Necromancer Survival

     There were subtle differences when I looked closely.

     The Dawon who was standing in front of me and the Dawon Moon Issak was facing were slightly different in appearance.
The Seo Dawon that was being attacked relentlessly by Moon Issak was smaller in size; his movements were stiffer.

     “……!” The more I observed, the stranger this was.
So, I decided to focus on it again but this time, with more scrutiny.
Surprisingly, the Seo Dawon that was engaged in battle was actually just a scarecrow with the Mage’s name on its face!  Until now, I definitely thought that the scarecrow was Seo Dawon, so I became utterly confused and doubted everything in view.

     In particular, I found it quite creepy to see Moon Issak so immersed in attacking that wooden figure with his eyes wide open.
He even beat that Seo Dawon imitation until his fist was covered in blood.

     “That’s….?” I started to ask.

     However, unlike my astonishment, Dawon-ie’s face was devoid of emotion.
There was no sign of joy or satisfaction in overpowering Moon Issak.

     In a flash, he turned his gaze towards me as I stared at him.
But even that eye contact was brief as Dawon immediately reached out and pulled me into his embrace.
I went along without resisting, obediently being drawn into his hug.
Unlike when Moon Issak touched me, my heart began to thump.

     I buried my head in his arms and hugged him to my heart’s content, breathing in and savoring this rare affectionate touch.
This cold temperature and his unique scent–something that I hadn’t smelled in a long time–eased all of my tension.

     However, Seo Dawon’s arms, locking me in like a jail, grew tighter and tighter without releasing me.

“It hurts, Dawon-ah…”

     “……”

     I thought it might be his way of showing affection, so I chuckled as I complained and pouted, but Seo Dawon’s expression remained quite unusual even as he saw my smiling face.

Seo Dawon sighed deeply as if he were suppressing something; his gaze clung to my forehead, eyes, and nose.

     ‘…Is he angry?’

     That thought immediately led to something pessimistic: ‘Is it because of me?’ I flinched back; Seo Dawon gently bowed his head, as if he had perceived my anxiety, and his lips touched my eyes.
From the moment his lips touched me, my face burned.

     But for some reason, Dawon’s expression became even more emotionless when he pulled his lips away.
It was at that moment that I felt a strange uneasiness on his face.

     “You are…!” Suddenly, someone came into the room, shouting.

     I whirled around, surprised; Da-hee stood by the door with a pale face, looking between us and Moon Issak.
Furthermore, once she noticed the Mage, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Seo Dawon’s face–perhaps she recognized him immediately.

     “So, you came here on your own.
I’m glad–it’s less troublesome that way,” Seo Dawon said.

     “……!”

     After speaking, Dawon-ie coldly glanced at her and raised his hand.
Then, as if golden flowers were blooming simultaneously, the room filled with golden magic circles.

     As soon as that happened, Da-hee’s complexion grew even paler.
But, instead of fleeing, she stood in front of us and opened her hands–palms towards us with her fingers extended.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed faint silver threads–barely visible as long as one concentrated–tied to each joint of her fingers.

     “…I’m sorry to have come across you like this.” She said.

     “Really? You look too ready to die for someone who says something like that.”

     Da-hee opened and closed her lips, as if she had something more to say but instead of continuing to speak, she looked at me for a moment.
It looked as if she desperately wanted my help.

     Although my heart was moved by Da-hee’s previously kind attitude, I honestly couldn’t side with her and support Moon Issak in this situation.
My heart grew heavy, but I made an effort to avoid her gaze.

     At that moment, Seo Dawon suddenly warned Da-hee-ssi in a stern, low voice, “Don’t cling to Choi Lee-kyung.”

     “I…”

     “I know why you’re stuck to Moon Issak’s side.
Moon Issak must have promised you a very useful skill once he’s coronated as the Pope.”

     “……!”

     “I’m talking about [Resurrection].”

     Upon hearing the Mage’s words, I instinctively raised my head and looked at Da-hee-ssi.

     [Resurrection] was a skill that could resurrect the dead.
Unlike the necromancer skill that could only raise the undead, the Pope could literally bring about a ‘complete resurrection.’

     This skill was a ‘known entity’ inside the hub.
The High Priest’s Basic Skill book even made references to and contained a brief description of [Resurrection].

     However, there wasn’t any news yet that [Resurrection] had actually been achieved.
So, this skill was nothing short of a dream or a fantasy skill for a Priest–stuff like ‘I can escape death if I have [Resurrection].
However, I didn’t expect [Resurrection] to be a scenario reward for when one becomes a Pope.

    Da-hee’s expression became cold at Seo Dawon’s words.
She bent her fingers one by one as she glared at him, “Don’t sneer at me.
You… Aren’t you also begging Choi Lee-kyung for help because you couldn’t accept death?”

     “……”

     “I also just couldn’t let go.” Da-hee’s eyes became a little moist as she spoke.
She then dropped her hand towards the floor, as if she were playing the piano.

     Immediately, a translucent, white line slowly began to fall from her hand to the floor.
Subsequently, a silver summoning circle unfurled on the ground; intricate patterns intertwined and interlocked with one another.

     I felt amazed when I saw a ‘doll’ slowly being summoned, its head rising up from the ground.

     ‘Isn’t that a person…?’

     If it weren’t for the silver threads connecting to it, the figure could easily be mistaken for a person with closed eyes.
The doll was a blonde, tall man–despite being summoned, it looked so suspiciously lifelike.
Almost like a living, breathing, human being.

 

Flick–!

 

     However, as soon as the doll’s eyes opened accompanied by the sound of a finger flick, those thoughts vanished.
A sheen unique to inanimate objects shone from its glass marble eyes.

     Looking at the doll, Seo Dawon sneered coldly.
“Oh my–I see I’m in the presence of a true necromancer.”

     “……”

     Da-hee-ssi didn’t answer; she bit her lips.
Thereafter, the doll, with its eyes wide open, began to move as if it were a living human being.

    As she flicked her fingers–like striking piano keys–the doll skillfully drew the sword that was fastened on its waist.
An unusual, rippling, blue energy formed on the blade.

     ‘No way… A Swordmaster…?’

     I was well aware of the fact that only a few exceptionally talented individuals among the Warrior class could produce such a phenomenon called “Sword Aura.” After all, I had seen plenty of videos on the internet showcasing the manipulation of Sword Aura.

     That sword aura must not be a mere visual trick.
The doll lowered its posture and raised its sword towards the Mage.
Just by taking that stance, I could feel the pressure the aura exuded–as if a blade was drawn against my neck.

And, when I blinked–

 

Boom–!

 

     In an instant, the doll rushed right in front of us, unleashing tendrils of bluish Sword Aura.
Fortunately, it was blocked by a shield that Seo Dawon seemed to have conjured, so it couldn’t harm us any further.

     I heard a crackling sound as I glimpsed the faint outline of the shield blocking the sword aura.
The barrier felt too thin to prevent the blue aura; I couldn’t tear my eyes away because I was worried the shield would break.

    However, Seo Dawon didn’t abandon me and simply hugged me tighter.
He used one cold hand to grab the nape of my neck before using the other to completely envelop me in his embrace.

     “W-Will it be alright?” I asked.

    “……”

    I worried that our posture would only be a hindrance.
With my lips resting on his collarbone, I voiced my concern; I didn’t want to see him get hurt while trying to protect me.

“”

    However, Dawon-ie merely stroked the back of my head without saying a word.
I glanced  at him; without staring back, he responded, “Are you worried that I’ll lose?”

    “N-No… It’s not that…”

    “Actually, I’m a bit scared.”

    “Huh?”

    “I have to fight against a woman who made her dead boyfriend into a weapon… How dreary.”

    “What?”

    Taken aback, I turned around.
There, I saw Da-hee-ssi staring at me with a pale face.
When I observed her expression, I realized that what Seo Dawon had said was true.

    “Isn’t that chilling?” The Mage whispered.

    “……”

    However, Seo Dawon continued to hug me with one arm, as if he were making a joke.
In a clearly provoking tone, he called out to her, “Did you really believe that Moon Issak would resurrect that preservative-laden fleshbag?”