Personally recruited by Luaneth Luden Griffin himself, Dante’s Dark Mages were unlike ordinary dark mages as they clearly understood value and negotiation.
Though their perspectives on value differed, causing them to handle matters in bizarre ways, they were at least capable of communication.
That was probably the reason they followed Luaneth, who had aid to save the world by eliminating all souls.
Saving the world to survive—It ant they were sowhat reasonable.
Though their actions suggest otherwise.
Especially in the case of Entomancer Barctos Nikolay, whose mindset was visibly far removed from that of ordinary people.
[So, where are those dark mages?]
“I heard one of them was captured.”
[Oh, really? I can’t wait to see which fool it is.]
The Dark Spiritualist approached while sneaking a glance at Stella, who was still hitting my back. It seed the Dark Spiritualist was chattering exaggeratedly to try and gauge her reaction.
[But only one person was caught in that situation? Who is it? The Blood Mage Findenai faced?]
Like Findenai, Dante’s vice-commander, Pelestan, was a master of prolonged battles and using blood for his magic.
Even in the ga, he was the second most difficult dark mage to face after Luaneth, and his bond with Luaneth was exceptionally strong.
And back when I created the Land of Eternal Rest, he had assisted Luaneth in launching an ambush on but was ultimately thwarted by Findenai.
“No, I heard the Blood Mage Pelestan managed to escape.”
[What? He escaped?]
“That man is blood itself. A normal prison cannot hold him.”
[Griffin’s weakness, ignorance of dark mages, has shown itself again, hasn’t it?]
“I cannot argue with that.”
She wasn’t wrong.
If they had dealt with the Blood Mage properly, they wouldn’t have allowed Pelestan—whom Findenai had painstakingly captured—to escape.
However, I didn’t think Pelestan would do anything more than this.
Dante’s story had already co to a close.
Perhaps he felt a sense of disillusionnt and had returned to his hotown, or maybe he missed Luaneth but eventually overca it one day and moved forward with his life. ℞𝖆ℕОβЕŝ
[So, who did they manage to capture?]
“Entomancer Barctos, Blood Mage Pelestan, and Cadavermancer Yun—None of them were caught.”
[Hmm?]
“They were all undoubtedly threatening dark mages. However, the most dangerous one is soone else.”
[Really? None of the others besides those three stood out to .]
“That is to be expected.”
Because if he had sohow succeeded in using his magic, Graypond would have no longer existed in its current form today.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Just as I was about to explain, Stella’s persistent punching on my back caused to let out a sigh.
“You can stop now.”
[I-It just started to get a bit fun…]
“I noticed.”
In the first place, it didn’t really feel like a punch—it felt more like a massage. That was why I let her be.
[I’m sorry.]
Blushing in embarrassnt, Stella quickly walked over and stood beside .
Once Stella regained her senses, we headed to the part of Graypond where the Magic Tower was located.
[Wait a second, you haven’t told who it is!]
The Dark Spiritualist yelled all of a sudden, but I didn’t bother giving her an answer since it was clear that even if I did, it wouldn’t make a difference.
***
The Magic Tower.
While the na might give the impression of a sharp, towering structure like a spear, the Magic Tower in Graypond was only slightly taller than the surrounding buildings. In fact, it didn’t even look much different from its surroundings.
And it wasn’t a place where mages tested magic, indulged in researching new spells, or worked to create once-in-a-lifeti results.
Rather, it looked like a place where mages, worn out by fatigue, ca day after day to work. Of course, they were probably working hard inside.
[Is he confined in the Magic Tower?]
“Yes, I heard the Archmage subdued him.”
Upon entering the Magic Tower, I was imdiately greeted by mages. Since I had already inford Ropelican of my visit in advance, it seed they had prepared for my arrival.
“Greetings, Lord Soul Whisperer!”
A quick greeting.
Unlike when they used to watch over while I worked on solving the case of Eleanor’s nightmare, Ropelican’s apprentices now showed proper etiquette.
“I apologize, but the Archmage has been summoned by His Majesty today. Therefore, I, Serizade, the Deputy Tower Master, will be your guide in his stead.”
A woman with glasses, looking unmistakably like a mage, greeted with the formality of a textbook, to which I nonchalantly responded.
“He must be much busier than . You do not have to worry about here.”
Once I praised their teacher, the Archmage, the atmosphere eased slightly, and Serizade led to the basent.
“He’s been staying in the basent since he’s a dark mage.”
[Isn’t this discrimination? Just because he’s a dark mage doesn’t an he likes dark places.]
The Dark Spiritualist grumbled, crossing her arms and sulking. Standing beside her, Stella gave her an incredulous look and asked.
[Where was your lab, senior?]
[…In a cave.]
Upon receiving that answer, Stella imdiately regretted asking and fell silent. Perhaps Stella’s consideration had offended her, the Dark Spiritualist began grumbling, but I ignored her.
Listening to the Deputy Tower Master chattering beside was already unbearable.
“His magic has already elevated the Griffin Kingdom’s dical practices by several levels higher. I never imagined it could be used like this.”
“…”
“I used to believe that dark mages were just evil and disregarded human lives, like Heralhazard. Oh, of course, Lord Soul Whisperer, you’re the exception!”
“…”
“He called himself a Blightcaster, so I asked him if ‘Plaguebringer’ would sound cooler. So the next day, he started calling himself a Plaguebringer.”
[Wow, this person seriously talks a lot.]
[This behavior is very typical for a mage.]
As the Dark Spiritualist grumbled while clicking her tongue, Stella retorted bluntly.
She had probably encountered many mages during her ti as a Saintess, so her words were likely born from experience.
[I’m a mage, too.]
Subtly indicating that she also belonged in the category of mages, the Dark Spiritualist pressed Stella to correct her statent.
[…This behavior is very typical for a mage.]
However, Stella refused to back down and stood her ground.
[A-Are you going up against your senior?! Are you subtly telling that I also talk too much?]
[Do you even know how long you kept in that conversation yesterday? I’ve morized everything Deus said to you.]
How excited was the Dark Spiritualist while talking yesterday? It might have only been for one day, but I could understand why Stella seed so upset and was acting annoyingly.
All of a sudden, the Dark Spiritualist beca a necromancer who had tainted the enlightened Saintess, soone even the Demon Lord failed to corrupt.
“This way.”
Anyway, following the talkative Deputy Tower Master, we soon arrived at a small room in the basent.
At first glance, it seed like it used to be a prison that had been remodeled.
The room showed clear signs of how the treatnt towards Dante’s Dark Mage, who had been imprisoned there, changed over ti.
The iron bars had been torn away, and reinforced glass had been installed in their place. Because of this, we could clearly see the face of the dark mage in the room.
Blightcaster, Becklin.
When the mbers of Dante, riding on Hearthia’s clouds, launched the attack on Graypond, he was the only one who tried to spread the plague from the city walls. However, the unfortunate dark mage failed to release any mana and was subdued by the Archmage, Ropelican.
In fact, he was so bad at combat that he was almost always one of the first to be taken out by the players when fighting Dante in the ga.
However, his strength couldn’t be asured by re combat skills. In terms of potential, he could discreetly kill more people than Heralahazard.
One day, if a plague were to start spreading across the continent, it wouldn’t be wrong to seek out this man first.
“Huh?”
A gaunt body, ssy hair growing everywhere, and an unkempt beard.
Despite that, with a flask in one hand and a small staff used for research in the other, he was looking at with a puzzled expression.
“Serizade, who’s here?”
“He can’t see the outside from inside.”
Seemingly finding the situation amusing, Serizade smiled faintly as she stared at Becklin in the room.
They certainly seed quite friendly with each other.
“How did you manage to persuade him?”
Becklin, a criminal cooperating with the Magic Tower. In response to my question, Serizade scratched the back of her head and replied.
“Well, the negotiation process was almost more like blackmail. I an, even though you’re a necromancer, you’ve provided much guidance and contributed to the developnt of Griffin, haven’t you, Soul Whisperer?”
[Right, right.]
[Exactly, exactly.]
I didn’t bother replying to her praise of , but the won behind answered proudly instead.
“So, upon hearing that he calls himself a Blightcaster, I thought that maybe he could be of so help to Griffin. And to be honest, Black Magic is still an unknown territory for us.”
“You had courage.”
I knew better than anyone how much courage it took to defend Black Magic in the Griffin Kingdom.
Thanks to , the image of Black Magic had improved significantly, and people’s resistance to it was gradually decreasing as well.
“Even if people point fingers behind his back, as long as they keep exploring, learning, and moving forward, it will ultimately help many of the people living in Griffin.”
And I considered that to be a success.
And as she ntioned earlier while we made our way to the basent, dical technology in Graypond had advanced severalfold thanks to Becklin’s help.
“A-actually, there’s still a lot he can do. It’s not just about the diseases he knows; he can apply his knowledge to other areas as well…!”
Now that I think about it, she’s probably talking so much because she’s worried that I might treat him poorly.
So that was why she talked so much. It was all to protect Becklin.
Despite being a Dark Mage like , it was clear that Becklin had beco such an important figure that she cared this much.
“There is no need for you to worry. I just want to ask him about the other mbers of Dante he was with.”
“I-Is that so?”
And then…
Hmm.
Watching him turn his attention to his research again, an unexpected idea ca to mind.
When I opened the door and stepped inside, Becklin was startled. He stood up from his chair and pointed his staff at .
“S-Soul Whisperer! How dare you co to find ?! Do you want to make you bleed from every orifice and die?!”
“…”
“Huh?! Tell ! How, how should I kill you?!”
“…”
“Hey! You little…!”
“…”
“Huh! Huh?! Huhh!”
I didn’t bother responding and simply stared at him in silence. Eventually, Becklin placed his staff on the desk slowly and glanced at .
“Please, spare .”
Then, he lowered his head and got on his knees.
“I am glad.”
I showed a satisfied expression as I observed him.
“Had you not lowered your tail, I would have judged you to be useless and left the room imdiately.”
While I did need a barking dog, it needed to know when exactly to bark.
I was not sure if Becklin knew when to bark, but at least it seed like he knew when to remain silent.
Though, his pride might be an issue.
“W-W-What brings you here?”
It wasn’t bad.
I liked the way he still studied magic endlessly, even though his life was being used as a bargaining chip.
“Blightcaster, Becklin.”
“I’m a P-Plaguebringer.”
“…”
“I’m sorry!”
As Becklin shouted while pressing his forehead against the floor, I spoke again.
“Plaguebringer, Becklin.”
“Yes!”
He knelt and leaned forward, as if to listen carefully.
My initial plan was to ask about the whereabouts of the other mbers of Dante, but a better idea ca to .
“You may think this sounds ridiculous, but the situation has now turned to where you are needed.”
The Griffin Kingdom needed dark mages.
Just as poison could be turned into dicine, Griffin needed a poison called Black Magic to identify, prevent, and treat other poisons.
In that sense, simply having a necromancer like wasn’t enough.
“Huh? Y-You an you need ?”
He looked up at with a stunned expression. Slowly, I extended my hand and asked.
“Would you be interested in becoming a hero of this land?”
***
sko-fi/genesisforsaken
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