Karnak, Monarch of Death

It was impossible to recount a hundred years’ worth of history in one sitting. So Karnak condensed his past life into a summary for Serati.

He told her of his birth as an illegitimate child of a fallen noble family and how he came to learn necromancy. How he had attempted to seize control of the family but was exposed as a necromancer and subsequently hunted. How he wandered the world, building his strength, earning the ire of many, and ultimately becoming a public enemy of the entire continent. How he abandoned his humanity to become Astra Shunaph, how he successfully conquered the world, and how he eventually sought to reclaim his lost body.

“And that’s why I’ve returned to this era. Well, something along those lines.”

Finishing his explanation, Karnak turned his gaze toward her.

“Well? Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

Serati’s face was blank with shock.

“My goodness...”

But amidst her disbelief, there were hints of understanding.

“I see... so that’s why...”

Karnak looked genuinely taken aback.

“Huh? You actually believe me?”

“Well, is it a lie?”

“No, it’s true. But even I think it’s a hard story to believe.”

“After what I’ve seen, how could I not believe it?”

Their abilities had been so extraordinary that an equally extraordinary story felt like the only plausible explanation. Still, another question gnawed at her.

“Then... does that mean you were originally an immortal being, Lord Karnak?”

“Yes.”

“You mean no death, no sickness, no pain?”

“Correct.”

“And you even wielded the power to command all things in the world?”

“Well, depending on what you mean by all things, but yes, I could manipulate the world as I saw fit.”

“And yet...”

Serati trailed off, her expression one of utter incomprehension.

“You gave it all up to become human again?”

The idea that someone who had transcended the limitations of humanity, reaching the realm of gods, would forsake it all just to regain human senses was beyond her comprehension.

“Why not create a separate body to experience sensations?”

“I tried. It didn’t work.”

“Then what about possessing another human?”

“Tried that too. It didn’t work.”

“Or sharing senses with another human?”

“Also tried it. Didn’t work either.”

For decades, he had experimented with every conceivable solution. After countless failures, this had been the only remaining option.

“But you seem surprisingly knowledgeable about these methods, Serati,” Karnak remarked, raising an eyebrow. “Most decent people wouldn’t even think of such things.”

“Well, um... I read a book about something similar once...”

Her familiarity with such concepts was one reason she found Karnak’s explanation easier to accept. Having spent her spare time engrossed in various adventure tales, she wasn’t entirely unprepared for stories of past lives and temporal returns.

Still, Serati was conflicted.

What if someone told her she could become the ultimate martial artist, surpassing even the Four Great Martial Kings, by forsaking her humanity to become undead?

I think I’d accept...

Karnak must have possessed unimaginable perseverance and unwavering determination to reach such a supreme state. That was how he had attained immortality, after all. But to abandon it all just because it wasn’t what he expected? Perhaps he had reached such a realm because he was such a decisive person.

Karnak let out a long sigh.

“Yeah, I figured you’d think that way.”

At the time, he had been sincere. He had considered his mortal body nothing more than a useless lump of flesh. It had seemed like nothing more than a cumbersome obstacle blocking his path to the ultimate realm. For the one absolute truth, for the one ultimate goal, he had believed it was worth abandoning everything.

“You can’t understand it unless you’ve experienced it yourself.”

“I was thrilled when I first became a death knight. All the inconveniences of being human were gone.”

Karnak and Varos both chuckled. However, their expressions were devoid of any regret over what they had left behind.

Serati hesitantly asked another question. “But... don’t you think it’s a waste?”

Wouldn’t it feel like a loss to give up something built over an entire lifetime? Wouldn’t it sting to lose to someone weaker? Hadn’t they even been forced to flee from someone as insignificant as Straph?

“Why wouldn’t it feel like a waste?” Karnak said with a wry smile. “If I could have kept both, I would have. But I could only choose one, so I did.”

Did he miss the powers he once held? To be honest, sometimes, yes.

Was he dissatisfied with his weakened self? Of course. There were frustrations, naturally.

But even so, Karnak had no desire to return to being Astra Shunaph.

“I was the king of hell. But no matter how grand my title, the fact remained—I lived in hell.”

Not that becoming human meant living in paradise. After all, people often called the mortal world a living hell. To some extent, Karnak agreed with that sentiment.

“If hell had levels, human life would probably be somewhere in the middle.”

His existence as Astra Shunaph had been at the very bottom.

“Ruling as the king of hell’s lowest level, bringing the world to its knees under my feet? I’d rather live a modest life in the middle tier of hell.”

A calm smile spread across his face.

“You can trust me on this. I’ve experienced both.”

Serati nodded slowly. “I see...”

Now she understood why necromancy was considered the ultimate taboo. If someone who had reached its pinnacle came to that conclusion, it all made sense.

“So... it’s better to die than to become undead?”

Karnak’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about? If you’re about to die, then of course you should become undead.”

“What? But you just said—”

“That’s why you avoid necromancy unless absolutely necessary. But if you’re staring death in the face, you don’t just give up on life. You do whatever it takes to survive.”

“But wouldn’t that defeat the whole purpose of coming back in the first place?”

“That’s why you do whatever it takes to return as Astra Shunaph. Then you just rewind time and become human again! And regain human sensations all over again!

“Doesn’t that sound reasonable?” asked Karnak.

Varos chimed in, “Won’t that take too long, though? You’d need to wipe out half the continent’s population to become the Monarch of Death again.”

“Well, I’ve done it once before. It won’t take years like it did back then.”

“Good point. I’m convinced.”

Listening to the nonchalant exchange between the two, Serati trembled. Finally, she understood their true nature.

Ah, so this is just who they are.

Their entire way of thinking was completely alien to ordinary people. With newfound resolve, Serati straightened her posture.

“Lord Karnak.”

“Yes?”

“As your knight, I will dedicate my life to protecting you.”

It wasn’t for Karnak’s sake. It was for humanity. For the world. Who could guess what this dangerous man might do if his life were ever truly in danger? Karnak tilted his head, puzzled by her sudden shift in demeanor.

Still, if she was offering her protection, there was no reason to refuse.

“Well, uh... thanks, I guess.”

With that, the conversation came to an end, and the group resumed their journey.

As they followed the main road, Serati found herself watching Karnak’s back and wondering.

When that man grows old and approaches death, what exactly is he going to do?

***

Five days after departing Trist City, Karnak and his companions arrived at the Zestrad estate.

“I’m back, old man Tafel!”

The household staff had received prior notice of his arrival. They were waiting to greet them. Among them was the elderly steward, Tafel, whose face lit up warmly as he welcomed Karnak.

“Welcome home, my lord.”

Tafel had already heard the rumors. Karnak and Varos had made waves in Derath City. When he first learned that the young master, who was supposedly studying magic in the capital, had inexplicably lingered in Derath City for months, Tafel had been deeply concerned.

While broadening one’s horizons was indeed a privilege of youth, shirking one’s responsibilities to aimlessly wander was another matter entirely. There had been a time when he had carefully rehearsed what kind of scolding he’d deliver upon Karnak’s return.

But what had happened instead?

The exploits of Karnak and Varos in Derath City had reached even the northernmost corners of the kingdom, including the remote Zestrad estate. They had defeated numerous necromancers and saved countless citizens—an achievement that brought great honor not only to themselves but also to the Zestrad family name.

Tafel, brimming with pride, was just about to shower Karnak with praise when something caught his eye.

Hmm?

A woman stood behind Karnak, someone Tafel had never seen before. She was striking. Her vibrant red hair cascaded around her sharp, confident features, and her beauty radiating with vitality. For those who had spent their entire lives in the countryside, she was an almost otherworldly sight.

...Could it be?

A subtle sense of unease crept into Tafel’s mind, but he maintained his composure as he addressed Karnak.

“I see you’ve brought a guest, my lord. It would have been helpful to know in advance.”

“Oh, right.”

As if only just remembering, Karnak gestured toward the woman. “Allow me to introduce her. This is Serati Allen.”

A young lord returning from his travels with a beautiful woman—there could only be one explanation. The household staff began whispering excitedly among themselves.

“Oh my!”

“Could it be?”

“Is she the future baroness?”

Tafel felt a wave of discomfort. As a lord of an estate, Karnak couldn’t simply choose a wife on a whim. There were matters of status and compatibility to consider. And Allen? The name didn’t ring a bell among the nobility. It was far too common, suggesting she might be a commoner.

How on earth do I address this delicately?

What Karnak said next, however, caught everyone off guard.

“She will be the new knight of the Zestrad household. Prepare for her formal investiture later.”

“...What?”

Tafel blinked in disbelief.

A knight? Not a fiancée?

Why would he make someone like her a knight of our estate?

There was no denying Serati’s exceptional beauty. Her figure was slim and graceful. She was truly striking. But those were qualities of a great beauty, not a great knight. Knights were expected to have sturdy muscles, a commanding presence, and an imposing build. Like the man standing beside Karnak—Varos, for instance.

“My lord,” Tafel began hesitantly, “while our estate may be a frontier region, we cannot simply make anyone a knight...”

The rest of the household shared Tafel’s confusion, their gazes shifting between Karnak and Serati. Varos chuckled at their reaction.

“Just as you predicted, Sir Serati.”

“This isn’t my first time encountering such responses.”

Serati didn’t so much as bat an eye. Those of middling skill might grow angry when underestimated, but true masters remained unfazed. After all, they could always prove themselves on the spot. Seeing is believing.

Serati drew her sword. The fluidity of Serati’s sword-drawing motion was impressive enough to earn a grudging acknowledgment from those watching.

She’s got style when drawing her sword.

Well, a woman who wields a sword would need to be at least that skilled, right?

But I’ve heard graceful swordplay doesn’t do much good against monsters.

Wooong!

A crimson light engulfed her blade, and a wave of overwhelming energy pressed down on everyone’s shoulders.

“Ugh!”

“Kyah!”

The servants and maids gasped, stumbling backward in shock. Even Tafel’s eyes shook violently. Even those unfamiliar with swordsmanship recognized what the glow meant.

“A... an aura blade? Could she really be an aura user?”

Not even Varos, the strongest warrior in Zestrad, or Randolph, the greatest knight of Deventor, had reached such heights. This was the realm of true superhumans, untouchable even by the combined efforts of the estate’s knights.

Karnak asked indifferently, “Do you still doubt her abilities?”

There was no room left for doubt. But Tafel’s reaction shifted slightly..

“No, but why would someone of her caliber become a knight of our estate?”