Chapter 2: The Attack of the Dead
The Island Devouring Turtle is a mobile fortress used throughout the Greed Territory.
Its appearance is that of a giant turtle with six legs that firmly treads the ground. Capable of carrying many people and cargo, it is the most popular type of “Familiar” mobile fortress, ensuring safe and reliable transportation.
It is a rare means of avoiding the dangers of monstrous creatures and the ferocity of the natural environment when moving between cities. As a result, the cost of using it is exorbitant, and its users are primarily limited to the privileged class of Priests… or so it would seem.
In reality, most Priests don’t even travel between cities. They are the backbone of city-state management and defense, essential personnel for maintaining much of the infrastructure. Their outflow to other territories must be prevented—though those with special roles are exceptions.
Thus, the majority of those who use the mobile fortress are wealthy Citizens, particularly merchants who run shop clans and engage in distant trade. These business dealings often take place not only after arrival but also within the mobile fortress itself—sometimes even more so.
It’s a battlefield for merchants, smiling while probing each other’s intentions.
“Please, is there really no way…?!”
Even in such a battlefield, it’s rare for negotiations to escalate to such a heated level. Yet, in a corner of the prepared guest room, a fierce negotiation was unfolding.
“If it’s a matter of money, I’ll double the original amount! So please…!!”
Rose, the owner of the shop clan Lucky Bird, which specializes in magical tools, was visibly agitated.
A young Gaul beastkin, barely twenty years old, she was inexperienced but not the type to lose control of her emotions easily. Yet, this time was different.
“It’s not about the money.”
The problem lay in who she was negotiating with and what she was negotiating about.
Rose was facing Diz Gran Phoenix, the daughter of the head of the guild Golden Phoenix, which controlled several moneylender shop clans.
Diz, confronted by the girl who had barged into her room and raised her voice, neither showed anger nor scorn. Instead, she returned a cold gaze.
“My transaction with your shop clan is already complete. What I do with my own possessions is my freedom.”
“I know! I know that…! But that…!!”
Rose understood that Diz was right. The transaction between them had been legitimate. Barging into her room and pleading like this was unbecoming of a merchant. Yet, even in such a humiliating state, Rose couldn’t help but cry out.
“That Relic…! It belongs to my family… my parents…!”
“Is appealing to emotions the negotiation tactic you inherited from your parents?”
The moment those words left Diz’s mouth, Rose reflexively threw the tea in her hand at her. Shaking with shame at her own barbarity, Rose hung her head. Diz, drenched in tea, remained unfazed and simply shook her head.
“My words were out of line. I’ll overlook the rudeness. Leave.”
At this forgiveness, Rose fled the room without a word.
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The tears welling in Rose’s eyes as she left were no illusion. Watching her go, Diz cast a Purification spell on herself to clean the mess and let out a small sigh.
“…Ugh, I’m tired.”
[You’re hated, Diz.]
To this, the scarlet fairy in her embrace—Akane, the younger sister of adventurer Ur and currently held as collateral for a debt—spoke with a tone of exasperation.
“Of course I’m hated.”
As she cleared away the cup, Diz smiled as if it were nothing, but her expression carried a hint of resignation.
[What did you do?]
“The same as with you. I lent money to someone in need and took something valuable as collateral.”
[A fair deal?]
“Not exactly. I did take advantage of their weakness.”
Rose had become the head of her shop clan at a young age after losing her parents in an accident.
The accident occurred during an intercity move, when their transport was attacked by monsters. Not only did they lose their cargo, but Rose also had to compensate for the losses.
At the time, with no means to repay the funds, the only one who offered help was Golden Phoenix, who somehow knew about the Relic that the Luckbird family had treasured as a heirloom.
[What happened to that Relic?]
“I already dismantled it—that’s what it was, Akane. So no matter how much they offer, I can’t return it.”
[Ouch.]
“There’s no room for excuses. It’s better to be hated than to be falsely kind.”
Diz shrugged as she said this, but Akane seemed unconvinced, her lips pursed.
[I don’t think that’s a good way to be, though?]
“You say that like it’s someone else’s business, but you could afford to be a little angrier, you know?”
[Why?]
When Akane asked why, Diz groaned.
Though they exchanged words casually, the relationship between Diz and Akane was that of a debt collector and collateral. Without a doubt, Diz had treated Akane even more harshly than she had Rose.
[I was sold by my crappy dad, right? Diz didn’t do anything wrong. Plus, you made a promise.]
“That’s true, but…”
Yet, Akane didn’t seem to think that way at all. If anything, she was worryingly close to Diz. In fact, Diz herself wondered if that was really okay.
Perhaps Akane was too young to understand her own situation, but…
[It’s fine. I understand, and I’m choosing to be friends with Diz.]
“Huh?”
Apparently, that wasn’t the case.
[If Diz were a bad person, I could just tear her apart, right?]
“…That’s kind of scary, Akane.”
[Nhehe.]
Her mischievous laugh made her seem less like a magician’s familiar and more like a carefree yet wicked fairy from a storybook. Diz stared at her for a moment before chuckling. She then began undressing. Though the Purification spell had cleaned the mess, her clothes were still damp.
“I’m going to sleep. I’m a little tired… I guess.”
[Niitan might be coming soon, though. Is that okay?]
As Akane asked, Diz quickly stripped and dove into the bed prepared in the room.
“I told Jenna to greet him outside… It’s fine.”
She seemed genuinely tired, as her reply quickly became sluggish, and she sank into the bed. Akane flew to her side and gently stroked her forehead.
[Good night.]
With that, Akane also closed her eyes, as if she were a fairy guarding her sleep.
And so, the two drifted into a peaceful slumber—until the Island Devouring Turtle was engulfed in flames.
“Why… is this happening…?”
From their perch, Ur and his companions witnessed the massive Island Devouring Turtle ablaze. They couldn’t simply ignore it, especially since Diz was supposed to meet them there. And with Ur’s sister Akane also present, they had no choice but to head toward the chaos.
After hastily packing up their camp and illuminating the treacherous night path with magic, they arrived to find the situation even worse than it had appeared from a distance.
“The cargo hasn’t even been unloaded yet!”
“Damn it! Where did these things come from?”
“Put out the fires later! Don’t let your guard down!”
Amid the shouts and screams, the clashing of swords, and the knights in unified armor fighting, it was clear that these were the Knights of the satellite city-state, Alt. Their opponents were—
[Kakakakakakakakakakaka!!]
—monsters with their skin peeled away, flesh and blood lost, and only bones remaining, writhing and moving as if they still had muscles.
“Undead Soldiers…! Did they crawl out of some labyrinth…!?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! This is clearly——!!”
“Where are the reinforcements!? ——Another attack from the west gate!?”
Ur’s eyes widened as he observed them from the shadows.
Though they had lost everything that made them living beings, their bones retained a human form. They moved their limbs as if they still had muscles, glared with eyes that shouldn’t exist, and tore at human flesh with exposed jaws—these were the grotesque monsters known as Undead.
Such creatures were not uncommon in the Islaria continent, especially in the northern region known as the “Wilderness of the Undead,” where slain monsters were said to rise again as undead.
In other words, they weren’t rare—but these Undead Soldiers were different. They were known for another aspect.
“Sir Ur, it’s clear that someone is controlling them.”
“How can you tell?”
“Yes, the sounds of their movements are uniform. They’re clearly targeting the knights.”
“Sounds… huh?”
Though Ur was slightly skeptical of Shizuku’s confident assertion, given the darkness, the flickering flames, and the chaos of the knights, he didn’t think she was lying. But that wasn’t the issue right now.
Yes, Undead Soldiers could be controlled by humans.
In the category of magic users, they are known as a [Necromancer], a [Familiar] of a sorcerer.
However, manipulating the corpses of living beings has never been regarded favorably, and especially the practice of necromancy involving human corpses is considered a violation of divine teachings. Unless under extraordinary circumstances, it is labeled as a [Taboo] by the [Temple].
And yet, it is being used. Moreover,
“To target the mobile fortress with that… you say?”
Ur felt a deeply unpleasant premonition.
As a [Nameless] wanderer who has traveled far and wide, Ur knows another reason why the magic called [Necromancy] is treated as taboo. While it does defy divine teachings, this magic also blurs the line between monsters and familiars, making it all too suitable for one particular purpose.
Namely, disguising robberies and crimes as the work of monsters.
“Sir Ur. What shall we do?”
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