Chapter 38
The smile that had been resting on Ralph’s lips faded abruptly as he turned his gaze out the carriage window.
“If there’s some misunderstanding, I wish they’d just talk it out. It’s tragic to see the sacrifices piling up like this.”
His words weighed heavily on me too.
Too many people had died — and by the hands of their own allies, no less.
How heavy must the burden be for Hamil and the knights who had to carry that guilt?
And what of the precious lives lost?
After this, the black magicians would surely lose whatever standing they still had left.
And here I was, sitting before Ralph, who said that thanks to me he had come to see black magic differently — my feelings were complicated, to say the least.
It was while we were talking that I suddenly sensed one of the Death Soldiers — the one I had sent to find Castian — fading rapidly.
Alarmed, I sent him power, but even then, it seemed like he would soon dissipate completely. I quickly called out to him.
“Ack—! Return! Return at once! Come back!”
As a necromancer, I’m spiritually connected to the Death Soldiers I command, able to communicate with them through their shadows.
Barely avoiding dissolution, the soldier suddenly rose out of my shadow.
“I have come at my master’s summons.”
His spirit form was so faint that I could clearly see Ralph’s silhouette through him — that’s how badly damaged he was.
I hurriedly poured magic into him.
“Are you all right? What happened? Did you encounter a black magician?”
“No, my lady. I found the people you asked me to locate.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“When I tried to deliver your message, the priests attacked. I failed to complete my task. My apologies.”
“You should’ve just returned! You almost vanished completely!”
“Thanks to the power you sent, I was able to survive.”
As he spoke, he knelt low to the floor of the carriage. Seeing him bow so deeply, I quickly pulled my foot back, realizing what he was about to do.
“No kissing my feet!”
“My lord…”
“And no ‘my lord’ either! Also — if you ever find yourself in danger again, forget about orders and just get out of there, understood?”
“Yes, my lady.”
He rose obediently, though he somehow looked dejected.
Death Soldiers weren’t supposed to have emotions — except for rare cases like the late Duke Bernstein or Ethan — yet his face clearly looked… sulky.
Was he always this close to tears when he was alive?
I decided to ignore it; talking about the facial expressions of the dead seemed… in poor taste.
“Anyway, how are the Duke and the expedition team? Are they safe?”
“I saw no injuries among them.”
“And where are they now?”
“They were headed this way. They should arrive within an hour.”
He said “an hour,” but I was sure they’d arrive sooner.
If a Bernstein knight had appeared here as a Death Soldier, it meant something had gone wrong — Castian would hurry back.
I recalled the other soldiers searching for him elsewhere and summoned them back, then decided to go out and meet Castian halfway — I didn’t want him running into danger on the way back.
Meanwhile, the imperial army had finally settled down.
No one knew how far they had scattered beyond the barrier, but apparently, all the troops who had fled in all directions had returned.
I informed Hamil that Castian was on his way back and that I would go meet him.
“Will you be all right alone?”
“I’m not alone.”
I’d meant it to reassure him, but Hamil’s expression darkened.
Every time he looked at the Death Soldiers — especially Ethan and the other knights — guilt flashed in his eyes.
As he turned away, hiding his expression, I too turned, along with my soldiers.
In the distant sky, the first light of dawn was breaking.
We had stayed up all night, but after all that had happened, I didn’t feel tired at all.
About ten minutes into walking through the dew-soaked forest, where wet grass stained my shoes, I saw a faint blue light flickering in the far distance.
A shooting star? But shooting stars don’t stop and hover in one place.
I squinted — it wasn’t stationary.
The light was shooting straight toward us.
“What is that?”
My muttered words made all the Death Soldiers draw their swords at once.
Whatever it was, they had instantly judged it to be dangerous.
And honestly, it was coming at us so fast that I started to panic too—wait…
“A person?”
I could hardly believe my eyes, but it really did look like a person.
Can a human even move that fast? A mage, maybe?
Why on earth was a person glowing blue and flying this way? Still, it definitely looked like a—
“Castian?”
The moment I recognized his face, he suddenly shot upward into the air.
Sensing danger, my Death Soldiers rushed to protect me.
Castian, still hurtling forward at the same speed, fell in an arc — right on top of the soldiers shielding me.
Boom!
The crash sounded like a meteor hitting the earth.
“Ghhk…”
Between the fallen soldiers, I saw Castian drive his sword down — and Ethan catch it, both knees sinking deep into the ground from the impact.
“My lord!”
My heart leapt — Castian had come charging in, sword first, striking at Ethan.
Had he been caught in an illusion too?
But then he lifted his head at my voice and shouted something I didn’t expect.
“Lydia! Are you unharmed?!”
I froze mid-step, staring at him.
“Unharmed”? That didn’t seem like the right question coming from someone who had just attacked!
As I stood there speechless, Ethan groaned, still barely holding off Castian’s blade.
“Lord Castian, please lower your sword. You are frightening our lady.”
Castian looked perfectly fine — but Ethan certainly wasn’t.
I hurried over to Ethan’s side.
“Sir Ethan! Are you all right?”
Just that one clash had made his spirit form flicker and blur.
I knelt beside him, pouring power into him, and Castian finally stepped back — though his wary eyes swept over the Death Soldiers around us.
“Are these… your soldiers?”
“Yes. They all answered my summons.”
So please stop threatening them already!
I gave him a look, and at last, Castian sheathed his sword.
Then, nodding toward Ethan — who was quietly receiving my magic — he asked,
“Even this one?”
His tone was perfectly flat, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes.
Ethan had been the subordinate Castian cherished most — and now not only had I failed to protect him, but I had brought him back as a Death Soldier.
As I kept my head bowed, Ethan stepped protectively in front of me, speaking in his own defense.
“It was my choice, my lord. Do not blame her.”
Castian sighed and scolded him softly.
“I told you to protect her, not die for her.”
I quickly stepped forward to explain.
“Sir Ethan was protecting me when—”
Castian stared at the two of us — Ethan shielding me, me defending Ethan — and then extended his hand toward me.
“It was my mistake, leaving you behind. Stand.”
I hesitated, then took his hand and rose. His voice, though controlled, carried quiet concern.
“You’re not hurt?”
Even in a moment like this, he asked about me first. My throat tightened.
I shook my head and asked in return,
“What about you, my lord? Did any black magicians appear?”
“Only a few beasts. Were there black magicians here? Is that why…”
His gaze drifted toward the Death Soldiers.
He didn’t finish the thought — Is that why they’re like this? — but I knew that’s what he meant.
Even if he had asked, I couldn’t have answered. Instead, Castian turned to Ethan.
“Ethan. Report.”
Ethan hesitated. Then, standing tall beside me, he declared firmly,
“I do not take orders from anyone who is not my master.”
Even in death, Ethan was as rigidly loyal as ever.
Castian’s expression was priceless — the shock of realizing that the knight who had once revered him now refused his command.
Ethan, meanwhile, looked proud of himself, as if expecting praise.
Why am I the one embarrassed here?
I cleared my throat and whispered solemnly,
“Sir Ethan, obey the Duke’s orders as if they were mine.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Only then did Ethan finally begin his report.
