Chapter 47: Another Royal Mess to Deal With
The newest member of their chaotic crew, Ayesha, had just been reborn as the third retainer. Now, with a new goal in mind—acquiring fresh undead for his collection—Leornars was ready to explore the dungeon. He turned to the group, his gaze settling on his second-in-command.
"Stacian, you're in charge," Leornars announced, his voice a low command. "Find us a place to stay. I'm sure we've got a few billion gold coins we… acquired from Lurtra as compensation."
Zaryter, ever the contrarian, couldn't resist a dry interjection. "You mean 'stole'."
Stacian simply smirked. "Yes, and I have the financial records and the money. It'll be easy to find an inn before we deal with… certain issues in Vurnam."
Leornars gave a curt nod of approval. "I'll take Zhyelena, Zhyier, and Ascian with me to explore the ruins. Bellian, you'll stay here with Shullah."
He snapped his fingers, and Bellian instantly materialized, a ghostly figure bowing respectfully. "Keep the child safe," Leornars commanded.
"I will, my lord, even to my dying breath," Bellian said, his hand over his chest.
Leornars shot him an annoyed look. "I didn't ask you to die for her. If something happens, you take Shullah and run. Come to me."
"If it won't be a bother, I certainly will," Bellian replied, his tone as polite as ever.
As Leornars turned to leave, the familiar bickering between Zhyelena and Zaryter flared up, as predictable as the sunrise.
"See? I'm going with the lord, and you're so useless he has to leave another undead to look after you," Zhyelena taunted, a playful glint in her eyes.
Leornars pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is never getting old, I see," Stacian said with a wry chuckle.
"Huh? At least I'm not going to a place filled with monsters… I'm safe," Zaryter shot back.
"You mean you're useless," Zhyelena said, her smirk widening.
"Now, now, let's not fight amongst ourselves," Zhyier said in a calm, soothing tone, attempting to play peacemaker.
"Shut up, newbie," Zhyelena and Zaryter said in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized.
Zhyier's calm demeanor vanished in an instant. "Never mind then," he growled, taking a step forward. "Go die for all I care, you insolent bastards."
Both Zhyelena and Zaryter pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. "Repeat that again, wise guy," Zhyelena said, her voice laced with playful threat.
"Yeah, do repeat that," Zaryter added, a mischievous grin on his face.
Leornars let out an exasperated sigh, muttering to himself, "Next time, I'll just summon them inside the dungeon."
Stacian laughed. "My, my, it's always lively when those two are in one place."
The two undead turned to her, still holding Zhyier down. "Huh?" they both exclaimed.
"Don't mind me," Stacian said, her expression as innocent as a newborn kitten. "I'm just stating facts."
"Facts? What facts?" Zaryter asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"That the two of you look good together," she said with a mischievous grin.
Zhyelena and Zaryter looked at each other, then burst into loud laughter. "No!" Zaryter yelled.
"Absolutely not!" Zhyelena added.
"Feels like I'm babysitting a preschool," Leornars muttered as he summoned his trusted companion, the inferno wolf Ascian.
"I kinda missed summoning you alone," Leornars said, petting the wolf's fiery fur. Ascian looked at the chaotic scene before them and let out a long-suffering sigh.
"Yeah, I know. Noisy," Leornars said, understanding the unspoken communication. "You imbeciles, we're leaving!" he shouted. Instantly, Zhyelena and Zhyier rushed to his side, their squabble momentarily forgotten.
A Fateful Encounter in Vurnam
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Vurnam, a blue-haired female adventurer was single-handedly wiping out a group of monsters that had strayed too close to the city walls. A knight ran up to her, a sealed letter in his hand. She took it and read it, her bored expression instantly shifting to one of pure excitement.
"Ooh, the White Plague is in Vurnam," she said, a thrilling note in her voice. "How exciting! Let's hurry and finish these orcs. We have important things to do."
The knights cheered and rushed forward, leaping into the fray and slicing through the monsters with ease, their newfound energy a direct result of their leader's enthusiasm.
Back in town, Stacian, Zaryter, and Bellian were taking a leisurely stroll. Zaryter was still monologuing about the injustice he had just endured. "That… that… how dare she say I'm useless?" he fumed.
"No, you actually are a bit useless," Bellian said, a hint of humor in his tone.
"You too? Come on, Bellian, side with me for once," Zaryter pleaded.
"Nah," Bellian replied. "You only rely on your incomplete Chain Breaker each time. Even I could beat you with no weapon, skills, or even hands."
"Father, at least be nice to Zaryter," Stacian said, a playful scolding in her voice as she bought an apple for Shullah. "He's trying to be useful to Lord Leornars… trying."
"Thank you, Aunty Stacian," Shullah said in her sweet, child-like voice.
"No problem, little one," Stacian replied with a smile.
"F… Fa… Father?!" Zaryter sputtered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Oh, I guess you're the only one who doesn't know that Bellian is my father," Stacian said casually.
"But… how? He's undead," Zaryter stammered.
"He was found by Lord Leornars in a dungeon near his dying breath, so Lord Leornars made him undead without knowing," Stacian explained.
"So you mean to say Lord Leornars found Bellian before you?" Zaryter asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Stacian chuckled. "Yes, I was found after he had Bellian, then me, then Ascian, then you, then Zhyelena, then Zhyier, and finally Ayesha."
Ayesha, trailing behind the group, was busy writing something on her notepad with a quill, her hand moving at an incredible speed.
"She seems more interested in… her things," Zaryter said, observing the newcomer.
"Did you know that apples are members of the rose family, along with pears and plums? Also, because they are about 25% air, they float in water! This is why 'bobbing for apples' is possible," Ayesha said, her voice filled with pure wonder.
Zaryter looked utterly bewildered. "What did she just say? What did she say?" he asked in utter confusion.
"It's a fun fact about apples," Ayesha replied, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Isn't science just simply incredible? It's a dream come true…"
Ayesha then turned to Bellian, her eyes gleaming with scholarly excitement. "I want to know about your mechanics. Lord Leornars is truly a rarity, creating undeads that have their own personalities. It's simply marvelous."
Bellian quickly stepped behind Stacian. "Keep her away from me, sweetie," he whispered. "I'm afraid she might decide to… dissect me."
"Don't worry," Ayesha said, her eyes gleaming. "I only need a piece of you. A nail, a hair, anything will do."
"For science, right?" Bellian asked.
"Yes," Ayesha said with a nod.
"I can't believe this is the same idiot that was begging to be killed," Stacian said thoughtfully. "Now a full-blown science freak. I guess Lord Leornars just brings out our deepest personality, huh?"
They soon walked into an inn, but most were full due to the migrating adventurers from other nations who were coming to exterminate the monsters for money.
"I need to think. What would Lord Leornars do?" Stacian thought to herself. An image of Leornars tormenting the innkeeper flashed in her mind, and she quickly shook her head. "Nope, I need to think rationally," she said.
Just then, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to see a butler handing her a letter. She took it and read it.
'Dear White Plague, this might be our first brush, but I am Rachel Suvallina Crumera. I'm the daughter of the local lord of Vurnam. I invite you and your friends to the mansion as guests of honor. With regards, Rachel Suvallina Crumera.'
"Oh, I think I just found a place for us to relax until Lord Leornars returns from his trip," Stacian said, and Shullah hummed in agreement.
The Heroes' Resolve and Leornars's Excitement
Meanwhile, back in Durmount, the summoned heroes were departing from the castle as the crowds cheered them on.
"Off with the plague's head!"
"Kill the white plague!"
The people shouted in a fervent rally as Sahara looked on, a worried expression on her face. "I sense that Leornars won't be an easy target. I have no intent on killing him; I only need to apologize for what my father did. Nothing else," she said to herself.
"We are all level 40 and above. We can and will kill Leornars the White Plague and take the kingdom of Lurtra!" one of the heroes shouted. Sahara realized it was the same hero she once had a disagreement with. She clenched her fist hard, a flicker of defiance in her eyes.
In his castle, the king sat on the throne, a cruel smile on his face. "Yes, go, my proud heroes. Go and erase the plague on our world. A sin like him shouldn't be allowed to exist alongside us," the king said, a sense of righteous vindication in his tone.
Leornars had finally arrived at the dungeon entrance, a tranquil look on his face. "Hmmm… I wonder… I'm already level 72, so taking these monsters will be a walk in the park. I need to test my new skills and the evolved ones, like how Touch of Decay has now evolved to Touch of Death, and Aura of Depravity has several other forms. This is exciting," Leornars said in a calm, almost delighted tone, his mind already calculating the possibilities of the new power he possessed.