Chapter 20

　　How much time had passed? Simon’s consciousness slowly drifted back.

　　[Ooh, you’ve come to your senses!]

　　The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was a tall skeleton with burning embers for eyes. Simon shot upright.

　　"…Pier! Wh-What happened?"

　　[The contract was a success. Feel the changes in your body!]

　　Simon blinked and placed a hand on his chest. My Core…!

　　It had grown larger. Not only that, but the Jet-Black that used to strain his body now felt as comfortable as warm water. Something fundamental had changed within him.

　　[Congratulations, boy, on becoming a ‘Legion Commander’—one of only seven in the world!] Pier grinned.

　　As Simon tried to stand, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he pressed a palm to his forehead.

　　[Don’t push yourself. Your body has undergone a massive transformation.]

　　"Oh, right."

　　During the contract, Simon had nearly passed out several times. The process had been agonizing, his entire body overwhelmed with an indescribable sense of wrongness. He had even considered biting his tongue just to make it stop.

　　I won’t be able to move for a while. Looks like I’m stuck here for the night. He sighed softly and looked at Pier. "I have a question, Pier."

　　[Speak, boy!] Pier declared solemnly, crossing his arms.

　　"What is the Legion?"

　　A deep silence fell over the ruin.

　　[What! You made a contract with me without even knowing that!]

　　"Yes."

　　He had come because Nephthys, his father’s comrade, had shown him the way. He had claimed Pier because he was his father’s undead. It was as simple as that.

　　Pier let out a laugh of disbelief. [It may take some time to fully understand a human like you! Fine. I shall explain!] His gaze turned serious. [First, how much do you know about the undead?]

　　"Um… as much as a Kizen first-year."

　　[Ha! A mere first-year, coming all this way without an ounce of fear! Just like Richard’s son!] Pier began his explanation.

　　According to him, the undead of this world were classified into three types. First were the Summoned Undead, which included all the creatures commanded by necromancers. Artificially created from corpses through black magic, they moved according to their master’s will and vanished when the magic faded.

　　Second were the Natural Undead, which formed without any connection to necromancers. These were the monsters people feared, driven by a blind hatred for the living and extreme aggression.

　　And the third…

　　[Is the Legion!] Pier’s voice boomed. [The Legion exists in the space between Summoned and Natural Undead! They are like Natural Undead, able to sustain themselves with their own cores, yet they are also like Summoned Undead, bound to obey the commands of a necromancer!]

　　"Legion-type undead…" Simon murmured, committing the term to memory.

　　[Only seven Legions exist in this world. In other words, there are only seven necromancers who can control a Legion. Including you, boy!]

　　Pier’s story was a series of revelations. Ordinary necromancers led platoon-sized units. More powerful ones could command companies, and the Kizen elite could manage battalions, though it was inefficient. The limitation was that Summoned Undead constantly drained the necromancer’s Jet-Black and mental energy. The Legion, however, was free from such restrictions.

　　[The Legion has no limits! An army of a hundred thousand, a million—you can command them all! If you’ve ever heard tales of a necromancer leading a massive undead army, it was undoubtedly the story of a Legion Commander!]

　　"Oh…" Simon was both thrilled and dumbfounded. I’m one of only seven necromancers in the world with a limitless army? It was hard to believe.

　　[Are your questions answered now?]

　　"Yes."

　　[Good! The contract is done, and we are in the same boat, for better or worse. Shall we discuss our plans?]

　　"Alright, Pier."

　　Pier, who had been lounging, sat up straight. Simon mirrored his posture.

　　[You and I are both in a special situation. Correct?]

　　"Yes. I’m enrolled at Kizen."

　　[Any thoughts of leaving?]

　　"Not for now. It would go against my father’s wishes, and besides, there is still much to learn here."

　　[Mm, good! I agree that Kizen has its uses!] Pier said, tapping his forehead. [Now, let’s address the Legion’s special situation.]

　　"The fact that it was disbanded?"

　　[That’s a given. If it hadn’t been, you and I would never have made this contract.] The blue flames in Pier’s eye sockets burned brighter. [Currently, we are the public enemy of all necromancers. It would be fair to say we are wanted.]

　　"Why is that?"

　　[Because of the sin committed by the former Legion Commander—your father, Richard.]

　　At those words, a slight tremor ran through Simon’s body. My father’s sin?

　　[Richard committed an unforgivable sin in the world of black magic. The Legion, as his accomplices, helped him.]

　　"What exactly was this unforgivable sin…?"

　　Pier’s eyes seemed to close. [Betrayal. Richard loved a priest.]

　　"Oh…" Simon felt as if he’d been struck by a hammer. He was hearing this story here?

　　[At the time, the hundred-year war between necromancers and priests was still raging. It was a very sensitive period! Nevertheless, to protect the woman he loved, Richard ordered the Legion to attack our fellow necromancers who had come to kill her.]

　　Simon swallowed hard.

　　[Many lives were lost. An extermination order was issued for Richard and the Legion, and it is likely still in effect today. That is why the Legion cannot reveal itself to the world.]

　　"I understand," Simon said. Hearing the story, his sense of responsibility for the Legion deepened. It felt like his destiny, as the son of Richard and Anna, to accept Pier and shoulder their burden.

　　[Boy, there is no need for you to feel guilty!] Pier grinned, his jaw splitting wide. [The Legion moves strictly according to its Commander’s will! Richard’s Legion and Simon’s Legion are different. The other necromancers are likely aware of that.]

　　"In that case…!"

　　[However, you are not a neutral party; you are Richard’s son. The elders will be suspicious. And above all…] Pier poked Simon’s forehead with a bony finger. [If word gets out that a mere Kizen first-year possesses ‘the Legion,’ how do you think the other necromancers will react?]

　　Simon’s eyes hardened. He would not let anyone take his father’s army. "I’ll have to get stronger."

　　[Precisely.] Pier clenched his fist. [For now, quietly devour Kizen’s knowledge and grow. The Legion will also gradually recover its former might. And when the time comes…]

　　"Yes."

　　Nothing more needed to be said. They both nodded in perfect understanding.

　　[Returning to the matter at hand, our situation is unique. Therefore, as the administrator, I propose a new method for operating the Legion!]

　　"What kind of method?"

　　Pier gestured with his arm. The skeleton Simon had summoned to hold the lantern shambled over.

　　"Oh, you can control my skeletons too, Pier?"

　　[Of course! We now share a single source of Jet-Black. All undead you summon are now part of the Legion. As Legion Commander, you are first in command, and I am second. However…] Pier stroked his chin. [This undead has not yet undergone ‘Legionization’.]

　　"Legionization?"

　　The skeleton stood before Pier. He raised a hand and placed it on its skull.

　　Whoooosh!

　　Simon’s characteristic dark blue Jet-Black flared to life, and the skeleton’s body levitated. The chaotic streams of power were sucked into its skull, forming a sphere that pulsed like a brain. A moment later, the skeleton dropped to the floor with a thud.

　　[This is a Legionized undead!]

　　The skeleton slowly pushed itself up. Its appearance was unchanged, but the same dark blue flames as Pier’s now flickered in its eye sockets. In essence, Legionization was the process of turning a Summoned Undead into a Natural Undead. They could now sustain themselves with their own cores, free from summoning time limits, existing indefinitely without Simon’s constant attention.

　　"But it’s really obvious," Simon noted with a troubled expression. If he brought these to Kizen, he’d be discovered immediately.

　　[Indeed. Therefore, there is no need to Legionize every undead! Unless it is an ancient being like myself, the summoned type is more efficient in combat. You, boy, should continue to use your standard summoned undead. Then, when their time is up or they become too damaged, bring them to me. I will Legionize them and station them here.]

　　"Oh, that’s a great system!"

　　Ordinary skeletons and zombies were disposable, but now Simon had a way to preserve them permanently, like storing troops in a garrison. Better yet, unless they were severely damaged, Legionization could even regenerate them.

　　[So get stronger, boy! The more superior the undead you can summon, the more the Legion’s power will grow!]

　　"Yes, of course."

　　While he was at it, Simon had Pier incorporate the two skeletons that had been damaged in the werewolf fight. Once they became Natural Undead, their behavior changed. They no longer stood blankly like puppets but now exhibited simple, animal-like behaviors, like scratching their heads or running around aimlessly. Yet, when Simon called, they came instantly. His authority was absolute.

　　Even after their serious planning session concluded, the night was still long. Sitting face to face, Simon and Pier began to chat.

　　[Boy, how long has it been since you entered Kizen?]

　　"Just three days."

　　[I see. Be patient. Soon, even first-years will be able to accept ‘missions’ from Kizen. You’ll be able to travel not just Roc Island, but the entire continent via teleportation circles!] Pier’s mouth curled into a grin. [I will accompany you then! You’ll be able to command the Legion freely, without worrying about prying eyes! And under the pretext of missions, we will reunite the old forces scattered across the continent! As Richard’s son, they will all gladly serve under you!]

　　Simon’s eyes widened in surprise. "You know a lot about Kizen, Pier."

　　[Heheheh, of course! I watched over your father’s entire life at Kizen! The rascal was a notorious problem child.]

　　This matched what Nephthys had said. As Pier spoke of Richard, a distant, fond emotion flickered across his face.

　　[Yes, those were good times.]

　　This sentiment, too, was the same as Nephthys’s. Simon asked cautiously, "…Pier, don’t you resent my father?"

　　[Resentment? You speak of resentment? Hahahaha! A weak emotion like resentment does not exist in the Legion! The Legion moves only by the Commander’s will. Even if your father chose a priest and cast us aside, we would gladly accept that command! That is the way of the Legion!]

　　He paused, stroking his chin. [However, if his son were to repeat that same bullshit, I might get pissed off. Don’t you think?]

　　"…Ahaha."

　　Simon talked with Pier late into the dawn. They covered many topics, but the stories about his father were the most memorable—and far more vivid than what he had heard from Nephthys.

　　[What’s there to hide? Your father was the biggest piece of trash in history!] Pier guffawed. [In front of a girl who was following him around because she liked him, he’d brazenly toss around the underwear of a new girl he’d just hooked up with the day before!]

　　Simon’s eyes narrowed. "Aren’t you exaggerating a bit, seeing as this is the first I’m hearing of this?"

　　[…Exaggerating? Bwahahahahaha! I’m toning it down out of respect for Richard’s reputation! Do you have any idea how many carriages you could fill with the women that man made cry?]

　　That can’t be right. Simon shook his head in denial.

　　[Right. That legendary scoundrel…] A strange, lingering tone entered Pier’s voice. […that piece of trash who left even the Kizen professors speechless… everything changed after he met one woman. It was like he became a completely different person. This wasn’t some change you could describe with clichés like ‘the power of love’ or some such nonsense. It was as if…]

　　Just then, Pier’s voice came to an abrupt halt. He turned his head and stared intently at Simon.

　　[Wait, wait, wait! No, why didn’t I think of it?]

　　"Think of what?"

　　[You… you said you’re Richard’s son, right? Then don’t tell me…!]

　　Simon grinned. "Yep. My mother is Anna Polentia."