The Necromancer Who Was Despised

Her actions would have failed, given the consequences of becoming Kuman’s slave.

I felt a little thrill.

‘What if I… make her my person?’

She’s a genius.

If I think about the time period now, she must have just turned 20.

Even so, her growth rate was extraordinary, and in a little over a year, she grew to the point where she could single-handedly wipe out Kuman’s guards.

‘If she hadn’t committed suicide there and continued to grow….’

Perhaps she would have become a Master of great heights.

The timing was good, too. I was at a point where it was inconvenient to operate alone….

‘I can’t operate with Skeletons during the day.’

It’s not that I can’t use the undead during the day. My level and the level of the undead are still low, so they are weak, but it is possible to operate them.

However, it’s no different from openly advertising that I’m a black magician, and a necromancer at that, so I can’t use them.

‘Besides, they’re really weak.’

I had just acquired an undead, but I was the only one who actually fought because of it.

‘The reason why Athena hates Kuman is because of revenge, right?’

I understand that her village was destroyed by a monster attack, and she was separated from her younger sibling during her escape.

The place where her sibling ended up….

‘Was under Kuman.’

Athena, who awakened her mana during her escape, came here to find her sibling’s trail.

‘She’s definitely talented.’

Even though she hadn’t learned anything separately, she was able to move so stealthily that I didn’t notice her, and she had awakened her mana.

‘Judging from her tracking skills… is she from a hunter background?’

It was possible.

After thinking quickly, I looked at her and said,

“Judging from your appearance, are you a vagrant?”

Athena didn’t answer.

“Hmm, vagrants hate slave traders. It seems that your family or acquaintances were captured and became slaves… is that right?”

Even if I didn’t know her past, it was a guess that I could make.

“…So what?”

“Give it up. No matter how much mana you’ve awakened, you won’t be able to rescue those who have become slaves.”

Athena flares up at my cold words.

“With your abilities, which can’t even handle me, it’s impossible to save your family, or to kill Kuman.”

It was possible in the future, but not now.

“So you’re telling me to give up on my family? You’re just like the rest of those slave-trading dogs. To you guys, humans are nothing more than money.”

Fear had completely given way to fury in Athena’s eyes.

I responded with a smirk to her words.

“Well, I’ve never really sold people for money before. But I suppose I could buy someone with money this time.”

“What?”

“I’m proposing a deal. Would you like to work with me?”

“Become a lackey for a slave trader? Are you out of your mind?”

“I’m not asking you to work under Kuman. To be exact, I’m asking you to work under me.”

“What’s the difference?”

“I have a business relationship with Kuman. I’m not exactly his subordinate.”

This was true.

Kuman was my superior, of course.

I was quite useful to him, but I had to avoid getting on his bad side in order to keep operating in this area.

“And I don’t hunt and sell monsters, I hunt and sell people.”

Athena looked at me as if it was obvious that I should have known that.

“If you work under me, I’ll help you rescue the people you capture.”

Athena’s expression changed.

After all, she didn’t say those things out of some sense of justice.

She was someone who had been at the bottom of society in this world.

There was no way she didn’t understand reality.

“How many captured people are there?”

“…One.”

‘Just as I expected.’

I already knew this thanks to my memories from the first playthrough.

‘Her younger sister. And she’s not well.’

She would die within the year.

I wondered if the reason she rebelled and committed suicide despite succeeding was because she lost her reason for living.

After all, she seemed to care a great deal about her younger sister.

“Why? Don’t you like being a subordinate to a black magician?”

“…A slave trader… Do you know that you’re a black magician?”

“I don’t know.”

I had no intention of telling her.

“It’s a secret, I see. If I refuse your offer… Will you kill me?”

“That’s obvious.”

“…Let’s say I do work under you. How do you plan to trust me?”

“I have your talent to thank for that. I wouldn’t have made this offer if not for that.”

“What is that…”

“Swear an oath on your mana.”

Confusion appeared on Athena’s face at my words.

Purchase

“Swear an oath on my mana?”

She looks like she doesn’t understand English.

‘Well, I wouldn’t expect her to know if she hasn’t learned it.’

In the past, only wizards could do this, but now it is a widely known method.

The wizards’ incantations are not made up of continental languages.

It is a way of chanting the rune language of a more distant ancient time, which can affect mana, and the hand sign is just a way of expressing this rune language with the hands.

‘Magic circles are made based on rune language.’

In other words, through the rune language, one can affect mana, and this is a method that can also be used by warriors who create aura using mana.

‘It is impossible to use magic, but it is possible to make an oath through mana.’

If one breaks an oath made through mana, the mana leaves the user.

In other words, the source of power that makes humans into superhumans disappear, and this is a nightmare for mana users.

After explaining this to her, I said,

“Swear on your mana. Swear that you will not betray me.”

Athena did not answer. Of course not. Mana was also a very precious power to her.

Even if she got her sister out of the slave traders’ hands, there was no way that two powerless women could survive in this beggarly world.

If she didn’t have mana, even if she saved her sister, there was no future.

In other words, if she really swore an oath, she would be completely tied to me.

‘Originally, forcing someone to swear on their mana was something that was only done to slaves.’

In a situation where I had this much of an advantage, I could easily force her.

When the situation is not this one-sided, forcing the other person to swear an oath on their mana is a great insult, and it is something that could be considered normal even if the other person was killed.

‘It is almost taboo for a noble to force a commoner mana user to swear on their mana.’

If a ruler does not have enough power, they will laugh at for using an oath that is only received from slaves on commoners.

For nobles, who should value honor as much as their lives, forcing an oath did more harm than good.

‘Honestly, it’s an advantage for Athena.’

If I don’t intervene, her sister will die and she will commit suicide.

‘She doesn’t know that, of course.’

Of course, even if she doesn’t know about that future, it’s not like she’s only losing out right now.

‘She can survive, and she even has a chance to save her sister.’

However, there is the risk that she will have to work under the black wizard who is revered on the continent.

Of course, there were some loopholes in the oath on mana. However, it was enough for the current situation. No, to be honest, it was too much.

“…Are you really going to save Tia?”

“Tia?”

“That’s the name of my sister who was captured by the slave traders.”

“Of course. Honestly speaking, it’s not that difficult. I’m quite an important partner to Kuman, despite how I look.”

If I pay the money, I can buy her.

Besides, I remember that she was sick and still young.

‘Still, considering her appearance, she’ll probably be pretty good….’

Considering Athena’s appearance, Tina’s appearance would probably be pretty good too.

But there are some shortcomings, so I don’t think she’ll be so bad that she can’t live.

“An oath on mana… Okay. I’ll do it.”

Following my lead, she slowly opened her mouth.

[By my mana, I, Athena, swear.]

“I shall not betray Doinha, nor shall I commit any act that may bring him harm.”

Doinha.

That was my birth name.

It was a simple and short oath, but its effect was undeniable.

Soon, her body began to glow faintly.

‘It worked.’

It was the result of her uttered will.

An oath once made cannot be broken.

“Keep your promise.”

“That goes without saying.”

As soon as the mana oath was made, I put away the sword that had been pointed at her.

“Try attacking me.”

“…What?”

“Don’t worry and just attack me. It’s necessary.”

“There’s no need to confirm it that way. The oath has been made. I can already feel it.”

“Do it.”

At my resolute words, Athena seemed conflicted, but she soon raised her rusty sword.

Then, she swung it at me.

I dodged the attack effortlessly.

“Huh? Why is this…”

She looked at her sword as if she found it strange that she had attacked me.

And the moment she looked up.

“That’s right. That feeling you just had. Remember it. It’s a warning. Even the mana oath has its limits.”

Since it was an attack that I had allowed, it did not violate the oath of not betraying me.

The moment she realized that there was nothing wrong with attacking me, she had unknowingly developed a small murderous intent towards me, and she was immediately given a warning by the mana.

It was natural for her to have harbored murderous intent for a moment.

Just a moment ago, I had fought with her, and she had been forced to make an oath under the threat of death.

It was natural for anyone to feel a surge of anger.

And since she was holding a sword at the time, it was expressed strongly.

“I understand. You’re saying that I can’t deceive you?”

“That’s right.”

It’s both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Conversely, there were times when this could work as a weakness, which is why the mana oath was both absolute and not absolute, a contradiction.

‘It’s probably an unnecessary worry, though.’

This is just a minimal safety measure.

If I can just take her brother away and guarantee her a decent life from now on, she won’t betray me.

I was confident that I could make that happen.

Leaving Athena frozen in place, I erased the traces of black magic.

The method of erasing was simple.

‘I just have to get rid of the magic.’

It’s a very easy task for me who directly handles magic.

I absorb the magic by reaching out my hand and then send it to the magic world through tension.

I don’t know about other things, but magic was free to enter and leave.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I can handle magic indefinitely.

I can only enter and leave. The amount of magic I can handle has clear limits.

‘Did I grow a bit?’

It’s subtle, but I can feel that the bowl has grown bigger.

However, I won’t be able to handle magic for a while as a price for using magic that was higher than my level.

‘I guess I won’t be able to use it for two days.’

I don’t have anything to use it for anyway.

I can grow little by little like this. I could get stronger quickly if I could just get rid of my impatience.

If I just get rid of the magic, it wasn’t hard to erase the rest of the traces.

I just have to bury it deep in the ground.

Nature will take care of the rest.

‘There’s no reason to sell this place if there’s no trace of magic.’

I said to Artizea, who was still standing with a hardened expression after I had completely disposed of the body.

“Let’s go.”

She followed me silently.

Clatter, clatter.

A skeleton followed us.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“I’ll lock it up in the basement.”

It was an obvious result.

‘For now, I have no choice but to put it in a dormant state. I’ll strengthen it little by little… .’

I was really lucky. I couldn’t have imagined that I would have an undead at this point.

“That disgusting energy… .”

“It’s not hard to hide it.”

“… Do it yourself. But don’t get caught. I’m in the same boat as you now.”

I nodded slightly at her words.

I took her home and prepared a meal for her.

She looked like she hadn’t eaten for days, so I prepared it for her, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the prepared food.

“Eat first.”

She seemed to be conscious of my gaze, so I left with the skeleton for a while.

The basement was where Nelson kept the humans he had captured, so it wasn’t difficult to keep the skeleton there.

It was empty when I killed him.

I put the skeleton in a dormant state and retrieved almost all of the magic.

Since I couldn’t use magic right now, it was a temporary measure. Even skilled people would have a hard time noticing magic that was this faint, so it would be safe for the time being.

‘The basement is deep too.’

Nelson dug it deep for his purpose.

In retrospect, it was a bit funny.

To think that the mastermind behind the creation of this space would end up trapped here as a skeleton.

‘How ironic.’

Of course, I didn’t feel any sympathy for him.

As I headed towards the living room of the house, I found Athena there, hurriedly eating her food, oblivious to my presence.

Belatedly, Athena’s movements freeze as she notices me.

Subtly.

She puts down the meat she was eating, as if slightly embarrassed.

I sat down opposite her and said,

“Eat comfortably. Don’t mind me.”

“…You’re staring right at me and telling me to eat comfortably?”

“I’m not particularly hungry.”

I had already eaten a bit beforehand. I wasn’t in the mood to eat.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

I already knew, but it would be strange to know her name without her telling me, so I asked her in advance.

“…Athena.”

“Alright, Athena. Tomorrow, I’ll go and buy your younger sibling.”

“Buy?”

“Didn’t you guess to some extent?”

I had already hinted at it.

“Was the story about me buying a person with money referring to my younger sibling?”

“Obviously. I may be Kumain’s collaborator, but I can’t just go around robbing him of his merchandise.”

Athena’s brow furrows at the word merchandise.

“Don’t make that expression. Rather, it’s because of that situation that I can take her without any trouble.”

She begins to tear at the meat again, as if slightly displeased.

‘As expected, she doesn’t have a strong sense of justice.’

From the beginning, she had agreed to come under me, a black magician, and when she first said that she was disillusioned to see a person being bought with money, it seemed like she had said it to insult me and because her own younger sibling was in that position.

‘Or perhaps it was an attempt to figure out my disposition.’

It meant that she was trying to find a way out of that situation.

Although her anger towards Kumain and me at that time seemed genuine.

Once she had finished eating, I gave her a room and as soon as the day changed, I ordered her to wash herself.

“Come with me.”

“I don’t intend to show you my face. And if I come with you, it will only be to my disadvantage. If they find out about my existence, they won’t easily let go of your younger sibling, even if I “I am in a cooperative relationship with Kumain. Just tell them my age and appearance.”

“…Black hair and red eyes. She’s 17. Three years younger than me. But… she’s probably much smaller.”

I nodded slightly at her words.

Her appearance isn’t common, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find her.

‘I already know more or less.’

“Alright. I’ll bring her to you. If you don’t want to greet your younger sibling with that unsightly appearance, wash yourself in advance. You know where the river is, right?”

“…I understand.”

In the end, Athena reluctantly nodded as if she understood.

Whether it was because of Mana’s oath or simply his natural personality, he never listened to me in one go.

“Do you still not trust me?”

But he did what I told him to do.

I gathered the money bag and the leather I had set aside, then headed to the center of the barony, the pioneering territory.

I guess my face was already known, because the guards let me pass without even batting an eye, and I headed straight for Kuman’s mansion.

I heard that I had a guest, so Alber himself came out to greet me.

I handed him a piece of leather and said,

“This is the hide of the beast I caught this time.”

“It’s in good condition. I think you used a trap…”

I wondered if he was really good at this, because I was able to sell the leather for a better price than I expected.