Chapter 83: Long Live the Emperor (2)

Gith-Za-Rai stared at me intensely, her sharp gaze like an eagle's talons gripping its prey. Dimples formed as her eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips curved into a subtle smile.

Gith-Za-Rai said, "You're impressive."

"..."

"How do you know things like that? You're quite the clever child—how surprising."

It wasn't so much surprise as condescension. She was treating me like a toy, which made me snap.

I warned, "An assassination attempt on the emperor... This won't end well."

"Why not?"

"Do you think the emperor would travel without his imperial guards and accompanying wizards? It's obvious he wouldn't be alone!"

"You know them well?"

"..."

I could not reply. Of course, I didn't know anything specific about the imperial guards or the wizards. Gith-Za-Rai's grin widened even further as if she found my flustered state amusing. Her expression radiated a fondness someone might have for an adorable plaything.

Gith-Za-Rai teased, "Getting treated like a dead thing, yet still worrying about me? How endearing."

She reached out and grabbed my hand. Her skeletal hand was cold, and an icy sensation crept from my fingertips up through me.

Clatter!

She tugged me forward, her touch emanating a faint blue aura that seemed to wrap around me. My thoughts became hazy, as though her energy was clouding my mind. I had no choice but to follow her lead, physically overpowered by her authority.

The mountain path before us presented a scene caught between two seasons. The summer flowers had already wilted, but the autumn leaves had yet to change color. The days were growing shorter, and the air was crisp.

Gith-Za-Rai asked, "Isn't the weather lovely?"

"..."

Indeed the air was neither cold nor warm, and the breeze carried a gentle coolness. The skies were clear, and the harvest season had begun—a perfect time for humans.

"Why the long face?" Gith-Za-Rai asked.

This path... I've walked it before with Rena.

The scenery was about two weeks earlier in autumn than the last time I had been here.

Is Rena doing well?

When I had left, I had run off without saying much because I thought she would be better off without me. I had been certain that my presence would only burden her.

She should be fine now. Her abilities have improved.

Since leaving the cave where I had been revived, Rena's skills had evolved significantly compared to before.

I'd like to check on her... but she wouldn't believe my regression story anyway.

Bringing it up would be pointless. In hindsight, I worried whether her initial skill increase was enough.

Can she handle herself? Did she escape the cave safely?

I had left her without even accompanying her to the city. Not that cities were particularly safe—humans were often the greatest danger to one another. The nearest city, Yublam, wasn't exactly a sanctuary.

I just hope she's doing well.

I couldn't shake the memory of T&T's executives killing Rena, surrounded and left with no escape.

I remembered what she had said:

"Are you really leaving? We'll die together if it comes to that!"

I owed her two lives. The further I regressed, the more debts accumulated rather than resolved. Even the ability I gained from Gith-Za-Rai felt like another burden.

Essence absorption...

Using it would likely remind me of her influence.

If she dies soon, do I need to save her too? But... what could I possibly do against those powerful enough to kill someone like her? Who are these people?

Gith-Za-Rai turned her slow, deliberate gaze toward me. "You're lost in thought. That's a wistful expression—full of worry. Who is it?"

I didn't want to mention Rena, so I deflected her question. "I don't have a wistful expression."

"

Hmm?

Oh,

there is," she firmly said.

She blinked slowly, then pursed her lips slightly, pulling her cheeks inward.

"You do have expressions," she said, her tone sharp like a honed blade. I can read them. Maybe it's just that you've only ever dealt with fools who couldn't. Was your previous owner like that?"

I shook my head and denied it firmly. "Absolutely not."

For the first time, Gith-Za-Rai's eyes glinted with intrigue. "

Oh?

So they really could read you?"

"Yes, better than you."

"Well, aren't you quick to get defensive?"

It was true. Both Rubia and Lady Succubus could read me well. The bonds I had with those two had been severed, but hearing them disparaged was still unpleasant.

"They understood me well," I said.

"So why..." She trailed off, implying her unfinished question:

Why did you part ways?

I remained silent.

"

Oh

, I see—they died, didn't they?" Gith-Za-Rai concluded.

Her tone shifted, as though lamenting their loss. "What a shame. Reading someone's emotions isn't something just anyone can do."

"Are you saying that's a necromancer's talent?" I asked, thinking of Rubia.

She nodded as though she was genuinely regretful. "Of course. If she were alive, I'd have added her to my ranks."

Her ranks...

I muttered sarcastically, "Judging by the skeletons in your cave, that doesn't seem like much."

I didn't hold back, in saying exactly what I thought. The legions of skeletons in her cave had certainly been imposing, but I sensed no special bond between them and Gith-Za-Rai. They felt like mere puppets under her control.

"Oh, that's true," she admitted, laughing lightly. "My cherished ones... You'll meet them soon enough."

"Somewhere else?" I asked.

"Yes, very soon. They're all waiting."

Waiting?

She led me onward through the rugged trail until we reached a wide, well-paved mountain road.

Pointing to the broad path ahead, she said, "Walk."

I retorted, "I already am."

"Walk alone."

"Then... return my armor."

"Is it precious to you?"

I nodded. It was Rubia's keepsake, and she had raised me from my grave. Without armor, traversing such an open road would be impossible.

However, Gith-Za-Rai refused. "Show me what you've got first. Can't walk without armor?"

"..."

I could walk, but the location mattered. No protection meant this road wasn't safe. The path wasn't made for skeletons like me. For humans, this road wouldn't tolerate the presence of anything inhuman. Noticing my hesitation, Gith-Za-Rai observed me silently.

Then she pulled a small dagger from her waist and handed it to me. "Instead of armor, I'll give you this."

The blade was jet black, etched with intricate patterns.

Gith-Za-Rai explained, "If anyone attacks you for walking on this road, use this to gouge their eyes out."

She seemed intent on provoking me, wanting to test my willingness to attack humans. The dagger's ominous design and her manipulative smile hinted at her true intentions: training me in essence absorption.

I stared at the blade. The etched patterns seemed alive, glowing faintly in crimson and white.

"Do I even deserve to wield this?" I asked, glancing at her.

"What, planning to run off with it? This dagger is bound to me—you can't steal it. Its master won't change."

Her smirk deepened as she pressed the dagger into my hand. Her skeletal hand released the blade while her flesh-covered hand guided mine to grip it firmly.

Gith-Za-Rai said, "Now, go on. Try it."

I began walking hesitantly down the wide road, the dagger feeling both foreign and oddly familiar in my grip. As I moved, I recalled my first life, where even conscripts and slaves had defeated me. Compared to then, walking this polished road was almost dignified.

Behind me, Gith-Za-Rai playfully tapped my spine before letting go. "We're nearing the barrier's edge. Good luck.

Oh

, looks like someone's coming."

I focused my gaze ahead.

Someone's coming?

At first, I saw nothing, but after walking a little further, I noticed three humans approaching from the distance. Just as she had said, three men were wandering nearby. They would have spotted me first if I hadn't been watching closely. All of them wore serious expressions.

If I continued on the path, I would inevitably cross paths with them. I observed them carefully. None of them wore helmets, but they moved with precision, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. They were clad in silver armor, but their movements resembled those of rangers more than knights.

Can I win?

It had been a while since I questioned my ability to fight humans. The last time I faced humans was when I slaughtered the underlings of the Necron Shrine Society in the cave without much thought. However, these men were different. Even while carrying heavy weapons on a mountain trail, their footsteps and breathing were nearly silent.

Who are they?

Their identity intrigued me. Humans rarely exuded such an aura. Even from a distance, their tension seemed to ripple through the air. They wore only breastplates, perhaps for ventilation, but it didn't appear to be a vulnerability.

The distance between us gradually shrank. My weapon was a short dagger, while they carried long spears, swords, and even javelins. If they spotted me, they would attack immediately. There was no need to engage in an unfair fight.

I hid myself, slipping quietly behind a tree by the roadside. I needed to get as close as possible.

This should do.

The surrounding area was dense with trees, and I chose a tree that was wide enough to conceal me. Hiding a single skeleton with a dagger shouldn't be an issue.

The men came closer, and I could hear their voices.

"I can't find anything unusual."

"This isn't even the emperor's route. Are we being too thorough? The important areas will be checked by the imperial guard and mages anyway..."

"Those guys wouldn't even care if we disappeared."

A voice that hadn't participated in the conversation cut in briefly. "Wait."

I remained completely still, lowering my dagger and suppressing any trace of hostility. Then, it happened.

Swish!

What's that?

Thwack!

A spear pierced through the tree, trembling in the air just below my ribcage.

The sound of two swords being drawn echoed simultaneously.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"There's nothing there?"

"There's no sound of impact."

"No, there's definitely something here."

Damn, they noticed me.

Swish!

Another spear flew sharply through the air, clearly meant for me. This time, there was no guarantee it would hit the space between my bones.

Clatter!

I moved quickly to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. Had I been any closer, the spear might have hit me.

One of the men said, "What the—?"

I staggered slightly as I rolled to my feet, and I stood up to find the three men surrounding me. Their expressions collectively hardened as they closed in on me. The man in the center, who had thrown the spears, now had two empty javelin holsters. His face, bearing the marks of experience, suggested he was in his early forties.

The disheveled man on the left had a blunt nose and creased brows.

"A skeleton of the dead. This is necromancy at work. Did it escape from a nearby dungeon?" the disheveled man asked.

Meanwhile, the long-haired man to the right moved nimbly. He hurled a round steel buckler—small enough to be easily wielded with one hand—in my direction.