioned earlier?”
“Hihi, correct. Well, to be precise, I wasn’t fleeing; I was attacking. You assumed that I escaped and neglected your own home, Pascal Jim Dragnote,” the old man said, strumming his biwa. In that moment, Duke Dragnote heard a strange sound that made him involuntarily furrow his brow.
It was the soldiers of the Dragnote House who were angered by the disrespect shown to Duke Dragnote.
Their expressions changed as they surrounded the old man, but the old man did not seem to see the soldiers as a threat and did not change his behaviour.
Seeing the old man, Astrid unconsciously reached for the sword at her waist.
“Attack…? Attack? Does that mean you started an attack, old man?” Astrid asked.
“That’s right, Astrid Dragnote. Music is used to calm the God of Destruction, and it is my job to purify and cleanse the evil spirits that harm others. It is also my job to drive the calm god mad and to curse the dead who sleep in silence. The undead that have overrun the royal capital are all my doing.
Hearing this, Duke Dragnote spoke sharply to the old man.
“Nonsense. No matter how skilled you are, it is impossible to break through the graveyard barrier alone. Old man, as a wandering musician, you sometimes utter indescribable words to attract attention. I know, but there is a time and a place for that. Your ramblings now could be your ticket to prison”.
“Hihihi! The barrier, the barrier, huh? It indeed possessed strong magical power, but it’s merely something created by the continent’s users. No matter how many dozens or hundreds of individuals with levels ’20’ or ’30’ are gathered, they can’t hinder my techniques! My level is ’73’!”
“…Have you lost your mind?”
“Hihihihihihihihi! Is the ‘thunder’ Pascal Jim Dragnote, who prides himself on his hearing, also narrow-minded? You fail to realize that there is someone formidable right in front of your eyes. If a man of this caliber is considered the strongest, then the Kingdom of Canaria is sorely lacking!”
The ones infuriated by these words were not the individuals themselves, but those surrounding them.
As expected, they didn’t attempt to strike down the old man who resembled a withered tree, but some soldiers couldn’t contain their composure and wanted to at least land a blow.
In response, the old man twisted his lips and raised the biwa.
Immediately after…
“Gahhhhh!?”
The soldiers screamed, covered their ears, and instantly collapsed to the ground. With two or three more strokes of the biwa, the soldiers’ bodies convulsed and trembled, despite their efforts to shield their ears. After a moment, a reddish liquid trickled from their ears.
Witnessing this, Duke Dragnote and Astrid, who viewed the old man as an enemy, acted simultaneously.
Astrid had a level of ’37,’ and Duke Dragnote had a level of ’49.’
However, their attacks were effortlessly repelled by a black barrier that seemed to protect the old man.
An astonished voice escaped the mouths of the Dragnote father and daughter.
“What…? ‘Grand Fortress’!? It’s eighth-grade magic!”
“And with an enhanced incantation too…”
“Hihihi, didn’t I tell you? Standing before you is someone formidable who surpasses you. Even if you bring forth your proud dragons, they won’t even scratch me.”
The old man declared, then began to play the biwa with a wild intensity, as if he intended to tear the strings apart.
He spoke softly to everyone, as if attempting to rectify the chaotic performance.
“This is a requiem dedicated to all of you. Consider it my gift. I hope you can enjoy it.”
Magical power surged with each passing second. An overwhelming presence expanded with every moment.
Unable to harm him, Astrid and the others gritted their teeth and endured the pressure from the old man as his voice resonated in their ears.
“Soul Equipment… Scream and cry, Shitsukagozen.”
TLNote : After finishing Volume 2, I might pause translating this novel. BUT! If “Revenge of Soul Eater” wins the poll, I’ll continue with Volume 3. Your votes will decide. Thanks for your support!
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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