Chapter 20
***
How much time had passed? Simon's consciousness slowly began to return.
[Oh ho, you've come to your senses!]
And the first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was a tall skeleton with burning eyes.
Simon abruptly sat up.
"...Pier! Wh-What happened?"
[The contract was successfully completed. Feel the change in your body!]
Simon blinked and placed a hand on his chest.
'My Core...!'
His Core had grown larger.
Not only that, but the Jet Black, which had been a burden even in small amounts, now felt as comfortable and soothing as water.
He felt as if something fundamental had changed within him.
[Congratulations on becoming one of the seven 'Legion Commanders' in the world, boy!]
Pier grinned.
Simon attempted to stand, but a wave of dizziness washed over him, forcing him to cover his forehead with his hand.
[Don't overdo it! Your body has undergone a tremendous transformation.]
"Yes, sir."
During the contract ritual, Simon had nearly fainted several times.
The horrible feeling of his body being filled with an unknown foreign sensation, the agonizing pain—he had even considered biting his tongue off to end it.
'I won't be able to move for a while. I'm stuck here for the night.'
Simon sighed softly and looked at Pier.
"I have a question, Pier."
[Speak, boy!]
Pier crossed his arms and spoke solemnly.
"What is a Legion?"
[....]
A heavy silence fell over the ruins.
[What?! You made a contract with me without even knowing that?!]
"Yes."
He had entered this place because Nephtys, his father's comrade, had told him about it, and he had met and taken in Pier, his father's undead.
That was all.
Pier laughed in disbelief.
[It seems it will take some time for me to fully understand you, human! Fine. I'll explain!]
Pier's gaze turned serious.
[Before that, how much do you know about the undead?]
"Um... as much as a Kizen first-year freshman."
[Ha! A freshman dared to come here alone! You're truly Richard's son!]
Pier began his explanation.
According to him, the undead in this world were classified into three categories.
The first was Summoned Undead.
All the undead controlled by necromancers fell into this category.
They were artificially created from corpses through dark magic and moved according to the necromancer's commands.
They disappeared when the dark magic wore off or after a certain amount of time.
The second was Natural Undead.
These were undead that spontaneously generated, independent of necromancers or dark magic.
These were the type generally known to people and were feared throughout the continent for their blind hatred and extreme aggression towards the living.
They fell under the "monster" category designated by humans.
And the third was...
[The Legion!]
Pier raised his voice.
[The Legion exists right in the middle of 'Summoned Undead' and 'Natural Undead'! They are Natural Undead, capable of independent action with their own Cores, but they also obey the commands of a necromancer and a higher being, like Summoned Undead!]
"Legion-type Undead..."
Simon murmured, slowly nodding.
[There are only seven Legions in this world. In other words, there are only seven necromancers who can control a Legion. Including you, boy!]
Pier's story was a series of surprises.
Ordinary Summoner necromancers typically led undead units at the platoon level.
Some necromancers commanded company-sized units, and high-ranking necromancers, like those at Kizen, could manage battalion-level operations, albeit inefficiently.
The reason for this limitation in numbers was that the undead led by necromancers were all "Summoned Undead."
Summoning and controlling them consumed both Jet Black and mental energy.
However, Legions, which operated on their own magical power, were completely free from these limitations.
[There is no limit to a Legion! Whether it's a hundred thousand or a million, you can command an infinite number! If you've ever heard tales of a necromancer leading a massive undead army, it must have been the story of a Legion Commander!]
"Ah..."
Simon was both thrilled and bewildered.
He, one of only seven necromancers in the world, capable of commanding a limitless army?
It was hard to believe.
[Have I answered all your questions?]
"Yes."
[Good! The contract has been successfully completed, and we're in this together, whether we like it or not. Shall we discuss our future plans?]
"Alright, Pier."
Pier, who had been sitting slouched, straightened his posture.
Seeing this, Simon also sat up straight.
[We're both in unique situations, aren't we?]
"Yes, I'm enrolled at Kizen."
[Any thoughts of leaving Kizen?]
"Not at the moment. It would go against my father's wishes, and more importantly, I still have much to learn at Kizen."
[Hmm, good! I agree that Kizen has its uses!]
Pier tapped his forehead with a bony finger.
[Now, let's address the Legion's unique circumstances.]
"You mean the fact that the Legion was disbanded?"
[That's a given. If the Legion hadn't been disbanded, you wouldn't have made a contract with me in the first place.]
The blue flames in Pier's eye sockets intensified.
[Currently, we are the common enemy of all necromancers. You could say we're wanted.]
"Why is that?"
[Because of the sins committed by the former Legion Commander, your father, Richard.]
Simon's body trembled slightly.
His father's sins?
[Richard committed an unforgivable sin in the world of dark magic. The Legion, as his accomplices, also aided in that sin.]
"What exactly was this unforgivable sin...?"
Pier closed his eyes.
[Betrayal. Richard loved a Priest.]
"Ah..."
Simon felt as if he had been struck by a hammer.
To hear this story here?
[At the time, the 100-year war between necromancers and Priests was ongoing. A very sensitive period! Nevertheless, to protect the Priest he loved, Richard gave the Legion an order. He ordered us to attack his fellow necromancers who had come to kill her.]
Simon gulped.
[There were many casualties. An extermination order was issued for Richard and the Legion, and it remains in effect even now, after Richard disbanded the Legion. That's why the Legion cannot reveal itself publicly.]
"I understand."
After hearing Pier's story, Simon felt an even stronger sense of responsibility towards the Legion.
He felt it was his destiny, as the son born between Richard and Anna, to accept Pier and the Legion and bear their burden together.
[Boy, you don't need to feel guilty!]
Pier grinned, his jaw stretching wide.
[The Legion moves solely according to the Legion Commander's will! Richard's Legion and Simon's Legion are different. The necromancers probably understand that.]
"Then...!"
[But you're not a complete outsider; you're Richard's son. The elders have no choice but to be suspicious. And above all...]
Pier poked Simon's forehead with a bony finger.
[What do you think the other necromancers will do when they hear that a mere Kizen first-year has acquired a 'Legion'?]
Simon's eyes hardened.
He wouldn't let anyone take his father's legacy.
"I need to become stronger."
[Indeed.]
Pier clenched his fist.
[For now, quietly absorb the knowledge of Kizen and grow stronger! The Legion will gradually regain its former glory. And when the time comes...]
"Yes."
There was no need for further words.
Simon and Pier nodded simultaneously.
[Returning to the main topic, we're in a unique situation. Therefore, as the administrator, I propose a new method of operating the Legion!]
"What kind of...?"
Pier gestured with his arm.
The skeleton Simon had summoned earlier to hold the lantern shuffled over.
"Wait, can Pier control my skeletons too?"
[Of course! We now share the same Jet Black, and all the undead summoned with your Jet Black belong to the Legion. You, as the Legion Commander, are the primary commander, and I am the secondary commander. However...]
Pier stroked his jaw.
[This undead hasn't undergone the 'Legionization' process yet.]
"Legionization?"
The skeleton approached Pier.
Pier reached out and placed his hand on the skeleton's skull.
Whoosh!
Simon's characteristic dark blue Jet Black surged like flames, lifting the skeleton into the air.
The Jet Black swirling in the air was sucked into the skull, forming a sphere like a 'brain.'
A moment later, the skeleton fell to the ground.
[This is a Legionized undead!]
The skeleton slowly began to rise.
Its appearance was unchanged, but the same dark blue flames as Pier's flickered in its eye sockets.
Simply put, the Legionization Pier spoke of was the process of a "Summoned Undead" becoming a "Natural Undead."
These undead, now possessing their own Cores, were no longer limited by summoning time and could exist indefinitely without Simon's intervention.
"But it's quite noticeable."
[Indeed.]
Simon frowned.
If he brought these to Kizen, they would be discovered immediately.
[Therefore, there's no need to Legionize all your undead! Unless it's an undead that has existed for a long time like me, common sense dictates that Summoned Undead are more efficient in combat. Boy! You should continue using Summoned Undead as usual. When a skeleton's duration expires, or it becomes too damaged to use, bring it to me. I'll Legionize it and station it here.]
"Ah, that's a good operational strategy!"
Ordinary undead like skeletons and zombies were typically disposable, but Simon could now permanently store them like in a warehouse.
Furthermore, Legionization could regenerate them, unless they were critically damaged.
[So, become stronger, boy! The stronger the undead you can summon, the stronger the Legion becomes!]
"Of course."
Simon then incorporated the two skeletons damaged in the fight with the werewolf into Pier's forces.
The Legionized skeletons' behavior patterns also changed.
Previously, they would stand motionless like puppets without Simon's commands, but now they scratched their heads or randomly ran around, exhibiting animalistic behavior.
However, they would quickly come running when Simon called.
This was proof that the chain of command was functioning correctly.
Even after their serious discussion about the Legion's operation ended, the night was still long.
Simon and Pier, sitting face to face, began to chat.
[Boy, how long has it been since you entered Kizen?]
"It's been three days."
[I see. Just be patient a little longer! After a bit more time, even first-years can receive 'missions' from Kizen. You can travel all over the continent, including Loch Island, using teleportation magic circles!]
Pier grinned and continued,
[I'll go with you then! You'll be able to freely utilize the Legion without worrying about being noticed! And under the guise of missions, we can gather the scattered remnants of the Legion across the continent! They'll all gladly serve under you, as Richard's son!]
Simon's eyes widened in surprise.
"You know a lot about Kizen, Pier."
[Hehehe, of course! I've watched your father's entire Kizen life! He was a notorious troublemaker at Kizen.]
This corroborated Nephtys' statement.
And a wistful expression crossed Pier's face as he spoke of Richard.
[Yes, those were the good old days.]
This sentiment also echoed Nephtys'.
Simon cautiously asked,
"...Don't you resent my father, Pier?"
[Resent? Resent? Hahahaha! Such a weak emotion as resentment doesn't exist in the Legion! The Legion moves according to the Legion Commander's orders. Even if your father chose a Priest and used us as pawns, we would gladly accept his commands! That is the Legion!]
Pier paused mid-sentence and stroked his jaw.
[But if his son repeats the same bullshit, I might get pissed. Don't you think?]
"...Ahaha."
Simon talked with Pier late into the night.
They discussed many topics, but the stories about his father were the most memorable.
They were much more explicit than what he had heard from Nephtys.
[Why would I hide anything? Your father was a legendary scumbag!]
Pier guffawed.
[He would throw the underwear of a girl he had just picked up yesterday in front of other girls who liked him, just to toy with them!]
"...."
Simon's eyes narrowed.
"Are you exaggerating just because I haven't heard this before?"
[...Exaggerating? Khahahaha! I'm only telling you the milder stories, considering Richard's reputation! Do you know how many women he made cry? Enough to fill several carriages!]
That couldn't be true. Simon shook his head in denial.
[Yes, that legendary scoundrel...]
A strange undertone crept into Pier's voice.
[That scumbag who even made the Kizen faculty speechless... After meeting a certain woman, everything changed. He became a completely different person. It wasn't the kind of change you could simply explain with 'the power of love' or something like that. It was as if...]
Pier's voice abruptly stopped. He turned and stared at Simon.
[Wait, wait, wait! Why didn't I think of this before?]
"What is it?"
[You said you were Richard's son, right? Then could it be...?!]
Simon smiled.
"Yes, my mother is Anna Polentia."
***
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