Chapter 133
Chapter 133
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter.
It was a rainy day.
A little boy was crouching down. He had no idea for how long, since when, nor why he was there.
He wasn't hungry.
He wasn't thirsty either.
He merely existed.
One day, after blankly starting at the dark sky and red clouds for what felt like eternity
A loud noise echoed out.
Babe~ It's so scary here~
When are we going back? The professor will be worried if we take too long.
Two women and one man.
The women hugged one of the man's arms each and tried gain his favor. On the other hand, the man in the middle was expressionless, not looking particularly impressed.
Then they found the boy.
Ah! Babe, its so scary! That looks like an undead.
The man paused.
Then he just stood still for a while and stared at the boy. The girls checking the man's countenance started whining.
Let's just goooo~
It's been a while since we agreed on something. Babe, we have no time to was
The man snapped his fingers twice. Following some kind of signal, the women pouted, turned their backs, and walked away.
After sending the women away, the man slowly approached the boy.
What are you doing in a place like this?
The boy didn't answer. He scanned the man up and down with shaking eyes, then buried his face in his arms.
Bastard. Ignoring me, huh?
The man giggled and leaned closer.
Isn't this so fucking boring? A gloomy place like this.
When the boy raised his head again, he saw the man's outstretched hand.
If youve got nothing better to do, follow me. I don't know about anything else, but
The man's grin occupied the boy's entire vision.
I can at least guarantee 'fun'!
He didn't know why, but somehow, he thought that smile was warm.
The boy took the man's hand.
* * *
Just like that, Prince joined Richard's Legion.
Even at that time, Richard had a lot of undead, but he gave Prince special treatment.
Prince grew up as Richard expected and eventually rose to the rank of Captain and led the zombie troops.
Every day with him was fun and happy.
He wished for those days to never end.
''
But there was no such thing as forever.
The Legion had disbanded, and Richard disappeared.
'Displacing me for nothing.'
Prince, returning to the present, scanned the room.
He saw Simon lying helplessly on the sofa in his mansion. Beside him, Pier was boasting about the newly chosen Legion Commander. It just sounded like bragging, so Prince didnt even bother to process what wa said.
Rustle.
Simon slowly cracked open his eyes.
"Mmmmmm."
[Oh! You woke up earlier than I expected, Boy!]
He reluctantly peeled himself off the couch and rubbed his half-lidded eyes.
"Pier? What happened?"
[What do you mean by what happened?! Didn't you blow up Manus and his subordinates! Only an hour has passed since then!]
""
Simon frowned, covering his forehead.
"I blew up Manus. Is that right?"
[Yeah! By using Corpse Explosion!]
Simon blinked and looked up at him.
"I do vaguely remember blowing him up, but corpse whachasay? What's that?"
[Kuhehehe!]
Pier was absolutely amazed.
Was it just 'talent' to make miracles with insight close to instinct? At this point, it felt like Pier had to come up with a new word just for Simon.
He explained everything to the confused Simon.
[Okay, so what do you remember last?]
"I drowned Manus in a pile of zombies. Then I was just frantically concentrating and did this and that, and"
Simon looked at Prince.
"I feel like I said something cool to him at the end"
Prince giggled.
[You said you'd show me how to win or something? But what can you do if you don't remember it.]
"Mmmmm."
Simon groaned and turned his head. The crown was again on Prince's main body.
[Don't get me wrong. I just wore it to control the zombies after you dropped it.]
Prince approached the main body and picked up the crown.
[I hate to admit it, but you handle this power better than I do. If you plan to take this, then, well]
Simon shook his head.
"I'm never wearing that again."
[?]
[I agree with his decision.]
Pier nodded seriously and continued his words.
[The boy kept himself perfectly intact while wearing the crown until a certain moment! But in the end, he lost his mind to the crown's power and was whisked away. The boy's consciousness at that time was out of control!]
Simon nodded.
Above all that, his hands were still shaking.
They trembled uncontrollably and kept trying to reach for crown on their own. Also, if he wasn't conscious of his gaze, he kept looking at the crown.
[Looks like a form of addiction,]
Said Pier.
[The more you wear the crown, the more you fall in love with its power! If you rely on the crown's power like that, you'll eventually be eaten by the crown.]
"Yeah, it's a dangerous power for now."
Simon thought that it'd be better for Prince to keep wearing the crown unless it was a really important moment. Prince looked somewhat relieved.
[By the way, do you really not remember using Corpse Explosion?]
"I'm telling you, I don't."
Responded Simon before drawing some runes in the air.
"I think I did something like this, like this, and did this and that."
He was certain he didn't remember it, but his muscles was itching. The memory in his mind was wiped away, but his body did not forget.
Simon ran his finger in the air a few times and asked,
"The central rune is 'Fury,' which works on the core, right?"
[Correct.]
It seemed that Simon somehow learned a new technique.
While Simon thought he should review it when he returned to Kizen later, he belatedly came back to his senses.
"Performance assessment!"
* * *
* * *
[?]
"I need to go back as soon as possible. Our zombie is with me, too! The others might be worried."
Watching Simon hurriedly grab his blazer, Prince giggled.
It looked familiar.
Richard was also a Kizen student when Prince first entered that Legion. Memories flooded back of having to come to Kizens entrance if Richard forgot something.
'Sigh Does that mean I have to return to Kizen, too?'
Prince looked at his main body.
It'd take at least two years to move it to Kizen, but he couldn't help it since there was no way Simon would let him go.
The king-like days were now ov
"Your main body can remain here, Prince."
Princes boyish eyes widened with surprise.
[R-Really?]
"You said you're ruling the Death Land, right? And since I'm controlling you, Death Land is technically mine in the end. I don't think it's a bad idea to have a Captain stay and claim this exclusive estate, don't you think, Pier?"
Pier nodded.
[Of course! Among the undead, some entities are too big to enter my ruins or are harmful to humans! I guess we could just release those ones in Death Land and manage them there!]
"Sounds good."
Above all, if specific conditions were met, Prince could descend into zombies anywhere on the continent. Only his main body was in Death Land, and Simon could meet him anytime in Kizen if he called.
"In that sense, I'll count on you with Death Land from now on, Prince."
[]
Prince's expression hearing those words was difficult to express. He seemed confused yet also touched.
[B-But are you really going like this? Don't you need anything like shackles? What if I betray you?]
"Betray what? It's fine since I've already shackled you up by conscripting you."
[]
Prince let out a long sigh and walked toward his body.
Creak.
Rip.
Then, he took off a pinky and ear from the body he treasured so much. Simon's eyes widened.
"Prince! What are you?!"
[Just wait.]
Prince ground the parts between his hands.
Crackle! A black bolt of lightning fell from the ceiling and went into his hand, condensing what remained of the body.
[This will do, I guess?]
When he opened his hands, a gray ring rested on his palm. Prince tossed it to Simon.
[Wear it on any finger and pour jet-black into the ring. Then you can talk to me.]
Simon put on the ring and poured in jet-black as Prince said. Then, he put his mouth to the ring as it turned dark and whispered,
"Can you hear me?"
[Loud and clear.]
Prince nodded his head.
[The next function requires you to lay your hand on a zombie so the ring touches it. Then I can descend as that zombie. Well, if you need my help.]
Said Prince, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.
Simon smiled as he looked down at his hand with the ring.
"I'll treasure it."
[Kuhehe! Don't screw around and come over the moment you're called! Let's go, Boy.]
"Ah, right, Prince!"
Said Simon if suddenly remembering something.
[What?]
"Is there anything good in this mansion that can be turned into a zombie?"
* * *
There was about an hour left until the end of the performance assessment.
The students wandering around Death Land in search of zombie materials were returning to camp and preparing for testing.
Class A students were forming a long line, and Aaron and his assistant teachers were in the middle of evaluating zombies in the large tent in front of them.
But
"Simoooon!!! Why is he so late?!"
Shouted Meilyn, stamping her feet repeatedly.
"Youre the one who said he escaped safely! He should've arrived by now, so where is he?"
"I hope nothing happened to him."
Muttered Camibarez as she scanned the surroundings for the twelth time.
After the battle with Prince, Rick and Camibarez were dead asleep. Meilyn, who was rescued by Simon, joined later to wake them up, and the three of them safely arrived at the camp.
And according to the words of the 'Pion' who saved Meilyn, Simon was also kidnapped by corpse dealers like Meilyn after that incident, but it seemed that he escaped on his own and returned to the sewers.
She figured it should be fine now that they were in the safe zone, but she couldn't help but worry.
Rick shivered.
"Whew I still remember that thing. I thought we would die when we ran into that monsterous zombie."
Camibarez nodded in agreement.
"Its a miracle we survived."
"Be thankful to Pion, who saved us!"
Rick slowly turned his head to Meilyn.
"By the way, we're waiting for Simon while believing in the words of that person called Pion, right? Is he actually a trustworthy person?"
"Oh, of course! I told you, he's the one who saved my life!"
Meilyn pursed her lips at the accusation.
"And he told me to go back to my friends! How do you think Pion knew you guys? He saved you from that weird zombie!"
Rick brought his hands behind his head.
"I'm just doubtful because you said Pion was wearing that cool skeleton we saw in that mansion as armor, right?
"Yeah."
"But that skeleton attacked us, don't you remember?"
Meilyn froze.
There was no way she couldn't remember. Simon launched himself at her to save her from the slash.
Her face suddenly became hot when she recalled the event, so she fanned her face with her hands as she said,
"Ah, p-perhaps he didn't really know who we were back then! Or misunderstood us!"
"It's a bit strange"
Meilyn looked up with an intense feriousity and glared at Rick.
"Are you doubting Pion right now?"
Scared of getting hit again, Rick backed off.
Then, Camibarez opened her mouth after some quiet pondering.
"Could"
The two looked back. Camibarez carefully voiced her thoughts.
"Could that Pion be Simon?"