ã€ŠDead men tell the best tales.ã€‹


 For honor.

    It was for honor.

    My brother died for honor, and I perished in vain trying to save him. My second death, however, was for honor.

    Allow me to introduce myself. My master calls me Joe, and I am a reanimated skeleton, a soul torn from the grasp of the afterlife to serve him. Before, I was called Galen, and I was an archer in the army of the Marquess of Dravenholt.

    Life had not been easy, but neither was it without happiness. My younger brother, Gavin, lived and worked on our parents'' farm with his wife, Eda, and their three-year-old daughter. Just days before my first death, I had gone to visit them during a week of leave.

    For me, returning home was always a source of joy: gathering together for a hearty meal by the fire, listening to their jabs about when I, at thirty, would finally find a wife, teasing Gavin for being hopeless in combat¡­ But on the second day of my visit, Gavin approached me with a furrowed brow. He looked furious and worried.

    ¡°Galen, Eda returned in tears. A stranger tried to rape her, but she managed to get away. Come with me to find him. I want to challenge him to a duel.¡±

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re no master with any weapon. Let me handle it. Someone like that doesn¡¯t deserve a duel. Even an arrow would be too merciful, but it will suffice.¡±

    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d thank you. The problem is that he¡¯s a nobleman, a baronet.¡±

    ¡°That just makes it trickier if I get caught.¡±

    ¡°If you get caught, you¡¯d be charged with murder, and you know as well as I do that no one in this village, not even among the guards, has your skill with the bow.¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t report it to the guards because, I imagine, that bastard¡¯s men would testify in his favor¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want a duel.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s suicide. Give me some time to think of another solution.¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t bear to watch Eda fade away day by day. If I do nothing, she might start to believe it was her fault. I¡¯ve seen it happen before. This affront must be washed away with blood. If I don¡¯t act, it would be like admitting that bastard has the right to abuse our women.¡±

    I saw the furious light in his eyes, fueled by anger and the desire to protect the woman he loved. There was no convincing him to wait. Not even Eda could have persuaded him.

    ¡°Fine, let me fight in your place.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re not a master swordsman either.¡±

    ¡°At least I¡¯ve wielded a sword before.¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s my wife. It¡¯s my duty.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t argue with that. I understood him. If I had a partner and someone had tried to harm her¡­ I wouldn¡¯t let someone else handle it for me either. But I would¡¯ve waited for the right moment, the right opportunity to take him down with an arrow, once he understood why he deserved it.

    So, I accompanied my brother to the village, where we found the attacker in the tavern with his entourage. Gavin publicly challenged him to a duel for his wife¡¯s honor. He wanted it to happen right then and there in the street, but the noble refused. He gave us a time and place: the village square at dawn the next day.

    Only, we never made it.

    The next morning, we left the farm early. I had lent him my sword and spent the previous afternoon teaching him some basic techniques. We¡¯d also done some research: this noble was a coward. He had some basic swordsmanship training but had never developed it. He avoided combat, preferring to let his men fight for him. That¡¯s why, if my brother showed determination and attacked as I¡¯d tried to teach him, he might have a chance. Plus, the guards would be overseeing the duel, which would prevent the baronet from cheating.

    But we never made it.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    We were ambushed on the way. I should have expected it¡ªthat a coward without honor who would assault women would try something like this.

    Several of the baronet¡¯s men emerged from the trees lining the path connecting the farm to the village, while others shot arrows at us. When I heard the whistling sound, I reacted quickly, throwing myself on my brother to knock him to the ground. It saved him, but I took the projectile in the back.

    For a moment, the impact¡ªa sharp blow that hadn¡¯t yet begun to hurt¡ªfroze everything. I noticed more arrows falling and the attackers closing in, swords drawn. I knew the archers wouldn¡¯t fire again. I thought that the two moons, still shining in the sky, would be the only impartial witnesses to recount what happened here tonight. I was wrong¡ªat least about the witnesses.

    The moment when time seemed to stretch and pulse with my heartbeat vanished. I found myself pulling my brother up, even though I was the one wounded.

    ¡°Draw your weapon,¡± I instructed, as I drew my dagger, since he now held my sword.

    But it was futile.

    There were too many of them; they knew what they were doing, and I was injured. My skills lay in ranged combat. The only small mercy was that I didn¡¯t see my brother fall¡ªthat I went first, that the frenzy of the fight spared me the pain of seeing his eyes go lifeless. Empty. Knowing his wife¡¯s honor remained tarnished, that he¡¯d left her alone with a young child, and that his death was in vain.

    For honor.

    But in vain.

    When Ronan found my corpse, buried alongside my brother¡¯s by the side of the road, and raised me, I didn¡¯t remember any of this. The memories and pain came back slowly.

    <hr>

    The skeleton finished the last stroke with the quill held between the bones of his fingers. He set it down on the wooden table and handed the parchment to the young woman waiting patiently beside him. The candlelight illuminated her feminine features. She was blonde and beautiful, but what stood out most about her was the genuine kindness in her smile and the warmth in her voice and gestures. A few tears slipped down her cheeks as she finished reading.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Joe. I imagine it must be hard for you to share your human memories. I really appreciate it.¡±

    If the skeleton could smile, he would have. Instead, he opened his jaw wide, and the small black flames in his eye sockets seemed to burn a little brighter.

    The young woman had a high affinity for light magic. Any undead presence triggered an instinctive revulsion and irrational fear in her; but she had learned to ignore the former and calm the latter with reason.

    Joe wouldn¡¯t hurt her, and neither would Ronan, his master. She needed Joe¡¯s help to track down the kidnapper.

    ¡°Please, I need the name of that baronet so I can continue the investigation.¡±

    Cedric Thornspire, Joe wrote.

    ¡°And why do you think he¡¯s behind the kidnappings?¡±

    The skeleton continued moving the quill.

    My brother told me when he also regained his memories: his wife was with his daughter when it all happened. At first, before attacking her, he tried to take the child.

    Mary¡¯s eyes widened as she read. Ronan, the only student at the academy with a high affinity for dark magic¡ªthe only one capable of raising the dead¡ªhad three skeletons. Were two of them brothers?

    ¡°Your brother?¡± she dared to ask.

    Bob.

    Mary sighed.

    When she had taken this mission from the academy¡¯s board, her only thought had been to help. There were simpler missions, like gathering flowers. They gave fewer points, sure, but you could complete them multiple times. Then there were those involving hunting monsters that had escaped from dungeons. But there was only one mission where civilians had pleaded for help in rescuing their kidnapped granddaughter. She couldn¡¯t refuse it. Mary had a high affinity for light magic. In her world, those with an affinity for light magic were considered good, and the opposite was true for those with dark magic.

    She and Ronan¡­ they were opposites. At first, the young woman had looked fearfully at the scrawny boy who always sat alone in the dining hall, friendless. When her friends invited him to their table, though it had taken all her willpower not to leave when he sat nearby, she stayed. She would never discriminate against someone based on the color of their magic. And Ronan, despite supposedly being evil, had only ever shown her kindness.

    Joe himself had sacrificed himself in a dungeon to save one of their friends.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find her. By the way¡­¡± she hesitated, ¡°why did you save Darius?¡±

    He¡¯s young and reckless; he reminds me of my brother. I couldn¡¯t save Gavin. I didn¡¯t want to see anyone else die.

    Mary sighed again, much more deeply than before.

    These undead had memories. They seemed to retain their souls. The young woman understood less and less about why dark magic was supposedly evil.

    She extended her hand, placing it on the bones holding the quill. For a moment, light and darkness clashed. Her instincts, which screamed at her not to get close to an undead creature, flared as she felt the cold touch of Joe¡¯s bones. But her heart, which wept for a good man who had died twice to save others, comforted her. It was that warmth that carried into her voice, like molten honey, when she spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re a hero, Joe. We¡¯ll save your niece. Then, I¡¯ll ask Ronan to let you and your brother rest in peace.¡±

    The skeleton tilted his skull, as though looking at her intently. He moved his hand gently, indicating he wanted to write. Mary withdrew her hand, and the quill scratched the parchment.

    The master has given us a second life, another chance. He also considers us his friends. Thank you, Mary, but we don¡¯t want to rest in peace just yet.

    For some strange reason, Mary blushed. The skeleton¡¯s words reminded her that Ronan wasn¡¯t normal. They made her think about Ronan.

 The investigation of the case begins.

    Speaking of Ronan...

    About an hour ago, Mary had been telling Ronan and her friend Bianca that she wouldn¡¯t be joining them for a group mission. She was heading out to rescue a missing girl¡ªwell, kidnapped, more accurately.

    They were on a training area in the academy¡¯s gym. Bianca wanted to learn how to use a bow, so Ronan had lent her Joe to act as her instructor. Meanwhile, he had begun sword training with Tom, another of his skeletal companions.

    Yes, it all seemed quite bucolic: two students training peacefully with their skeleton friends, all smiles and camaraderie. The only thing missing was a pastoral backdrop of rolling hills and blooming flowers.

    But the smiles, frozen in grimaces on the faces of the other students nearby, told a different story. None of them had dared to tell the necromancer that you needed to book a time slot to use the courts. They cast sidelong glances, filled with unease, at the area occupied by the two undead. For them, those animated white bones powered by dark magic were nothing less than symbols of the twisted, malevolent soul of their necromancer master.

    No, not idyllic at all, Mary thought. What a shame. The rest of the students really needed to learn to let go of their prejudices.

    ¡°By the way, Ronan,¡± Mary asked, ¡°didn¡¯t you already master the mace? Why are you training with a sword now?¡±

    Bianca laughed and answered for him.

    ¡°Because he says it¡¯s easier to master a new weapon than to improve his swordsmanship. Plus, he wants the strength point. He¡¯s still sulking over the hit Darius landed on him during the exam.¡±

    In this world, gaining stats wasn¡¯t easy. Basically, it came from leveling up or acquiring or improving a mastery. And leveling up was heavily restricted.

    ¡°Poor thing...¡± Mary began.

    ¡°So, an investigation mission,¡± Ronan cut in, ignoring her sympathetic remark. ¡°What¡¯s the intel?¡±

    ¡°The girl¡¯s from a farming family that lives relatively close to Plinks, the village nearest the academy¡¯s city.¡±

    Joe, who had been positioning Bianca¡¯s arms to correct her bow stance, froze mid-motion and turned his skull toward Mary.

    ¡°Her grandparents issued the rescue mission. The mother¡¯s name is Eda. She went to look for her daughter and hasn¡¯t returned. The girl¡¯s name is Emmy Oakley. Her father died a little over two months ago.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that hurts,¡± Bianca protested, trying to pull away from Joe.

    Joe immediately released his bony fingers, which had gripped her shoulder with too much force.

    ¡°Joe?¡± Ronan¡¯s voice held a suddenly sharp and dangerous edge as his gaze snapped to the skeleton.

    The skeleton raised his hands in a placating gesture and sent a mental image to his master¡¯s mind. Ronan¡¯s tense posture eased as he turned to Bianca.

    ¡°Allow me to apologize, my lady. Joe did not mean to cause you discomfort. However, I believe he knows this kidnapped girl. She is someone very dear to him.¡±

    The skeleton, now shifting nervously from one leg to the other, nodded repeatedly.

    As for Ronan, he always addressed Bianca that way. Mary found it odd¡ªhe treated her almost like a mistress, much as he was master to the skeletons. But, well, it was part of Ronan¡¯s peculiar charm.

    ¡°Here, give Bob a pen... I mean, a quill and inkpot so he can tell us,¡± Bianca suggested, rubbing her shoulder.

    ¡°A pen? What¡¯s that?¡± Mary asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Nothing, just a slip of the tongue.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably from that head injury you got. Poor thing! Once I improve my healing magic, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Mary assured her earnestly.

    Bianca turned to Ronan, daring him with her gaze to mock the fact that she was now the target of Mary¡¯s well-meaning attentions. He merely shrugged.

    ¡°Actually, my lady, I completely agree with Mary.¡±

    Bianca rolled her eyes and started to go off to fetch a quill herself.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Mary interjected. ¡°What if I take Joe to a quieter place, like the library, and have him write everything down for me there?¡± She turned to Ronan. ¡°Would you lend him to me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, if Bianca doesn¡¯t mind practicing alone.¡±

    ¡°All yours,¡± Bianca replied.

    <hr>

    ¡°Thank you for your help, Joe. You can return to Ronan now.¡±

    Mary rose from her chair and watched the skeleton leave. Fortunately, the library was empty. Well, it hadn¡¯t been the case when she entered with Joe; a couple of students had been there, but they had stared at her with such apprehension¡ªan unusual reaction for Mary¡ªthat they left without a word.

    Now alone, she took advantage of being in a place of knowledge to look up information about Cedric Thornspire. According to Joe, he was a baronet responsible for overseeing one of the towns under the local baron. His father had died a couple of years ago in a hunting accident. Plinks didn¡¯t fall under the baron¡¯s domain, but both were part of the Dravenholt Marquisate.

    So, the baronet had gone to kidnap girls from another village¡­ She¡¯d need to investigate whether there had been reports of abductions or disappearances in the town he governed. She also needed to check if there were more cases in Plinks or if Emmy¡äs case was an isolated incident. And she couldn¡¯t forget about the mother¡ªshe had to find her, too.

    In times like these, being a commoner could be either an asset or a hindrance. An asset because it allowed her to blend in with the townsfolk and gather information naturally. A hindrance because she lacked the connections needed to inquire about Cedric or demand an audience in his town. She couldn¡¯t just show up and expect to be received like someone important. In fact, no one had ever received her like that. But in the few months she¡¯d been at the academy, she¡¯d become friends with the prince¡¯s group and had accompanied them to a desert dungeon. There, a military outpost had been overseen by a minor noble who had welcomed them with food and lodging. Something like that would be incredibly useful now. Should she ask the prince for help? Or perhaps Theodore, since his father was the Marquis of Dravenholt?

    Yes, that might work. Either way, it was clear she needed evidence if she wanted to accuse Cedric before the baron.

    <hr>

    The next morning, Mary set out for the grandparents¡¯ farm.

    She first took one of the carriages the academy provided for students heading to the city. She asked to be dropped off at the main square, where she knew she could rent a carriage to Plinks. Money, since the dungeon loot had been divided, was no longer a pressing issue for her.

    She wasn¡¯t traveling alone. Ronan had insisted that Joe and Bob accompany her. The first one because, unlike his brother, he could write and, in addition to acting as a bodyguard, communicate with her. Bob, because he had personally requested the necromancer¡¯s permission to join.

    To avoid the typical reactions to the uncommon sight of undead companions¡ªfew mages had the high dark affinity required to summon them¡ªthey were dressed in leather outfits with gloves, masks, and hooded cloaks. They didn¡¯t speak, but otherwise, they could pass for humans. Since they weren¡¯t zombies, they didn¡¯t smell. The clatter of their bones when they moved was another matter, but it was muffled by the clothing.

    When they finally arrived at the farm, Mary asked the driver to wait for them. Then, the young woman got out of the carriage, followed by her two bodyguards, one of whom hesitated as if emotionally conflicted. Bob, undoubtedly. Mary approached the house.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    It looked old, its stone walls weathered by time. The mortar binding the stones was rough, and some areas had been patched with mud and straw. The entrance was a thick wooden door reinforced with iron bands. The thatched roof¡¯s golden strands shimmered faintly under the sun.

    The air smelled of the countryside and animals. The sounds of chickens and pigs came from nearby pens. Mary stopped before the wooden door and knocked.

    ¡°Coming!¡± a voice called from within.

    Footsteps could be heard approaching and soon the door was opened by a stocky, ruddy-faced man with a beard beginning to show streaks of gray. He didn¡¯t look older than fifty.

    ¡°Good morning, my name is Mary. I¡¯m from the academy and I¡¯ve accepted your mission to find your kidnapped granddaughter.¡±

    The man¡¯s expression lit up upon hearing her words.

    ¡°Come into the kitchen. Have some tea while my wife and I tell you everything you want to know.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. These are Joe and Bob; they¡¯re accompanying me. Though they don¡¯t speak much.¡±

    The man greeted them, and they responded with a nod before all heading into the kitchen. The room was spacious, with a table in one corner, likely where the family gathered for meals. The farmer¡¯s wife was already there, setting water to boil. Once she finished, she joined them at the table. The man stared at Joe and Bob for a few moments. His wife did the same.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± she murmured. ¡°They went straight to where our sons used to sit.¡±

    ¡°The girl¡¯s father?¡± Mary asked.

    ¡°And her brother.¡±

    Mary didn¡¯t press further¡ªshe already knew they were both deceased. Instead, she made small talk about the farm, the animals, and the harvest while the water boiled. When it was ready, the woman returned with several cups of tea. Mary wrapped her hands around her cup, letting the warmth seep in before taking a sip. It was time to begin asking questions.

    ¡°Forgive me for asking, but I need to know how your granddaughter was taken.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± the woman replied. Her hair was tied back in a neat bun, and like her husband, she appeared healthy and well-fed. ¡°Emmy was playing in the yard while I was hanging the laundry. I went into the house for a moment to grab more pins. I heard screams and rushed back out, but she was already gone. I saw men on horseback riding away. The colors on their uniforms belonged to the baronet. There were hoofprints on the ground, and her doll was lying there, broken. She would never leave without her doll.¡± Her voice cracked for a moment. ¡°They must have taken her. She¡¯s so little, and those hoofprints¡­ I called out, I searched, I begged the neighbors for help, but nothing.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find her.¡±

    ¡°What if they¡¯ve hurt her?¡± The woman had managed to hold back her tears, but her fears betrayed her in that question.

    ¡°I have a high affinity for light magic. If she¡¯s been hurt, I¡¯ll heal her. And if I need a higher-level spell than what I currently have, I promise I¡¯ll improve it and come back as soon as I can.¡±

    The woman relaxed, her grip on the teacup loosening. Her husband patted her hand affectionately.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t have found anyone better to bring her back to us, especially considering the reward isn¡¯t much,¡± the man said to Mary. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Save your thanks for when I bring her back safe and sound,¡± Mary replied with a smile. ¡°Is there any other detail you can tell me that might help? For instance, has there been much traffic of riders passing through?¡±

    ¡°Only that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Darling¡­¡± his wife admonished.

    ¡°Let me call him what he is,¡± he retorted. ¡°Cedric Thornspire. He came with his horses and entourage and tried something with the girl. Eda stopped him, and he tried to force himself on her. My son Gavin, Eda¡¯s husband, challenged him to a duel. But when he and his brother were heading to the location, they were ambushed and killed. Bandits, they said. But there are no bandits in these parts. It was that bastard. He killed my sons and kidnapped my granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°Darling, you don¡¯t know that about our sons. And my word alone, saying he took Emmy, isn¡¯t enough. We can¡¯t accuse a noble without proof.¡±

    ¡°But you can gather that proof, can¡¯t you?¡± He locked eyes with the young blonde.

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t stop until I do.¡±

    Bob and Joe nodded, as if they, too, were making the vow.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Eda?¡± Mary asked.

    ¡°She searched for our little one around here, in the village, asking everyone. All she found out was that the same morning Emmy was taken, that bastard left the village and the inn. She told us and then went after him. The last we knew, she had reached Brindale, the town that bastard rules.¡±

    ¡°Here, these are Emmy and Eda,¡± the woman said, showing Mary a magically created portrait.

    Such portraits were expensive, affordable only to a few families.

    A young brunette woman smiled in the image, standing next to a little girl who looked like her replica. A young man embraced them both.

    ¡°That¡¯s Gavin, my son. This portrait was a gift from his brother, bought with his first paycheck when he was promoted to elite marksman in the army.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find them. Both of them.¡±

    ¡°I just hope it¡¯s not too late,¡± the woman said quietly.

    Mary noticed a carved wooden horse on the table where they were having tea¡ªa toy. She picked it up, hoping to shift the somber atmosphere brought on by the last comment.

    ¡°Was this Emmy¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°It was her father¡¯s when he was little. My husband carved it himself, and Gavin gave it to Emmy.¡±

    Mary noticed Bob shifting in his seat. He was a skeleton and couldn¡¯t cry, but he had a soul and undoubtedly felt human emotions.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. You¡¯re very talented,¡± she said with a smile, handing the toy back.

    The man reminisced about the time he made it, back when his sons were younger. Mary stayed a little longer, chatting with them before she finally said goodbye and headed back to the waiting carriage.

    ¡°Take me to the nearby village,¡± she instructed.

    Mary climbed into the carriage with Bob and Joe and once they were on their way, she handed Joe some materials to write with.

    ¡°I won¡¯t bother asking about the baronet at the inn, but I do want to speak to the mayor and find out if any other girls have gone missing. Joe, have you noticed anything I might have overlooked?¡±

    Joe didn¡¯t write anything. He simply shook his head.

    ¡°Anything you want to tell me?¡± she prompted.

    He picked up the quill, dipped it in ink, and began writing on the parchment.

    It¡¯s been hard coming back here, not being able to hug them or tell them who we are. I¡­ didn¡¯t even realize we were sitting in the same place as always. For a moment, I thought they might recognize us.

    Mary read it aloud so Bob could hear. Bob pressed a bony hand to his chest and nodded solemnly.

    Joe hesitated before writing again, but eventually added:

    Do you think that when we find them, we should tell them who we are? Or would that only make things worse for them?

    Mary sighed as she read his words.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Joe. If I were that child¡ªor that wife¡ªI think I¡¯d want to know. However, it would be painful. It¡¯s easier to believe a loved one is resting in peace than walking the earth as an undead. But you¡¯ve told me yourself that you don¡¯t want Ronan to send you back to rest, that you¡¯re happy as you are. If we explain to them that you¡¯re not a tormented soul, that you¡¯re glad to be here helping them, I think it could give them peace¡ªand, in time, even joy. Knowing they haven¡¯t truly lost you and that your essence is still here could be comforting.¡±

    Joe didn¡¯t respond and Bob remained still¡ªtheir version of silence. Mary felt like she was treading on thin ice. Just as she wanted to support the missing child, she also wanted to help them.

    They continued in silence during the short ride from the farm to the village. Once they arrived at the town hall, Mary requested an audience with the mayor.

    The position was held by a commoner since Plinks was a small village and had no minor noble overseeing it. They had to wait, as they didn¡¯t have an appointment.

    By the time her meeting was over, Mary had learned that four more girls had disappeared. Three had gone missing the previous day and another on the same morning as Emmy. At least, that¡¯s what the mayor knew.

    There was also a suspect: one of the blacksmith¡¯s two apprentices, a young man who had left that very morning after leaving behind a letter saying he wanted to try life as a merchant. The mayor showed Mary the letter. It was poorly written, filled with misspellings and missing letters. While it seemed plausible for the apprentice¡ªwho had learned just enough reading and writing to log customer names and prices¡ªit didn¡¯t convince Mary.

    The idea that he¡¯d taken the girls to sell them as slaves felt more like a convenient excuse to blame him. For all she knew, the boy might already be dead, lying in some ditch.

    Oh. Mary recalled something Ronan had once mentioned: he could sense places where someone had died¡ªthat¡¯s how he had found his skeletal companions. And Ronan had three skeletons.

    Joe waved a hand in front of Mary¡¯s face to get her attention. They were already back in the carriage, heading toward the academy city.

    ¡°Sorry, Joe. I¡¯m fine,¡± she reassured him, interpreting his concern from her silence and possibly anguished expression. ¡°But¡­ do you know who Tom was before he died?¡±

    Joe and Bob shook their heads.

    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Could he have been the blacksmith¡¯s apprentice? Tell me, Joe, when Ronan raised you, was Tom already with him?¡±

    Joe wrote a response.

    No, my brother and I came first. Tom arrived about ten days later.

    ¡°Ten days,¡± Mary repeated aloud for them to hear. ¡°Emmy¡¯s abduction was over a month ago. It¡¯s possible, it all depends on the time that passed from your death until Ronan found you. We¡¯ll need to ask him. And, Joe, do you know how long you¡¯d been dead when Ronan raised you?¡±

    I don¡¯t know, but it wasn¡¯t long. My soul was still lingering near this world.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll talk to your friend, master, or whatever Ronan is to you.¡±

    Master and friend, Joe wrote.

    Mary stared at those last words, deep in thought. She never would have imagined a necromancer being kind to his creations. Then again, she¡¯d never imagined skeletons retaining their souls. She thought back to what she knew of Ronan, of how he¡¯d been locked in a basement as a child by his parents¡ªalone, in the dark, with only the rats he learned to raise as companions.

    Did animals have souls?

    That was a complicated question for a world where the gods had forbidden the worshiping or speaking of deities. But Mary, at least, felt that when she looked into the eyes of a puppy or any other creature, they seemed to have souls.

    Poor Ronan.

    Her eyes grew misty, and a tear threatened to escape. Mary felt a gentle touch on her arm. She looked down. It was Joe, trying to comfort her.

    The undead showing compassion while the living murdered families and abducted children. The world was, without a doubt, not what she¡¯d been taught as a child. Fortunately, she had an open mind, ready to shape her own truth. She would help everyone she could, because that was her way of being. Anything else would be a betrayal of herself. But she would pay special attention to those who showed their goodness through their actions.

    And if that happened to be a dead man telling her his story? May it be so.

 Light and Darkness.

    Mary''s first intention upon returning to the academy was to talk to Ronan. But she couldn¡¯t find him.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone to a dungeon with Bianca,¡± Vincent told her during dinner.

    The table, where they usually ate together, felt a little emptier. Only she, Prince Vincent, and his two childhood friends, Theodore and Alistair, were there.

    ¡°They went just the two of them? Without Joe or Bob? That¡¯s insane.¡±

    ¡°Insane? I¡¯d give anything to join them. You saw that zombie bear, didn¡¯t you? Ronan could clear a dungeon all on his own.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go?¡±

    The prince made a face, one of mild annoyance, though he didn¡¯t seem truly upset.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t let me. They said they wanted to train Bianca¡¯s archery and were going to take it slow.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, why were you looking for him?¡± Theodore interjected as he tore a piece of bread. They were eating a fish stew. ¡°Do you need help? And what are you doing with Joe and Bob?¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯ve been helping me with my mission, and to be honest, yes, your help would be really great.¡±

    ¡°And mine wouldn¡¯t?¡± the prince asked, and Mary couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking.

    ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s just that I need to go to a city in his father¡¯s marquisate,¡± she replied, a little flustered.

    ¡°If that¡¯s all, fine. But next time, ask me for help,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll feel rejected.¡±

    The blend of his smile and the way the light streaming through the windows caught the blonde strands of his hair was devastating. Mary felt herself blushing and didn¡¯t quite understand why.

    Theodore observed the two of them with his usual inscrutable expression. Then, as if remembering something, his shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly.

    ¡°And Tom? Is he here? I¡¯d love to ask him some questions.¡±

    ¡°No, Ronan must¡¯ve taken him,¡± the prince answered. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know how you expect him to answer you.¡±

    ¡°If he knew how to write when he was alive, I could give him a quill.¡±

    They continued chatting until the meal was over. Afterward, Mary left the dining hall with Theodore to explain to him what she needed and why.

    On her journey back to the academy, Mary had decided that asking Theodore for help was the best way to approach the baronet and see if she could find any evidence to incriminate him. Truthfully, it had taken her some time to accept this conclusion. A part of her still remembered she¡¯d be attending the end-of-term ball with him, and she worried he might misinterpret her request as having an ulterior motive she would never intend to imply.

    So, she explained everything to him, and Theodore seemed delighted to help. He told her not to worry¡ªthat¡¯s what friends were for. Mary made sure to tell him everything she knew about the mission so he would understand why she specifically needed his help and not misinterpret her intentions as flirting.

    Before going to bed, she crossed paths with Bianca in the women¡¯s dormitory area. The dungeon, it seemed, had gone very well, and Bianca had gained mastery with the bow. Mary didn¡¯t ask about Ronan, since it was too late to go to the men¡¯s quarters. She decided she¡¯d speak to him after her trip.

    ¡°Are you riding with Theodore in his carriage?¡± Bianca inquired upon hearing the plan.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alone?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t. I know you¡¯re a commoner and don¡¯t have a maid to accompany you, but this is basic etiquette. Didn¡¯t you notice how, on the way to and from the dungeon, you and I always shared a carriage?¡±

    Mary nodded, a bit confused. Back home with her parents, she¡¯d never traveled by carriage or cart. And truthfully, she¡¯d rarely been out alone. When she went to the market to buy food, it was usually with her mother or one of her brothers. But she hadn¡¯t considered that this might be because she was an unmarried young woman. In any case, after a little over two months at the academy, she still hadn¡¯t fully adapted to the nobles¡¯ etiquette and social norms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll lend you my maid to act as a chaperone.¡±

    ¡°You have a maid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she lives in the servants¡¯ quarters. I¡¯d say she¡¯s living well, too, because with all my studying and training, I hardly ever call on her or give her work. I have her more for status than anything else. My mother would¡¯ve had a fit if Berta weren¡¯t here with me. Oh, that reminds me, when I first arrived at the academy¡­ Sol¡¯s carriage was ahead of mine, and I saw her arguing with the guard so she could bring two maids with her.¡±

    Sol was the daughter of a duke, while Bianca was the daughter of a count. Mary nodded, understanding how the former could have more privileges even within an academic institution.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you sleep, Mary. Tomorrow¡¯s going to be a long day, and I¡¯m exhausted from the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Goodnight, Bianca. Rest well.¡±

    The two friends said their goodbyes, and once Mary was in bed, she had trouble falling asleep. She hadn¡¯t known it was inappropriate for an unmarried girl to travel alone in a carriage with a male friend. Did Theodore know? Would he have a servant prepared in case she didn¡¯t bring one?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    <hr>

    The next day, Mary, Berta, and the marquis¡¯ heir traveled together in his carriage to the city of Tharion, a journey of just over three hours.

    They had left early, and Theodore kept up polite conversation the entire way, his deep green eyes¡ªwhich reminded her of his high affinity with water¡ªfixed on her. When he asked if she¡¯d already chosen her dress for the ball, Mary blushed.

    Oh, it was all so complicated!

    Mary liked Theodore¡ªpossibly more than liked him. But she also liked the prince. The poor girl had no idea, unlike Bianca, that she was one of the potential protagonists in an otome game. It was perfectly normal for her to feel attracted to any of the romantic interests.

    Ronan, of course, wasn¡¯t one of them. The necromancer didn¡¯t even appear in the game.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mary. If you¡¯re having trouble choosing a dress, I can have my valet assist you. He¡¯ll take care of everything, and you¡¯ll just need to receive it as a gift the next day.¡±

    Mary sighed. She knew the young man meant well, likely thinking she might have financial difficulties as a scholarship student, admitted thanks to her high light affinity. The fact that he¡¯d invited her to be his partner at the ball meant she¡¯d have to wear a dress suitable for someone accompanying a future marquis, no less. But after the division of the loot from the desert dungeon they¡¯d explored together, money was no longer an issue.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Theodore, but it won¡¯t be necessary. Bianca already helped me pick out a dress. It matches the ribbon you gave me.¡±

    ¡°Then I can¡¯t wait for the day to come so I can dance with the most beautiful lady,¡± he said softly, his words like a gentle caress as he gazed at her with admiration.

    Mary couldn¡¯t help blushing again. Berta cleared her throat. The atmosphere had become too intense, and the maid reminded Theodore that they weren¡¯t alone.

    The young man blinked and kept his eyes closed for a beat longer than usual. He composed himself and, without looking away from Mary with those inscrutable green eyes, changed the subject.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be staying at Cedric¡¯s mansion. Officially, I¡¯m visiting the city with a fellow student because it¡¯s on the way for my academy mission. One day and one night. And one morning more. We¡¯ll leave the next day before lunch¡ªI hope that¡¯s enough time.¡±

    Mary nodded.

    ¡°It will have to be. Honestly, I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough,¡± she began, speaking with the pure innocence only someone with her light affinity could have.

    Theodore smiled gently.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I enjoy spending time with you.¡±

    Berta cleared her throat again. Theodore, who had been reaching for Mary¡¯s hand, withdrew his with a resigned expression.

    ¡°Are you feeling alright? Does your throat hurt? If you want, I can cast a healing spell,¡± Mary offered, her concern genuine.

    Berta struggled to maintain a neutral expression but didn¡¯t quite succeed.

    ¡°No, miss. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°Berta, you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Theodore reassured before turning his attention back to Mary.

    They continued discussing their plan to investigate the baronet¡¯s mansion until they reached their destination.

    <hr>

    Mary struggled to greet that criminal without betraying the deep disgust his mere presence evoked in her. It wasn¡¯t his affinity for darkness¡ªwhich she could sense was much weaker than Ronan¡¯s¡ªbut rather the knowledge of his actions. Ordering the murder of innocent men, attempting (or succeeding) to assault women, kidnapping little girls¡­ and who knew how much longer his list of crimes truly was.

    She couldn¡¯t hide her feelings, especially when Cedric seemed to relish her reaction, as if imagining all the terrible, unspeakable things he could do to her.

    The baronet was young, only two or three years older than her, but his mere presence made Mary imagine him as an ancient, corrupt leech, ready to drain the life and joy from anyone who crossed his path.

    She felt relieved when the formalities of welcoming Theodore were over and they could retire to their rooms. The downside was that they¡¯d be dining with him later. The upside? It was the perfect opportunity to try to extract information from him.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Theodore asked, his concern evident once they were alone.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just easily affected. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s also your high light magic affinity, isn¡¯t it? That allows you to sense dark auras and affinities?¡±

    Mary placed her hand on the door to her room. They were standing in front of the two guest rooms, where one of the baronet¡¯s servants had left them. She stayed thoughtful for a few seconds before finally replying:

    ¡°I don¡¯t think his dark affinity is more than low, but I can sense that his soul is entirely corrupted by it. It¡¯s very different from Ronan. Despite his strong affinity and the potential harm he could cause with his dark magic if he wanted to, I don¡¯t feel any of that rot around him that I sense with the baronet.¡±

    ¡°It must be difficult to have an affinity for light. You know I have a high affinity for water, but I can¡¯t perceive anything like that in others. Not even in those with fire magic. Light and darkness seem to be something else entirely.¡±

    Mary smiled at his words.

    ¡°Maybe, but I can see water in your eyes. They¡¯re like deep, mysterious pools¡ªa green that sometimes looks clear and sometimes darker. Water is strong, flexible, and steady, but it can also change and wreak havoc in destructive floods. You remind me of water. You¡¯re calm, mysterious, like those pools. But sometimes I think there¡¯s a storm brewing upstream, and you might surprise us all.¡±

    Theodore looked startled, caught off guard for a moment and unsure how to respond.

    ¡°Do you fear a flood?¡± he asked, misinterpreting her words. ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear anything from me.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I just¡­¡± She suddenly blushed as she realized that, while she¡¯d only intended to associate his personality with his element, she¡¯d essentially been calling him strong, flexible, and steady.

    Was that considered a compliment?

    ¡°My lady, you must be tired from the journey. We should go in,¡± Berta interjected.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Mary replied, grateful for the interruption.

    Theodore stepped aside to let them open the door and enter without being in the way. He didn¡¯t stop watching Mary.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in half an hour, and we¡¯ll head into town,¡± he said as a parting remark. ¡°I¡¯m glad your words describing me weren¡¯t motivated by fear.¡±

    ¡°Better make it forty-five minutes. See you later, and thank you for your help,¡± she answered nervously before practically shutting the door in his face.

    She leaned against the door from inside the room. Berta looked at her, amused, as she began unpacking Mary¡¯s things.

    ¡°Thank you, Bianca,¡± Mary whispered so softly it was barely audible, speaking to herself. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done without Berta.¡±

    Because no, it hadn¡¯t been a brilliant idea to travel alone with someone who she now had no doubt was a suitor. Sure, he¡¯d invited her to the ball, but she was a commoner. The idea of a humble girl marrying a marquis sounded like something out of a fairy tale.

    She blushed at the thought.

    Or a prince.

    She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow. What a mess. What would Berta tell Bianca?

    Tell Bianca?

    But hadn¡¯t Bianca herself said it was fine if Mary wanted to go on dates with both of them?

    <hr>

    The morning proved quite disheartening. They walked through the city, pretending to shop, while subtly engaging with people to see if anyone had noticed missing girls¡ªor a young woman asking questions about her daughter.

    Nothing. Every answer was negative.

    As they were heading back toward Cedric¡¯s mansion, a water vendor called out to them.

    ¡°My water¡¯s the freshest! Would you like to try it?¡± she said loudly.

    Once they got closer, she began filling a cup made of baked clay.

    ¡°Two cups?¡± she asked aloud before lowering her voice to a whisper. ¡°Those questions you¡¯re asking are dangerous. My cousin¡¯s daughter disappeared, and my cousin vanished while trying to find her. They¡¯re not the only ones. The woman you¡¯re asking about¡­¡± She raised her voice again. ¡°Try it, my lady! It¡¯s very good and only costs a copper coin!¡±

    ¡°Another for him, thank you,¡± Mary said.

    ¡°That woman came by, and I don¡¯t know if they did something to her or if she learned to be more discreet. Go to the tavern in the lower district. Ask for Mason.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mary whispered as the water vendor handed the second cup to Theodore.

    It seemed that, after all, they had a lead.

 But who is this maid?

    Mary and Theodore went straight to the tavern.

    ¡°What if it¡¯s a trap?¡± Theodore tried to warn her as they walked.

    ¡°A trap by whom? Cedric?¡± she replied without slowing her pace. ¡°It could be if he has spies who¡¯ve told him we¡¯re asking questions, but honestly, I doubt it. Besides, we both have powerful magic.¡±

    She was referring to the fact that they both possessed high affinity for their respective elements, a rarity among mages. The strength or potency of a spell depended on three factors: the mage¡¯s intelligence, their elemental affinity, and the level of the spell. Mary had been born with the highest possible intelligence for a newborn¡ªanother rarity. Although she hadn¡¯t leveled up her spells as much as Theodore, who had been training since childhood, her light magic was still formidable.

    Mary didn¡¯t know it, but to Bianca, her power and potential made perfect sense. Bianca saw her as the commoner protagonist of an otome game, destined to shine as a beacon of light¡ªwhat one might call a ¡°saint¡± if gods still spoke to mortals in this world.

    ¡°For the kind of mage he could afford to hire, it¡¯s possible,¡± Theodore admitted. ¡°But Mary, have you considered that the problem with being mages is that we need time to cast our spells? Unlike Bianca, neither you nor I know how to defend ourselves in close combat.¡±

    He was referring to Bianca¡¯s tendency to wield her sword in battle despite being an earth mage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. This is the only lead we have, and the water vendor seemed genuine and willing to help. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if something happened to Emmy because I was too scared to follow a lead.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure, next you¡¯ll say that if we die, it doesn¡¯t matter because Ronan can resurrect us,¡± he joked dryly, unconvinced.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Mary stopped in her tracks, covering her mouth with one hand. ¡°Did Darius tell you?¡±

    ¡°Tell me what?¡±

    ¡°Uh, nothing.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t her place to reveal that during their dungeon expedition, Ronan had conserved mana in case he needed to raise their corpses.

    Theodore rubbed his forehead with a quick motion, then fixed his gaze on her. He was less calm and collected than usual; Mary could clearly see his concern.

    ¡°Listen, if there¡¯s even the slightest indication that this is a trap, I want you to run. Don¡¯t look back. Go straight to the prince. If he¡¯s not at the academy, go to Bianca or even Ronan. Promise me, or we turn around now.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡±

    ¡°Promise me.¡±

    ¡°Fine. You have my word.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    They resumed their walk to the tavern, this time in silence. Mary initially slowed her pace, hesitant, but at some point, she seemed to reach a conclusion that satisfied her, and she quickened her steps again. Theodore walked half a step behind her, keeping a vigilant eye out for anything suspicious or anyone following them.

    The lower district, as its name implied, was the city¡¯s poorest area and also the one with the most crime. Paradoxically, in a world where the gods had forbidden war, crime still thrived. Divine lightning didn¡¯t strike down thieves; it only targeted those who attacked other kingdoms.

    As a child, Mary had heard stories from her mother about the last great war against the Demon King and the gods¡¯ subsequent withdrawal. She had thought it unfair that divine power didn¡¯t punish anyone who tried to harm or exploit others. Her mother had explained that the system wasn¡¯t perfect but that Mary should be grateful her brothers would never be sent to fight another kingdom and that disputes were resolved by nobles through games.

    A few years later, Mary learned she would attend the royal academy on a scholarship due to her exceptional light magic affinity and extraordinary stats for a level-one mage. She didn¡¯t enjoy politics or competition, but she understood that in her parents¡¯ village, people lived well, and if she could help with her magical talent in the games, then so be it.

    Now, however, walking through narrow streets reeking of neglect, with beggars in corners and children seemingly ready to pickpocket anyone carrying a coin purse, she felt terrible. She hadn¡¯t known such places existed in the kingdom. She resolved to send Cedric Thornspire to prison and to ask Theodore to have his father appoint a more competent governor.

    ¡°Is this kind of poverty really present in your marquisate?¡± she whispered when they stopped in front of the tavern.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about this area either.¡±

    ¡°You have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Not now, Mary. But don¡¯t worry, if you want me to ask my father to hold the baron responsible, I will.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured, stepping aside to let Theodore open the door.

    The noise inside, which had already filtered through to the street, grew louder, accompanied by the smell of cheap wine and spirits.

    Mary steeled herself and entered. She waited for Theodore, who had held the door for her, to follow before stepping further in. Their academy uniforms drew some unkind remarks from the patrons, but they ignored them. Heading straight to the bar, they asked for Mason.

    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± the barmaid replied, frowning.

    ¡°The water vendor sent us,¡± Theodore said, and although the woman held his gaze, pressing him, he didn''t say another word.

    The barmaid scrutinized him for a moment before relenting.

    ¡°Wait here,¡± she said and disappeared into a back room.

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s actually fetching him?¡± Mary asked, raising her voice to be heard over the drunken din.

    ¡°Probably asking him if he wants to meet us.¡±

    The barmaid didn¡¯t take long to return, gesturing for them to follow her behind the bar. From there, she led them to a private room.

    Inside was a modest parlor with a couple of sofas and several tables. Seated at one of the sturdier chairs was a man with a scar across his face.

    ¡°These are the ones, Mason,¡± the barmaid said before stepping out.

    Mary, ever polite, thanked her and greeted Mason.

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the formalities,¡± Mason said gruffly. ¡°What exactly do you want, and what are you willing to pay?¡±

    Theodore sighed, pulling out a small pouch of coins and placing it on the table without letting go.

    ¡°The water vendor overheard us asking about missing girls and a woman looking for her daughter. As you can see, we¡¯re students of the royal academy of magic and combat. We¡¯ve taken on a mission to find a missing girl.¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±

    ¡°In Plinks.¡±

    ¡°Eda, you can come in,¡± Mason called out.

    A moment later, a woman in plain peasant clothes emerged from a door hidden behind a curtain.

    ¡°Are you really looking for my Emmy?¡± she asked, as though she¡¯d been listening to the conversation and Mason¡¯s shout had been unnecessary.

    ¡°Yes, are you her mother?¡± Theodore asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness!¡± Mary exclaimed, relieved that Bob¡¯s wife was alive, that this wasn¡¯t a trap, and that they were finally making progress.

    ¡°That¡¯s what they say, Eda, but they haven¡¯t shown any proof,¡± Mason interjected.

    Mary pulled a scroll from her jacket pocket, tied with a red ribbon, and handed it to the woman.

    Eda unrolled it, glanced at it, and passed it to Mason.

    Mary noticed she couldn¡¯t read and hoped she hadn¡¯t embarrassed her. Still, she didn¡¯t regret giving it to the mother first¡ªit was her daughter they were trying to save.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°This is one of the missions that are issued to the academy every year. It¡¯s registered under the names of your late husband¡¯s parents,¡± Mason confirmed as he handed the scroll back to Mary. ¡°Alright then,¡± he continued. ¡°Do you have any idea the commotion you¡¯ve been causing with all your questions? The first two women who searched for their daughters ended up dead in an alley. Eda here nearly met the same fate if we hadn¡¯t found her and told her to hide.¡±

    Mary paled but said nothing. Theodore maintained his inscrutable expression. Mason reached out to take the pouch of coins from the table.

    ¡°When Cedric is deposed and a proper governor takes his place, trading in information will be outlawed by the guard,¡± Theodore stated firmly.

    ¡°Then I hope you replace the guards as well. Most of them are corrupt and take bribes.¡±

    Theodore nodded and finally released the pouch of coins, which was no longer his to hold. Seeing this, Mary thought that while Eda genuinely wanted help, Mason wouldn¡¯t have let them speak to her without payment. It didn¡¯t leave her with a very high opinion of the man.

    ¡°Many girls have disappeared in this city over the past two years,¡± Mason began. ¡°The townsfolk grew increasingly restless, tired of the inaction, until it felt like a full-blown revolt was inevitable. However, a few months ago, the kidnappings stopped. Thanks to women like Eda, we know the truth: they didn¡¯t stop, the kidnapper just changed where he operates.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who it is?¡± Mary asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

    ¡°Of course we do. It¡¯s the baronet Thornspire,¡± Eda replied sharply.

    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± Theodore asked.

    The fiery anger that had sparked in Eda¡¯s words dimmed in her face, replaced by a hard, steely gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent weeks trying to get proof, but so far, no luck. All I can tell you is that bastard abuses some of the girls¡ªthey¡¯ve been found dead¡ªand sells the others.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s strictly forbidden and punished under king¡¯s law,¡± Theodore affirmed.

    ¡°Then help us expose him, along with his rotten operation. I know he¡¯s preparing a delivery soon. I pray my daughter will be among them because if not¡­¡± She held a few seconds of anguished silence, clenching her teeth before answering. ¡°Whether she is or isn¡¯t, that bastard deserves to die. We¡¯ve been trying to find out where it will happen, but so far, nothing. All I know is that it¡¯s happening soon. Maybe tomorrow. Soon.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll help you,¡± Mary said, horrified by the mental image of young girls abused, tortured, or beaten to death and discarded like trash in alleys or ditches. She couldn¡¯t do anything else but try to comfort the woman.

    But Eda, hardened by weeks of anguish, had long since refused to feel anything other than searing hatred. She pushed Mary¡¯s hand away when the younger woman tried to console her.

    ¡°Just do it. Bring me that bastard¡¯s head.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to see justice served, not vengeance,¡± Theodore replied calmly.

    ¡°Eye for an eye is justice.¡±

    Mary felt her chest tighten, and she quickly left the room. That conversation unsettled her, too reminiscent of something Ronan might say.

    Eye for an eye. Kill him and resurrect him as many times as there were girls he had defiled and murdered.

    She heard voices behind her. She didn¡¯t try to make out the words. Instead, she ran, not stopping until she was outside. Or rather, in an alleyway¡ªa dangerous place for an eighteen-year-old girl.

    Theodore appeared behind her, running to catch up.

    ¡°Mary, wait for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t handle this. I can¡¯t,¡± she sobbed, leaning against the filthy stone wall of the tavern.

    Tears streamed down her face, falling in torrents as though her very soul was fracturing.

    ¡°Look, the world isn¡¯t perfect. I wish it were. And I¡¯m deeply sorry this happened in my father¡¯s marquisate. I promise you I won¡¯t let it continue.¡±

    Through her tears, she looked at her friend.

    He looked genuinely worried, his large green eyes filled with pain¡ªthough Mary couldn¡¯t tell if it was for the situation or because he hated seeing her like this.

    ¡°Come on, this isn¡¯t a good place to be. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He held out his hand, softly murmuring the incantation for a water shield.

    Mary took his hand and allowed him to lead her away.

    She didn¡¯t notice the shield or the fact that it wasn¡¯t necessary. From within the tavern, Mason¡¯s men were keeping watch through the windows.

    The tavern keeper, despite having taken their money, wanted Cedric either behind bars or dead. He wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to the two students in the lower district. He had already sent a couple of his men to escort them discreetly.

    <hr>

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind being the one to distract him?¡± Mary asked Theodore once they were back at the baronet¡¯s mansion, feeling much calmer after eating and taken a half-hour nap.

    Originally, the plan had been for both of them to dine with Cedric, but Theodore had excused Mary, telling him she wasn¡¯t feeling well¡ªwhich, in truth, wasn¡¯t a lie after all. Meanwhile, Berta had gone to the kitchen and brought her a tray of food to her room.

    Mary wasn¡¯t accustomed to taking afternoon naps, but after the distress caused by what she had learned about the missing girls, she welcomed the respite that sleep provided.

    Now, the two of them sat in a small sitting room on the mansion¡¯s first floor, accompanied only by Berta, who remained quietly in the background.

    ¡°Mary, you¡¯re determined to find Emmy, and I¡¯m not about to leave you alone with that man,¡± Theodore said firmly. ¡°During lunch, he kept pressing me about you, insisting you should join us. I had to remind him of his place¡ªas a host, on an estate that belongs to my father¡¯s marquisate.¡±

    Mary shuddered at the thought. The idea of being left alone with Cedric, even with Berta present, wasn¡¯t just unappealing¡ªit was utterly repugnant after witnessing his true nature.

    ¡°This evening, before dinner, I¡¯ll ask him for a detailed account of how the city is managed.¡± Theodore explained. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll lie and heap praise on himself. That alone should keep him occupied for at least an hour. Meanwhile, you can search his study, the library, and, if necessary, his bedroom. Be very careful¡ªtake Berta with you, and at the first sign of trouble, leave immediately. I don¡¯t want you taking any risks.¡±

    ¡°Yes. And during lunch, you couldn¡¯t get anything useful out of him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t push the matter too directly to avoid arousing suspicion. We talked about the city¡¯s management, and when the subject of security came up, he only praised himself, claiming the crime rate here is practically nonexistent.¡±

    ¡°Nonexistent?¡± Mary raised an eyebrow, a gesture so uncharacteristic of her that it seemed out of place.

    Theodore shrugged.

    Mary sighed.

    ¡°Berta,¡± she said, turning to the maid, ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, but instead of staying with me and keeping watch, could you help with the bedroom? Perhaps pretend to be one of his maids and search for anything suspicious there.¡±

    She had already told Berta about the missing girls, and the maid seemed more than willing to help.

    ¡°Of course, leave that room to me, miss. I¡¯ll handle it. And don¡¯t worry¡ªI spoke with some of the staff earlier. Since the baronet tends to overeat and drink, he usually stays up late and then naps after lunch. That¡¯s when the maids go in to tidy up his room. I think I can convince today¡¯s assigned maid to let me accompany her. She has a young daughter she barely gets to see and would probably welcome the help.¡±

    ¡°But won¡¯t it be hard to search properly if you¡¯re not alone?¡± Mary asked.

    ¡°She won¡¯t let me in there by myself¡ªit¡¯s her master¡¯s room. But don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ve got a plan. I¡¯ll place a small piece of cotton into the strike plate¡ªthe part of the doorframe where the latch clicks into place.¡±

    Seeing Mary and Theodore¡¯s puzzled expressions, Berta elaborated.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The maid opens the door, I go in with her, and discreetly place the cotton. The door will appear to close, but the latch won¡¯t catch. We¡¯ll clean the room, and while she¡¯s folding clothes or making the bed, I¡¯ll discreetly search the drawers or anything else I can. Once we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll leave. She¡¯ll think the door is locked, but it won¡¯t be. Later, I¡¯ll return alone, push the door open, and search thoroughly¡ªunder the bed, in the mattress, even feeling inside the pillows in case something¡¯s hidden there. When I¡¯m finished, I¡¯ll remove the cotton and lock the door properly.¡±

    Theodore tapped his fingers lightly against the upholstered armrest of his chair, deep in thought.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected a maid to have such resourcefulness, but yes, it could work. In fact, Berta, I think your idea is excellent,¡± he praised her.

    ¡°Thank you. And don¡¯t worry about the study, miss. I noticed this morning where the housekeeper keeps the keys. There are only three sets for the whole house¡ªone for her and two shared by the maids, since this mansion isn¡¯t large enough to require more. I have a good memory and saw which key they used to unlock the study. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a treasure, Berta. Thank you so much,¡± Mary said warmly, silently wondering where Bianca had found such a remarkable maid.

    They remained in the sitting room for a while longer.

    Berta left briefly to speak with the other maid and offer her help. She returned shortly, nodding to confirm her success. Theodore then went to find Cedric.

    The plan was clear: if Theodore didn¡¯t return within fifteen minutes, Mary and Berta would begin their search.

    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time,¡± Berta said once the allotted time had passed.

    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±

    Feeling a mix of nerves and determination, Mary stepped out of the sitting room with Berta. The maid walked with a purposeful stride, exuding the confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was going. Mary, not wanting to appear hesitant, straightened her posture and projected the same confidence as they headed toward the library.

    Of the two locations¡ªthe library and the study¡ªthe library was the safer choice. It wouldn¡¯t seem unusual for a guest like her to be there. Perhaps she should have started with the study, but she felt the need to build her courage by beginning with something less daunting.

    The library was, in fact, empty. Mary let out a small sigh of relief and began inspecting the bookshelves¡ªthree in total¡ªin case any important documents were hidden among the volumes. Finding nothing, she moved on to the drawers of a wooden filing cabinet. Twenty-five minutes passed with no results. At least she hadn¡¯t had to explain herself to anyone, as no one had entered the room.

    Gathering her courage, she stepped into the hallway and headed toward the second door on the right: Cedric¡¯s study. She checked the corridor for any sign of movement before pushing to open it.

    It was locked.

    She pulled out the bundle of keys Berta had provided and searched for the one she needed. The maid had proven to be exceptionally resourceful, and Mary made a mental note to thank Bianca for her.

    Trusting that if someone noticed one of the two key bundles missing, they would assume a maid had taken it, Mary unlocked the door and slipped inside. Berta had assured her that this wouldn''t raise any suspicions, unlike pulling out the key and having someone notice it was gone.

    She closed the door carefully to avoid making any noise, and the latch clicked shut. While she could exit without a key thanks to the handle, re-entry would require the key again.

    Lighting one of the oil lamps, she appreciated that the heavy curtains on the tall windows were drawn, and she hurried to search the room.

    What she found in the double bottom of one of the desk drawers confirmed her worst fears. She wasn¡¯t experienced in detecting hidden compartments, but Berta had explained what to look for. She discovered a tiny concealed button that opened the false bottom.

    Inside was a list¡ªnames of girls up for sale, the time and location of a meeting with buyers, and even detailed pricing for each child.

    It took all her restraint not to crumple the paper in anger. (The fact that it was paper, not parchment, struck her as another oddity, given how rare paper was in this kingdom.)

    Forcing herself to breathe steadily, Mary replaced everything exactly as she had found it. She moved to the door, pressing her ear against it, but hearing nothing, she prepared to open the door.

    But then, voices and footsteps echoed down the corridor.

    Someone was approaching.

    And there was nowhere to hide. If she did it behind the thick curtains, someone could see her through the windows which the curtains were covering, and there was no furniture or cabinet large enough to conceal her.

    Then she recognized Cedric¡¯s voice.

    Fear seized her.

    This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Theodore had promised her more time.

 Water Magic.

    Mary crouched beside the closed door, hiding in the spot where the door would swing open. At the same time, she hesitated to begin casting a light spell, as her chanting might be heard.

    That moment of indecision made her refrain from casting it. As the approaching footsteps grew louder, she began to make out the conversation.

    ¡°¡­I have the data here to back up my report,¡± Cedric was saying.

    ¡°That really won¡¯t be necessary,¡± replied Theodore¡¯s voice.

    Mary felt a bit more at ease. If a fight were to break out, Theodore would handle it much better than she ever could.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s necessary. I¡¯d prefer you to be convinced of my management, so you can speak highly of me to your father. Who knows? Maybe he¡¯ll realize I¡¯m being wasted in such a small town¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m convinced. I have no reason to doubt your word. Besides, we¡¯ve taken a stroll through the main square and the gardens; I can only say it¡¯s a very pleasant and well-designed area.¡±

    Mary thought to herself that the area where the wealthiest residents lived was indeed well-kept¡ªnothing like the lower districts.

    The footsteps stopped in front of the door, followed by the sound of fabric rustling. A moment later, the key slid into the lock and began to turn.

    She was doomed. There was no way she could avoid being discovered.

    Then, she heard light footsteps running down the hallway, and her maid¡¯s voice addressing Theodore:

    ¡°Sir, forgive the interruption, but the lady isn¡¯t feeling well. She must have eaten something that upset her, and she¡¯s asking for the herbal tea I usually prepare for her in these situations. However, I can¡¯t find the bag¡ªit¡¯s not with her belongings. Perhaps it¡¯s in your room, among your things.¡±

    ¡°And you disturb us for this?¡± Cedric sounded irritated at being interrupted. ¡°Ask my housekeeper to unlock the door for you,¡± he grumbled, finishing the turn of the key.

    Immediately, he opened the door. Mary pressed herself against the wall. The wood stopped mere centimeters from her face and body.

    ¡°Theodore?¡± asked Berta, hesitant.

    ¡°Do as he says, no problem.¡±

    The two men entered the room, heading straight for the desk. Mary heard the baronet open a drawer. She decided this was her chance and began to peek around the edge of the door to slip out. Theodore, however, glanced in her direction and gestured for her to stay hidden.

    She obeyed.

    Just before the baronet finished searching the drawer, grabbed some documents, turned, and handed them to Theodore.

    Mary couldn¡¯t help but freeze for a moment, wondering if she¡¯d almost been caught.

    But that thought quickly became irrelevant as Cedric moved toward her to close the door. The moment he extended his hand to grab the handle, and Mary came into his line of sight, she instinctively shut her eyes in fear. She didn¡¯t want to see herself completely exposed as the nobleman shut the door.

    It¡¯s over. He¡¯s seen me, she thought.

    But then, she heard his footsteps returning to Theodore and his voice instructing him to review the figures in the report.

    Mary didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. She opened her eyelids and saw herself standing right there, in plain view. Yet, the baronet behaved as though he hadn¡¯t noticed her.

    Had Theodore enchanted him? Was that why he¡¯d signaled for her to stay still?

    It didn¡¯t make sense¡ªshe didn¡¯t know of any water magic spell that could achieve such an effect.

    She glanced at Theodore, who now avoided turning his head toward where she was. After a few minutes, during which the heir assured the baronet he would relay everything to his father, the two left, and the door closed once again.

    Mary took more than a minute to muster the courage to move. Slowly, she stepped away from the wall, advancing a few steps. Then she turned and looked. The wall was still there. But¡­ shouldn¡¯t it have been a little farther away?

    She reached out her hand. It vanished as if she were a ghost sinking her fingers into the white plaster.

    She stifled a gasp and pulled her hand back. It reappeared before her.

    ¡°An illusion¡­¡± she whispered to herself.

    And an impressively crafted one at that.

    Water magic. She should have guessed Theodore was capable of something like this. Until now, she had only seen his combat spells. Her friend was undoubtedly impressive; leveling up a spell was a challenging task.

    She pressed her ear to the door again and, hearing nothing, opened it and hurried back to her room. On the way, she passed a maid who looked at her at her quizzically, holding a teapot in her hand.

    ¡°Berta asked me to bring this for you. Are you feeling better?¡± the maid asked.

    ¡°No, actually, I was just looking for Berta to see if she found the herbs. Please bring it into my room. Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Miss, excuse me. Thank you, Theren, I¡¯ll take care of it myself,¡± said Berta as she approached and took the tray from the maid¡¯s hands.

    <hr>

    Safe.

    That was Mary¡¯s first thought once she was back in her room alone with Berta.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Now, all they had to do was maintain the charade until the following morning when they would leave.

    ¡°Miss, when I saw them heading to the study earlier than expected, I thought you were still inside. I tried to help by improvising the story about you feeling unwell.¡±

    ¡°I know. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°But later, I didn¡¯t see you in your room as we had agreed. Where were you?¡±

    Mary didn¡¯t mind the question.

    ¡°In the study. Saved thanks to Theodore¡¯s illusion magic.¡±

    Just then, they heard a knock at the door. It was Theodore.

    ¡°Mary, I¡¯m glad you made it back safely.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°You know you can count on me. If you¡¯d been discovered, I¡¯d have gotten you out of there. One way or another.¡±

    ¡°What level is that illusion spell?¡± she asked curiously.

    Theodore gave her a faint smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s not something you ask a mage. Or are we already at that level of trust?¡± he teased.

    Mary diverted her gaze, slightly flustered. Theodore didn¡¯t usually joke, and she suddenly remembered how he had been flirting with her.

    Theodore started laughing. It helped ease the tension that had built up over the study incident.

    ¡°Well, did you find anything?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, no,¡± the maid replied.

    ¡°Oh, yes. I found exactly what we were looking for,¡± Mary said, smiling for the first time since her visit to the tavern.

    <hr>

    They were back at the academy.

    Mary had struggled to be polite to the baronet during dinner, and the next morning, they left shortly after breakfast.

    Cedric, for his part, didn¡¯t seem to suspect anything and appeared pleased, thinking Theodore would recommend him to his father for the management of a larger city

    The first thing they did upon arrival was to look for Vincent. They found him sitting on a bench in the gardens with Alistair and Darius. Though it was still morning, there were no classes, as they were suspended during the fifteen days allotted for missions.

    ¡°Good thing you¡¯re back, Theodore,¡± Vincent said to his friend after greeting them. ¡°At this rate, we won¡¯t get to clear the dungeon for our mission. Remember, we need to run it several times to gather all those ingredients¡±

    ¡°Well, about that, I think we¡¯ll have enough time.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡± Vincent raised an eyebrow, surprised.

    ¡°Don¡¯t complicate things more,¡± Alistair chimed in¡ªthe prince¡¯s other childhood friend and, like Darius, a warrior with fire affinity. ¡°We¡¯ve only cleared it once so far, and yesterday, we didn¡¯t go back because we were waiting for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for causing you all this trouble,¡± Mary murmured.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, Mary,¡± Darius said, giving his friend a not-so-gentle punch on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re glad Theodore was able to help you. He¡¯s just being impatient.¡±

    Alistair opened his mouth to protest, but Mary couldn¡¯t help letting out a small laugh. After all, Darius wasn¡¯t exactly the most patient person himself. Vincent was quicker than Alistair and asked:

    ¡°So, Mary, do you need anything else?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve uncovered evidence of a child trafficking ring, and we know the next sale is set to take place in two nights at a farm on the outskirts of Tharion.¡±

    The prince¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to Theodore.

    ¡°Have you informed your father?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I suspect most of Tharion¡¯s soldiers are bribed by the baronet, and deploying troops from the capital of the marquisate could tip them off.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ You¡¯re right. But we can¡¯t handle this on our own. Who knows how many armed men and mages they might have? Even though our levels are some of the highest in our class, we¡¯re still just first-year students.¡±

    ¡°What about Ronan¡¯s bear?¡± Darius suggested. ¡°I bet it could take on even Catrina.¡±

    He was referring to their combat instructor, a woman famous for her skill with weapons and her bad temper.

    ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯d prefer to have more backup,¡± the prince replied. ¡°Theodore, your father might be upset if we don¡¯t inform him. Could you go to the city and speak with the commanding officer of the local army? Have him send a messenger to your father. And while you¡¯re at it, coordinate with him so we have troops accompany us when we move to stop the sale.¡±

    He was referring to Solstar, the city near the academy.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Theodore answered. ¡°Should we set up an ambush?¡± The prince nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to arrive early to scout the area, the farm, and its surroundings without being seen. I¡¯ll speak with the officer and arrange everything. Should we inform one of the professors as well?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think their help will be necessary,¡± Vincent said, ¡°but Mary, since your mission uncovered something this big, it might be a good idea to inform Catrina so the academy knows what we¡¯re planning.¡±

    ¡°Catrina?¡± She asked. ¡°I don¡¯t interact with her much.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s one of the professors the headmaster trusts the most. In fact, my brother has encouraged me to try to make her my mentor in the second year.¡±

    ¡°All right. Can I tell Ronan and Bianca as well?¡±

    ¡°Of course. They¡¯ve already helped you, so they¡¯re involved,¡± the prince said with a kind smile.

    Mary felt much more at ease, knowing the rescue mission was in good hands. With the army¡¯s support, the chances of success were much higher than if she tried to ambush them on her own. As always, the prince had been incredibly helpful.

    From the very first day she arrived at the academy, alone and feeling lost, he had reached out to her with kindness and support.

    They parted ways. Theodore headed to the city, while his friends prepared for their dungeon run, planning to clear it once more before the ambush.

    Mary headed to her room, where she found Bianca waiting for her at the door.

    ¡°Hey, how did it go? Berta just came back and gave me a brief rundown.¡± Bianca greeted her

    ¡°Hi, Bianca. I can¡¯t thank you enough letting me borrow such a gem. What kind of training do you give your maids at the L''Crom household?¡±

    ¡°Training?¡±

    ¡°She knows how to find secret compartments in drawers, prevent doors from locking, and infiltrate among the staff.¡±

    Bianca, looking puzzled, shrugged.

    ¡°None that I know of. I¡¯ll have to talk to her¡ªBerta seems more intriguing than she lets on. And to think she¡¯s been with me for years...¡±

    ¡°Do you want to come in?¡± Mary asked, gesturing to her room.

    ¡°No, you rest a bit. We¡¯ll meet at lunchtime so you can tell Ronan too, and you won¡¯t have to repeat everything twice. Theodore, from what Darius said, is being roped into a mission, so it¡¯ll just be the three of us.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ll fill you both in later.¡±

    ¡°Great. Ronan¡¯s been a bit restless, training like a madman in the gym with Bob and Joe. I guess those two skeletons are rubbing their restlessness off on him.¡±

    Mary nodded and opened her door. She stepped inside as her friend walked down the hallway.

    There were still a couple of hours until lunch. At least she could change clothes and rest a bit after over three hours in the carriage. No matter how cushioned and upholstered they were, befitting high nobility, Theodore¡¯s carriage seats felt uncomfortable to her¡ªespecially since the bumps in the road seemed to target her backside.

    The truth was, Mary didn¡¯t know if it was just her outlook on life, but she felt immensely grateful to have found such wonderful friends.

    The evil and cruelty she had witnessed at the tavern¡ªthe delight in causing harm¡ªstill lingered in the corner of her mind, threatening to overwhelm her. She sensed that if she dwelled on it too much, something terrible would happen to her.

    She wasn¡¯t naive; she¡¯d heard many stories of light mages losing their magic because the world was simply too harsh for them.

    Mary had grown up sheltered in her parents¡¯ home, in a well-managed village where people worked hard but also had many reasons to be happy.

    When she entered the academy, the headmaster had called her in. He told her that if she ever felt her light affinity wavering, they could send her to study in a more secluded place¡ªa retreat where nobles sent their children with that affinity so the malice of others couldn¡¯t harm them.

    But Mary wanted to be near people. Otherwise, how could she help them?

    That¡¯s why, for her, the path was to focus on how wonderful life was: her parents and siblings were healthy and loved her; her teachers were supportive; she had been given an opportunity that rarely came to commoners; and even the prince and his circle of friends supported her unconditionally.

    A gentle warmth began to grow in her chest, becoming more intense with each passing moment. She lay down on the bed and relaxed. Everything was going to be fine. They would rescue that girl and all the others. Justice would be served, and Theodore¡¯s father would ensure that something like this would never happen again.

 The rescue

    They were in the academy¡¯s dining hall. Mary had brought them up to date on everything, and as they enjoyed fruit for dessert, she posed the question that had been troubling her since her visit to Plinks.

    ¡°Could you communicate with Tom to see if he¡¯s the blacksmith¡¯s apprentice?¡±

    Ronan, thoughtful, nodded. It took him a few seconds to answer.

    ¡°From the timeline you¡¯ve given me, it¡¯s possible. Especially since Joe and Bob¡¯s deaths weren¡¯t as recent as Tom¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bianca interjected, absentmindedly playing with her fork and the fruit pieces, possibly without realizing it, as she listened with renewed interest.

    Mary was of the opinion that Bianca loved anything related to magic, masteries, stats, and leveling up. She might be bored looking at dresses in a store, but the moment you talked to her about a spell, her eyes would light up with enthusiasm.

    No wonder she had stopped eating to learn something new about necromancy, even though it was magic she had no affinity for and therefore couldn¡¯t cast unless she used an object or artifact.

    ¡°When a body dies, the soul doesn¡¯t linger in this world for long,¡± Ronan clarified. ¡°A few hours, or even less, is normal. Once the soul has left, it can no longer be retrieved.¡±

    Mary felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She didn¡¯t know where souls went. Maybe to the gods¡ªthe same ones who had forbidden them to worship them. Or maybe, because of that, they were lost in the void. Or they reincarnated.

    She sighed.

    It was hard to say, and there were no priests to ask.

    ¡°However,¡± Ronan continued explaining, ¡°sometimes they stay longer. When death has been violent or they harbor strong emotions, they cling to this world and refuse to leave. It can be feelings of hatred or love¡ªthe most extreme ones. Some feel the need to protect a loved one left defenseless by their death. More often, some cry out for vengeance for what was done to them in life. Joe and Bob, when I arrived at the academy and felt death calling me, had been dead for weeks.¡±

    ¡°You can feel death?¡± Bianca asked, now setting down her fork entirely and resting her arms on the table, leaning toward the boy sitting across from her to listen better.

    ¡°I can sense where bones or corpses are. It¡¯s not a spell, more of a passive ability, inherent to a high affinity for darkness.¡± Bianca nodded, and Mary thought it made sense, as only they could practice necromancy. ¡°The closer the moment of death, the stronger I feel it. It¡¯s as if something tells me that in a certain direction, there are bodies. If the souls are still there, the sensation is even stronger. The number of corpses, their origin, all vary the intensity. I could try to explain it as if it were a new sense, and just as smell perceives different scents, I can detect where death is or has been.¡±

    ¡°And where will it be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, my lady, that¡¯s beyond my abilities. I don¡¯t think darkness magic can see the future.¡±

    ¡°And do you think Tom could be the apprentice? If so, we could ask him who killed him,¡± Mary interjected.

    Bianca looked at her for a moment and seemed to remember she was eating. She speared a couple of pieces of fruit and put them in her mouth.

    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s in my room, in the closet. Come with me when we¡¯re done eating,¡± he answered without much thought.

    Mary, however, felt slightly flustered upon hearing about his room. Bianca quickly intervened.

    ¡°And here I thought we¡¯d already established no going into each other¡¯s rooms¡­¡± she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to them. Then she raised her voice to a normal conversational tone. ¡°No, Ronan. No girl is going to your room, or else rumors will start. Better if we wait for you in the library, and you bring Tom. If he can write, he writes. If not, then have him send you those images you say you communicate with them through.¡±

    Mary turned beet red at the mention of rumors. There had already been some between Bianca and Ronan. She understood it for Ronan, as he had spent most of his life locked in a basement. But Bianca?

    She really didn¡¯t understand how a count¡¯s daughter could sometimes be so indifferent to conventions and social norms. That blow to the head she had taken must have left lasting effects. Good thing she planned to heal her as soon as her healing spell leveled up enough.

    ¡°As you wish, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Finish your dessert quickly¡ªI¡¯m dying of curiosity. Your mission, Mary, is getting more and more interesting.¡±

    They followed her lead, and twenty minutes later, they were all in the library, seated at a table with Tom, parchment, a quill, and an inkwell.

    A group of students, upon seeing them, moved to the farthest table. Mary watched them with sadness, resolving that once the investigation was over, she would talk to them. She didn¡¯t want them to keep avoiding Ronan like this. Was it possible that those born with a darkness affinity turned evil because of how people treated them?

    Her mother had always advised her that if she told her little sister, who was a bit clumsy in the kitchen, that she was bad at cooking, she would never learn to do it well. So if people distanced themselves from those with a darkness affinity as if they had the plague¡ªor worse, treated them like Ronan¡¯s parents had¡ªweren¡¯t they the ones provoking them to turn evil?

    Her thoughtful gaze settled on Ronan.

    The boy was sitting next to Tom, placing a hand on his arm as if offering support for the moments of his past life that he was about to relive. At the same time, he seemed to ignore the students watching them from the corner of their eyes and whispering.

    ¡°Are you okay, Mary?¡± Ronan asked, noticing that she had been staring at him almost without blinking.

    She flushed, as if he had caught her doing something she shouldn¡¯t have.

    She really wished she didn¡¯t blush so easily.

    ¡°Yes, excuse me.¡±

    ¡°For you, as for my lady, there¡¯s never anything to apologize for.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Ronan, let¡¯s begin. Don¡¯t confuse Mary with your strange way of talking¡ªshe¡¯s too impressionable.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m impressionable?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Light magic.¡± Bianca winked at her.

    At that, Mary didn¡¯t respond.

    Ronan questioned Tom, and after a few moments, handed him the writing instruments.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him. He showed me a memory of himself, just as he was when I found his body, working in a forge,¡± he told his two friends as the skeleton took up the quill.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for what was done to you, Tom. Who murdered you?¡± Mary asked.

    The skeleton dragged the quill across the parchment with far less skill than Joe.

    Noble young man. Yellow-green colors.

    Those were the colors of the baronet.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I saw him kinaping daughte baker.

    It was clear he didn¡¯t know how to write well.

    That didn¡¯t matter. Mary sighed, but not because of that. Rather, because it was a shame that the words of a dead man didn¡¯t serve as evidence.

    The reason was simple: a corpse was a being without memories, endowed with very basic intelligence, and its necromancer master could command it to manifest anything he wanted.

    That a necromancer could retain a soul and bind it to bones¡ªthat was something never seen before. Something unique to Ronan. Something Mary had recently discovered, and if he didn¡¯t want to reveal it, it wasn¡¯t her place to do so.

    ¡°Then, Tom, you too shall be avenged,¡± Ronan told him in a neutral tone that made Mary look at him.

    ¡°We seek justice, Ronan,¡± she reminded him.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Mary didn¡¯t want to dwell on her friend¡¯s concept of justice, as it brought her mind back to the tavern the previous day, where she had felt so miserable. She focused on the light. She would teach him the right path. She didn¡¯t want her friend to take a road that would lead him away from her. She didn¡¯t want Cedric¡¯s corruption to stain his soul.

    What Mary didn¡¯t yet understand, at eighteen years old, coming from a happy and peaceful childhood and adolescence, was that life didn¡¯t always respect the plans one had for it.

    That it wasn¡¯t simple.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------

    Theodore had coordinated with the soldiers of Solstar. They had access to a messenger mage, who immediately sent word of the situation to the capital of the marquisate. The high-level spell condensed air mana into the form of a messenger bird, which was then given the words of the message. The bird flew faster than the wind and, within minutes, reached its destination: the messenger to whom the mage had directed the spell.

    It was a spell that could only be sent to someone the caster had previously seen. If the recipient was a mage who mastered the same spell, he could make the bird linger longer, wait before delivering the message, or even repeat it if needed. However, if the spell was directed at someone without such magic, the bird would simply deliver its message upon arrival and then vanish.

    That was why messengers across the kingdom held annual conventions¡ªto meet new arrivals and ensure they knew whom they might need to send messages to and where they were located.

    There weren¡¯t many of them, fewer than twenty. The high nobility usually had one stationed in their territories¡¯ capitals. Solstar, as the city of the royal academy, had one as well.

    Theodore didn¡¯t have to wait long before his father¡¯s response arrived through a translucent-winged bird that flew in through the wide window of the communications room. The messenger mage used his magic to make the bird wait before delivering its message. Since both the commanding officer and Theodore were already present, he asked if they wished to hear it immediately.

    They agreed.

    ¡°I leave my son, Theodore Dravenholt, in charge of this matter. Support him with whatever troops he requires,¡± were the words spoken by the bird in the marquis¡¯s voice.

    The officer and Theodore withdrew to another room to discuss their strategy.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The sale, according to the information Mary had found, was to take place at one in the morning. Several hours before, the soldiers were already positioned in their hiding spots, waiting to catch baronet Thornspire red-handed. The plan was simple: as soon as he sold the girls, they would intervene and arrest everyone.

    The exchange was to happen inside the farmhouse, where the former owners had once lived. The soldiers, along with the officer under Theodore¡¯s command, had buried themselves just outside, surrounding the building. Theodore had hidden inside. Mary, Ronan, Joe, Bob, Tom, and Eda were positioned farther away, in a safer spot¡ªthe barn, about two hundred meters from the house.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The barn was a deteriorated structure with two floors. Following Theodore¡¯s instructions, his friends climbed to the upper level, removed the ladder to cut off access, and hid. The roof was half-collapsed, with massive holes where the evening light poured through. The upper floor was a mess of torn grain sacks, broken wooden planks, and dust. To ensure they remained hidden, in addition to avoiding any visible spots from below, Theodore cast an illusion spell to conceal them.

    The skeletons were covered in leather clothing, gloves, and hooded cloaks. Eda, despite spending time with them, had no idea that the love of her life was, quite literally, undead and sitting right beside her.

    As for Bianca, she hadn¡¯t come. She would have loved to, but she had told Mary that growing stronger was important. Mary thought she was stressing too much over the games they wouldn¡¯t even be able to participate in until their third year at the academy. She reminded her not to forget to rest now and then.

    And so, there they were. Waiting. The hours passed far too slowly for Mary¡¯s liking, as she could feel Eda¡¯s distress over whether her daughter would be among the rescued girls or¡­ dead.

    She refused to think about how she might have perished, what suffering she might have endured in the process, or if she had called out for a mother who, to her, had never come to the rescue.

    She refused.

    Because she knew that if she did, she would break down crying. If Eda could be strong, Mary could focus on the girls they could save.

    Eventually, the buyers arrived¡ªa merchant and seven bodyguards. They entered the farmhouse and searched it, as well as the surrounding area, including the barn. They had arrived ahead of schedule. Even so, night had already fallen. They didn¡¯t detect the soldiers hidden in shallow holes covered with wooden boards and dirt. Nor did they notice Mary¡¯s group. Unable to access the barn¡¯s upper floor, they merely looked up with their torches, confirming it appeared empty and abandoned.

    An hour past midnight, a small caravan approached, consisting of Tharion soldiers on horseback, a carriage, and several hay carts.

    Cedric stepped out of the carriage, and from beneath the hay, they pulled out nearly twenty small girls, none older than nine, bound and gagged.

    Luckily for Mary, she was far enough away not to see them clearly, let alone notice that none of them were crying. Their tears had dried days ago.

    The raid and rescue operation was swift and clean. Or so it seemed at first.

    As soon as he heard the exchange¡ªbags of gold changing hands¡ªTheodore gave the signal. The army officer, buried on the other side of the wall from Theodore¡¯s hiding spot, repeated it in a louder voice. Instantly, almost as one, the soldiers and their leader rose from their hiding places, pushing away wooden planks and emerging from the ground as if they were the dead, bursting from their coffins with a surge of strength, sending dirt flying.

    They had positioned themselves around the building¡ªforty men and their officer. Some remained covering every possible exit, whether a window or a back door, while the rest stormed inside, taking advantage of the element of surprise.

    Theodore had been inside the entire time, camouflaged with his water magic in an adjacent room.

    At his shout, the merchant¡¯s men drew their weapons. Two charged at him, while the rest surrounded their employer, unsure of exactly what they were defending him from. Soon, the soldiers poured in, and the fight began. Cedric reacted quickly, ordering his men to join the fray¡ªexcept for three, whom he commanded to follow him.

    While Theodore fired ice stakes at the two attackers, Cedric fled toward the kitchen¡¯s back door. Soldiers were stationed there, who engaged the three men following the baronet while he slipped past them.

    Before his attackers could reach him in melee, Theodore froze their legs and dashed toward the main hall, where the bulk of the battle and the girls were.

    Meanwhile, Cedric believed he had escaped, running down the path that led away from the farmhouse, heading toward the barn.

    Mary and the others had already replaced the ladder and descended to the ground floor. Eda had rushed toward the soldiers, eager to reach the children as soon as possible.

    Since she had run to the front door, she hadn¡¯t encountered Cedric.

    Joe saw him emerge from the kitchen door and readied his bow. He prepared to fire. Mary, anticipating this, placed a hand on his arm.

    ¡°No. We want him alive. He must be judged and punished.¡±

    Joe stopped and turned his skeletal, hooded head toward Ronan.

    ¡°A single arrow would be mercy for him¡ªand justice for Bob and Joe.¡±

    ¡°An arrow in the back of a fleeing man brings you closer to becoming someone like him.¡±

    While they debated, the baronet was closing in on the barn.

    ¡°Ronan, Joe, please,¡± Mary pleaded.

    Just as she could see his darkness, Ronan could see her light. At that moment, it shone brightly.

    ¡°Joe, wait,¡± he said. ¡°We will capture him.¡±

    Mary smiled, but they didn¡¯t see it¡ªthey were already moving to intercept him.

    Ronan was not a warrior. His skeletons, however, were fast and strong. Joe didn¡¯t lower his bow, but Tom and Bob rushed toward Cedric as he passed in front of the barn. The baronet drew a dagger and defended himself against what he could only sense were two undead blocking his path. They dodged a couple of his slashes and immobilized him, each grabbing one of his arms.

    Ronan approached, and so did Mary¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t feel at ease until she saw him captured and handed over to the soldiers. Her concern wasn¡¯t for the criminal¡¯s safety but for her friend¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Tie him up,¡± Ronan ordered, and Mary relaxed.

    One of the skeletons, the one holding the arm with the weapon, twisted it behind Cedric¡¯s back and attempted to take the dagger away. The other, still gripping the baronet¡¯s other arm with one hand, reached into a pocket in its cloak for a rope.

    Then Cedric, who had lowered his head to conceal his lips, finished murmuring something, and both skeletons froze in place. Ronan pulled out his mace and charged at him, but Cedric had already freed himself, grabbed the nearby Mary by the hair, yanked her down, and pressed his knife against her pale throat.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to let me go, or I¡¯ll kill her,¡± he said, beginning to move slowly, dragging her along.

    He had also wrapped his other arm around her chest to keep her restrained.

    Frightened, the young woman followed his lead, realizing that one wrong step could mean ending up with a slit throat.

    The two skeletons quickly broke free from the spell. As undead, they had some resistance to paralysis. Bob was aiming straight at Cedric¡¯s forehead, right between the eyes, but he didn¡¯t dare fire without a direct order. Ronan was furious. This filth dared to lay hands on Mary and threaten her.

    Despite her predicament, she managed to see the death sentence in her friend¡¯s eyes and whispered:

    ¡°Ronan, no.¡±

    Hearing her, Cedric grinned triumphantly. They would let him go¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t want to see their precious friend bleed out.

    But Cedric wasn¡¯t the only one with magic. Nor was he the only one who could conceal his lips¡ªRonan had his hood.

    Moreover, with his level of magic, he barely needed to speak.

    ¡°Exhaust, rise,¡± he whispered after a few seconds of preparation.

    Immediately, the baronet felt his strength leave him, while an intense pain in his stomach forced him to clutch it with both hands.

    Mary felt the blade slipping down her neck, cutting her, though not too deeply.

    Bob had mentally received his master¡¯s order to save Mary. He fired. An arrow pierced the exact center of Cedric¡¯s forehead, and the baronet began to collapse.

    The young woman, now free, quickly stepped away.

    ¡°Heal,¡± she cast on herself, and immediately, the delicate skin of her neck closed up, stopping the bleeding.

    Ronan ran toward her.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let me heal him.¡± She pointed to her attacker.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead. Bob never misses, especially at this distance.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Mary was horrified, even more so when she saw tiny spines emerging from the baronet¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Relax, it¡¯s just leftovers from his fish dinner. He was going to kill you¡ªhe would have done it once he escaped with you. I weakened him with exhaust and ordered Bob to fire so he wouldn¡¯t cut your throat before dying.¡±

    ¡°Ronan,¡± Mary sobbed violently, ¡°now you, you¡­¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to kill him, Mary. I was going to tie him up, as you asked. But if your life is in danger, if it¡¯s him or you, I know what to do,¡± he spoke with passion, but not rage or fury¡ªonly the determination necessary to protect those he cared about.

    The young woman looked at him through her tears. She feared seeing corruption spreading from her friend¡¯s heart¡ªespecially if it was because of her. She lifted her eyes and looked at him.

    She saw him as always¡ªdark, but not evil.

    She blinked.

    Was it just her tears making her see differently?

    No¡­

    He was still himself. Protecting her had saved him. A wave of immense relief washed over her, and she hugged him tightly, sobbing even harder.

    ¡°You¡¯re still you. The reason you killed him is righteous and good to you,¡± she told him in a trembling voice.

    Ronan seemed unsure of what to do, as if he had never been hugged before. At first, he tensed up slightly, and the young woman didn¡¯t even notice. Slowly, he relaxed. Mary didn¡¯t seem to expect anything from him other than to listen, so he wrapped his arms around her gently and let her cry it out while he smiled.

    ¡°Mary, you shouldn¡¯t worry about such nonsense. Of course, I¡¯m still me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense. If I had killed him, even if it was to save you, I would have stopped being me.¡±

    ¡°You need to be protected, Mary. You and Bianca have an affinity that makes you too good for this world.¡±

    She pulled away slightly and looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

    ¡°But you also need to be protected. So you don¡¯t turn into someone like Cedric.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mary, it¡¯s all right. In fact, look,¡± he gestured toward Bob. ¡°Bob is happy. His brother too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Eda,¡± she suddenly remembered. ¡°I need to go see if she found her daughter.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll come with you,¡± he let her go, and she did the same.

    They walked together toward the main farmhouse, Mary leaning slightly on Ronan as she was still emotionally shaken.

    Ronan handed her a handkerchief, and she took it to wipe her face.

    Bob and Joe gave their master a salute¡ªJoe¡¯s was a formal military one, while Bob¡¯s was an imitation of his brother¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re at peace now,¡± Ronan told them as he passed by with Mary.

    ¡°And will you release them?¡± she asked.

    Though she already knew the answer.

    ¡°They are my friends. They¡¯ve grown stronger. It will hurt to lose them, but I will if that¡¯s what they want.¡±

    Mary saw them listening¡ªand shaking their heads. She smiled.

    When they reached the building, Theodore approached them, looking worried.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Mary reassured him.

    The water mage noticed how she was leaning on Ronan. He seemed about to say something, but when he saw her red-rimmed eyes, he remained silent.

    Mary entered the building. The soldiers had captured the kidnappers and the buyers. There were wounded on both sides but no fatalities. There was also a group of little girls, most of them apathetic¡ªthough a few had realized they had been rescued and had begun crying, calling for their mothers.

    Eda was embracing one of the smallest girls tightly, refusing to let go. Not even when Mary stepped away from Ronan to approach her.

    ¡°Is she your daughter? Is she okay?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mary, thank you so much. It looks like they didn¡¯t harm her¡ªor any of the girls,¡± she replied, her voice breaking with emotion, still holding her daughter close.

    ¡°I¡¯m really glad,¡± Mary said sincerely. ¡°I wanted that man to be captured and judged, but he took me hostage, and Ronan¡¯s friends had to kill him.¡±

    That made Eda lift her head to look at Mary.

    ¡°Good. Now we can sleep peacefully¡ªme, the girls, and their families. Though I would have liked¡­ never mind.¡±

    Mary could see she was still furious with the baronet, but the joy of having her daughter back would help her heal. With her magic, she couldn¡¯t cure that kind of wound. At least, not yet.

    Then, she felt there was something else she had to do.

    ¡°Come, both of you, please,¡± she requested.

    The woman picked up Emmy in her arms and gestured to Mary to show she would follow. Mary saw a little head of curly brown hair and huge eyes looking at her nervously. She smiled at her and started walking toward the barn.

    When they returned to where Joe and Bob were, Ronan, who had followed them, watched his friend thoughtfully. Mary approached Bob, placed a hand on his arm, and said:

    ¡°It¡¯s your moment. Decide if you want to tell her.¡±

    ¡°Decide what?¡± Eda asked, confused.

    A minute passed with no one answering her. Mary had an excuse ready in case Bob decided to remain silent. In the end, he communicated with Ronan through their bond, and the necromancer spoke softly:

    ¡°Go ahead, Mary. Tell her.¡±

    There was no one else nearby, but even so, Mary led them inside the barn, where they would be less likely to be disturbed. She asked Eda to leave Emmy outside with Tom. It took some convincing before the woman agreed, but Mary managed by telling her that it was important¡ªsomething she should judge first before deciding if Emmy should know.

    ¡°Eda, what do you know about souls and death?¡± Mary asked once it was just the two of them, Joe, Bob, and Ronan.

    ¡°They used to go to heaven. Now, we don¡¯t know,¡± the woman answered, puzzled.

    Mary looked at her serenely and smiled.

    ¡°What would you say if you could see your husband again¡ªbut with a different body?¡±

    ¡°My husband is dead. Don¡¯t joke about that.¡±

    ¡°Your husband died. But he was found by a special necromancer, one with great power, who was able to anchor his soul to his body.¡±

    Eda stared at Mary as if she were playing a cruel trick on her. Then, she looked at the two hooded figures. One of them stepped forward carefully, reached out, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

    ¡°Gavin?¡± she whispered, recognizing the gesture.

    Bob stood still, watching her from beneath his hood.

    ¡°It¡¯s him, Eda, but now he¡¯s neither alive nor dead.¡±

    Eda quickly moved to pull his hood down to see his face. Bob stopped her hand with his gloved one. She insisted, and he let her. When the woman pulled back the hood, she gasped¡ªpartly in shock, partly in horror. But she recovered quickly, clutching her chest, and the only emotion left on her face was hope.

    ¡°Is it really you?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t speak¡­ I¡­¡±

    She threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face, and embraced him. He returned the hug, just as he had countless times when he was alive¡ªonly now, there was less flesh on his bones.

    She knew it was him and sobbed.

    ¡°I thought I was alone, that they had taken Emmy, and I, I¡­¡±

    Mary stepped away. Joe and Ronan followed her.

    ¡°Joe says thank you, Mary,¡± Ronan told her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interfering like that. I just felt it was the right thing to do.¡±

    ¡°You did well.¡±

    ¡°You know something, Ronan?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°This mission, Bob and Joe¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve witnessed something grand, something incredible. Gavin and Eda finding each other again¡ªit¡¯s wonderful.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s the final chapter in the story of a dead man.¡±

    Mary playfully smacked his shoulder.

    ¡°Final chapter, my foot. Nothing¡¯s final, got it? They¡¯re staying.¡±

    Joe raised one gloved skeletal finger¡ªhis thumb, pointed up.

    ¡°Great,¡± she said to him. ¡°Because now you have even more bonds tying you to this world and the living.¡±

    Mary still had to claim the mission¡¯s reward, Theodore had to report to his father, the baron above Cedric was going to be investigated¡­ but all of that was for later.

    Here and now, a family had been reunited, the criminals¡ªminus one casualty¡ªhad been captured, and a young woman with a high affinity for light had faced darkness and cruelty and emerged untainted, strengthened.

    She had no idea how rare that was. She only felt grateful and overjoyed, thinking that Ronan was still himself despite having taken a life, and about all the rescued children who would soon be reunited with their parents, siblings, and grandparents.

    She also didn¡¯t know that Ronan, in that barn, was sensing death. But he wouldn¡¯t unearth the corpses of the lost children. Let them rest in peace. Their souls, now avenged, were free to move on.

    He didn¡¯t know where the souls of the dead went, either. But he watched as more than two dozen tiny spirits rose from the earth and finally found their way forward.

    No, he didn¡¯t feel he had done anything wrong by killing Cedric. And not just because he had saved Mary¡ªbut because it had silenced all those cries.

    He would inform the soldiers where the bodies were so they could be buried near their families.

    Life and death.

    Light and darkness.

    In the closing chapter of a dead man¡¯s story, two souls remained bound together. Human or undead¡ªwhat did it matter?

    Love would keep them united for all eternity.

    THE END