After leaving the crowded adventurer's guild, Edward, who had taken on the woman's commission, followed her alone. Since the request specified a Grand Mage, the other, not being one, didn't see much point in others tagging along.
As the surroundings became quiet, the woman walking ahead quickly asked with surprise, "Can you really lead me to find a Grand Mage?"
Because the woman came too close all of a sudden, Edward, slightly out of breath, pressed down on her shoulder and nodded, saying, "Don't worry. Since I've taken on your commission, I'll help you. Also, my name is Edward Durin. Can I ask why you insist on a Grand Mage for this task?"
In this world, while mages held significant privileges, it was mainly due to their rarity, not any earth-shattering abilities inherent to mages. The explosive magic Edward assisted Helena with before seemed powerful, but it consumed a considerable amount of mana. Few mages in this world could maintain both such high magical expenditure and mental stability.
Most mages in this world, rather than participating in battles, worked as researchers in their mage towers or addressed national-level issues for the Empire.
Considering this, most mages didn't join the adventurer's guild. It wasn't practical to employ a researcher for general tasks. In this situation, someone suddenly rushing into the guild seeking a Grand Mage indicated an urgent matter.
Hearing Edward's words, the woman, who had lowered her hood, looked a bit nervous but quickly said, "My name is Viz. I'm sorry, but due to the urgency of the matter, I can't explain why I need to find a Grand Mage right now. But please don't be afraid, and please believe me. I genuinely want to seek a Grand Mage to solve a problem for my friend."
"A problem for your friend? Can a Lich like you have friends?"
"...."
Surprised that Edward would directly mention her identity, Viz stood still, and Edward explained straightforwardly, "Although your robe conceals the part of your aura that belongs to the undead, it also hides any signs of life. Ordinary people might not be able to confirm this, but for a mage at my level, an undead like you is as conspicuous as a bright red undergarment hanging on a windowsill."
"Uh—"
Although Edward's metaphor seemed quite subtle, Viz took a step back, only to be surprised that Edward didn't react to her identity. She then asked with a hint of astonishment, "So, you're a Grand Mage, and so young— Wait a moment, Edward Durin, are you the genius mage who rose to fame at the Mage Tower five years ago?"
"You know me?"
"Yes, after all, five years ago, I wasn't a Lich yet. It was only a few years ago that I was accidentally transformed into a Lich due to a magical experiment."
"I see..."
"But aren't you afraid? Clearly, you know I'm a Lich..."
"Although it's a bit surprising, I'm not afraid. It seems you were, at most, a high-ranking mage in your living days. Even though I don't know how you transformed into a Lich, you're just a half-baked mage now. Of course, if it were a Lich-level undead mage, I would be wary. But you don't exude a strong undead aura."
Yes, while becoming undead brought eternal life, the decay of the body often left Liches weaker than in their living state. This was why many senior mages knew methods to transform into undead but refrained from trying it. Even though the law prohibited humans from turning themselves into undead, if the benefits were significant, many would still take the risk. Unfortunately, there was no perfect windfall, only equal exchanges.
Becoming undead required sacrificing a part of one's strength and wisdom. That's why very few voluntarily transformed into undead in this world.
"If you choose to give up practicing human magic and instead learn necromancy, the talents that come with being undead can help you reach higher realms faster. However, ordinary people wouldn't be interested in necromancy."
"Then, aren't you going to report to the church or the knight order?"
"No, because it's meaningless and a waste of time. You, such a creature, won't pose a threat to human society. Only some fanatics from the church might go mad and rush over."
Hearing Edward's words, Viz, who had been astonished for a while, breathed a sigh of relief. "Great, I was worried that if my identity was exposed, I'd be hunted again— You're right. I am a Lich, and the friend I need your help with is none other than the Headless Horseman you've probably heard of."
"The Headless Horseman?"
Wearing an astonished expression, Edward was well aware of who the "Headless Horseman" represented. Almost everyone in this era had heard rumors about the formidable and terrifying figure. He also felt fortunate because he had originally planned to seek out the rumored Headless Horseman as an actor. Unexpectedly, this time he managed to gather a Lich and the Headless Horseman in one go.
Soon, in Viz's narration, Edward finally understood why she came to the adventurer's guild to find a Grand Mage.
As the rumors had it, the Headless Horseman, Belldia, once the strongest knight, was assassinated on the battlefield by an undead army. His corpse was transformed into one of the most powerful undead, the Headless Horseman.
However, the subsequent story wasn't as straightforward as the rumors suggested. In reality, the Headless Horseman couldn't resist the commands of the Lich who had transformed him into an undead. He became a puppet slaughtering humans on the battlefield for a long time. During that extended period, the Headless Horseman's human emotions were gradually erased, nearly becoming a complete walking corpse.
What changed everything was a coincidence. The Lich who controlled the Headless Horseman died for some reason. Normally, in such situations, the Lich should leave an imprint of control and pass it on to a disciple or another Lich. However, perhaps due to the rapid unfolding of events, the imprint controlling one of the most powerful undead, the Headless Horseman, disappeared from this world.
Therefore, finally regaining his consciousness, the Headless Horseman escaped from the realm beyond the Northern Territory and returned to the human world. Unfortunately, after centuries had passed, everything had changed. Instead of being greeted with flowers and admiration, the once-imperial hero was now met with terror and fear.
People were terrified by his hideous appearance, and they immediately reported the news to the church and the knight order, leading the Headless Horseman, who had thought he could finally avoid battles, to once again be trapped in a constant state of fleeing.
It was during one such joint pursuit by the church and the knight order that he encountered Viz, who was also being hunted. With her help, he managed to escape the encirclement and learned that the church's control over the Southern Territory was weak. That's why they came to this seemingly peaceful but equally unwelcoming land for the undead.
"In the years that followed, Mr. Belldia and I wandered through the Southern Territory. I had heard rumors about the Headless Horseman before and had a certain fear of him. However, through our interactions, I realized he wasn't as terrifying as the rumors suggested. Although he sometimes did strange things, he remained a wise and reliable knightly role model."
"I heard that due to Grand Duke Viktor's dislike of the church, there were hardly any sightings of the church and the holy knights in this land. So, Mr. Belldia and I came to the Southern Territory. However, the fear of the undead among people couldn't be eliminated. My situation was bearable as ordinary people couldn't distinguish between a human and a Lich, but it wasn't the case for Mr. Belldia. Just seeing his appearance scared people away, let alone living a peaceful life."
"But the worst was yet to come. Although these years were extremely difficult, Mr. Belldia seemed happy just to return to his homeland. However, recently, the curse on Mr. Belldia suddenly erupted. It was a curse laid upon him by the Lich who once controlled him."
"Although I had studied this type of magic before and understood its principles, my shallow magic power was ultimately insufficient. That's why I wanted to find a Grand Mage for help. Initially, Mr. Belldia strongly opposed my decision, as a misstep could affect me too. But seeing Mr. Belldia suffering from the curse's effects, barely having returned to his homeland and yet to experience a peaceful life, I hope Mr. Edward, you can help him. I'll find a way to earn the reward, please, you must..."
Viz spoke with utmost sincerity, laying all her cards on the table before Edward. Therefore, after some thought, the man didn't say much, just quietly stating, "Don't worry. If there's anything I can do to help, I'll do my best."
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