Suspected Necromancer

Chapter 10 – Ritual of the Immortal King

As the sun set and a faint crimson hue adorned the western sky, Luciana rushed into Rato’s room.

“Rato-sama, there’s a strong magical reaction at Khan’s mansion. It seems like a ritual is taking place…”

“What’s going on? Why start ritual now? Were there any signs?”

In a stern tone, Rato questioned Luciana.

“I don’t know. However, it’s certain that a high-level magical ritual is taking place at Khan’s mansion right now. This is not some mere mock ritual. If this is related to the vampires or the Immortal King, we need to stop it quickly or it’ll be too late…”

The usual composure on Luciana’s face had vanished, replaced by the spectre of urgency.
The bracelet Rato had given to Luna was a magical tool that would react to strong magical reactions and alert Luciana. While its detection range was limited to the size of a city, it was still a valuable item.

“Damn it, Killian!”

Rato called out to Killian.

“Yes.”

Killian, who had been standing nearby, knelt down.

“Prepare the mithril gear! For the both of us. Bring as much holy water as you can! We’re going to deal with the vampires!”

“Understood.”

Killian immediately sprang into action.

“Rato-sama, are you planning to go with just Killian?”

Luciana stared at Rato.

“You fool, you’re coming too! But we don’t need anyone else. They’d only become unnecessary sacrifices. Also, bring that mirror.”

“That mirror? May I take it out without permission?”

“It will be mine eventually, so it doesn’t matter.”

“…Understood.”

Saying so, Luciana stepped back to make preparations.

“Why now?”

Rato bit his lip hard.

──

Before long, Rato, Killian, and Luciana arrived near Khan’s mansion on horseback.
As usual, there was no sign of anybody around.

“What’s this? There are so many ghouls!”

Rato exclaimed. Surrounding the mansion were a very large number of ghouls.

The ghouls varied in age and gender, but they all seemed to be struggling to walk. They were hunched over and groaning with resentment.

“They probably came from the graveyard, but this…”

Luciana’s expression also contorted. She was currently dressed in a black mage’s robe, her lower face covered by a veil. In her hand, she held a long staff with a large gemstone at its tip.

“They’re not even trying to conceal their identities as necromancers anymore!”

Rato realized that these ghouls were here to buy time, to stop anybody from interrupting the ritual.

“Once he becomes an Immortal King, it’s all over.”

Luciana stated. If he were just a vampire, they could still deal with him. But an Immortal King was a powerful being spoken of in legends. Defeating him would require considerable time-consuming preparation, during which Khan could escape.

“We can’t hesitate. Let’s go in. Killian, protect your sister.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Please wait, Rato-sama. Let me.”

Halting Rato, who was about to draw his sword and charge, Luciana began chanting.
The incantation was woven in the ancient language of the Asura, incomprehensible to Rato and Killian. However, gradually, the gemstone at the tip of Luciana’s staff started to emit a radiant light.
Once it shone intensely enough, Luciana pointed her staff at the ghouls and cast the spell.
Crimson flames unleashed from the staff engulfed the ghouls surrounding the mansion in an instant.

“Hey, those flames better not spread to the mansion!”

Rato wore an uneasy expression.

“If only that were possible, things would be easier…”

Luciana smirked with her eyes.

“We have to save Luna-chan. The barrier around the mansion won’t be breached by flames of that level.”

“Well then, that’s convenient. Let’s go!”

Moving past the ghouls writhing in the inferno, the trio stepped into the garden of the gloomy mansion.

──

Just as they entered through the gate, the mansion’s doors swung open, revealing three skeletal figures.
In their hands were scythes with handles nearly the length of spears.

“Worst case scenario… they’re Grim Reapers. Not your ordinary skeletons. They’re high-level undead. It seems Khan is indeed a powerful necromancer.”

Luciana warned.

“So you say, but they’re still mere skeletons!”

Rato declared, his sword ready at his side, and swiftly advanced towards one of the Grim Reapers.
Killian prepared to support Rato, ready to react to the other Grim Reapers’ movements.
Luciana began chanting a spell once again.

“Here I come!”

Rato executed a sweeping slash at a Grim Reaper, but the silent skeleton effortlessly caught it with the scythe’s handle.
Anticipating this, Rato swiftly transitioned into a diagonal slash.
The Grim Reaper quickly lifted its scythe to parry a blow aimed at its shoulder, but Rato had actually aimed at its lifted arm.
He deftly redirected his sword into a reverse grip, slicing through the Grim Reaper’s wrists, severing its hands along with the scythe.

“Well done!”

Killian, who had been dealing with another Grim Reaper, shouted in admiration. The remaining Grim Reaper was being restrained by Luciana’s magic.
The skeleton, now without hands or its scythe, either failed to comprehend what was happening or was fixated on its lost limbs, providing an opening for Rato to decapitate it.
Rato quickly assessed the situation of the other Grim Reapers and sliced the leg of the one Killian was fighting with off.
Then, he headed towards the Grim Reaper Luciana was dealing with.

Killian carefully finished off the Grim Reaper whose leg had been severed.
The Grim Reaper, entangled by Luciana’s magic, was unable to defend against Rato’s attack from the side. Its torso was cleaved in two, while its upper half slid to the ground.
Luciana swiftly approached the fallen upper body, placing her foot on the skull and crushed it under her heel.

“Grim Reapers will continue reviving if their skulls remain intact, so please break them.”

Luciana cheerfully mentioned.

“…I see.”

Rato and Killian did as she said, smashing the skulls with their swords.

(Why did she crush it with her heel? She could have used her staff…)

They wondered.

──

As the three entered the mansion, there was an eerie silence, without a sound to be heard.
Perhaps due to Luna’s regular cleaning, the interior looked quite orderly. Far from what one would expect in a place conducting such forbidden magic.

“Where is the ritual?”

Rato asked Luciana.

“Underground. I sense magic emanating from below.”

“Where’s the staircase leading down?”

“Probably in Khan’s private quarters. For mages, places for conducting secret rituals are typically kept private.”

They searched through room after room.
The dining room, the library, the parlor, and the guest room—all were tidily arranged. Everything was cleaned up.

(Impressive.)

Even in this situation, Rato admired Luna’s dedication to her chores.
In Khan’s mansion, Luna was the sole caretaker. Managing to keep a place of this size constantly clean was no small feat.

At the far end of the first floor, the trio discovered what appeared to be Khan’s private chambers.
Only in this room, books and what seemed like random odds and ends were scattered haphazardly.
This is probably the only place Khan refused to allow Luna to clean, allowing this chaos to accumulate.

“Is this it?”

Rato surveyed the room, but there seemed to be no visible staircase leading downward.

“Usually, hidden staircases are placed behind bookshelves or something. They are designed to respond only to their owner’s magic…”

As soon as Luciana finished speaking, Rato immediately swung at the bookshelf.
The bookshelf, which was supposed to open through magic, collapsed, revealing the concealed staircase behind it.

“Hurry!”

Rato kicked aside the debris of the bookshelf and leaped decisively down the staircase.
Killian and Luciana followed hurriedly followed suit.
Nothing but an unsettling void could be seen at the end of the steps.