Chapter 47

　　At the entrance of the abandoned castle, a dozen people were hanging like cocoons, captured in spiderwebs, moments away from being devoured. These had to be the missing residents of the fief.

　　A corpse lay on the floor—the very same shriveled body that had been found at the crime scene. It was certain now: the disappearances were Erzebet’s doing.

　　"Humans! It’s humans!" one of the residents cried out, spotting Simon.

　　"H-Help us! Please untie us!!"

　　"The spider monsters are trying to eat us!"

　　An uproar ensued. Simon nodded calmly, drew a sword from his Subspace, and began cutting the webs. "Pier, please help."

　　[Hmph, useless things.] Pier clicked his tongue and swung his greatsword. Five people hanging in webs fell to the ground with a thud. Since they fell while hanging upside down, cries of pain echoed through the hall.

　　Simon offered a bitter smile. "Gently, Pier."

　　[I do not want to waste my time on such pathetic beings!] Even so, Pier swung his greatsword once more, dropping more people to the floor. Simon cut one person free with his shortsword and handed the blade to him.

　　"Use this to free the others. We’re going to catch those spider monsters."

　　"Th-Thank you!"

　　"We will not forget your kindness!"

　　While they freed each other, Simon and Pier walked deeper into the castle.

　　[Boy! For a necromancer, are you not being too merciful to prisoners?]

　　Simon tilted his head. "Then what should a necromancer do?"

　　[Obviously, kill them on sight! Then raise them as skeletons and use them as forces!]

　　"At Kizen, killing people for the purpose of turning them into undead is forbidden," Simon reminded him.

　　[This is the field, and there are no witnesses, so what does it matter! You do not seem like the type to be bound by such notions.]

　　Simon scratched the side of his head and smiled wryly. "Actually, it’s because of something my father always told me until my ears bled."

　　[What was that?]

　　"He told me not to become a monster."

　　At those words, Pier flinched and fell silent.

　　"And he said that to avoid becoming a monster, it’s very important to set a line for yourself."

　　The corners of Pier’s mouth rose into a fearsome grin. [That is advice only Richard could give.]

　　"Pardon?"

　　[Hehehe! It is nothing! If that is your will, then as the administrator of the Legion, I will gladly respect it!]

　　The two passed through a corridor and entered a spacious hall. The windows were shattered, letting in moonlight, and the space was filled with dust and cobwebs.

　　And then.

　　In the distance, they saw Erzebet sitting in a large throne-like chair, drinking tea.

　　[Hehehe! Have you given up on running?] Pier said, raising his sword.

　　After taking a light sip of tea, she smiled with her eyes. "Of course not, Pier. Since you have already sensed my Jet-Black, you would chase me to the ends of the continent no matter where I fled, would you not?"

　　[You know that well!]

　　"In that case, I simply thought I should take care of you here." She snapped her fingers. Spiders poured in from the ceiling and through the broken windows. Simon and Pier quickly stood back-to-back.

　　"And since you freed my toys, it seems I’ll be needing some new ones." She flicked her tongue and looked at Simon. "I think it would be delightful entertainment to toy with that Kizen boy you are raising so preciously, right in front of you. Do you not agree?"

　　Just as Pier scowled and was about to speak, Simon extended an arm to stop him. "It’s alright, Pier."

　　[Boy!]

　　"I am the Legion Commander. From now on, I will speak for myself."

　　Simon strode forward. The spiders made clicking sounds, ready to pounce, but Simon paid them no mind.

　　"Commander of the Legion, Erzebet."

　　She looked at Simon with curious eyes.

　　"I make a formal proposal. Please join my Legion."

　　Ha. She let out a short, derisive laugh. "Did you not hear what I was saying with Pier earlier? I have no intention of rejoining a Legion that has already abandoned me. Moreover…" Her index finger pointed straight at Simon. "You want me to serve under a necromancer like you, someone with no foundation, chosen by Pier for his nostalgic trip down memory lane? I dislike crude jokes."

　　[Pfft! Bwahahahahahaha!] Suddenly, Pier’s booming laughter erupted from behind. Erzebet’s expression twisted fearsomely.

　　"What do you find so amusing, Pier?"

　　[Hehehehehe! You think I chose this boy because he resembles Richard? How absurd! You know nothing of him!]

　　A question mark seemed to appear over her head.

　　"There’s no need to hide it anymore," Simon said, placing a hand on his chest. "I am the son of Richard Polentia and Anna Polentia. I am Simon Polentia."

　　Her expression twisted into something indescribably severe.

　　[Richard and Anna’s…!]

　　The child of the man who had abandoned her and the woman she hated more than anyone in this world. The proof of their union.

　　"I’ll say it again, Erzebet." As if pouring water on boiling oil, Simon spoke in a cold tone. "You belonged to my father."

　　[…Stop.]

　　"Therefore, it is only right that I, his son and the Legion Commander, should take you in."

　　[Stoooooop!]

　　The emotion she had buried deep in her heart, the one she had tried to forget, the one that had been festering and rotting, burst forth and consumed her mind.

　　[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

　　Erzebet contorted her body in agony. Her nails scratched and tore at her neck and shoulders, drawing blood. Her body expanded with sickening pops, and six huge legs burst from her thighs and sides, planting themselves on the floor. The mask covering her face disappeared, revealing a woman with monstrous eyes.

　　Her upper body was human, her lower body a spider. This was Erzebet’s true form as an undead.

　　[Die! Just dieeeeeeeee!]

　　Having lost her reason in her rampage, Erzebet charged straight at Simon. She felt that if she didn’t erase this horrifying proof immediately, she would truly go mad. Her Jet-Black-infused nails extended, aiming for Simon’s neck.

　　And Simon just stood there, his face expressionless.

　　[Well done, boy!]

　　[Flutter!]

　　In that instant, Pier’s back and cape blocked Simon’s view. From beyond the cape came a loud, explicit severing sound.

　　[CRACK!]

　　Soon, the cape lowered, revealing Pier, who had swung his greatsword, and Erzebet, who was falling to the ground with four of her legs severed.

　　[Chance!]

　　This time, Simon moved. A spear shot out from his Subspace, and he gripped it in his hand.

　　[Jet-Black Enhancement.]

　　The tip of the spear was dyed black with Jet-Black. Pier grinned and stepped aside as Simon dashed forward like lightning and thrust the spear.

　　Simon’s spearhead dug into Erzebet’s body, but it didn’t completely pierce through. She caught the spearhead with her right arm, holding on.

　　Simon roughly stomped on Erzebet’s face and put more force into the spear. "This is your last chance," he said in a chilling voice. "Will you join the Legion, or will you be annihilated right here, right now?"

　　[Hmph!] She extended her remaining legs like awls. Pier quickly jumped in front of Simon.

　　The attack was so powerful that the plate armor Pier was wearing was torn like paper. Simon gritted his teeth and put more force into the spearhead.

　　As the human and two undead were locked in a struggle, the Corpse Spiders were approaching to save their master.

　　And right above them a mass of white light appeared. Seeing it, Pier shouted, [Damn it! Dodge!]

　　The mass of light expanded at great speed and descended to the ground. A dazzling diffusion of light spread out, tearing apart everything around it.

　　Pier, who had retreated from the blast radius, knelt on one knee and set Simon down. The spiders caught in the explosion were annihilated without a trace. Erzebet, despite having half her legs cut off, had somehow managed to avoid it and was leaning against a wall, panting.

　　"What a shame, the timing was perfect!"

　　Everyone’s gaze turned. Beyond a collapsed wall, a girl holding a staff was visible.

　　[A mere Priest!] Erzebet snarled, roughly extending her hand. The spiders on the ceiling charged straight at the priest.

　　"Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped…" she sang. She lightly swung her staff, and bolts of light flew out, embedding themselves in the spiders’ bodies. The spiders writhed and shrieked in pain.

　　[She’s strong, as expected.] Simon’s expression hardened.

　　"Old spirits, disgusting swarms of spiders, I will annihilate you all right here!" she declared. She took out something like a jewel from her clothes, threw it above her head, and as it came down, she tapped it with her staff. The jewel shattered, and a huge amount of Divinity erupted like an explosion.

　　"Farewell!"

　　[FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!]

　　The expanding mass of white light soon turned into countless bolts of light that scattered in all directions. Simon and Pier quickly hid behind a pillar. Heavy bolts of light rained down indiscriminately, and the Corpse Spiders died, spraying blood.

　　[…This is difficult.] Simon bit his lip. He had to capture Erzebet without killing her. Dealing with her alone was tricky enough, but the spiders kept coming, and now there was a student from Efnel.

　　[Boy! At this rate, we must strike the Priest first!]

　　"Can we win?"

　　[Hmph, the Divinity is annoying, but a single blow is enough for someone of her level!]

　　Simon nodded. Erzebet, her mobility crippled, was as good as caught. Pier moved stealthily behind the pillar.

　　"Oh my!" Just then, the Priest twirled her staff and smiled, her gaze fixed on Erzebet. "It seems your legs are giving you trouble!"

　　Unable to dodge because of her injured legs, bolts of light were embedded all over Erzebet’s body. The Priest thrust her staff forward, and a pure white magic circle unfolded, from which a spear made of Divinity appeared.

　　"Mission complete!"

　　The spear of Divinity flew at a terrifying speed. As Erzebet watched it, stunned…

　　[Uh…?]

　　The unthinkable had happened. Simon had spread his arms and blocked her path.

　　Erzebet’s pupils trembled uncontrollably.

　　"Ugh…!"

　　The spear of Divinity had pierced straight through Simon’s back and protruded from his chest. There was no physical damage, but for a necromancer with a Core or a natural undead, Divinity was more lethal than any poison.

　　"Wh-Why did you?" Erzebet stammered, her face a mask of shock.

　　Simon collapsed to his knees with a thud. Excruciating pain wracked his body, and his vision spun. His world slowly darkened, and he fell to the ground.

* * *

　　At the sound of a crackling campfire, Simon slowly opened his eyes.

　　The atmosphere was so quiet that it made the earlier chaos feel unreal. When he moved his head, he found a Corpse Spider with many eyes right in front of his nose. Simon shot up in surprise.

　　But the spider didn’t attack. Instead, it rubbed its face against Simon’s arm and stared up at him as if asking if he was okay.

　　[Oh! Are you awake, boy?] Pier, who sat with his greatsword planted in the floor, smiled.

　　Simon got up with a dazed look and surveyed his surroundings. He was still inside the abandoned castle. The once-terrifying spiders were now docilely scuttling across the floor. Pier, too, showed no signs of attacking them.

　　And then.

　　[…Erzebet.]

　　Having returned to her human form, she immediately averted her gaze the moment their eyes met. He remembered her being quite seriously injured, but thankfully, she seemed to be alright.

　　A coughing sound came from above. Looking up, he saw the priest bound tightly in spiderwebs, hanging upside down from the ceiling.

　　"Y-You there!" she cried.

　　Because of the smoke rising from the campfire below, tears and snot were streaming down her face.

　　"Please, save me!"

　　Simon let out a hollow laugh.

　　[…What in the world is going on?]