“Well, I suppose that’s understandable.”
“Is it because of ethical concerns?”
I wasn’t sure.
It was just that my instincts were telling me no.
“I don’t know. Maybe. Do you not dislike using corpses, Master?”
Avana lifted her hand and gently patted my head.
“Do you know why I like humans?”
“I do. Because of clothing.”
“To be precise, because of leather clothing.”
“……”
She spoke in a dull voice.
“You humans kill animals and use their corpses to make clothes. Is it just animals? Trees are the same. You cut them down, build houses, and live inside them. You raise your children there. And it doesn’t stop there. You eat meat, don’t you? Since eating raw meat can make you sick, you even cook it with fire.”
“Is that the same as using human corpses?”
“To me, an elf, there’s no difference. Humans eat corpses, wear corpses, and live inside corpses. That’s why the rejection I see in your eyes… I find it difficult to understand.”
A corpse is just an object, devoid of life.
I agreed with that idea.
But there was an undeniable certainty within me.
Kalasta had told me once.
Not to be tainted by water and forest.
If I thought about its meaning a little deeper, it was clear that the type of familiar I chose would have a profound impact on my future.
And that meant making a familiar out of a corpse could influence me in ways I couldn’t foresee.
That was why my instincts rejected it.
I spoke firmly.
“I’ll learn necromancy separately. But I won’t use a corpse as my familiar.”
Avana’s voice softened.
“So, there’s another reason. Do you not trust me? Do you still think I’m deceiving you…?”
I shook my head.
“It’s neither of those.”
“Neither?”
“It’s not about ethics or trust. To be honest, those things do play a part. But the reason I won’t accept a corpse as my familiar is…”
“Yes?”
I closed my eyes slightly.
I focused on the emotions welling up from within.
How should I put this into words?
I couldn’t accept something that my very soul rejected.
I spoke as I felt it.
“My soul is telling me not to.”
“……”
“That’s the only way I can describe it. I’m sorry.”
Avana stared at me without blinking, as if her gaze could pierce through my eyes and into my very being.
“If your soul says so, I understand, Ran. I won’t force you any further.”
I had only expressed what I felt, but she accepted it right away.
Did the phrase “my soul says so” have some special meaning?
Her sudden change in attitude made me curious.
“Really?”
Avana nodded.
“But if the prophecy of my people led you to me, then there must be something I’m meant to teach you for Psyche’s sake. I believe that something is necromancy. It’s the greatest knowledge I can offer.”
“I will learn necromancy. As I said, I just don’t want to take a corpse as my familiar.”
Avana gave a faint smile.
“Alright, I understand. Then, just as you moved water and fire with psychokinesis, try moving this energy of the dead… in other words, death itself. When you’re still an apprentice, it’s best to experiment with moving as many things as possible. As before, if someone—no, something—speaks to you, just don’t respond, and you won’t be in any danger. Move it as you did with water and fire. Calmly and quietly, just focus on your psychokinesis.”
Moving death.
It was different from anything I had moved before.
Water, fire, wind.
At least those were physical elements.
But how does one move death?
“Alright, Master. I’ll give it a try.”
Avana touched my head once more with a faint smile.
I took a deep breath.
And then I quietly closed my eyes.
Hoo…
The world behind my closed eyelids was much like reality.
In the faint moonlight, I could only see vague shadows.
I slowly heightened my senses to channel my Psychokinesis.
Then, countless voices began to echo around me.
[Urgh…]
[Hrk… S-Save me.]
[Please! Please! Please!]
Each voice carried a desperate yearning for life.
I looked down.
My body was completely enveloped in darkness.
[You… You! Can you hear me?]
[Wh-What? Why? You…!]
[A living one! A living being!]
The voices grew closer and closer.
And as they did, their forms became clearer—just like when I had seen Undine before.
Creak.
Creak, creak.
A man with his head split open.
Another with severed limbs.
One with a gaping wound in his chest.
The horrors of war were etched into their corpses.
The dead slowly surrounded me.
In this vision, I had no hands or feet.
But for some reason, I felt that I could use my psychokinesis.
A month of practice was finally paying off.
I directed my psychokinesis toward all the corpses around me.
As my power seeped into each of them, they all stood still.
They trembled in fear and stopped speaking.
But their eyes… Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, as if hoping I would form a contract with them.
As if they knew they would live again.
I moved them.
Creak.
Creak, creak.
Their joints groaned as they staggered about. Some collapsed entirely.
And then I realized what it truly meant to move death.
Controlling each joint one by one to make them walk was far too complicated. That was simply moving a corpse.
But moving death… meant using the lingering memories still present in their bodies. If I commanded them to walk, they would recall how to do so on their own. I wouldn’t need to control every muscle or joint.
This is interesting.
It’s different from the mindless elements like fire and water.
But just then—
A massive scythe emerged from somewhere.
Shiiing—!
With a single swift sound, one of the corpses lost its head.
Beyond it, a shadowy figure stood.
From within that darkness, two bony hands extended, gripping the scythe.
[Who dares to defy the countless deaths that have already passed!?]
My heart sank.
Something was wrong.
This place was within my mental realm, yet the dark figure exuded a lifelike presence indistinguishable from reality.
Like an Undine.
Like a Salamander.
If a corpse was considered water, then that dark figure was akin to an Undine. Just as the Undine was a spirit of water, that thing was likely some kind of death spirit.
I withdrew my attention from it and once again attempted to move the corpses using psychokinesis.
But suddenly, the dark figure swung its scythe, cutting down the surrounding corpses.
An Undine had never interfered when I manipulated water.
A Salamander had simply observed when I moved embers.
Yet, this dark figure actively disrupted my practice.
[Hah! You’re just a kid who’s barely stepped into magic! Kahaha!]
The dark figure effortlessly wielded its scythe, decapitating the corpses one by one, as if putting on a show.
When all the corpses had fallen, its gaze turned to me.
It was asking—what will you do now?
At that moment, my master’s words came to mind.
No matter who or what you encounter, do not react.
I closed my eyes.
They were already closed, but in my mind, I shut them once more.
I steadied my breath.
Do not react—focus on psychokinesis.
Resolving myself, I infused the corpses with psychokinetic energy again.
And so, the beheaded corpses rose once more.
Their ability to stand had never depended on their heads being attached. It was solely because of my psychokinesis.
So, losing their heads shouldn’t have stopped them from moving.
[No! How…?]
The dark figure, flustered, hurriedly swung its scythe again, slashing at the corpses I had just raised.
But I paid it no mind. I continued my study of psychokinesis in silence.
I mimicked bodily movements, guiding the corpses while gradually refining my control.
Seeing this, the dark figure, now furious, shouted at me.
[Stop! Stop it! I said stop! Stop right now!]
It gripped its scythe tightly and lunged at me, emanating pure murderous intent.
It was about to attack me.
And then—
The world before me split in two.
From the rift emerged a massive, blood-red eye, like a crimson sun.
The eye locked onto the dark figure.
[Y-You can’t be…!]
The instant a crimson light flared from the eye, the dark figure vanished—
Like dust in the wind.
At that moment, someone tapped my arm in reality.
The mental realm shattered, and I opened my eyes.
“Ugh… M-Master…”
The world spun around me.
Sky, ground—everything blurred together.
I must have overexerted my mind.
“Are you alright? Looks like you pushed yourself to the limit.”
Recognizing the familiar touch, I lifted a hand to my nose.
Warm blood trickled onto my fingers.
It was the sensation of magical exhaustion—one I had felt dozens, if not hundreds of times during my psychokinesis training.
Even staying upright was a struggle.
“I feel so dizzy, Master. Can I rest for a bit?”
Avana shook her head.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury. Your dizziness is from magical depletion, so at least take this.”
She pulled out a small, bean-like object from her pouch and handed it to me.
As soon as I swallowed it, my head cleared, and the dizziness faded.
Only then did I sense the tense atmosphere around us.
As my vision stabilized, my surroundings came into focus.
Dozens of bright torches.
Beneath them, armed warriors wielding lethal weapons.
And at their feet, wolves ready to attack at any moment.
Judging by their attire, they resembled the native people of the New Continent.
“…Are we surrounded?”
Avana shrugged.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Her words were reassuring, but she extended her right hand, summoning her staff.
Immediately, hostility rippled through the ranks of the warriors.
At that moment, a woman stepped forward from the crowd.
Her features were unremarkable, but her attire was anything but ordinary.
She carried a small axe adorned with intricate carvings in one hand and a shield etched with complex patterns in the other. Atop her head sat a feathered crown as large as her upper body.
A red hawk stood on her shoulder, and behind her were two massive wolves.
Stopping about five meters away from us, she spoke.
“I heard there was an elven magician aiding outsiders. That wouldn’t happen to be you, would it?”
Avana responded in a calm voice.
“Well spotted. That’s me.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Magician Avana. I suppose I’ve met a celebrity today. If I recall correctly, quite a few tribes were wiped out because of you. Is that true?”
“That wasn’t my doing. It was their own foolishness in testing a magician’s power that led to their destruction.”
The woman fell silent, surveying her surroundings.
The warriors spread out around us all looked at her, awaiting her signal.
She must be their chieftain.
Crossing her arms, she gestured toward me with a nod.
“And what about that one? Since when do elves raise humans as their own?”
Avana answered her question with one of her own.
“You’ve surrounded us—should I take that as a sign of hostility?”
“Hardly. We only came to see if any muskets were left behind. But judging from the situation… Hmm, looks like you’ve already taken care of them. As expected, Count Furst is thorough with cleanup.”
She knows Count Furst?
Sensing the gravity of the situation, I turned to Avana.
Her grip tightened around her staff.
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