Karnak, Monarch of Death

For a while, Karnak and his companions remained at their residence in Drunta. When Karnak mentioned delaying his duties with the King’s Order, Serati tilted her head in curiosity.

”Are you waiting for Elezar to send her lackeys after us?”

”It’s not that.”

Even if Elezar decided to deploy her forces, it would take considerable time for them to track Karnak and his group. First, the news of Hudel’s capture would have to reach Elezar, a process that could take days. After that, she’d need time to strategize, select someone to carry out her orders, and assign the task.

”And then, they’d have to cross the Baracant Mountains from the empire all the way to the Eustil Kingdom. That alone would take at least a month.”

He couldn’t waste that much time idly waiting for enemies to arrive. He had responsibilities to attend to. The reason he stayed in the capital had nothing to do with Elezar.

”I need to earn the gold I was paid.”

As per the agreement, Karnak was responsible for passing on the knowledge of Redeemer of Necromancy, particularly to Deltros and the other mages. Magic wasn’t something that could be learned just by skimming a few diagrams on parchment. While a ninth circle mage could usually grasp most spells at a glance, Redeemer of Necromancy was an entirely different case.

The spell relied heavily on intuitive understanding, requiring Karnak’s consistent guidance to help practitioners refine their technique. This led to a rather humorous scenario: a young mage, barely in his early twenties, instructing elder high-circle mages. Yet Karnak showed no sign of intimidation.

”This spell may seem straightforward, but applying it against necromancy is an entirely different matter.”

His confident demeanor even impressed the seasoned mages.

He’s a remarkable young man.

It’s no small feat to carry oneself with such poise before us.

To Karnak, however, there was no reason to feel daunted. After all, from his perspective, they were merely youngsters compared to him.

”Alright, stop getting distracted. Cast the spell again!”

***

Every day, Karnak visited the silver azure tower for instruction. Whenever he left for his lessons, Serati accompanied him but parted ways at the gates. Her destination was the headquarters of the King’s Order.

”Ah, Sir Serati,” a knight greeted her.

”I’m here to ask for your guidance, Sir Dvois.”

”Guidance? If anything, it’s me who should be learning from you.”

Serati regularly sparred with off-duty aura users from the King’s Order. Over time, she had accumulated a wealth of combat experience and started noticing her own growth. Now was the time to solidify that experience and take her skills to the next level. When she sought Varos’s advice on how to improve, he offered a characteristically blunt answer:

“Fighting strong opponents won’t always make you stronger. Sometimes, you need to crush weaker ones to learn how to dominate.”

As crude as it sounded, there was a kernel of truth. Constantly sparring with Varos had ingrained a habit of defensive movement and retreat. She needed to develop the confidence to overwhelm opponents, at least those of similar skill.

To address this, she began challenging aura users in the King’s Order. It was mutually beneficial, and her partners gladly picked up their swords. After spending the day exhausting herself in duels, Serati would return home to find Varos tidying up the groceries he had bought earlier.

”Back from the market again today, Sir Varos?” she asked, amused.

”It’s an important part of my daily routine,” he replied.

Varos, too, maintained a steady training regimen, though he carried himself with far more ease than Serati did. Thus, he spent his free time indulging in his personal hobbies. He was extending his love for food by exploring the streets of Drunta in search of renowned food and drinks.

Having reclaimed the pleasures of the flesh, he intended to savor them to the fullest. However, he didn’t want to destroy his health by indulging recklessly. The solution was clear. He would fill his meals with only the most delicious dishes.

”In that spirit, today’s snack is freshly boiled freshwater shrimp, seasoned in brine!”

The shrimp were caught in the nearby Sindaril River. Known for their rich, slightly salty flavor, they were a beloved delicacy among the citizens of Drunta. The others’ eyes sparkled as they gathered around him.

”Is there some for me?” Serati asked eagerly.

”Thank you!” said Lapicel with a wide grin.

”Hand it over,” Karnak said nonchalantly.

They all sat in the garden, peeling and eating shrimp together.

”Yum, yum,” Lapicel murmured as she nibbled on a shrimp, her lips moving rhythmically. Serati smiled warmly at her.

”Eat up, Lapicel.”

Suddenly, Lapicel’s cheeks flushed red. ”I think I might gain weight at this rate.”

Varos scoffed in disbelief. ”With your daily activity level, I doubt you’d gain weight even if you doubled your portions.”

Lapicel’s daily routine, on the surface, seemed leisurely. She would eat breakfast, clean the house, then relax. She would eat lunch, clean up, then nap or relax. After having her snack, she would relax until dinner.

At a glance, she was living a lazy life, but in truth, her relaxation time was spent practicing swordsmanship. To her, wielding a sword was play, but the sheer volume of training she did was staggering.

Lapicel grimaced as she pinched her arm. ”I feel like I’ve gotten heavier somehow.”

Serati chuckled. ”That’s just because you’ve grown taller.”

Lapicel’s height had increased noticeably—about a finger’s width since she began living with them. It wasn’t sudden growth, but rather the natural development that should have happened earlier if she hadn’t been malnourished. Thanks to Karnak and Varos’s dedication to well-balanced meals, Lapicel had finally caught up to her age group.

And her swordsmanship seems to be improving just as quickly, Serati mused.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before there was another aura user in the Zestrad estate. Lapicel had already awakened her aura but was still building the physical foundation to utilize it effectively Before they knew it, the shrimp were gone.

”That was delicious!” Lapicel exclaimed, diligently gathering the shrimp shells.

After tidying up, she prepared for her evening sword training as usual. Karnak also picked up a wooden sword and stood.

”Let’s train together, Lapicel.”

“Yes!”

***

Karnak had once been the type of person who vehemently avoided physical activity. His philosophy had always been, Why strain the body when you can use your brain? But that all changed after his regression. His priorities had shifted. Now, his goal was to maintain his body in peak condition for as long as possible.

His duel with Randolph, the knight of Deventor, had been a turning point. At the time, it had been pure agony. Karnak had no desire to flee like a coward, so he had reluctantly imitated a knight’s behavior. Throughout the ordeal, he swore repeatedly to himself that as soon as it was over, he would quit the charade immediately.

But as Karnak practiced, he found himself enjoying physical training more than he ever thought he would. It had all started with the necessity of building a basic level of fitness. To his surprise, once he got past the initial hurdle, it wasn’t unpleasant.

Anyone who had ever tried exercising would know that the beginning was the hardest part. But as the routine settled into his body, it became manageable, and even enjoyable. Eventually, at a certain point, the act of moving his body became genuinely entertaining.

And why wouldn’t it? This was the same man who had regressed through time and space because he missed the sensations of his physical body.

Who would have thought I’d end up enjoying this?

Whenever he had free time, he would fit in basic sword training. Today was no different. He swung his wooden sword through the air, practicing horizontal and vertical slashes.

”Hah! Take this!”

Beside him, Lapicel paused her own practice to observe him.

Sir Karnak is so diligent, she thought, impressed. He’s a mage, yet he still works on physical conditioning.

Of course, she also knew that Karnak’s swordsmanship was shabby. It wasn’t practical for actual combat.

But it’s just for his health. He’s doing well.

Suddenly, Karnak switched his grip to hold the sword in reverse and executed a pair of upward slashes into the air.

”Hyaaah!”

It was Overkill, a special move he had learned through relentless training under Varos’s grueling guidance. The arc of his sword was surprisingly well-formed, and Karnak grinned in satisfaction.

”Finally! Nailed it!”

Lapicel’s eyes widened in surprise.

Oh, that one’s actually impressive, she thought.

For someone who wasn’t naturally talented, mastering even one technique meant pouring everything into it. And Karnak had clearly done just that.

Thinking she might be able to replicate it, Lapicel tried the move herself. ”Hiya!”

On her very first attempt, Lapicel flawlessly executed Overkill, the very technique Karnak had practiced endlessly and still couldn’t fully master.

Flash!

She adjusted her grip on the sword and tilted her head in confusion.

This is weird. Why does this move feel so familiar?

***

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky darkened, and Karnak’s body was soaked with sweat.

”Ah, I’d better wash up before dinner,” he muttered.

Most homes of this era didn’t have bathrooms. Such luxuries were limited to large manors of esteemed nobles. After all, drawing water for a bath was a time-consuming task. But Karnak’s house was equipped with a private bathhouse. Ever indulgent, he had hired water carriers specifically to ensure he could bathe whenever he pleased. The reason was simple:

—Water is cheaper than my body!

Of course, even Karnak couldn’t afford the extravagance of heating water over a fire every time. But that wasn’t an issue. Filling the tub with cold water, he lightly touched the surface with his right hand.

”Heat Wave.”

It was a simple spell transformed the cold water into warm bathwater. While it wasn’t hot enough to cook or use in battle, it was perfect for a bath.

Moments later, a contented sigh drifted out of the bathhouse window. ”Ahhh, this is heaven!”

From the kitchen, where she was preparing dinner, Lapicel glanced toward the bathhouse with a bemused expression.

“Sister Serati.”

”Yeah?”

”Don’t you think Sir Karnak and Varos act like old men sometimes? Why do you think that is?”

Serati froze, caught off guard.

”Uh... I’m not sure,” she replied awkwardly.

***

Karnak and his companions had been staying in Drunta for ten days. During that time, Deltros and the other mages had successfully mastered Redeemer of Necromancy. There was no longer any reason for Karnak to visit the magic tower.

It was time to return to the King’s Order. On the second day after finishing his work at the tower, Commander Erantel summoned him.

”You called for me, commander?”

Karnak assumed it was to assign him the next mission, but there was something unusual about the commander’s expression.

”I hear you’re connected to a place called Altas merchant guild.”

”Yes, I am. Why?”

”Apparently, something’s happened with that guild.”

Karnak wasn’t surprised. He had always been eerily accurate when it came to sensing bad omens.

So I wasn’t feeling uneasy for nothing.

What puzzled him was why the King’s Order, which had no connection to Altas merchant guild, was bringing it up. But the next words left Karnak genuinely shocked.

”I’m not a merchant, so I don’t fully understand the situation...”

Looking as perplexed as he sounded, Commander Erantel glanced at the documents in his hands and continued.

”But it says here that you’re now the owner of Altas Trading Company.”

”What?”