Episode 287: Secrets (2)
After the time for rehabilitation had ended, Damian presented the undead before Veronica.
“Now, do you believe me?”
“Why all the drama and hitting when you could’ve just shown me the undead from the start?” Veronica exclaimed, rubbing the top of her head, her voice dripping with indignation.
But when Damian raised his club again, she quickly fell silent.
“Since when were you a necromancer?”
“It’s a long story. Best not to pry.”
Veronica shot him a fierce glare, clearly dissatisfied with his answer.
“Does your family know?”
“No, they don’t. So keep it to yourself.”
Even if the truth came out, Damian knew his family wouldn’t report him to the Holy Order. But he didn’t want them to worry, and that was enough for him.
“If you’re a necromancer, shouldn’t you be on the same side as Pandemonium?”
“I use dark magic, but I’m not a necromancer.”
Veronica frowned deeply. “What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I’ve never killed anyone to use dark magic.”
“But you’ve used it, haven’t you? Doesn’t that make you a necromancer?”
“If I were a necromancer, why would I have killed the great evil of Pandemonium?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Veronica’s brow furrowed, as if she understood but still found it hard to accept.
“Anyway, that’s not the point right now.”
Veronica brushed off Damian’s dark magic as if it were nothing, and Damian couldn’t help but admire her nonchalance. He hadn’t expected her to be so unfazed.
‘She always did think differently from others, even in her past life.’
In her previous life, Veronica was a madwoman who reached the master class because she loved killing too much. Dorgo, impressed by her infamous reputation across the continent, had proposed an alliance, but she had refused outright.
Was it because Dorgo was a necromancer? Because he was fighting against humanity? No, her reasons were far from noble.
That was the sole reason she had turned down Dorgo’s offer, and she had eventually met her end at Damian’s hands.
“But why should I fight Pandemonium?” Veronica suddenly asked, her expression turning serious.
“I know Pandemonium well. It’s where the most dangerous necromancers and dark knights gather. You want me to fight such a terrifying place?”
She shook her head, as if the idea was absurd.
“Do you think I’m an idiot? No way. Find someone else.”
Damian stared at her silently, but Veronica seemed determined not to change her stance.
“I’ll say it again: I have nothing to gain from this, so I’m not getting involved.”
”…”
“But we’ve known each other for a long time, and I’ve grown somewhat fond of you… If you meet one condition, I’ll consider your proposal.”
Veronica pointed to the ground with her finger.
“Kneel and ask me politely. Oh, and don’t forget to call me ‘Lady Veronica.’”
Damian glanced down briefly before looking back at her. Veronica wore a triumphant smile.
“Sigh…”
Damian covered his face with his hands, exasperated. Veronica’s grin only widened.
“So, what’s it going to be? If kneeling is too much, you can show your respect in another way…”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Damian lowered his hands, revealing a face twisted with anger.
“Why should I help someone who’s been freeloading off my family’s food while I was away?”
The ground beneath Damian’s feet cracked ominously, and Veronica hiccupped involuntarily at the terrifying sight.
“W-wait… I was just joking! Of course, I was going to help!”
Veronica pleaded desperately, but the damage was done.
Damian adjusted his grip on the club, ready to swing it more comfortably.
“W-what are you doing? Put that club away! Don’t come any closer!”
Damian raised the club high.
The sound of blows echoed until the full moon hung high in the sky.
“I-I’ll protect it! I’ll defend the castle with my life!”
Only after those words left Veronica’s lips did Damian stop the beating.
“I’m… I’m dying… Ugh.”
Veronica fainted from the excessive blows.
Damian turned to Dominico, pointing at the unconscious Veronica.
“Dominico, you heard her, right? She’s on our side now.”
-…
Dominico looked at Damian in disbelief. When no response came, Damian’s expression darkened.
“Got a problem with that?”
-Of course not.
“Good. Here, take this.”
Damian tossed a small notebook to Dominico, who caught it with a puzzled look.
-What’s this?
“I made it for you. Learn the techniques written in there.”
As a death knight, Dominico didn’t need to accumulate dark magic, but he did need to learn how to wield it.
Dominico flipped through a few pages, his eyes widening.
-Did you really create this yourself?
“Why? Is there something wrong with it?”
-No, not at all…
Dominico couldn’t finish his sentence.
Damian had crafted a new mana cultivation technique based on the one Dominico had mastered in life. He had maximized its strengths and filled in its weaknesses.
The most astonishing part was the latter half of the technique. Damian had reinterpreted its principles to create new skills that Dominico had never imagined.
-…You’re truly remarkable.
Though Dominico already knew Damian was a genius, he couldn’t help but be awed every time he witnessed it.
“Enough with the flattery… And this is for the skeletons. This one’s a training schedule for Munch and Mia.”
Dominico carefully gathered the notebooks Damian handed him, understanding the immense value of the knowledge they contained.
“And give this to her when she wakes up.”
Damian handed over the last notebook, filled with advice and techniques for Veronica.
Dominico hesitated, staring at the notebook with uncertainty.
He wrestled with himself for a moment. Should he really give this to that woman?
-Master, may I ask a question?
“What is it?”
-Do you really intend to trust her?
Dominico asked, his face full of doubt.
Unlike Dominico, Veronica wasn’t bound by any master-servant relationship, nor did she have any reason to fight Pandemonium.
“I trust her.”
Damian replied without hesitation.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not her words I trust.”
How long could a promise extracted through force last?
Damian had his own reasons for trusting Veronica.
“She’s a bit unhinged, but she’s not one to break a promise. And besides…”
Damian thought of his mother and Veronica, their faces like that of a stubborn child.
It was the first time he realized Veronica could make such an expression.
-What other reason is there?
“It’s nothing.”
Damian shook his head.
“I’ll leave some potions. Push her to the brink of death. Somehow, get her to master class before I return.”
Damian believed in Veronica’s potential.
She had become a master because she loved killing. In this life, with the right motivation, she could reach the master class again.
-Master, are you planning to leave the castle?
“Yes, I’m leaving right away.”
With Dorgo’s schemes unknown, there was no time to waste.
He needed to reach Elfheim as quickly as possible to thwart Dorgo’s plans.
-You’re leaving now? Shouldn’t you at least say goodbye to your family?
Dominico suggested cautiously.
Having spent considerable time with Damian, he knew well how much his master cherished his family.
”…No, it’s fine. If I do, I might not want to leave.”
Damian shook his head.
It wasn’t the time to relax yet. He could enjoy such moments after dealing with Dorgo.
“Dominico, I’m counting on you. Work with Kilo to protect the castle.”
With those words, Damian left Spring Castle.
Damian set off for Elfheim immediately.
When people thought of elves, they often imagined forests. True to that image, Elfheim was nestled within a forest surrounded by ancient trees over a thousand years old.
But instead of heading to a mountainous forest, Damian made his way to a port.
‘Elfheim is located on a massive island.’
The reason Elfheim had remained hidden for so long was simple.
It was a nation built on a vast island.
In fact, calling it an island seemed inadequate, as its area was much larger than the Apple Kingdom’s territory.
‘The challenge is pinpointing the island’s location…’
As a death knight, Damian had invaded Elfheim under Dorgo’s orders.
He had a rough idea of its location, but the exact coordinates eluded him.
“If we’re not careful, we might have to search the entire nearby waters.”
Demian was lost in thought, standing by the docks, when he heard an unfamiliar voice.
“You’re quite a fascinating person.”
He turned to see a petite woman. Her ears were long and pointed, and the sight left Demian utterly bewildered.
“An… elf?”
Elves were supposed to be a well-kept secret. Yet here one was, standing right in the middle of the harbor, leaving him no choice but to be shocked.
“How on earth did an elf end up here…?”
“I’m just as surprised as you are,” the elf replied, glancing at the back of Demian’s hand.
“I never expected to meet someone who has traveled back in time.”