NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Assault on Necropolis (2)
“What?”
Rania was startled, her voice filled with confusion.
“But… without those sales, we might not have enough funds to run the estate.”
“I heard about it at the Grand Temple yesterday. The wholesalers the Lunembreth family is dealing with? They’re complete scammers.”
Though I lied about hearing this from the temple, it was true that the wholesalers were crooks. Rania blinked in shock, cautiously asking for clarification.
“Scammers? What do you mean by that?”
“They’re shortchanging you. For example, they buy a stamina recovery elixir for five silver coins and then sell it for thirty.”
“Well… that’s just how the business world works.”
Of course, I knew that too. There’s a monopoly over the elixir distribution market, allowing a few merchants to make a fortune.
But the point wasn’t about making more money. The real issue was that there was no need to let high-quality elixirs produced by the Lunembreth family leak outside.
I gave her a faint smile, nodding slowly.
“Yeah, I’ve heard that. But from now on, don’t sell the elixirs. Store all of them in the warehouse. I’ll take care of the money.”
“Your Highness will handle the money…?”
“Your Highness?”
At that moment, Meredith, as nimble as a wild animal, entered the room carrying a large chest.
“A messenger from the palace just arrived. Since you’re unwell and still in your room, they left this chest as a gift from the palace and went back.”
Her face was flushed—she must’ve guessed what was inside. I got out of bed, grabbed the official letter attached to the chest, and unfolded it.
“A victory reward… They’re sending it this soon?”
In my previous regressions, Jess had always delayed my rewards whenever I accomplished something. He did everything he could to avoid giving me my due.
But now they had sent it in just a day? I suppose the Saint title improved public opinion and put pressure on him.
“Your Highness, what is this…?”
“It’s the reward for winning the war. Three thousand gold coins.”
“Three thousand gold coins!”
Clunk!
As the chest was opened, the dazzling sight of gold coins spilled out. Rania’s legs gave way, and she sank to her knees in astonishment.
“I’ve never seen so much money in my life….”
“Technically, they only sent half—1,500 coins now. The rest will come within a month.”
“I… I’ve never seen this many gold coins….”
Even Meredith, who had been watching, seemed equally stunned. That showed just how financially strained the Lunembreth family was—largely due to Claude’s reckless gambling and indulgence in the past.
“Take this to the head maid and use it to run the estate.”
“What?”
Rania rose shakily to her feet, still dazed.
“All of it? You’re giving it all to me?”
“Yes. There’s plenty to spend it on, right? The estate’s upkeep, materials for the elixirs… You should also give the maids a bonus or allowance. They’ve been working hard.”
“I don’t need anything. Just being taken in by the Lunembreth family is a debt I can never repay.”
Suddenly, Meredith spoke up with a stern face. I couldn’t help but smile wryly as I pulled out a few gold coins from the chest and handed them directly to her.
“…!”
“You might live like a wild animal, but you should still spend some money. I heard you don’t even own a single set of clothes besides your maid uniform.”
Oops. That was information I’d picked up after multiple regressions… Did I just slip?
“…Head maid?”
“It’s fine. His Highness is being generous. Take it, Meredith.”
Fortunately, Rania didn’t seem to find anything suspicious. She patted Meredith on the back as Meredith’s face flushed red. Bowing deeply, she thanked me.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll make sure to risk my life finding good clothes.”
“Don’t act like you’re going to war. Also, Rania?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“What about the sugar bars I asked for yesterday?”
“I’ve made a few samples. Meredith, could you bring His Highness’ breakfast along with the sugar bars?”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Meredith quickly left the room. Within three minutes, she returned, carrying a tray that was steaming with warmth.
“Here it is, Your Highness.”
On the tray were my breakfast and a small plate with finger-sized sugar bars.
“Just as you requested, I simmered the sugar with honey and milk, mixed in nuts, and shaped it in a mold to cool.”
“Mmm… Tasty.”
Of course, it’s miles away from the chocolate bars I had back in my homeland.
Still, it was good enough. The main point was to pack my brain with as much glucose as possible.
“Pack ten of these separately for me. I’ll be heading to Elston County this afternoon.”
“Elston County? Why would you… Ah, I see.”
Rania’s expression shifted, likely remembering yesterday’s events.
“You’ll be running the specialized task force for the undead. Naturally, you’ll need to meet with Count Elston for important discussions.”
“It’s not that important. I’ll just have a brief conversation. The round trip should take about six days.”
Using flight magic, I could be back within six hours, but this time it was an official visit, so I couldn’t just breeze through it. Rania bowed her head politely and responded.
“Understood. I’ll prepare your growth and detoxification elixirs for six days. However, six days’ worth might be cutting it a bit close. Meredith?”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
“I’ll go down to the elixir workshop for a while. In the meantime, please attend to His Highness’ meal.”
With that, Rania bid me a polite farewell and hurried out of the room. After setting the tray down, I picked up my fork and turned to Meredith.
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet, Your Highness.”
“Why not?”
“Recently, there have been unusual movements in the nearby forest. I’ve been assigned to patrol it, so I was on duty until now.”
She must have rushed back when she noticed the palace’s messenger arriving. Stabbing a piece of tender meat with my fork, I asked,
“So, are all the maids handling security? Can’t afford proper guards?”
“I don’t know the full details, but we don’t have anyone but the maids at the estate.”
“That’s a problem. You need to use people properly. For example…”
I wondered where the four Sealing Priests, now free from their duties, were. Had they taken the vacation I suggested and gone to the seaside?
It was natural that the mansion would start attracting flies as I gained more attention.
In my experience, those flies included scam investors, fraudulent knight instructors, fake alchemists, deceitful real estate agents, and scam salesmen… Just a whole bunch of swindlers crawling toward Lunembreth Estate.
Soon enough, there would also be events targeting my life.
Considering the large sum of money that had just arrived, assigning some of the Sealing Priests to mansion security wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Speaking of which, Meredith had been eyeing the sugar bars on the tray for a while now.
“Meredith?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“Do you want one?”
I held a sugar bar up in front of her. Meredith’s throat audibly gulped as she replied.
“If you’re offering, I’d gladly accept.”
She wasn’t even fazed by the fact that I had already taken a bite out of it. Unlike other maids, who would’ve freaked out and backed away, Meredith—raised in the wild—had no such qualms.
“Alright, go ahead. Just don’t tell Rania.”
“Understood. Then…”
Without hesitation, Meredith popped the sugar bar into her mouth. She chewed for a bit before her eyes widened like an owl’s.
“This is amazing. It’s like my tongue is melting.”
Well, of course. It’s made of sugar and honey, after all.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t even supposed to be making these sugar bars for another year. Who would’ve thought I’d need them so soon, only a month after my regression?
—
Necropolis.
It was a city of the dead, its structure made of massive white bones, and its walls covered with decaying flesh.
From a distance, it looked like a giant, hunched-over monstrosity. And in truth, it was a moving fortress that could shift locations on command.
Inside the enormous eye sockets of the giant, a lich clad in a crimson cloak raised his staff and spoke.
“Lord, please give the order. Necropolis has never been this close to Imperial territory. With your command, I will lead the army and establish a foothold.”
“That would be rash, Azran.”
Another lich, standing nearby, raised a skeletal arm and interrupted.
“Our lord moved the fortress here to observe the living. We must not act hastily.”
“Ruine, do you think I don’t know that?”
“We still don’t know how the vanguard was annihilated. This time, instead of rushing into action, we should draw the enemy to this fortress and observe their methods firsthand. Isn’t that right, my Lord?”
As the two liches debated, the figure sitting on the skeletal throne in the center—a man with gray skin—slowly opened his eyes.
“Azran, Ruine.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Can’t you see I’m using the Eyes of Necropolis right now? Your b
ickering is distracting. Be quiet.”
This man was none other than Krok, Lord of the Undead.
At his command, Azran hurriedly knelt on one knee and spoke.
“Apologies, my Lord. But if we continue at this rate, the fortress will soon cross into the land of the living.”
“I brought Necropolis this close… to use its eyes and observe the enemy’s fortress.”
At that moment, the massive eyeball embedded in the nearby wall twitched. Krok’s body radiated an icy chill as he rose from his skeletal throne.
“The Count of Elston doesn’t have the strength to stop us. The Empire must’ve sent reinforcements. Surely they deployed their best—the White Knights or the Rose Knights—but there’s no sign of them anywhere.”
“Perhaps they’ve stationed themselves elsewhere, or they may have returned after defeating the vanguard.”
“It could also be that the Empire sent Archmages or priests. They tend to operate in smaller groups, so it’s possible they’re avoiding detection.”
“…That is a possibility.”
Krok sat back down on his throne, closing his eyes once more.
“Listen carefully, both of you. I don’t know the exact location, but somewhere in the Empire lies our final key, Rablitz.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“It’s been 200 years since Rablitz left us. We don’t know what happened to him. But we must find his trail and bring him back. Azran?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Have you completed your mana crystal?”
“I have. It was finished ten years ago, and it has now reached full maturity.”
The lich in the red cloak raised his staff high. Still seated, Krok turned his gaze to the other lich.
“Ruine, what about your mana crystal?”
“Of course, my Lord. It was completed decades ago.”
“Good. But the first among you to finish, Rablitz, is not by my side.”
Krok leaned heavily on the armrest of his throne, his face full of pain. Both liches watched their lord in silence, unable to speak.
“…I was the one blessed by Quincy, the God of Darkness and Death, to stand alone in this realm of the dead.”
“Indeed, my Lord. It was your existence that opened the gateway to the world of the dead, allowing us to step beyond the Archmage’s realm into the deeper mysteries of magic.”
“But that won’t last much longer. I can feel Quincy’s blessing leaving my body. I have 30 years at most… perhaps less than 15.”
“My Lord…”
“That’s why we must recover Rablitz. Together, we will find Quincy’s sanctuary. Only after we pass through the barrier blocking us will I receive a new blessing and be reborn.”
This was information I hadn’t even heard during my third regression, when I had allied with these creatures. Unable to hold back my excitement, I broke my stealth and spoke up.
“What’s all this? You guys were keeping secrets like this from me?”
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