In the northern regions of the Empire, within a remote vige, the townsfolk mechanically moved about their distorted bodies, beginning their day''s work as usual.


    Tilling the fields, feeding livestock, hauling goods...


    The vige bustled with activity, yet everyone''s movements seemed somewhat stiff.


    A middle-aged man, appearing as a cksmith, mechanically swung his iron hammer, striking down onto the glowing red sword de.


    His stooped figure suddenly trembled, yet he remained unaware as the round head fell, severed, onto the searing de. Nheless, the cksmith continued hammering away, pounding flesh and brain matter into the crimson iron sword.


    By midday, this tranquil vige weed an unwee group.


    Ivina led a squadron of Punishment Knights into the vige, but even at the moment of entry, the young girl sensed something amiss.


    The vige appeared deste, dpidated, with many houses copsed, roads muddy and unkempt. From numerous signs, it was evident that this ce had recently undergone the ravages of war.


    Yet the vigers had made no effort to repair these dpidated areas, nor did they avoid the neers likemon paupers, continuing their work as usual.A Punishment Knight suddenly grabbed a passing man, and upon seeing the man''s nk expression, lifeless eyes, and the evident stab wound on his chest, a chill ran through their hearts.


    "They''ve been dead for at least five days!" a Punishment Knight remarked gravely.


    "It''s been half a month!" Ivina corrected, judging from the signs of war.


    As she spoke, Ivina solemnly produced a magical sensing device, the pointer spinning around before finally pointing towards a residence in the vige.


    More than twenty knights entering the vige drew their des from their belts.


    "More Churchpdogs? They just won''t disappear!"


    The icy curse quickly emanated from within the mansion, full of disdain.


    Then, an elderly and withered face appeared before the crowd, a man cloaked in ck robes, his hair white, skin dry like bark, resembling a skeleton.


    "The Corpse Thief, Wally!" Ivina''s thoughts shifted, recognizing him from the wanted poster in the Sinners'' Scriptures!


    A reward of fifteen thousand Imperial gold coins!


    "I despise being called a corpse thief!" the ck-robed wizard wrinkled his brow discontentedly.


    These bodies were all products of war. Without him, they would be abandoned in the wilderness, devoured by beasts, their bones lost forever. It would be such a waste! But in his hands, it was different. They could create greater value! With excitement and fervor, Wally, the Corpse Thief, opened his arms wide.


    "See how marvelous the new type of revenants I''ve developed are! In just this half month, they''ve produced so much food, forged so many tools. They don''t need to eat, don''t need to rest, only obeymands..."


    "Perfect... They''re simply the perfect existence!" the Corpse Thief eximed triumphantly. "Let the dead work, and the living enjoy. Could there be a better world than this?"


    Finding a few listeners eager to hear him out, the Corpse Thief began to expound upon his great research. It took him several years and countless experiments to awaken the memories of these corpses, making them spontaneously till thend and smelt iron...


    Next, he would teach these revenants even more, make them do even more work!


    Ivina and herrades looked upon the decaying, rotting, foul-smelling corpses in the vige with increasing anger, tightening their grip on their swords, interrupting the Corpse Thief.


    "Cease your nonsense and face judgment, sinner!"


    Upon hearing the term "sinner," Wally, the Corpse Thief, grew disinterested. "It seems none of you canprehend the greatness of my research!"


    "If that''s the case, then stay here and contribute to my new enterprise!" The Corpse Thief sneered, and ck mists surged from his body.


    "Realm of the Dead!"


    The stiff, lifeless corpses, upon contact with the ck mist, immediately turned their eyes blood-red, their bodies contorting and swelling into grotesque forms.


    "A domain? Is he a Grand Wizard?!" The Punishment Knights present paled, shouting in panic. This was entirely contrary to the information about a mere Third-Ring wizard as per the intelligence report!


    Though it seemed only a ring''s difference between the Third and Fourth Rings, theirbat capabilities were worlds apart!


    "Fight!" Ivina''s face showed no fear as she took the lead, charging straight ahead, her sword shing horizontally, instantly cleaving one of the charging revenants in two.


    "Corpse Burst!" The ck-robed wizard grinned darkly, pointing his finger. The separated corpse immediately exploded, its blood mist carrying toxins and gue. Even the Punishment Knights who had taken the Divine Elixir couldn''t withstand it.


    However, Ivina had already disappeared into the blood mist with extraordinary speed.


    ...


    After half an hour of fierce battle, more than half of the thirty Punishment Knights had perished, and Ivina had acquired several injuries, oozing ck mists.


    Meanwhile, the Corpse Thief Wally''s head had been impaled on a slender de.


    With the death of the practitioner, all the revenants in the vige lost their anchor and copsed to the ground. Ivina, exhausted, sighed in relief.


    "Thanks to you, Ivina," one of the Punishment Knights expressed horror. If not for the reckless tactics of the girl that threw the Corpse Thief off bnce, giving them an opportunity for closebat, they would all have died here, bing mere revenants.


    "It''s a pity, though..." Ivina nced at the bodies of her fallenrades, sighing.


    "Dealing with these wizards, casualties are inevitable!" The Punishment Knight spoke with both anger and resignation.


    Indeed, sacrificing fewer than twenty Punishment Knights to kill a Grand Wizard was already extremely fortunate.


    At least they protected more Imperial subjects from the enemy''s harm!


    Ivina nodded, mustering her strength alongside the remainingrades, gathering the bodies and burning them all to prevent the spread of potential gues.


    Soon, the melodious hymns resonated throughout the vige.


    "May your souls avoid purgatory, may you ascend to the kingdom of heaven and eternal joy..."


    Ivina murmured softly in prayer, watching the mes rise, involuntarily reminiscing about the past.


    More than two years ago, in the harbor town, it was such mes that awakened her, leading to her estrangement from her family, and to her realization of a broader world.


    As someone once said, the world is vast, far beyond imagination. A mere baron''s title meant nothing.


    That lofty position, like a dome, once obscured her entire vision. But now, with just a word, she could decide the life or death of a baron...


    The aspirations, obsessions, and hatred of the past seemed utterly ridiculous now.


    But... why did you choose to be a wizard?