Azadin had subdued him so easily that he hadn't realized it, but could this man really have killed such an enormous number of ogres and goblins?
Looking at the terrible corpses scattered everywhere, one couldn't help but admire the ability of Doneor who had massacred them.
And once again, one had to admire Azadin who had subdued that Doneor so effortlessly.
"Hmm… it's not like ogres carry letters with them."
Azadin clicked his tongue as he rummaged through the corpses. It was because he saw Scott rejoicing at the sight of bodies strewn all around.
"Captain, can I give it a try?"
"Don't ask me, ask Zebeck."
"Zebeck…"
"Ah, don't ask me. Even if my mouth were torn apart, there's no way I could say it's fine. Just do it. Why are you trying to get my permission?"
Zebeck reacted irritably. But that was the best compromise he could offer.
The magic Scott was about to use was vile necromancy, interrogating the souls of the dead. Compared to that, playing with corpses would have been mild.
But as a holy knight, he could never openly permit the use of necromancy, not even if his mouth were ripped apart. Wouldn't it be better if Scott simply did it out of sight, without asking, and then brought back the information?
'Sir Zebeck has become much more lenient. Would others call this corruption? But plenty of holy knights have dabbled in black magic.'
Starting with Zekt, Zebeck's own master, who had meddled with all manner of black magic, even nether sorcery. Wasn't it Zekt who had turned this Doneor's gang into monsters in the first place?
"Well then, alright. Haa, the dead themselves probably don't feel much. But since I'm a rationalist, I must understand these fools of low intelligence who are entangled in superstition and bad customs."
"..."
No matter how Zebeck glared, Scott began chanting and cast a spell on the corpse of the ogre that seemed to be the leader.
Blood gushed out of the body, forming a great crimson circle, and within it a gloomy black shadow appeared.
[Uwoah? I died? I must go to the king's court.]
"Before that, how about a little chat? Were you planning to invade Bruma?"
[Bruma, human kingdom, much meat, much food. Many shinies too. They said we could take everything we wanted.]
"And you ogres, how far were you planning to go? Were you the vanguard? Scouts?"
[We got lost, didn't know the road. Caught humans on the way, stuck them on spikes, made them guide us. But they died soon.]
It seemed that, on their way down from the mountains, they would grab anyone, skewer them, and force them to guide the way.
Azadin trembled at the ogres' brutal methods.
"Such cruel beasts."
"No…"
The bandit mercenaries felt fear as they looked at Azadin, who was seething at the ogres' cruelty, even while Scott was committing the wickedness of summoning souls with black magic and disturbing their rest.
They thought, you're not exactly doing anything righteous yourself… but didn't dare say it aloud.
"Let's ask about the army's size. How many of you are there? Are there other forces too?"
[We ogres, the battalion commander, um, one two three… many. Many were deployed.]
Since ogres called anything above five "many," it was impossible to get an exact number. But the mention of the rank of battalion commander was very helpful.
Strangely, ogres were extremely sensitive to rank, and adhered strictly to the number of troops under each rank. Though they couldn't count beyond five, when it came to hierarchy, they were exact.
"More than five battalion-level ogres?!"
"…My God."
The Blue Sky Order members and the bandit mercenaries gasped in horror.
At that moment, the emperor's voice spoke to Azadin.
[That is correct. Right now, an ogre army has suddenly appeared on the northern border of the Bruma Kingdom, and war is about to break out. Margrave Hartam of Bruma's northern border invoked the Emperor's gold coin vow, but the Herald Clan are currently ignoring the vow of gold.]
"Ugh…"
Azadin felt ashamed at the words of the emperor's voice.
It was the herald's mission, at the very least, to honor the vow of gold. But now, weren't the Herald Clan itself the very ones who had brought this war?
For their own ambition, they had drawn the nagas into attacking the Bruma Kingdom, and the nagas in turn had brought the ogres. Since they had given the disease, they would never provide the cure.
[Margrave Hartam requested reinforcements from the king of Bruma, and the king gathered as many troops as possible and sent them to aid Margrave Hartam. Because of this, Bruma now has very few troops left to defend if it is attacked directly.]
"Hmm, Captain, what should we do?"
Azadin's group had just crossed into the eastern border of the Bruma Kingdom.
They could head to Margrave Hartam, or they could head straight to the royal capital. Both were about the same distance.
"First of all, it's certain that Doneor has a detection spell cast on him. If we kill him, the caster will immediately know he's dead. It's even a spell that reveals the location where he died."
"Can't it be dispelled?"
"If it's dispelled, that alone will tell them he's dead. Rather than that, Captain, how about letting this guy fight the ogres? He's weak to the light of king's virtue, but against mere brute ogres or goblins, he would actually be strong."
Scott suggested using Doneor as a fighting asset.
Azadin had no intention of sparing a sadist like Doneor, who delighted in cannibalism and tormenting others. But killing him would alert Zekt, and right now the situation was so urgent that they couldn't ignore even the slimmest chance.
"I will control him."
Zebeck stepped forward.
"Then, hey mercenaries."
"Yes."
"From now on, follow Sir Zebeck's command. Doneor."
"Yeah."
"Tell us where you hid your treasure, and then obey Zebeck's orders, head north, and aid Margrave Hartam."
"So you're sparing me?"
Doneor gave a bitter smile.
To think they would use him as a soldier to save Margrave Hartam.
What were these Herald clan members thinking? Could they really still value their mission as the emperor's heralds? Even though the emperor was dead?
"As the emperor's herald, I value my mission. You may have committed grave sins, but if you're useful, then fine, I'll throw you into the ogres' jaws. If you fight well, you may even earn a chance at life."
Azadin said this, then gestured to Zebeck.
"Yes."
"Just in case."
Azadin handed Zebeck a copy of the Book of the Divine King.
"This is…"
"If Doneor grows stronger and lashes out, with this in your hands you'll surely be able to control him. You've seen me use it, haven't you?"
"Understood. Thank you, Azadin. I'll live up to your expectations."
Zebeck received from Azadin the money to pay the mercenaries' wages and the supplies needed to reach Hartam.
"Once the job is done, let's meet again in Bruma!"
"Alright!"
Leading Doneor and the bandit mercenaries, Zebeck immediately set off toward Hartam.
"Then we must hurry toward Bruma as well."
Azadin gathered the gold coins and food that Doneor had stolen and hidden away on the farm.
"Wait a moment, Captain. Since Zebeck is gone now…"
Scott's eyes gleamed as he looked at the ogre and goblin corpses scattered on the ground, and the large wagons left at the farm.
"I can use some corpses now, right?!"
"Yeah. That's partly why I left Zebeck in charge. But don't overdo it. If ogres or goblins return as undead and roam around, people won't just stand by."
"Click, click. Captain. Do you think I would make such a rookie mistake? I'm not some common necromancer of low wit, like those idiots imagine. I'm a true necromancer with creativity, artistry, and a burning passion in my chest. Without romance, one cannot call oneself a necromancer!"
"R–really? What kind of grotesque thing are you planning?"
Azadin watched nervously as Scott began his work.
***
"Hmm."
"Tr–truly, your will is great."
Jiswa admired Azadin's actions.
Azadin had subdued Doneor's gang with terrifying skill, and then divided his forces to save a single county.
It was only one holy knight, Doneor, and a handful of mercenaries—not even a full platoon though well-armed—but given the number of ogres and goblins Doneor's gang had already killed, they would surely be of great help to Margrave Hartam.
And Azadin himself was heading to Bruma to save it.
At first, Jiswa had doubted Azadin, but now he could clearly understand his intentions.
This man, all alone, was trying to save a kingdom.
On that point, Jiswa truly couldn't help but feel deep admiration.
Like most cults, the Blue Sky Order taught things like loving one's neighbors, keeping families harmonious, protecting the elderly, and respecting women.
But what the believers really focused on were not those right and just teachings, but trivial bylaws—what to do if one's wife was suspected of infidelity, or how to beat a debtor when collecting usury.
No one put their strength into the obvious and righteous deeds.
And yet this man, though he possessed the power to seize wealth, authority, and beauties if he wished, was moving for the sake of truly saving a nation.
That was admirable, but…
"Gwaaaah!"
The head of an ogre roared. And a wagon was being pulled along.
"Heheheh."
Scott Mcgreen was delighted at the sight of his masterpiece.
"I present to you, the Ogre Muscle Wagon! What do you think?"
"It looks far too grotesque. And why is it screaming?"
"Because it's breathing oxygen. If I just stitch together muscles and make an undead that doesn't inhale oxygen, the corpse will rot quickly and become useless. Lowly naga necromancers preserve rotten corpses and make mummies, but I am challenging the creation of life itself."
"..."
Azadin clicked his tongue at the blasphemous result.
Scott had used the flesh, blood, muscles, and bones of the dead ogres to create a massive quadruped beast. A new monstrous form, connected with flowing blood and able to breathe.
"Corpses start decaying right after death…"
"But if you force the blood and organs to circulate, the speed of decay lessens."
"But as you said, if it has vitality, doesn't it need food?"
"That's why I prepared food, didn't I?"
Scott had piled the remains of goblins used as spare parts onto the wagon. Apparently, he meant to call those 'food.'
'Good thing Zebeck didn't see this mess.'
Azadin covered the hideous monster's face with a waterproof tarp.
What's more, this beast, made from stitched-together ogre corpses in the shape of a horse, had impressive speed. Azadin's mountain goat had to run at full pace just to keep up.
"Ah. Even though I made it, I must admit, I did well. This is art, true art. Should I call it a Corpse Abomination?"
Scott, heedless of how much people detested it, was utterly absorbed in his own masterpiece.