Karnak, Monarch of Death

Karnak’s current mission was to rescue Edia. However, that wasn’t their official objective. As members of the King’s Order, their formal mission was to gather and report comprehensive intelligence on the Wellad branch of the Cult of the Black God, enabling its eventual eradication.

The Ethriel King’s Order already knew that cultists were hiding somewhere within the Kalenta Great Forest. That much was clear from their repeated appearances in Wellad City. They had also confirmed that the cultists were using an abandoned dungeon in the forest as their base of operations.

The problem was that they didn’t know the exact location of the base or how many cultists were hiding there. For this reason, the Order had been unable to act. Fortunately, the Eustil King’s Order had requested their cooperation at the perfect time.

Thanks to Karnak’s interrogations, they had discovered that the Wellad branch of the Cult of the Black God was hiding in the abandoned dungeon known as Maleficus. Using guild records left behind by adventurers, they had narrowed down the dungeon’s location to a specific region within the Kalenta Forest.

However, the information lacked detail. Even with an accurate map, navigating the forest was notoriously difficult. On top of that, adventurers, known for their lack of meticulousness in documentation, had left behind only vague records.

Determining the exact location of Maleficus and the route to reach it required firsthand investigation. Once they infiltrated the dungeon, they would map its internal structure and assess the cult’s approximate strength. Only then would the Ethriel King’s Order launch an official raid.

Rescuing Edia along the way? That was a bonus. Why not just have Karnak’s group wipe out the cultists themselves, you ask?

Well, it turns out that’s not an option either.

For a variety of reasons, Karnak’s group was currently roaming the forest, investigating suspicious areas and hunting monsters.

No matter where one went, the easiest way to gather information was through the locals. And in the case of the Maleficus Dungeon, the locals were the cultists. By eliminating monsters wherever they went, they hoped to find traces of necromantic influence, as cultists near the dungeon would likely use necromancy to control the monsters and defend against outside threats.

Yet despite spending more than half a day killing various monsters, they had yet to encounter any under a necromancer’s control.

Serati let out a long sigh.

—Can’t you just pinpoint their location like you did before, Sir Karnak?

She referred to previous missions when Karnak had easily found cultist bases.

—If their base is in the mountains, sure. Death energy or malice rises into the sky, making it easy to spot.

Karnak shook his head.

—But if it’s underground, it’s impossible.

Even if he could see what others couldn’t, he couldn’t see what didn’t exist.

—How am I supposed to find something when death energy can’t even rise through the ground?

—That makes sense. So we’ll just keep wandering in circles like this, huh?

Finally, after dealing with a few more monsters, they found what they had been searching for: a pack of great gnolls. They were bipedal hyena-like creatures. The monsters clutched rusty spears and longswords, growling in broken Isola.

“Humans!”

“Invaders!”

”Kill them!”

Karnak’s face lit up with a cheerful smile. ”Oh, rejoice, everyone. We’ve found them.”

The rest of the group grinned as well.

”At last!”

”And we found them before the day was over!”

”Thank goodness.”

The forest filled with an atmosphere both jovial and murderous. Moments later, the sound of combat, more specifically, of hyenas being slaughtered, echoed throughout the Kalenta Forest.

***

In the dense forest near the southeastern entrance of Maleficus Dungeon, a young necromancer, seemingly in his early thirties, trudged through the undergrowth.

”Seems quiet today, as usual,” he muttered.

His task had been assigned to him by the cult. It was to patrol the southern perimeter of the Wellad branch’s territory.

While the general populace saw cultists and necromancers as harbingers of fear, even these figures had things they feared. Followers of the goddesses were terrifying, the King’s Orders were intimidating, and there were more than a few adventurers and shadow hunters who were equally dangerous. Thus, vigilance was an absolute necessity.

The necromancer moved through the forest, checking on the monsters under his control. It was during one such routine inspection that he noticed something unusual.

Huh? The great gnoll pack is dead?

This alone wasn’t enough to conclude that there were intruders. The Kalenta Great Forest was a battleground where various monsters competed for territory. The great gnolls could have been killed by other beasts.

I’d better check it out.

Turning on his heel, the necromancer altered his course. About ten minutes later, voices suddenly sounded behind him as he pushed deeper into the forest.

”Found him.”

”Look at that. He’s wandering around outside the dungeon.”

”Guess we have another interrogation at hand.”

”Great. Now we have to do this twice.”

Startled, the necromancer spun around. ”Wh-Who are you?!”

But he never got the chance to see his opponents. A heavy blow slammed into his face before he could process what was happening.

”What difference does it make if you know?”

His vision went black in an instant. Without so much as a groan, the necromancer collapsed to the ground.

Varos glanced at Karnak while retracting his fist. ”Well then, let’s extract some information.”

As usual, Varos grabbed the unconscious necromancer, preparing to drag him off to a secluded spot for questioning.

But before he could leave, Milia raised her hand. ”I’ll handle the interrogation!”

”Huh? I could do it,” Karnak replied casually.

”No, Captain Karnak. I appreciate your consideration, but...” Milia placed her hand over her heart, her expression resolute. ”As someone who has been entrusted with the duties of an inquisitor, this is m-my responsibility.”

She had a point. For Milia to fully fulfill her role, she couldn’t keep avoiding the grimmer aspects of her work. Karnak couldn’t find any fault with her argument. He scratched his head.

”Well, alright then. Go ahead.”

Milia began by securely binding the necromancer’s limbs.

Recalling how Alius had handled a similar interrogation, Serati asked, ”Should we step aside for this?”

”No need,” Milia replied.

While Alius had been mindful of Lapicel’s presence and had intentionally conducted his interrogation elsewhere, Milia didn’t feel the same necessity. Considering the number of monsters Lapicel had cut down without hesitation, it was unlikely she would be fazed by anything gruesome. Milia summoned a gag of light and placed it in the necromancer’s mouth, causing him to regain consciousness.

”Mmph! Mmmph!”

Looking down at him, Milia smiled brightly—almost too brightly. ”Don’t worry about the gag. It’ll release itself as soon as your soul becomes truthful.”

Her eyes were glinting, but for some reason, it was strangely unsettling. The rest of the group instinctively stepped back.

Uh... why does she look like that?

For some reason, I don’t want to get close to her.

Milia raised her glowing hands and began to pray. ”Latiel, forgive your servant...”

Her eyes gleamed brighter, radiating a serene beauty. The group took another step back.

W-Wow, Sister Milia can make a face like that?

Holy light enveloped her hands as she placed them on the necromancer’s head. At that moment, a tortured wail erupted through the gag in his mouth.

”Mmmbbbhhh!”

It was then that Serati understood why Alius had said interrogations weren’t suitable for children to witness. The necromancer’s bloodshot eyes bulged as veins swelled grotesquely across his body. His skin turned an unnatural shade of purple, and he trembled violently, like a leaf caught in a storm.

”Mmrrmmph! Mmmrrghh!”

His expression contorted so horrifically it looked like a macabre masterpiece of pain personified. Serati, Leven, and Lapicel couldn’t suppress the shiver running down their spines as they watched. Ten minutes later, the necromancer stopped struggling. What remained wasn’t so much a man as a breathing corpse, his vacant eyes utterly devoid of life.

Ah, his eyes look dead again... Serati clicked her tongue, as baffled as ever. What do they endure to end up looking like that?

Milia turned to Karnak, a proud smile lighting her face. ”The interrogation subject is ready, Captain Karnak!”

***

Once subdued, the necromancer answered every question with complete cooperation. According to Milia, he was ”fully aligned with the truth under the goddess’ grace.” He revealed everything, including an overview of the cult’s strength, the number of inhabitants, the terrain, and, most importantly, the route to infiltrate Maleficus Dungeon.

Pointing at a map Leven held, the necromancer explained in a dazed tone, ”There’s a hidden passage connecting to the dungeon’s outer perimeter here...”

Technically, it wasn’t so much a secret passage as it was an abandoned corridor. The Cult of the Black God hadn’t built Maleficus Dungeon. Rather, it was an ancient ruin they had only partially restored for their use. The dungeon was riddled with collapsed hallways and gaps among the debris, leaving countless hidden spaces. If a crevice was large enough for one or two people to crawl through, it effectively became a secret passage. The structure practically invited such vulnerabilities.

Having extracted all the necessary information, Karnak looked down at the necromancer, who was now an empty husk. ”What should we do with him?”

Varos scratched his head awkwardly. ”Well, we can’t just kill him.”

It wasn’t a newfound appreciation for the sanctity of life that held them back. The issue was more practical.

When necromancers lost their comrades, they often summoned their souls, leading to posthumous leaks of information. While Karnak, Varos, and Serati had previously been able to restrain the souls of the necromancers, in this case, keeping the necromancer alive was the better way to maintain secrecy.

The equally uncertain Serati scratched her cheek. ”We can’t just tie him up and leave him somewhere either.”

If left like that, he’d likely end up as monster food, devoured alive. That was a fate too cruel even for a necromancer.

Milia’s face lit up with a cheerful smile. ”It’s fine! Inquisitors have a manual for cases like this.”

The mercy of the goddess extended even to wicked necromancers, after all!

”This is how the church handles it,” saying so, she started explaining the procedure.

First, they would dig a deep hole and bury him completely, leaving only a small reed in his mouth to allow him to breathe. Then, by discreetly setting up a barrier around the reed, they could ensure he wouldn’t be detected by monsters.

”The situation might be a bit uncomfortable for him, but he’ll be safe for about three days.”

The expressions of the others instantly stiffened.

”A bit uncomfortable?”

”Three days?”

”That sounds like just the right amount of time for someone to go insane.”

Despite their reactions, Milia maintained her radiant smile.

”They’re already insane. They betrayed the goddess and committed heresy. This level of punishment is hardly severe.”

As they were already sinners, how could they expect comfort? Their suffering would atone for their transgressions! That seemed to be her logic.

—The church... has a surprisingly brutal side.

Hearing Serati’s remark, Karnak let out a wry chuckle.

—The Seven Goddesses’ Church has always been terrifying. You think I avoid them for no reason?

There was a reason cults managed to spread so widely. If the Seven Goddesses’ Church were truly without flaw, the Cult of the Black God wouldn’t have gained such influence in the first place.

Rolling up her sleeves, Milia cheerfully called out, ”Now then, help me dig!”

Burying a man alive took less than a few minutes. The necromancer’s presence disappeared entirely into the earth. Only the faint, rhythmic sound of breath escaping from the reed served as proof that he was still alive.

Lapisel murmured under her breath, ”If we don’t return in time... he’s just going to die here, isn’t he?”

”He will have cleansed his sins and returned to the goddess’s embrace. A blessing, even for him.”

As Milia prayed, her expression was as pure and serene as that of a saint.

Quietly, Lapisel shuffled behind Serati’s back and whispered, “Sister Milia is scary...”

***

The entrance to Maleficus Dungeon was hidden within a crevice between massive boulders in the forest. A worn metal gate lay embedded in the ground, shrouded in shadow. It was barely large enough for two people to squeeze through side by side.

”Doesn’t seem like someone deliberately concealed it. More like the entrance was naturally blocked when an earthquake caused these boulders to shift.” Muttering to himself, Karnak reached for his wand. ”Let’s just break it.”

But Leven stopped him. ”I’ll try opening it first.”

The forest was vast, and the ruins themselves were sprawling, so a mere explosion or tremor wasn’t likely to give away their presence.

”There’s no harm in being cautious, right?”

With a grin, he pulled out a special lockpicking set designed for ancient ruins.

”Believe it or not, back in my treasure-hunting days, I was known as Leven the Unpickable, because there wasn’t a lock I couldn’t pick.”

Varos’s expression turned odd. His skills were undeniable, but calling him top-tier was a bit of a stretch.

Seriously, why is he stuck with a title like that?!

Still, the title wasn’t entirely undeserved. After a few minutes of tinkering, the metal door let out a harsh groan and slowly creaked open.

”Let’s go.”