The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

However, even the decision to head to Grassmere had its complications.

Would the Chandler family welcome me? More importantly, would they even be in the city?

They must be on some pilgrimage.

I didn’t know if they had returned from the East or not. We’d never even met.

How would they react to me, someone who isn’t even human? Even if I offered to save them from Isaac Bel’Homec, would they trust me like before?

After all, everyone was driven by their own self-fulfillment. They always valued their own judgments and thoughts above all else.

The reason they welcomed me was that I had accepted their offer after running into Chandler. The grand sorcerer Isaac Bel’Homec, who had shared a gaze with me, had chosen me as his first vessel for entering the world, implanting yet another false dream in the father and son of the Chandler family.

If I went, I might have to let Isaac possess me again and seal him away once more. At the very least, I needed to hide the fact that I wasn’t human when facing the Chandlers.

When Rubia woke up, yawning and blinking her eyes open, her eyes sparkled with lingering moisture. Her expression said, ”So it wasn’t a dream.”

In her gaze, I saw more curiosity and fondness than fear.

”Wow... it’s warm,” Rubia murmured.

”You’re awake,” I commented.

”There’s no fire... but it’s so warm around me... even without a campfire!”

Of course. I’d driven a superheated dagger into the ground near her, though it cost the dagger half its durability.

Rubia kept gasping in wonder. ”H-how did you do this? There’s no fire, and... um, where did you even get this fur? It’s so soft! Amazing.”

I felt a touch of pride. ”I can use magic.”

Whoosh!

I conjured another flame along the dagger’s blade.

Rubia drew in a sharp breath. ”Th-that’s impossible!”

”What do you mean?”

Rubia lowered her head, her face earnest. ”I’m sorry! I’ve never awakened a mage! You’re speaking, too, and... it can’t be me. I didn’t do anything... I really didn’t do anything!”

She blurted out her words in a rush, flustered.

”Does it bother you that you can speak with me?” I asked.

”No! It’s just... overwhelming...” With a small cough to steady her voice, she continued, ”I only learned from books. This is my first time... my first... something’s definitely wrong! It has to be wrong.”

Clatter.

I shrugged. Seeing Rubia so desperate to deny any responsibility was almost amusing.

Then, I suddenly thought of how I’d seen a similar look on her face before—right before I died in just a single day. It didn’t make me want to laugh.

”You must have a natural talent,” Rubia said.

”Talent?” I repeated.

”Yes. Are you sure this is your first time? The way you stood atop that grave, calling to me... it seemed so practiced.”

In truth, what was familiar was her presence as she called to me. When I thought of how many times I’d died, guilt churned in my chest.

”Heh...”

Rubia bit her lip slightly, as if she’d caught a glimpse of my thoughts, and smiled. ”That’s ridiculous... I’m nothing special!”

”I’m not joking,” I said.

”You’re serious?”

I offered a simple explanation to reassure her that she had talent. It wasn’t a lie. Compared to the worthless necromancers in the Demon Kings’ army—who raised hundreds of corpses only to mismanage them—Rubia, sitting here calmly speaking with me, was a true necromancer.

I remembered my conversation with Gith-Za-Rai.

”Are you saying... Rubia has talent as a necromancer?”

”Of course. If she’d lived, I’d have brought her into my ranks. A pity.”

Later, when I meet Gith-Za-Rai... maybe I should introduce Rubia to her, I thought vaguely.

Rubia watched me carefully. ”First... should we buy clothes?”

”We need armor,” I said.

Rubia blinked her eyes. ”Ah! Armor! How did you know exactly what I meant?”

Of course, I knew. It was something I’d repeated over and over.

”Then...”

First, we’d stop by Yublam. It was a day and a half’s journey to Grassmere. Rubia would need food, and there were things near Yublam that I needed to pick up.

When I shared my thoughts, Rubia nodded. ”Then... I’ll go alone and get the armor quickly!”

”I’m coming with you.”

”What?”

[Skill: Stealth Lv. 6 activated.]

[Trace Erasure (C+) activated.]

”I’ll come along like this, so it won’t matter.”

The situation played out much like it had in my previous life.

When I revealed my ability, Rubia looked like she might faint. ”You can... leave me here, really. I can manage on my own. I’ll be fine... there’s not much for me to do anyway...”

Of course, neither part was true. Rubia could never survive alone, and she had much to contribute. I had no intention of giving up the benefits of the servant system; her simply being here was already a great help.

I nodded. ”Then our destination is Yublam.”

Could there be elite ghosts in Yublam, too?

After what I’d seen in Erast, just the thought of entering a city left me uneasy. But when I’d slaughtered the Yublam guards and walked in... Not a single one appeared.

It’s Erast that’s twisted.

Yes. Erast must’ve been the problem.

***

Thump.

I tossed the silver bars I’d dug up onto the ground in front of Rubia. She couldn’t even speak. She just blinked at them, mouth agape.

”I’d like you to handle these,” I explained.

”A-are these... all...” Rubia stammered.

”I’ll give you a fair commission for managing them.”

Of course, that fair commission meant the entire amount. Money was useless to me.

In any case, keep it. Even if I know what money is, I have no use for it.

That was what I’d told her the first night I survived. Sadly, the Rubia standing before me didn’t remember that conversation. Each time I returned to the past, everything I’d built up vanished.

”Can I... even touch these?” Rubia asked.

”Will you steal them?” I asked back.

”No! Never!”

”Then... there are two more caches. Even if you stole them, I wouldn’t mind. Just make sure to keep them organized.”

”Then... I’ll mark them with your name.”

”My name?”

”I’ll write Mr. Skeleton. Otherwise... I might pretend I didn’t see them when I want to keep them later.”

”Pretend all you like.”

”Ugh.”

I dug up the other two caches. Just as I was almost finished with the final site near the spider nest, I sensed something.

What’s this?

I sensed a presence near the spider nest.

Detection.

The trace was clear. It didn’t seem like a dangerous opponent.

”Rubia,” I called.

”Yes!” Rubia replied.

”Do you hate spiders?”

Rubia flinched at the word spider.

Rubia’s lips were pressed tight, but she shook her head. ”Not really... it’s fine.”

She looked far from fine.

She really hates them.

”Wait here for a moment,” I instructed.

I lifted Rubia up into a tree. I’d learned from the last time, so I carefully scanned the surroundings. The area was barren, so I didn’t expect any real danger from the one person ahead of us.

Pop!

I approached the place where someone was digging into the ground. Surprisingly, it was a familiar face.

The captain... of the guards?

It was the bald-headed captain of Yublam’s guards. He was the one who had loaded Rubia’s corpse onto a cart after killing her. Even from behind, that shiny bald dome was unmistakably his.

Why is he here?

Maintaining my stealth, I carefully crept up behind him.

[Servant System]

[Your master is nearby.]

[Approaching target for your master’s revenge.]

[The Invisible activated.]

[Stealth effectiveness increased by 30%.]

There it is!

The system messages appeared again. I’d encountered it a few times, but this was my first time seeing the full effect in a real situation. Even as I closed the distance, the bald guard captain didn’t notice a thing.

Impressive.

The bald guard captain was so absorbed in his task that he remained oblivious to me watching from just a few steps away.

Thump! Thump!

Using a small shovel, he dug at the earth and placed something into a box hidden deep inside.

What shone within wasn’t the silver bars I’d found—it was the dull, rich gleam of gold.

Gold ingots?

They were small, but the difference in value between gold and silver was beyond comparison. I’d learned of three silver caches in my regressions, each managed by an official.

This spot must be his personal stash...

There were three gold ingots, each about a kilogram, and a pile of gold coins.

What kind of atrocities must a lowly guard captain of a modest city commit to amass so much wealth? He must have painted those bars with the cries of the dying.

”Hey,” I muttered.

”Heeek!”

The bald Yublam guard captain spun around with a startled scream, slashing a sword behind him. The blow was clean enough for a man panicking, but it was leagues beneath me.

Suction.

”Gah! Gahhh!”

His longsword stuck to my dagger, unable to break free.

Fear.

[You are within your master’s domain.]

[Revenge active.]

[Skill effects increased by 15%.]

The bald guard captain stopped struggling and froze.

This far, huh?

After a moment’s thought, I covered the hole he’d dug.

”Move,” I ordered, prodding his back.

Seized by fear, the bald guard captain obeyed my commands. It was almost funny to see him trembling so violently. He was going to die either way. There was no need to waste time dragging him to Yublam because I could deal with him right here.

Screeech!

As we entered the depths of the spider cave, hungry spiders began to converge.

[You have left master’s domain.]

[Amplification effect removed.]

So that’s the limit of the range.

The bald guard captain flinched and whimpered. I pushed through the cave, fending off the spiders as I went deeper.

My goal was to feed him to their leader. A man like this deserved to be fed to the queen. Soon, we came upon a massive spider in the shadows.

Keeyaaaak!

A spider nearly four meters long loomed ahead.

As fast as always...

Yet, using it as a mount would be impractical.

Not to mention, Rubia would faint if I even suggested it.

The bald guard captain was sobbing, pleading for his life. However, he’d already fulfilled his purpose by revealing this secret cache of gold.

Whip!

I threw him at the approaching Webslinger.

I killed too many of these during my regressions.

Even though they were meant to guard the dungeon, I’d slain them again and again. A sense of guilt flared in me. It felt fair to offer them a live meal, just once.

Shrrrk!

The Webslinger shot out strands of sticky white silk, wrapping him tightly. Tears welled in the guard captain’s eyes, slipping down his cheeks in cloudy rivulets of terror.

Keeyaaak!

The Webslinger suddenly lunged at me, catching me off guard. ”You, now you’re—?”

It had already secured one meal, yet it dared to attack me.

”Where do you think you’re going?”

Crunch!

I drove the captain’s own sword into the spider’s abdomen. Despite its huge frame, the blade sank halfway to the hilt, forcing the spider to rear back in pain. The Webslinger had twelve legs, each as thick as a greatsword, yet not one could block my blade.

Keeyaaak! Kyaaaak!

Its many eyes spun wildly in every direction. Black blood oozed from the wound in its belly. It was a sizable injury, but not life-threatening for a creature so much larger than a man.

Keeeek!

Screeching in pain, the spider turned away from me and back to its bound meal, as if to forget its suffering.

Crack!

The Webslinger clicked its many teeth together, closing in around the head of the helpless captain.

Time to leave.

This was enough. If I stayed to kill the Webslinger too, then it would be too obvious that an outsider had intervened. A single injury would leave the right impression.

Baal’s altar was below this place, right?

There was no reason to stir things up now. I decided to quietly slip away.