The search teams after the incident turned over nearly every inch of land within a hundred miles around the royal capital. Fortunately, they quickly discovered several magic circles in the woods. After inspection by the church's priests, it was confirmed that these were indeed used by necromancers to summon evil creatures. Thankfully, many of them had some small flaws, which was why they summoned only a few monsters.
However, even those "few" monsters caused a huge uproar in the empire and even throughout the entire eastern continent. The sinister intentions of the Necromancer Guild had become clear; they aimed to take advantage of the gathering of dignitaries from various nations to turn them all into undead monsters, akin to vampires, controlled by them. This evil wizard organization finally revealed its true nature and was taken seriously by all countries. The terrified king Griffinhart XVII even discussed with the bishop about deploying the Knights Templar directly to the Dehya Valley.
At this time, Bishop Ronis expressed his foresight. Although he had been actively calling for a united front against the Necromancer Guild, he did not act impulsively. He patiently explained the current situation to His Majesty, suggesting that the king first unite the surrounding countries to jointly write a letter to the Pope to gain the support of the Holy See before gradually implementing the plan to eradicate the Necromancer Guild.
Bishop Ronis announced that the priest commander and the noblewoman were able to defeat the vampire because both had sincerely prayed at the cathedral that morning, sprinkled themselves with holy water, and received the bishop's personal blessing, thereby carrying a sacred power.
Now, a spirit of unity against the Necromancer Guild began to spread across the eastern continent. Although the road ahead was still long and the plan remained vast, Bishop Ronis had indeed taken the first step very well.
In the small study of the cathedral at the Magic Academy, Asa stood beside Bishop Ronis. His injuries had healed completely with the help of the priests, and he had slept for a whole day due to extreme exhaustion of both physical strength and magic.
Bishop Ronis held a report in his thin, dry hands, which listed the names of those who died at the hands of the vampire.
After carefully reading through the names, Bishop Ronis revealed a satisfied smile and nodded, saying, "Well deserved death."
"Ah?" Asa, standing nearby, doubted whether he had heard correctly. He had initially been apprehensive, thinking that the bishop would surely reprimand him for this small performance leading to a massacre.
"The majority of those who died were from the Ernie family. My original intention was to use this opportunity to eliminate some of them. This is also a good lesson for His Majesty; he finally realizes that those who can play with him for fun are not necessarily truly effective. This event also promotes him to favor his loyal ministers while distancing himself from the treacherous. Moreover, this will elevate the military's power, which will be very helpful in our future battles against the Necromancer Guild." Bishop Ronis smiled again, fully affirming, "So, well deserved death."
"Ah. Oh." Asa nodded like a fool. After thinking for a moment, he added, "But those guards died a bit unjustly."
Bishop Ronis lightly waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, saying indifferently, "There's nothing to be done; these people had to die regardless."
"Oh…" Asa nodded, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Such words would seem more appropriate coming from a duke.
"Alright, now let's discuss what happened with that vampire." Bishop Ronis's expression and voice grew serious. "This extremely dangerous undead creature hasn't appeared on the continent for a long time. According to some recollections, that vampire even claimed it was awakened by someone. The timing coincided perfectly with the gathering of dignitaries from various nations, and Captain Roland was not by His Majesty's side due to our arrangements, which made the guards most lax. I don't believe this is just a coincidence."
Asa frowned and said, "Are you saying someone deliberately released that vampire to create chaos? Who could it be? Could it really be members of the Necromancer Guild? But how would they know our plans?"
"There is very little that they don't know." Bishop Ronis's voice grew colder, and the light in his eyes became sharper. "I previously suspected that there were ears and eyes among the high-ranking officials of the royal capital or within the church, perhaps even a member of the guild. Now I can be sure. This must be someone very well-hidden, deeply infiltrated. It could be an ordinary official who blends in seamlessly with the surroundings, a devout priest… More likely, this person has a prominent status to act as a cover. I think this person might be very close to us, or else they wouldn't grasp the timing so well."
"Close?" Asa was half confused and half disbelieving. The idea that there could be a necromancer lurking among the flourishing upper class of the imperial capital was hard to accept. However, Bishop Ronis implied that this person was someone they knew, possibly someone they were familiar with. He mentally went through all the familiar faces and found no one who could possibly carry the terrifying title of "necromancer." He shook his head and said, "No way, everyone I know seems nothing like…"
"Like? What do you think someone like that would look like?" Bishop Ronis looked at Asa.
"Of course someone like a lich, with a skeletal, zombie-like face, wearing a mask and a long robe to cover themselves, moving stealthily and unable to be seen. Or an old man like Sandru, who constantly hangs around corpses. Isn't that how necromancers are?"
Bishop Ronis smiled faintly and said, "Ten years ago, Lamardo was the royal mage of the Duchy of Roendes. He was not only specialized in various branches of magic but also had considerable skills in royal white magic. He was generous, kind-hearted, and would donate half of his annual income to aid the poor and orphans. His not only had the top reputation within the duchy, but he was also well-known throughout the entire Eastern Continent. But let me tell you, he was precisely a necromancer. For the past ten years, the continuous wars between the principality and neighboring countries were all instigated and manipulated by him behind the scene. It took me considerable effort, with help from five holy knights appointed by Holy See and careful planning, I finally managed to quietly eliminate this guy."
"Nopolinot, the most famous magic merchant on the continent, also the wealthiest and most powerful merchant, is also a remarkable mage. He has countless connections with all the magical organizations and is a respected friend of many royal families. Although there is no concrete evidence, I suspect he is also a member of the Necromancer Guild, or at least has a nominal membership. It is said that he always spends two months vacation each year on a remote island overseas, but I think he is actually in Dehya Valley."
"Then there's Agrenel, the former president of the Empire Adventurer's Guild. His magic and martial skills rank among the top fifty on the continent, and he's likely one of the top five strongest masters overall. It is said he is the last descendant of the Assassin Guild. He has discovered countless secret realms and treasures, which made him wealthy enough to rival nations. He is also a member of the Necromancer Guild and has previously served as a deputy leader of the guild alongside Sandru."
Asa's jaw dropped. He recognized all these names. In fact, it was hard to find anyone who hadn't heard of them. For countless young people pursuing wealth, honor, martial arts, and magic, these individuals were idols, goals, and motivations for their rigorous training, battles, and adventures. However, the connection of these three radiant names with an organization as filthy and evil as the "Necromancer Guild" was totally unbelievable. It sounds as ridiculous as the Pope of the Holy See having multiple wives. If this were not being said by Bishop Ronis, Asa would have thought it was the ranting of a madman.
"It took me twenty years to find these three people, and due to their special identities, I couldn't reveal their identities. Even after eliminating Lamardo, we only publicly stated that he died of an illness. There are certainly other notable figures who are members of the guild, but there are likely also many like Sandru who are entirely uninterested in fame and fortune, appearing to be merely eccentric ordinary people." Bishop Ronis looked at Asa and slowly said, "Now, you know what kind of people those necromancers are. So do not let your guard down, absolutely not. Regardless of their identities, anyone around you could be the guild's eyes and ears, or perhaps even a necromancer themselves."
Asa stared blankly for a long time before coming to. It seemed that this organization was far more than just a group of perverse dark magicians fond of manipulating corpses.
"Wait." Asa suddenly thought of a good idea and exclaimed, "We can ask that old man Sandru! You could order him to reveal the other members of the guild, right?"
"Order him?" Bishop Ronis chuckled for a rare moment. "I doubt anyone in this world can order him around. I'm just an ordinary friend for him. He is here only because he wants to be. I've naturally asked him about these issues, but he refused to speak due to the guild's regulations, and there's nothing I can do."
Bishop Ronis paused for a moment before continuing, "Fortunately, the Necromancer Guild is rather disorganized due to the lack of a leader. They are more like a scattered group of sand. The members act independently, each doing their own thing, mostly driven by impulse. However, their danger should not be underestimated. These necromancers can be inactive for a long time, but once they take action, they become a formidable challenge. Consider this recent operation: although we were very successful, it was actually extremely perilous. Just imagine if that vampire had truly turned His Majesty and some ministers into his minions. What a disaster that would have been!"
Asa swallowed hard. The thought of the king and ministers all being turned into a vampire's minions was terrifying and was something anyone could guess would lead to chaos.
"So from now on, we must be incredibly cautious in our actions, advancing step by step. You must also be vigilant about everyone around you; even if you know it's impossible, maintain an attitude of 'what if' and stay suspicious. Do you understand?"
"Yes…" Asa nodded. He understood the words but struggled to grasp the complexity of the mindset of 'knowing it's unlikely but still being wary.' Given his personality, he doubted he could ever truly do that.
"By the way, besides Miss Murak, are you really sure no one has survived after being bitten by a vampire?"
Asa shook his head. "It seems like no one…" However, he suddenly recalled the scar on Christine's neck that she had once proudly shown him, hesitating over whether he should mention it.
The bishop's expression turned serious, as hard as iron. "It cannot be just 'seems like no one', think back carefully. Miss Murak has consumed the leaves of the World Tree, so her blood is the same as yours and will repel dark creatures like vampires. Therefore, you don't need to worry about her. But if anyone else has been bitten by a vampire, even if that vampire is dead, the residual magic and toxins will still turn that person into a vampire. We cannot eliminate the influence of that magic, so we must ascertain if there is such a person, and if so, they must be eliminated. Think back carefully."
"I'm sure there isn't." Asa replied with certainty. Christine's scar should count as a wound, not a bite.
"Then that's good." Bishop Ronis nodded. "Honestly, I had no idea the blood infused with the power of the World Tree's leaves would be so effective against vampires. It seems that your physique might make it much easier for you to practice holy white magic." He gave Asa a meaningful look. "I plan to find a way for Miss Murak to come to the magic academy for further studies. What do you think?"
"I don't mind," Asa replied, deliberately adopting an indifferent expression.
"By the way, how is your magic training going?" Bishop Ronis asked, frowning at Asa. "Logically, your magic should at least match that of the vampire; how could you still get so severely injured while defeating it?"
"Well… maybe it's because I wasn't in good condition…" Asa replied, changing the topic. "Oh, right, the marquis is still waiting for me. I have to go."
Asa practically ran out of Bishop Ronis's presence, fearing further questions about his magic situation.
Indeed, given the combined powers of the World Tree's leaves and the Sun Well, if he could fully utilize resonance and recite spells effectively, his magic level should rival that of a high-level magician who had trained for many years. However, he just couldn't control even a slight fluctuation in his magical power; he could only use the most basic fireball and healing spells.
He had already asked Sandru about this issue. Upon hearing Asa's question, Sandru had replied without looking up, "You haven't properly trained in other magics but went straight to meditating? I don't know why you can master this super difficult meditation method faster, and even at a higher level than the most basic magics. Meditation is originally meant to assist other magics, but your meditation power has now exceeded your control over magic and is suppressing your use of other magics. So now, besides necromancy, you probably can't use any other system of magic, right? Do you want to learn necromancy? I can teach you, but if Bishop Ronis finds out you know this stuff, he won't be happy and you won't be good."
Asa felt cold sweat running down his back. Bishop Ronis had seriously told him never to practice that dangerous dark meditation again.
But it wasn't a matter of whether he wanted to train; in critical situations, he instinctively resorted to this survival skill. Especially after facing General Grutt that night in Orford, his meditation skills had progressed by leaps and bounds. During the recent assassination attempt by the duke, he even unleashed fighting energy he had never consciously trained for, thanks to meditation. In life-and-death situations, using that meditation seemed to facilitate breakthroughs; he was becoming more and more adept with each use.
For some reason, the powers of the Sun Well and the World Tree's leaves did not repel this theoretically dark ability; instead, they complemented it. He was even beginning to enjoy the pleasure of having precise control over his body and feeling the power racing wildly through his veins. However, that cold, violent impulse and bestial hunger that invaded his mind during those moments still frightened him.
He didn't dare practice necromancy, nor could he tell Bishop Ronis that his dark meditation was becoming increasingly profound and refined. For now, he could only keep it a secret as long as possible.
When he arrived at the marquis's residence, Asa felt somewhat relieved.
No matter where he was, just seeing the marquis's graceful demeanor and hearing his words made him feel at ease and happy.
"What a truly dramatic turn of events and conclusion!" the director and screenwriter exclaimed after listening to Asa's account. "I never expected the power of the World Tree's leaves could kill a vampire. Even the director and the actors felt the emotional impact of the unknown variables in the story. It was quite a show!" He looked at Asa and asked, "How was it? Exciting?"
"Almost gave me a heart attack," Asa hesitated before asking, "By the way, is she alright?"
"Don't worry; she's doing just fine. The king was greatly moved by her bravery, intelligence, and loyalty, and he plans to reward her handsomely. Yet, she asked for nothing but a position. Though my stuffy old family rules usually prohibit such things, with so many fools dead and the king's decree, who can defy it? Now, she is a finance official of the empire."
"Why did she do that?"
"She told His Majesty that she hoped to contribute her bit to the state. But who knows the real reason?" The marquis looked at Asa, flashing a charming smile. "Perhaps it's because of you. A couple temporarily separated, one becomes a priest commander fighting for the cause of light, while the other becomes a strong woman serving the country. Isn't that a nice story?"
Asa quickly waved his hands in denial, "Please, don't joke about me like that."
But the marquis continued with an ambiguous smile, "Why should people in love suppress their feelings? I've told you before, feel free to visit her when you have the time. My family has very few people in it."
By the time Asa left the marquis's residence, it was already dusk. Even after stepping onto the street, he couldn't shake off the marquis's suggestion, which kept spinning around in his mind, making him feel annoyed. To alleviate this discomfort, he hurried back to his house, changed into some ordinary clothes, and walked toward the bustling streets…
The next morning.
Asa woke up, dazed for a moment, and suddenly asked the woman lying next to him, "Actually, I've always liked a woman…"
"Who do you like?" the woman asked lazily, as if she were waking up. "Why tell me? Aren't you afraid I'll get jealous?"
"Jealous of what? If you're going to get jealous over someone else, you might as well burst with envy," Asa shot back.
"Go to hell. You don't believe me when I tell the truth. I've only been jealous of two people in my life. One is naturally that handsome and charming Knight Rodhart. He is the epitome of a young hero. It's a pity he hasn't come to find me." As she spoke about her idol, the woman perked up. "Of course, he's a noble. The other one? I'm just stuck dealing with you. Too bad you don't believe me, so I won't tell you anymore."
Asa laughed, "When can I introduce you to your idol? Then you'll have someone to envy."
"Wow, really?… Stop bragging. How could someone so famous and noble know a loser like you?"
Asa patted her head and said, "Listen to me carefully. I've always liked a woman; she probably likes me too, but I'm not so sure. The problem is, she's already married, and her husband is a complete jerk who never comes home and ignores her. Do you think I should go find her?"
Asa found himself increasingly fond of being with this woman. Although her status seemed completely incompatible with his, he didn't care about that. What mattered was that he enjoyed being around people like her. They might not be cultured or particularly smart, but at least they were genuine. Compared to those pretentious priests, clergy, and nobles, he felt much more relaxed and happy with them. No wonder someone as noble as the marquis had frequented such places in the past.
After hearing Asa's confession, Miss Selena, the courtesan, unabashedly spat at him and said, "With an attitude like that, isn't it obvious you want to go? If you want to go, just go—unless you're afraid of being caught. I heard there's a punishment called 'drowning in a pig cage' for people like you! Heh, I'll come see your miserable state then."
"You have a mouth like a crow," Asa said, laughing as he lightly tapped her on the head.
Asa left while it was still not completely light outside, meandering through the streets a bit before heading back to the big house, where he found Sandru was already up.
It was quite rare for a visitor to arrive at the big house so early in the morning.
At first glance, Asa could tell this visitor was not someone who usually came to see him or deliver messages—definitely not a normal person. This guest was sitting in the middle of the hall, having conversation with Sandru amidst the corpses, with Sandru holding a cup of tea. This was an even rarer sight; Asa knew Sandru only drank tea when he was either in a particularly good or particularly bad mood—moments that were already extremely rare. He had never seen him do this even when he was with Bishop Ronis.
This peculiar guest wore a large cloak and had a strange face. The oddity of this face lay in its complete lack of prominent features; it was excessively plain, and if it blended into a crowd, it would vanish without a trace.
The very ordinary-looking person nodded to Asa upon seeing him return.
Asa returned the gesture; he had never seen this person before but felt an inexplicable and ominous sense of familiarity.
"You finally returned; I've been waiting here for you all night," the visitor said in a hoarse voice that reeked of decay. Asa jumped back like a startled cat, arching his back with goosebumps rising on his skin.
Sandru glanced at Asa, took a hefty sip of tea, and let out a sound reminiscent of a snore.