SIDE 3
As the sun set, casting a faint crimson glow in the western sky, Luciana burst into Rath’s room.
“Lord Rath, there’s a strong magical presence at Kahn’s mansion. It seems a ritual is taking place…”
“What do you mean? Why start a ritual now? Was there any sign of this beforehand?”
Rath demanded sternly.
“I don’t know. But it’s certain that a high-level magical ritual is being conducted at Kahn’s mansion. The bracelet you gave Luna is reacting to strong magic. This isn’t just a training or experiment level of magic. If it’s a ritual for vampirism or, worse, the immortality of a lich, we need to stop it quickly, or it’ll be too late…”
Luciana’s usual composure was gone, replaced by urgency.
The bracelet Rath had given Luna was a magical device that alerted Luciana to strong magical presences. It could detect magic within the range of an entire city, which was more than sufficient.
“Damn it, Killian!”
Rath called out to Killian.
“Yes, sir.”
Killian, who had been waiting nearby, knelt.
“Prepare silver weapons for both of us! Bring all the holy water you can carry! We’re going to exterminate some vampires!”
“Understood.”
Killian immediately sprang into action.
“Are you planning to go with just the two of you?”
Luciana looked at Rath.
“Of course not, you’re coming too! But no one else. We don’t need unnecessary casualties. Also, bring that mirror.”
“That mirror? Are you sure you can just take it?”
“It will be mine soon enough.”
“…Understood.”
With that, Luciana left to prepare as well.
“Why now?”
Rath muttered, biting his lip hard.
Not long after, the three of them were on horseback, approaching Kahn’s mansion.
As usual, the area around the mansion was deserted. Not a soul in sight.
“What’s with all these ghouls!”
Rath shouted. Surrounding the mansion were a large number of ghouls.
The ghouls varied in appearance, old and young, male and female, all hunched over and groaning with a sense of resentment.
“They likely came from the graveyard, but this is…”
Luciana frowned. She was dressed in a black mage’s robe, her lower face covered by a veil, holding a long staff with a large gem at its tip.
“He’s not even trying to hide that he’s a necromancer anymore!”
Rath realized that the ghouls were meant to buy time and prevent them from interrupting the ritual.
“If he becomes the Lich King, nothing else will matter to him.”
Luciana said. While a vampire could still be managed, a Lich King the Undead King was a powerful creature of legend, requiring extensive preparation to defeat. In that time, Kahn would likely escape.
“We have no choice. We’ll cut through them. Killian, protect your sister.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Wait, Lord Rath. Let me handle this first…”
Luciana began chanting a spell, stopping Rath from rushing in with his sword.
The incantation, spoken in ancient words imbued with magic, was incomprehensible to Rath and Killian. But the gem on Luciana’s staff began to glow.
When it shone brightly, Luciana aimed her staff at the ghouls and unleashed the spell.
A crimson flame erupted from the staff, engulfing the ghouls surrounding the mansion.
“Hey, that flame won’t burn down the mansion, will it?”
Rath asked, looking a bit worried.
“If it could, things would be much simpler…”
Luciana smiled with her eyes.
“We have to save Luna, and such flames can’t break through the mansion’s protective barriers.”
“Perfect. Let’s go!”
With the ghouls writhing in agony from the flames, Rath, Killian, and Luciana entered the mansion grounds.
As the three passed through the gate, the mansion doors opened, revealing three skeletons.
They each held scythes as tall as spears.
“Damn, Grim Reapers. These aren’t just skeletons. They’re high-level undead. Kahn must be a very skilled necromancer.”
Luciana warned.
“They’re just skeletons!”
Rath charged at one of the Grim Reapers with his sword.
Killian prepared to support Rath by watching the other two.
Luciana began chanting another spell.
“Ha!”
Rath slashed horizontally at the Grim Reaper, but the skeleton easily blocked it with the shaft of its scythe.
Anticipating this, Rath immediately switched to a diagonal slash.
The Grim Reaper lifted its scythe to block the strike aimed at its shoulder, but Rath then targeted the raised arms.
With a deft motion, he severed both of the Grim Reaper’s hands at the wrists.
“Well done!”
Killian, who was engaging another Grim Reaper, shouted in approval. The third was being held back by Luciana’s magic.
The disarmed skeleton stared at its lost limbs, seemingly confused.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Rath decapitated the skeleton.
After quickly assessing the situation, Rath severed the leg of the Grim Reaper fighting Killian.
Then, he turned his attention to the one Luciana was dealing with.
Killian carefully finished off the Grim Reaper that had lost its leg.
The one held back by Luciana’s magic couldn’t react in time to Rath’s attack and was cut in half at the torso.
Luciana quickly approached the upper half and crushed the skull with her heel.
“Grim Reapers can revive as long as their skulls remain intact, so make sure to crush them.”
Luciana said cheerfully.
“…Understood.”
Rath and Killian followed her instructions and crushed the skulls with their swords,
(Why did she use her heel? She could have used her staff.)
they wondered.
The three entered the mansion, which was eerily quiet.
The interior, thanks to Luna’s diligent cleaning, was unexpectedly clean and orderly, despite the dark ritual supposedly taking place.
“Where is it?”
Rath asked Luciana.
“Downstairs. I sense the magic below.”
“Where are the stairs?”
“Probably in Kahn’s room. Ritual sites are highly private for a mage.”
They searched the rooms one by one.
The dining room, library, parlor, and guest rooms were all tidy.
(Impressive.)
Despite the situation, Rath was impressed by Luna’s work.
Luna was the only one who did the chores in Kahn’s mansion. Keeping such a large place clean alone was no small feat.
Finally, they found a room that seemed to be Kahn’s private quarters at the far end of the first floor.
This room was cluttered with books and mysterious objects.
Luna was probably forbidden from cleaning this room by Kahn.
“Is this it?”
Rath looked around but saw no visible stairs.
“Usually, there’s a hidden staircase behind a bookshelf, triggered by the mage’s magic…”
Before Luciana finished speaking, Rath slashed the bookshelf.
It collapsed, revealing the hidden staircase.
“Hurry!”
Rath kicked the debris aside and dashed down the stairs without hesitation.
Killian and Luciana hurriedly followed.
At the bottom of the stairs, darkness awaited, with no light in sight.
TLNOTE : While waiting, I implore you dear readers to read other masterpiece novels that also written by the same author :
- When the Monster Meat I Ate Led Me to the Throne (LN)
- Who killed the Hero?
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
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There are several repetitions in this chapter , i think everything is repeated 3 times 😀
fixed, thanks
Really? It seems like nothing was changed, well it is alright as long as nothing is missing!
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