Chapter 102: Before the Flames Reach Us

The footsteps of Nerez, Cerys, and Ily echoed through the great hall of the Tirelia Adventurers' Guild. The branch was considerably emptier than usual, making the sound all the more noticeable.

That was to be expected. Not long ago, many of the adventurers had accepted another emergency quest from the Church of the Sun, this time to defend Galen from the undead army closing in on the city.

"Adventurers really should choose better ways to die. Most aren't even citizens of Phatar," Ily remarked, looking around. "I don't see what motivates them to throw themselves into battle."

"A good battle is motivation enough," Cerys replied beside her. "But even if that's a good reason, anyone who willingly faces the forces of the god of death deserves whatever terrible fate befalls them."

"You too?" Nerez sighed ahead of them before turning around and lowering his voice. "I have nothing to do with whatever Kayrus is doing! The people of this kingdom are the ones who made up this whole thing about it being a punishment from the god of death."

"Considering it's an undead army and that they've always spoken ill of you, it's hardly surprising they'd jump to that conclusion," Ily pointed out, shaking her head. "There's nothing we can do but accept it."

"Hm. Whether or not they're actually your army, what matters is that they believe they are," Cerys replied, crossing her arms. "I'd like to see their faces when they realize that the place they'll end up when they die is precisely the domain of the one they think they're fighting."

"I'm sure the adventurers themselves just see him as a rogue Lich King, and besides, they aren't planning to die," Nerez sighed again. "It's nothing personal for them. Adventurers are just after money and glory. Plenty of them would fight their own mother if it was a quest that made them rich… Of course, that doesn't mean there aren't exceptions."

"All right…" Cerys said, shrugging in acceptance. "Just this once, I'll spare anyone who dies from having to deal with me personally."

"That's certainly a relief," Nerez replied with a smile and a nod. "It makes me wonder what I must have done in another life to have to deal with you every day."

Chomp

"That's so unfair! Why only Cerys?!" Ily complained as she watched Cerys hanging from Nerez's arm by her teeth.

"You can do it if you want." Nerez turned toward her with a smile. "But you'll also be demoted to pet status."

"Being Lord Nereziel's pet wouldn't be so bad," the visiare mused with one finger in her mouth. "But for now, I'm aiming for a slightly higher position."

"I'm not a pet!" Cerys protested, finally letting go of Nerez's arm.

"Say that when you stop getting your drool all over me."

"Ah! The position I'm aiming for also involves getting my drool all over you, Lord Nereziel!"

"…"

"You want to be Supreme Reaper?!" Cerys exclaimed. "That's my position!"

"…"

"…"

At that moment, they spotted a familiar figure coming toward them at a little trot.

"You're back!"

Rin, the receptionist, stopped in front of Nerez and accepted the small pouch containing pollen, roots, herbs, and other ingredients he had gathered in the forest.

"That should be everything."

"Thank you so much! I'm really sorry for giving you so many gathering quests at once, but as you can see, we're pretty short-handed…"

"It's no problem at all," Nerez replied, one hand resting behind his neck. "I feel somewhat responsible, after all…" (Actually, I'm almost directly responsible for all this. My only excuse is that I never ordered Kayrus to do anything.)

Rin shook her head. "A lot of adventurers had already been visiting Kayrus's tomb. Sooner or later, he was bound to wake up. And the problem goes much deeper than that. Something like what's happening now had been a long time coming."

"For a long time?"

"If they hadn't neglected the worship of death so thoroughly, there wouldn't have been a Lich King in the first place," Rin said, her expression downcast. "Or at least not one this powerful."

I'd say a big part of his power comes from my Epitaph skill reaching proficiency S… Still, it's true that Phatar's problems with the undead had been going on long before that. I never imagined that not worshiping me… not worshiping Nereziel could have consequences like this.

"I'm just… I'm just worried about the adventurers from our branch," Rin continued. "There are so many faces I may never see again…"

"Don't worry, receptionist," Cerys interjected, placing a hand on Rin's shoulder. "Even if they all die, it only means they'll go to the Underworld. And as a bonus, the Underworld will get even stronger!"

Chop

"Ouchie… But it's true! The Underworld is a much better place than any city in Phatar…"

"That's not the problem," Nerez scolded her, letting out a long sigh as he took his hand off Cerys's head. "Rin, like any normal person, has her own reasons for not wanting people she knows to die."

While Ily watched the exchange with a hint of jealousy, Rin couldn't help smiling.

"It's all right, Nerez. I'm not from Phatar either. I know Cerys is right. If you haven't behaved too badly, there's no reason to fear death."

"Exactly, receptionist! No, Rin! There's nothing better than death, so try to convi—!"

Chop

"I apologize for her, Rin. She probably hit her head as a child."

"I'm getting hit on the head right now…" Cerys complained, rubbing it.

"No wonder she shares a name with Nereziel's first reaper," Rin laughed, covering her mouth with one hand. "I imagine her family must be quite devout to give her a name like that… although in places like the empire, using such a sacred name could be considered offensive."

"Ahem." Cerys puffed out her chest smugly under Rin's confused gaze.

"It's only her adventurer alias," Ily stepped in with a mischievous smile. "Her real name is very common and unimportant."

"What do you mean common and unimporta—!" Cerys began to protest.

"Ah!"

But Nerez was the one who intervened.

"There's nothing wrong with common names," Nerez said, taking hold of Ily's long ears. "And above all, no name is unimportant."

This time, Ily made no attempt to resist. If anything, she looked pleased.

"But really. A visiare, an adventurer whose alias honors the most powerful reaper in the Underworld, and a necromancer…" Rin remarked, tilting her head. "You really are a party devoted to the god of death. However you look at it, you stand out here in Phatar."

"I think so too, though I didn't mean to stand out this much," Nerez replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

My plan from the start was to travel alone, to a kingdom as far away as possible from anything connected to me…

"That's why, Rin," Nerez continued. "I wanted to let you know that we'll be leaving soon."

"What?! So suddenly?!" the receptionist exclaimed, though she quickly came to a realization of her own. "Yes… considering the situation, I think that would be for the best… Galen is in another duchy, quite far from this county. But who knows what the future holds if the undead can't be stopped."

"No, that's not why… Well, it is, but not for the reasons you're thinking… Anyway." Nerez tried to explain, but soon gave up. "We're not leaving right away. We can help with a couple more quests before we go."

"It's the least we can do!" Ily agreed. She felt somewhat responsible too. Deep down, however, she supported Kayrus's crusade against the Church of the Sun.

"But instead of gathering pollen… don't you have something a little more… exciting?" Cerys asked.

"It really is a shame, though," Rin said with a melancholy smile. "We didn't even get to measure Cerys's level because the new assessment orb still hasn't arrived."

"Ha! That thing would've exploded trying to analyze me!" the redhead boasted, planting her hands on her hips.

"Nerez, by the way," Ily said, leaving out "lord" for once. She wanted to make the most of one of the few chances she had left to pretend she was simply a member of his party. "Don't you think we ought to tell Rin about the farewell?"

"Farewell?" the receptionist asked.

"That's right. You've been looking after us for quite a while, after all," Nerez said with a nod.

"A party!" Cerys exclaimed.

"Falme and her father offered to throw us a farewell party at their home," Nerez explained. "Would you like to come?"

"At the Artius mansion?! I'd love to!" Rin replied, clasping her hands together. "As soon as my shift ends, I'll head over!"

***

The gardens of the Artius family mansion were filled with music played by servants who were masters of their instruments, while a finely carved marble table beside a flower-covered pergola stood laden with food. Everything was illuminated by countless candles and magic lanterns.

"This seems a little over the top for our farewell… but it looks like all the servants are taking part, so I suppose a party this big makes sense," Nerez remarked, looking around.

"That's right. The servants here are like family, Lord Nerez," Clarile said as she offered him a tankard of beer. "I can't thank you enough, not only for sparing our lives, but also for recommending us to Lord Artius."

"I've said it countless times, but just Nerez is fine…"

"Absolutely not! How could I call you by name when even the prince addresses you with respect?"

"…Speaking of the prince, Alegor mentioned that Valerius had assured the baron that Tirelia wouldn't be attacked and that there was no need to go to Galen's aid."

"That's right. That's why Lord Artius feels at ease enough to hold parties like this despite everything going on," Clarile explained. "Though I don't know what the prince plans to do. If Galen falls, does he intend to stand in the Lich King's way should he come to this region?"

"Maybe something like that…" Nerez replied, then took a sip of his beer, suddenly feeling that he very much needed one.

"I can at least understand why he has no reason to help the Church of the Sun…" Clarile pointed out. "As strange as that may sound coming from me, honestly…"

"Lord Nerez, are you getting my daughter drunk? Trying to get her in the mood?" Molder asked, appearing behind them and resting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"It's nothing like that, Dad!" the former mercenary exclaimed. "Lord Nerez would never do anything like that!"

"Oh, really? What a shame… I thought fortune had smiled on me."

…

"Dad!"

"I'm only saying it because it's Lord Nerez! I'm worried about your future!"

"Clarile's future is secure at my side, Molder. You can rest easy."

This time, it was Falme who peeked out from beside Molder.

"Lady Falme, don't laugh!" Clarile protested when she saw Falme trying to hold it in.

"I'm sorry…" was all Falme managed before letting out a small laugh. "By the way, Sir Nerez, this is your farewell. Why don't we head back to the main area?"

"Sure. I was just enjoying the quiet on this side of the garden…"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't bother you, did I?" Clarile asked, since she had been the one to approach him first.

"Don't worry. I was already thinking of heading back anyway, before Cerys and Ily start a drinking contest."

"Ah… it's already too late for that…" Clarile pointed out.

"…By the way, has Rin arrived yet?"

"She's with Lord Artius right now, trying to convince him to invest in the guild bank," Molder replied. "That's why I slipped away in the first place."

I'd forgotten she was a bank executive too…

"We'd better go back and rescue Alegor. At least Rin is much easier to keep under control than the other problem I woke up."

"What other problem did you awaken?" Falme asked, intrigued, as she fell into step behind Nerez alongside the former mercenaries.

***

"Praise be to Nereziel! The realm of death knows no bounds! The glory of my god shall reach all alike!"

At that moment, a skeleton clad in sumptuous ceremonial robes cried out from atop a high hill. The green flames burning in his eye sockets glowed with renewed intensity.

At the foot of the hill, the immense undead army could be seen scaling the walls of a fortified city built around an imposing cathedral.

Galen already burned as fiercely as the flames in the skeleton's eyes.