ALL NOVEL Chapter 27
Chapter 27. The Longing Ambitions
So here I am, Zilbagias, running into the Undead King while chilling in the courtyard in the afternoon.
“To see a demon child in this place at this time is quite rare.”
He takes a roundabout through the shaded corridor and approaches me.
“…I don’t think it’s as rare as an Undead sticking its hand into sunlight.”
At least in terms of rarity.
“No doubt about it. I’ve been bested.”
The Undead King chuckles lightly, and even up close, his gender is ambiguous. Antendeixis said his magic power was stagnant, but I can’t quite tell.
It’s just—his presence is faint. It’s like dealing with a puppet or something.
“So what was that about?”
“Of course, I was experimenting to see if I could withstand sunlight.”
He casually raises his right arm, which has vanished from the elbow down.
—Is he an idiot?
Undead turn to ash when exposed to sunlight. That’s common knowledge. Even the highest-ranking Undead, the Undead King, isn’t an exception.
“Hm. You seem to think I’m reckless.”
His doll-like face twists in dissatisfaction as he speaks.
“Believe it or not, I’m making progress. Initially, I would turn to ash instantly, but after layering countermeasures, I’ve managed to last a few seconds.”
“………That might be some significant progress.”
Now that he mentions it, there was indeed a moment before I would catch fire.
No matter how powerful an Undead may be, they instantly turn to ash under sunlight—this assumption is now being shattered. Thinking of it that way, it’s certainly a threat.
If he can last even a few seconds, just imagine the amount of disaster that could unfold.
“Oh! Do you understand? Most people scoff at the idea of only lasting a few seconds, but you get it!!”
The Undead King seems thrilled to be recognized by me and quickly sits next to me on the shaded side of the bench.
“Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I’m Enma. Nice to meet you.”
“—”
Hearing that name, I nearly stifled a scream.
Enma—the Puppet Master Enma!
You’ve got to be kidding me. He’s a historically infamous criminal wanted by the Holy Kingdom and, by extension, the Pan-Humanity Alliance for over a hundred years!
If that’s the case, he should be female… at least in terms of his living gender.
He revolutionized the concept of Undead—zombies and skeletons—by mass-producing Undead that look closer to the living. His works resembled puppets, earning him the nickname “Puppet Master.”
Numerous victims have fallen due to Enma’s experiments and creations. He destroyed entire villages for materials and completely transformed a city into an Undead town around eighty years ago, before disappearing—yet he’s right here in the Demon Lord’s Castle.
“From the looks of it, you seem humanoid.”
I try to keep my cool, probing further.
“Yeah, this body is indeed. By the way, I’m also originally from the human race. Do you dislike humans?”
“No—”
How should I respond to that?
“—As an individual, I have no particular feelings about race. It’s purely out of curiosity.”
“I see, I see. So, what about you?”
“I’m Zilbagias.”
Upon my introduction, Enma tilts his head dramatically with wide eyes.
“I’ve heard that name. You’re the prince who had a big showdown with soldiers yesterday, aren’t you!”
—Just because you know I’m a prince doesn’t mean you have to act so big about it!!
“Ahaha, are you annoyed by my familiar behavior? After all, I’ve been graciously given the title of Count by His Majesty, the Demon Lord. If you ever become more superior than me, I’d gladly humble myself.”
I see, that’s the stance you’re taking.
…This disrupts my rhythm. For someone who’s a historically notorious criminal, his vibe is way too lighthearted.
“So you know that I killed human soldiers, right? Don’t you have any feelings about that?”
“Not particularly! I mean, by serving the Demon Lord, it’s a bit too late to worry about such things!”
That was a solid, undeniable point.
“…So, why the Demon Lord’s Army?”
“Thank you for asking! Actually, I have a dream!”
Enma’s eyes sparkle like glass beads.
I could tell right away that it must be some ludicrous dream.
“I believe that all humans should become Undead!”
Ludicrous? More like incomprehensible.
“…Why?”
“Living is really suffering and painful, right?”
Even if I agree, I’d have no idea how to respond.
“Humans are miserable and pathetic. As long as they are alive, they keep discharging waste, are enslaved by their three basic needs, and must live in fear of the inevitable death.”
He lets out a sigh.
“But! If you become Undead, you can be liberated from such suffering. You won’t feel hungry anymore, and you won’t be troubled by physical desires or discomfort. You can live with peace of mind… Undead are the new shape of humanity! Yet…”
He wears a fabricated sad face.
“The human race—especially those thick-headed fools from the Holy Church—destroy everyone just because they’re Undead. They’ve been freed from suffering and were getting along…”
No, that’s totally obvious!!
The Holy Church purifies Undead because there’s a nearly definite chance that Undead will lose their sense of self or develop anomalies, and they will begin to cause harm to the living!!!
“‘Let’s all get along’, doesn’t include the living in that ‘everyone’!!!
“So one day, my finest creation, a town, was destroyed, and it hit me. It was pointless for me to keep doing things on a personal level.”
He should have taken a broader perspective.
“So, first, I decided to weaken the Holy Church’s influence. And someday, I will create a peaceful utopia for Undead!!”
That was his reason for joining the Demon Lord’s Army? My head was starting to throb.
“So you’re saying—you were going around turning humans into Undead to save them from the suffering of living?”
This isn’t some dollhouse play…
“Exactly! Humans are far too inefficient; they’re unbearable to watch.”
“By that logic, it could also apply to all living beings, not just humans.”
“Actually, that’s correct. If I’m being honest, I think everyone should become Undead.”
But—Enma shrugs.
“See, I’m human. I can talk a lot about my own race, but it’d be wrong to push my views on other races.”
No, don’t even push them on your own race! At least get consent from individuals! Why not apply your modesty to your own kind? And don’t act like you’re the spokesperson for humanity!
There’s too much I want to say, yet nothing comes out.
“The Undead, as far as I know, almost always lose their sense of self or go insane.”
While clutching my head, I manage to force some words out.
“Virtually only high-ranking Undead, like the Undead King, can engage in rational conversation.”
There’s room for debate about whether Enma is rational.
“Sometimes, the personality from their previous life is erased entirely. You claim there’s no need to fear death, but doesn’t the loss of personality come eerily close to death itself? How do you see that?”
“I’ve repeatedly tried to improve on that. Too many ended up breaking or becoming voiceless dolls.”
Enma responds seriously.
“But, you know, how much of the influence can be minimized heavily relies on the individual’s qualities. Transforming into Undead inevitably changes the soul… So it can’t be helped. After all, being Undead is for the chosen ones!”
Standing up excitedly, Enma continues with exaggerated gestures like an actor.
“Only the exceptional can surpass death and be reborn as splendid Undead! The other inferior ones, even if left alive, will just be filthy waste-producing machines! Living for no reason only brings suffering, so it’s better to end it for their sake!”
His glass-bead-like eyes glisten with excitement.
This guy really is something else.
Having some intellect left makes his reasoning impressive, but at the core, it’s fundamentally insane.
In the end, that’s what it is. No matter how grandiose the ideals may be, or how noble the reasons are, Undead are—irreconcilable.
So they must be exterminated.
I could ignore their existence as long as they kept to themselves, holed up alone, but…
But nine times out of ten, that’s not the case. Those who lurk in the shadows don’t appear, but Undead who show themselves are inevitably these kinds of guys.
Speaking of which, why did the Demon Lord take in a guy like this…?
…No, I know. It’s because he’s useful. He’s first-rate as a weapon. Despite his deranged ideologies, he somehow possesses a bizarre restraint against other races.
“Hey? What’s wrong? You’ve gone quiet all of a sudden.”
Enma tilts his head with a plastered smile.
I’m filled with the impulse to grab him by the neck and drag him into the sunlight right now.
But… it would probably be futile. Upon closer inspection, it’s clear that thin threads of magical power extend from his body.
It seems to connect down to the castle’s underground.
“Oh, please don’t look at me with such undesirable eyes.”
Enma pretends to writhe dramatically.
“It’s not that I’m looking at you with undesirable eyes.”
“It’s not about how you see me. It’s about how I feel.”
“…Apologies for that.”
This madman’s logical punch really pisses me off… Should I really turn him to ash? Even if he’s not the main body.
“Ahaha, you’re quite honest. You don’t really seem like a demon. But I find it pleasant; it feels just like talking to a kindred spirit.”
Stop it!! Don’t put your feminine intuition to work unnecessarily!!!
“However, if possible, I wish to meet in a proper body next time rather than in this experimental one. Maybe I’ll pay more attention to appearances in the future.”
Suddenly, Enma throws off his robe.
Underneath, he’s completely naked, but he’s stripped of all sexual traits, resembling a—puppet-like form.
“I will eventually overcome the sun. Moving only in darkness is incomplete and utterly inefficient. With superior Undead, I’ll create a world where there’s no hunger or conflict…”
He walks into the sunlight while spreading his arms in a dreamy tone.
His wax-like body, bathed in sunlight, begins to smoke, and then it’s engulfed in flames.
“Understanding may not come easily, but since coming to the Demon Lord Kingdom, I’ve gained comrades. I will never give up!”
Give up already.
“See you later, Prince. It would make me happy if one day you could become my comrade as well.”
As a demon, of course—
Waving his hand lightly, Enma turned to ash.
Glimpsing the reason why the Holy Church has failed to fully eliminate Enma, even after numerous confrontations with him, I pondered—how can I destroy that guy…?
“…Humans really are something else…”
Garunya muttered with a look of total disbelief.
“…I don’t think all of them are like that.”
I barely managed to squeeze out that response. Please don’t think of that as typical behavior for regular people.
For the sake of humanity’s honor, I vow to eradicate Enma. That’s a promise I made to myself.