Chapter 21 《Herb》
(I)
Crazy, crazy, crazy.
Derin, an S-rank adventurer of Ermaile and a renowned archmage by the public, is fleeing with all her might. Sweat mixed with tears drips down her chin.
“Calm down, calm down, just run for now.”
Barely managing to regain her composure amidst the panic, her breath comes in ragged gasps as she runs, recalling the events of just an hour ago.
“Karseron…”
She had set out to reclaim the Teleportation Herb at the earnest request of Karseron, leading a group of adventurers.
To be honest, the outcome had been obvious from the start. There was no way that adventurers of such a mixed and mediocre caliber could ever defeat the vampire, who had instantly killed thirty S-rank adventurers with a single strike, and her monstrous butler.
Still, despite knowing this, the reason Derin followed Karseron’s plea was the gnawing guilt that consumed her more and more over time, driving her to the brink of madness.
“If only I hadn’t touched the talisman…”
If she hadn’t tampered with the talisman sealing the vampire, none of this would have happened.
If it weren’t for her cursed curiosity, Karseron wouldn’t have had to risk his life to face the vampire.
If only she hadn’t acted, she would be back now, drinking cold beer and laughing with her comrades, surrounded by the immense treasure they would have recovered.
…
She was drenched in cold sweat, her legs trembling with fear. She wanted to run away. Yet, out of sheer guilt, she forced herself to suppress the overwhelming terror, steadily heading toward the Teleportation Herb.
“You can do this! Don’t be scared!”
“Right, it’s not like it’s the progenitor vampire, just her minions. We might have a chance to win!”
“…”
Fortunately, the morale of the other adventurers was high. It was easy for them to be optimistic, having never faced the Progenitor Vampire themselves. Derin saw no reason to bring them back to reality.
After all, if they were to face the vampire butler, it was better to maintain their high spirits and positivity, even if only a little.
And so, when they were less than fifty meters away from the Teleportation Herb…
“…!!”
A dark, unseen aura full of corruption engulfed Derin’s body. It felt like an elephant’s trunk was twisting around her, dizziness sweeping over her, and her vision spun. Her stomach churned, and she vomited up everything inside her.
“Ugh! Blegh…!”
It was as if a critical screw in her body had come loose. Her blood circulation faltered, her entire body turning pale. Something was clearly disrupting her body’s rhythm.
-“Derin! Are you okay?”
-“Are you alright?”
The other adventurers accompanying her seemed unaffected.
“This is…”
Derin quickly realized what was happening.
She was an S-rank mage.
As someone who used various spells and could control mana at will, she was more sensitive to external mana than others, reacting more strongly to such disturbances.
“…It’s consuming my mana.”
As soon as this corrupted mana touched her, she could feel her own mana being devoured. This was a phenomenon she had only studied in theory back in her school days, now happening in real-time within her body.
“It surpasses my mana? But I’m an archmage!”
The mana, so dark and powerful that it overpowered her own, enveloped her entirely.
“Impossible…”
Her legs gave way beneath her. Could there truly be a creature on this earth that possessed such immense mana? This was beyond comprehension—this mana was of a scale impossible to explain through conventional magical theories. The darkness it contained made her want to vomit even by sensing just a trace of it.
Just being in contact with it made her breathing shallow, disrupting her bodily functions. Her vision flickered, showing her hallucinations, and a searing pain shot through her head.
The bloody figure of a demon flickered in front of her eyes.
“Ah…”
Derin finally understood. This was the mana intentionally being emitted by the vampire butler occupying the Teleportation Herb.
Just like animals marking their territory with scent to warn others, this vampire butler was warning anyone with S-rank or higher strength who could sense the mana:
“If you come, I’ll kill you.”
“Uh… Uh…”
Panic set in.
In the labyrinth last time, perhaps the vampire hadn’t felt the need to release such mana. But now, even before seeing the butler, Derin was being completely overwhelmed. If she were to face him, her mana would certainly go berserk, driving her mad.
For a mage, mana is as vital as blood. If her mana were to overload and explode, it would be like having one’s blood vessels burst, leading to unimaginable pain.
“Ugh…”
She had no confidence. How could she face such a monster? This was a terror beyond anything she had ever known, a fear so profound it rendered resistance futile, as though it devoured her very soul.
Her survival instinct kicked in, crushing any feelings of guilt or duty, suppressing all other emotions.
In extreme situations, overwhelming fear overrides all resolve and common sense.
“Ah… Ahhh!!”
In the end, Derin didn’t hesitate to flee.
Casting an acceleration spell on herself, she sprinted as fast as she could, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the Teleportation Herb. She could hear the cries of the adventurers behind her trying to stop her, but she ignored them, running faster and faster.
“Damn it, nothing matters, none of it matters!”
What did it matter if Ermaile fell?
What did it matter about an old friend?
Guilt? Who cared what mistakes she made?
Right now, there was nothing more important than her own life.
As long as she didn’t get involved with that vampire or the legendary monster, nothing else mattered.
“Aaaahh!”
By the time she reached the city gates, she could hear the horrifying sounds of skeleton soldiers emerging from a massive magic circle, accompanied by deafening screams.
Yes, fight against things like that if you want. But me? I can’t do it. What did it matter if people called her a coward? If she could save her life, nothing else mattered.
“North. I’ll head north.”
Yes, that’s it. She would flee as far north as possible.
She thought of a city far away from all this.
Nevirthol, a fortress city located in the northernmost part of Avilia Kingdom, known for its impregnable seven-layered walls.
There was no reason for the vampire to chase her all the way there, and even if it did, Nevirthol would stand a much better chance of defending against it.
Her terror-ridden heart found solace in this idea. With her destination in mind, Derin stole a horse from the checkpoint and fled at full speed.
“Good. It’s over now.”
The burning city of Ermaile faded from view. A pang of guilt lingered, but it didn’t matter.
…She had survived, once again.
**********
(II)
“Ahh…”
Karseron, the lord of Ermaile, stood frozen as he introduced himself, watching his once-proud territory turn into a literal hellscape. His hollow eyes reflected the chaos as skeleton soldiers clattered, weapons shattered, and agonized screams filled the air.
The once-glorious city had become a burning battlefield, where the dead outnumbered the living.
And as the victor of this nightmarish scene, hope drained from Karseron’s eyes.
“Hmm…”
On the other hand, I gazed at the scene below with a rather pleased expression.
…Considering my reputation is only vaguely recorded in ancient texts, there’s a chance people in this era may not be aware of my true power. So, this would ensure a memorable entrance, one that would leave a lasting impression on everyone.
Moreover, when you think about it, having been sealed for a thousand years, sneaking into the royal capital like a rat to commit assassinations without causing any real commotion would be petty and cowardly.
To release all the pent-up emotions over the years, razing all of Avilia to the ground wouldn’t be enough.
“…Sending an extermination squad without any proper investigation was your mistake.”
Besides, this place, ‘Ermaile,’ had sent a squad to hunt me down, effectively declaring war. I was merely giving them the retribution they deserved.
“Stand up. Lead me to the ‘Teleportation Hub.'”
I spoke to Karseron, who was still in a daze.
There was no more business for me in this city. News of the chaos I had caused would surely have reached the royal capital by now, so it was crucial to get there quickly through the hub before they could take any countermeasures.
“Aah…”
But Karseron, instead of answering, only wept. He turned to look at me, his eyes empty like a broken machine.
-“Kill me…”
“….”
He was asking me to end his life. He seemed to have lost all will to live after witnessing the burning of his territory and the death of so many of his people.
The stress and pressure of failing as a lord must have weighed heavily on his shoulders.
…He probably wanted to escape everything by dying, rather than remaining a miserable and incompetent lord. But that was his concern, not mine.
I scoffed and said to him.
“You think dying will solve everything?”
-“…?”
“What, do you expect to go to heaven or hell after you die?”
-“Th-that’s…”
“Tough luck. My specialty is necromancy.”
…As long as I was around, Karseron would never know eternal rest, even in death.
My profession, Elzerba’s profession, was ‘Necromancer Lord.’ Even if his consciousness ceased, I could just raise him as a skeletal soldier.
“If you die, I’ll simply resurrect you as a skeleton soldier.”
-“A-a-an undead…?”
“That’s right. So, choose quickly—will you stay human and guide me, or would you prefer to become a soulless skeleton and wander the earth forever?”
-“Aah…”
“…Oh, and by the way, I never promised you a painless death.”
“….”
Karseron hung his head. Shadows fell across his face as thick tears streamed down his cheeks. It was the most miserable expression a human could make.
He was likely torn between two awful choices—continuing to live as a lord who had lost everything, or becoming one of humanity’s greatest enemies, an eternal abomination.
-“…I will guide you.”
In the end, he chose to remain human and bide his time for a better opportunity. I smiled approvingly at his swift decision.
“Good choice.”
-“Ugh…”
He bowed his head even lower.
Yes, it was a new expression for me, but I liked it. A face contorted in heart-wrenching pain, burdened by the knowledge that everything was lost and there was nothing left to do.
Trying to recall where it all went wrong, falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of despair.
I probably made the same face while I was sealed.
…It was time to return that expression to everyone in Avilia.
“Lead the way.”
“…”
I followed Karseron as he led me to the ‘Teleportation Hub.’
(III)
“Alfred!”
“Welcome, my lady.”
The Teleportation Hub of ‘Ermaile’ was located on the outskirts of the city. In front of the massive, five-meter-tall capsule-shaped machine, my vampire butler, Alfred, stood with his head bowed.
…Beside him, the bodies of adventurers and soldiers were piled high. It seemed they had tried to reclaim the hub but had been effortlessly repelled.
-“…Here is the hub.”
“Well done.”
I waved Karseron off dismissively. His task done, he collapsed to the ground like a man whose soul had been shattered.
Though alive, he no longer seemed like a living person.
If your spirit has died, what difference is there between that and being undead?
“…Indeed.”
But I had neither the time nor the inclination to counsel his broken psyche. With the mindset of a bride and groom walking into a wedding hall, I dusted off my clothes and stepped into the capsule of the ‘Teleportation Hub.’ Behind me, Tina and Alfred followed.
“…Destination: the royal capital.”
Though a millennium had passed, the basics of operating the hub had not changed much. I manipulated the navigation device installed inside the capsule and set the destination to the royal capital.
In less than a minute, the hub here and the hub in the capital would be linked, like a portal. After a brief flash, we would step out, now standing in the heart of the capital.
“…See you around.”
-“…”
Though Karseron’s reply was unintelligible muttering, I bid him a final farewell before closing the capsule’s lid.
…Then, I activated the massive machine.
“…!”
After a slight vibration, the capsule was enveloped in a yellow flash.
“….”
As I stared into the dazzling light, I recalled memories from a thousand years ago.
────Let us avenge the princess! Exterminate the monster as foretold by the gods!
Though I had killed the Demon King and ended the war, the people of the ‘Avilia Kingdom’ had swiftly turned against me, forgetting my deeds and making no effort to question the validity of the divine oracle.
That day, as I passed through the streets, I could still hear their whispered curses, their united voices full of rage and hatred.
────You were duped by me, you fool.
And I could never forget the treachery of ‘Lilianel Greenfield,’ who gifted me unbearable betrayal, shame, and humiliation.
She had even gone so far as to kill her closest friend, Sophie, in order to align herself with Vellius Varius’s ambitions. Her sinister smile, as she crushed my trust and sacrifice, still haunted me.
Now, it was finally time to pay all of that back.
“…”
As the teleportation hub’s light faded and the capsule door opened, we finally stepped onto the grand fields of the royal capital.
“Aah…”
This desolate place, where my happiest and saddest memories coexisted, I had finally returned after a thousand years.
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