Episode 883 Sinners (3)
About several tens of days ago.
The reversal of life and death—I realized that a resurrection returning from death to life had been executed in a way other than the miracle of the Ruas Theocracy.As soon as I did, I left the Darkwarton Magic Tower, but because the scale of the aftermath was so great, it took some time to pinpoint the exact location.
Reindel’s dark eyes perceived that the beings of the present world could not see.
Ancient times, no, a much more distant era than that.
The fate of the strange dwarf, displaying such composure, was worn out and bizarre. Itwas pitch black.That was pure evil beyond compare.
Even Reindel had never seen a being whose inner self was filled with such pure evil.
“There were no records of a monstrosity that feeds on death itself as a resource, capable of awakening not only the undead but even the living. The times have underestimated the glory of the corpse.”
The glory of the corpse can breathe life into a dead body to give birth to a mighty undead. The Bone Dragon, which Haldirn helped Verden subdue, was an example of this.
In the War of the Transcendents 800 years ago, the Glory of the Corpse summoned an exceptional undead dragon through this, organized an undead army of enormous scale capable of waging an all-out war against the entire world, and…performed a final ritual to eliminate the old king’s innate physical weakness.
That was written in the manuscript left by the first Necromancer in the Darkwarton Magic Tower.
However, to think that it is possible to breathe life into something rather than simply inflict death.It has been revealed that there are still aspects of the Glory of the Corpse, which the Luas Church and the Dark Warton Magic Tower have sought to eradicate for hundreds of years, that are unknown.
Reindel asked.
“Are there others like you?”
It is not clear whether one person, two, or more has been resurrected. Reindel found the current situation quite interesting.
The dwarf answered.
“I cannot tell you that. I would like to tell you honestly, but I was told not to. I am in a position where I must follow the One who resurrected me.”“Where are the servants?”“He, too, remains silent.”
Reindel cast his gaze upon the rugged mountain range visible beyond the dwarf. It was utterly desolate, with sharp rocks outnumbering vegetation.
I don’t feel any more fraud.
The first and second servants must have left the base long ago. They didn’t run away. Since the base is no longer needed, they must have abandoned it without hesitation.
It looks like the old king is truly right on the horizon.
Mado
Life exposed to Reindel’s magic perished in an instant. Grass and trees died, and the energy seeped into the rocks.The air that soaked the lungs became a poison that harmed the living.
Death casts a shadow.
The dwarf savored a tingling thrill for the first time in a very long while. Far from being afraid, he smiled so broadly that the corners of his mouth stretched wide.
Reindel paused.
“A necromancer of this era? I heard they were quite dangerous, and it was true. Not just in the realm of black magic, but in a different sense as well.”“…….”“So you’re of our kind, too?”
It was the moment Reindel looked down at the ground.
See you again next time.
A click was heard from the worst dwarf on earth.
“On the official ‘stage’ where dolls frolic.”
thud.
The surroundings stirred once.
The ground Reindel stood on and the surrounding mountain range split into thousands and tens of thousands of branches. Soon, a blue light seeping out from the cracks shot up into the sky.
Eventually, all sounds disappeared within a radius of several kilometers.
─────Kwag
The ground burst open.
A massive chain of explosions originating from underground engulfed the stronghold of the Glory of the Dead. It possessed such tremendous destructive power that it wiped out an entire city.The nature shrouded in a cool mist was completely devastated, leaving not even a trace behind.
Kugugugugugu… … !Crackle crackle!
After the earthquake, aftershocks also occurred.
The sunken ground became severed from its surroundings, forming a massive cliff. The bottom was filled with large and small rock debris.Not a single insect survived the explosion.
“…….”
Reindel quietly looked down at the destroyed land from above. There were no corpses at the epicenter of the explosion. Nor had there been any great loss of life.
It has already disappeared.
The resurrected ancient dwarf possessed technological capabilities entirely different from those of modern dwarves. The power of the explosion just now was extraordinary.It seems the Glory of the Dead did not resurrect a being from thousands of years ago for nothing.
So you’re in our department too?
The words the old dwarf had spoken before he disappeared lingered in my mind. Of course, I realized what they meant the moment I heard them.
Selfishness.Interest.
The old dwarf saw through Reindel’s character with his keen observation skills. Although not entirely, his insight was correct to some extent.
Reindel gave a faint smile.
That’s interesting.
Confusion is a sign of change.
As the Master of the Darkwarton Magic Tower, it is my duty and obligation to prevent the glory of the dead, but what would happen if the former king were to set foot in the world again?If the Second War of the Transcendents were to break out in this way, how would Verden overcome it through change?
Reindel didn’t care if half the continent—no, the whole thing—burned down like before. It didn’t matter. To Reindel, that was what the world was.
and.
Now, he simply wanted to help the change Verden was leading. For at the end of that change, beyond death, might lie what he had so desperately longed for.
For the sake of only one dream…
Reindel Nexreon was a transcendent being who pursued ideals different from others, even if those goals were considered impossible by himself.
* * *
Although the first necromancer said that it was uncertain whether the entity that performed the resurrection was the Glory of the Dead, there were no others who suspected it besides them.
Reindel might know… … .
Using the coexistence of two different types of humans passed as an agenda item at the World Conference as a pretext, I was planning to have the two necromancers come into contact soon, but it seems I need to move that schedule up a bit.
Since we have no idea who the glory of the corpse resurrected.
If their transcendent power has increased, the situation is not good.
These two are the only immediate variables.
“Understood. I will also come up with my own countermeasures later.”
We moved on to the next topic.
About the sinner.
The purpose of the conversation was clear, so neither side added any unnecessary details. Verden’s blue eyes turned toward the two prisoners in the Andes.
“I have heard that the label of ‘sinner’ is a shackle you have placed upon yourselves. What is the reason for your intense hatred of the former king? Surely it is not a sense of justice.”
Verden did not know why the sinners had maintained their reason for over 800 years and were trying to prevent the resurrection of the ancient king. Thiswas because he had never properly heard it.He could only speculate that it might be largely driven by personal feelings rather than a noble mission like that of Andes.
Reginalf said.
“That is correct. It is not a sense of justice. The three sinners each have their own stories, but… I merely wish to repent after belatedly realizing my sins. That is all.”
Adrian leaned his weight on the wooden backrest and crossed his arms.
“Spending 800 years merely on repentance? He must have been quite a heinous criminal.”“It wasn’t a crime, but it was worse than that. He bought and sold human deaths. Have you ever heard of a death merchant?”
Merchant of Death
It is another name for arms dealers who cause war and conflict, generating huge profits in various regions through the import and export of lethal weapons.
“Enjoying happiness and wealth for oneself through the blood and death of others. There is no sentence that describes a merchant of death better than that.”
Reginalf finally revealed his past.
“I was one of those merchants of death. However, one who had an old king as a client.”
* * *
In the distant past, when the Xerion Empire was called the Xerion Kingdom, and the former king existed as the First Prince of the Xerion Kingdom…
The Kingdom of Xerion, swept up in the War of the Transcendents, was driven to the brink. With national power amounting to nothing more than that of a weak nation, it could not avoid destruction,just like other countries that were trampled or absorbed in the war.
In that desperate situation, Akhand commanded a weak army and defeated the enemy. He achieved 11 victories regardless of the size of the enemy.However, even though he reached the enemy’s capital, there was no way to breach the city walls.
“So, Akhand used his exploits as leverage to secure weapons and funds. Various siege equipment, weaponry, and arrows. They were all items he traded with me.”
Verden’s memory reacted.
───[However, capturing a capital with only soldiers and without siege equipment is bound to result in heavy losses. Here, Akand used his past exploits as leverage… … to strike deals with ‘war merchants’ and ‘great merchants.’ And with his remarkable resourcefulness and eloquence, he secured support in the form of weapons and funds.]
Andes had already mentioned Reginalp, whether consciously or unconsciously.
“War Merchant.”“That was my alias. An ugly nickname stained solely by infamy. As the First Necromancer said, back then, the Grand Merchant and I could reap truly enormous profits. We didn’t care how many corpses lay at our feet.”
Whenever Arkhand swept through the battlefield, the wealth of his business partners grew exponentially. Money that made it seem like anything was possible! Hegenuinely felt no envy toward the Emperor of the Continent or the Transcendent.
“I can say with certainty that I felt absolutely no guilt.”
War is waged by people, and money is earned by people. Why should one be criticized simply for lending a hand in a war that was bound to happen anyway?
Shut up, weaklings.Shut up, beggars.
With such a mindset, Reginalf pacified the arms market by eliminating all rival merchants who were dissatisfied with his rise.His arrogance reached the heavens.Reginalf’s notoriety grew even higher, reaching the point where he was called the cause of war, as he was responsible for the deaths and injuries of hundreds of thousands.
“It didn’t matter to me whether an old man’s body got caught on a spear shaft, or whether a child became an orphan or died in the midst of war; I am a merchant. For a merchant, the most important thing is not ethics or anything else, but money.”“…….”“But, I found that I have a line, too.”
I will start a war.
The situation changed when Akand, having made that declaration, wielded the Dragon Sword and split the Transcendent in half with just three strikes.
The continent was swept away.
Literally.
Not hundreds of thousands, but millions were massacred on battlefields and in cities. Xerion’s legions, armed with Reginalf’s weapons, killed all mankind.
That’s annoying.
Akand’s sword split the city blocking the path horizontally. Reginalf watched the scene from beside Akand.Beneath the pile of rubble, people with their upper and lower bodies severed were scattered.
Reginalf, who had entered the city in a daze, looked down at the ground. Someone was in the gap. He saw the reflection of a man who had survived instead of losing his leg, holding his child in his arms and holding his breath.
Reginalf felt overwhelmed by the desperate and wretched eyes of the two men.
Pffft.
Xerion’s soldiers approached, thrust their spears into the gap, and sliced them apart. Without even a brief scream, the father and son became chunks of flesh.
As Reginalf turned his gaze elsewhere, he saw a survivor being mercilessly slaughtered.”Please save me.Please save me.”Their outstretched hands fluttered from beneath the rubble.
“I wonder how many died…….”
He calculated the number of casualties since Akhand had started the war in earnest. Ah. It had long since exceeded the tens of millions.Reginalf vomited on the spot, feeling his whole body twist.
“Only then, as if I had come to my senses, did I seize the opportunity and anonymously pour everything I had into the Continental Alliance. It must be pathetic—to think I’m trying to clean up the mess now out of guilt after having done it all.”
Reginalf looked at his palm.It was clean, but it smelled of blood.
“Eventually, as the Old King was sealed away, the Xerion Empire was defeated. And ironically, I survived even though the war had ended. Still unable to erase my guilt, just as I was about to jump off a cliff… the First Necromancer made me an offer. He asked if I would be willing to stay with him until he delivered the Old King’s final blow.”
Reginalf clenched his fist.
“I willingly brought suffering upon myself. And through the ritual of immortality, I eliminated my lifespan and was the first of the three sinners to awaken and fulfill my mission. Using the way I have lived and that special skill. As a merchant.”
Reginalf’s mission was ‘weapons’.
Gathering weapons to form an army to confront the former king. To do so, a flow of funds and numerous trading partners were indispensable.
“How should I begin? As I pondered this, I decided to start by reorganizing the market. This was to protect our weapons and funds, and to build the force that would be most beneficial to us. I established one center, and then created two more.”
Three centers.
The foundation established by Reginalf has now become a pillar of the world, exerting immense influence on the continent’s business world.
“for a moment…….”
Verden and Adrian, having heard the explanation up to that point, opened their eyes wide.
“Does that mean you have banks?”“Magnus Bank, Anonium Bank, Dyna Bank.”
Reginalf nodded.
I am the first founder of the continent’s three major banks.
On the surface, a junk dealer who looks like a swindler.In reality, the master of the continental business world.
That was Reginalf’s true identity.
