“Huh? Can’t everyone hear it? I can hear it clearly. He’s going crazy because of the unfair treatment. Cursing the king who cut off his arm and killed him. Crying to return all the swords that were taken from him. How can you not hear this?”
“Stop joking, Julia. This is scary…”
“Huh…?”
Finally realizing the situation, Julia’s expression started to stiffen.
She could hear something that no one else could.
But instead of a beautiful spirit’s song, it was a ghost’s deep lament…?
Something serious was happening.
“No, look outside! You can see him on the street! Don’t you see the old dwarf with the white beard over there? He has no hands!”
“What are you talking about, Julia? There’s no one on the street…”
The street Julia pointed to was completely empty.
There was no sight of any white-bearded old dwarf.
Realizing that not only could she hear it, but she was the only one who could see it too, Julia’s face turned pale.
“Are you hallucinating from lack of sleep?”
“I’m sleeping well these days, thanks to Asl… that man…”
“Huh? What does an old man have to do with you sleeping well, Julia?”
“Ah! Just forget it! It’s not important! But am I really hallucinating? That must be it, right?”
Hallucinations.
Honestly, I hope it is just that.
I don’t want to believe that Julia has awakened as a necromancer instead of a spirit master.
‘Is this my fault?’
If Julia has indeed awakened as a necromancer, could it be my influence?
Of course, it could. There’s no way it couldn’t be.
The character who was supposed to awaken as a spirit master in the story, accepted my advice and got tainted by evil, becoming a necromancer. Is it something like that…?
Suddenly, my head started to ache.
First, I need to confirm the facts.
“Julia, recite exactly what the old man is saying.”
“He curses the dwarf king who cut off his arms and killed him and his son. He demands the return of his stolen holy swords. And… he keeps repeating, ‘Complete the last holy sword, Jacob!'”
“Huh…”
“Why? Do you understand something?”
Of course. How could I not?
I spent days and nights reading through the newspapers after I transmigrated here.
Thanks to that, I know all the significant events of the past 100 years.
Since I had only cleared Chapter 1 of the game, I had to collect information this way due to the lack of details.
And the old man Julia described was indeed among those events.
“Master Craftsman Jain. He was a legendary blacksmith who pioneered mana-forged weapons. He’s known for making six holy swords. But when he refused to sell the swords to the dwarf royal family, the dwarf king cut off his hands to prevent him from completing the seventh holy sword.”
“Huh!? He was a real person? How did he die?”
“Jain fled to the empire and tried to pass his skills to his son, but they were discovered by an assassin sent by the dwarf king and killed. The six holy swords were stolen and sold all over the world.”
“It’s real! It’s a real ghost! Why can I see this!?”
“Have you recently succeeded in mana manipulation? Tell me the truth.”
“Yesterday… I tried separating mana just like you advised. I reached the final stage but failed. Nothing happened.”
“That was likely the moment you awakened as a necromancer. The first spell for both necromancers and spirit masters is usually the awakening spell.”
“N-necromancer!?”
Julia recoiled in shock.
This reaction was akin to a teenage girl hearing that her laundry got mixed with her dad’s laundry.
“No! Why would I be a necromancer!?”
“If you can communicate with the dead, that’s a necromancer.”
“I might not be able to talk to them.”
“Try talking to him.”
“Hmph? It won’t work! It’s impossible! There’s no way I’m a necro… Huh!? He made eye contact with me! He looked at me! Waaah!!!”
Julia burst into tears and threw herself into my arms.
She buried her face in my chest, crying her heart out, and clung to me like a koala, rendering my body immobile.
‘This is a big problem.’
A necromancer who’s afraid of ghosts.
I never saw this coming.
Then again, Julia becoming a necromancer was an unexpected disaster.
She was destined to befriend cute and beautiful spirits.
But seeing a vengeful spirit of an old dwarf with cut-off hands wailing in front of her, it’s no wonder she was scared.
For a young girl, this was a traumatic shock.
‘If it’s an unfulfilled spirit, it might be a vengeful ghost. My Touch of Death might work.’
Since this happened because of me, I must take responsibility.
I have no choice.
For now, since Julia is too terrified, I’ll have to exorcise the spirit myself.
“Why me! Why is this happening to me!?”
“If you’re scared, I’ll exorcise it.”
“N-no!”
“…?”
Come on.
Julia grabbed my wrist, stopping me.
What does she want?
“Exorcising is too cruel… He’s already so pitiful.”
“So what do you want to do?”
“If there’s something he needs to do… it’s probably that.”
Julia’s eyes gleamed with determination, showing a hint of newfound courage.
There are clear duties for a necromancer.
Using a vengeful spirit as a familiar.
Converting the spirit into mana and storing it.
A necromancer manipulates spirits lingering in this world due to unresolved grudges.
“We need to resolve his grudge and help him find peace.”
“…What?”
Wait, what is she talking about?
Julia clearly doesn’t understand what a necromancer is.
.
.
.
A dark shop.
Empty bottles scattered around, and the smell of alcohol permeated the air.
A young dwarf was slumped over the table, barely conscious.
His hand fumbled for another bottle.
“Hey, owner. Come out.”
“This smithy is closed! It’s been shut down for 30 years!”
“Stand up properly. Master Jain’s grandson, Jacob.”
“…!”
Jacob’s eyes shot open.
The alcohol’s effects vanished instantly as he straightened up.
That eerie voice—it was unmistakably the voice of the notorious Aslan.
“What do you want this time? Didn’t you already confirm I have no talent or ability? I can’t forge holy swords like my grandfather!”
Old memories resurfaced, causing Jacob to tremble.
Once, the count had forced him to attempt to create a holy sword.
The problem was, when Master Jain was murdered, Jacob was just a one-year-old baby.
He hadn’t inherited any skills; Jacob grew up knowing nothing about blacksmithing.
Despite his protests, the count didn’t believe him and thought he was hiding his abilities. Only after a grueling ordeal did Jacob gain his release.
That incident left him with lingering PTSD.
Wasn’t it all settled back then?
Why come back now?
Why torment a worthless dwarf like me who’s wasting his grandfather’s legacy on booze?
“You’re mistaken. As Jain’s descendant, you undoubtedly have his abilities.”
“Didn’t you already verify that my mana is too impure to even mimic mana forging?”
“That’s your opinion. Your grandfather says otherwise.”
“…What?”
Aslan gestured, and Sylvia stepped forward, punching the wooden floor.
While Jacob watched in shock, Sylvia ripped up the floorboards and pulled out a box.
Inside was a sword missing its hilt.
A plain, ordinary sword—not a holy sword with any special aura.
“It’s an incomplete holy sword. Finish it.”
“How did you know this was hidden under our floor…?”
“Do you really need to know that?”
“No. On second thought, I don’t think I need to know.”
Feeling the tense atmosphere, Jacob became serious.
It’s best not to pry too much into a noble’s business.
His father and grandfather were killed for crossing the dwarf royal family…
Jacob had learned from a young age to keep his head down and stay out of trouble.
“But even if you say that, it’s impossible. I can’t just finish a holy sword like this…”
“There is a way. Use mana refinement to purify your mana. With Master Jain’s blood in you, you should be able to use mana forging without issues. I’ll teach you the mana refinement method. Now, get started.”
“B-but…”
“Stop hesitating! My sl*ve is trembling in fear because of your grandfather!”
Boom!
The faint killing intent radiating from Aslan made Jacob freeze.
…What is he even talking about?
