The Soldier Shouted Save

Chapter 15

What did it mean that my profession had changed to necromancer?

The messages and the sudden transformation were overwhelming.

—

[Goal Scenario: ‘The Path of the Necromancer’ has been achieved.]

[‘Pre-order’ feature is now available.]

[Achievement Shop: Purchased ‘Subclass Change’ – 4000pt]

[Subclass has been changed from ‘Dark Sorcerer’ to ‘Corpse Summoner.’]

—

‘…What is this?’

My vision shifted.

The world I had always seen was now overlaid with another—an eerie, grayscale version of reality.

The glowing orbs that had once looked like floating spirits now appeared fully formed, like people with limbs.

‘Damn it, what should I do?’

Spirits rained down from the sky like a storm.

I stepped back, nauseated, but the spirits clung to me persistently, forcing their way into my body.

“Ahh, so cozy! So cozy!”

“Thanks for setting us free!”

“Can we stay here forever?”

My head pounded.

Though the spirits looked like adults, they chattered with the giddy energy of children.

“Get… get out of my body…!”

Struggling against the sound that felt like it would tear my head apart, I managed to let out a strained voice.

Pop!

A bright white light exploded before my eyes, and the spirits burst out of me, ascending to the sky.

“Huff… huff… huff…”

The unpleasant sensation, like something had torn through my insides, still lingered in my body.

As I slowly exhaled, trying to calm myself down, a soft, cold voice reached my ears.

“You truly are a necromancer.”

I turned toward the voice.

The priest was looking at me with an expressionless face.

“…I’m not—”

“Shh. Don’t move, just stay still.”

The priest began molding the golden light in her hands as if she were kneading dough.

A thin, elongated shape emerged from her hands.

It was a golden spear.

“…”

Seeing her armed with a weapon, my instincts took over, and I found myself gripping the hilt of my sword.

Clink.

As I assumed a stance, prepared to draw my sword, the priest halted her approach.

“What’s your name?”

“Allen.”

“Do you have any family?”

“A younger sister.”

Was she using idle conversation as a diversion?

The priest subtly resumed her steps, closing the distance between us.

Shing.

I partially drew my sword as a warning for her to stop.

The priest stared at me silently, as if contemplating something, before she spoke again.

“You’re preparing to draw your sword, aren’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“It’s a little unusual. How do you do it?”

With a flick of her wrist, the priest transformed her golden spear into a sword.

A sword similar in length to the one I was holding.

She mimicked my stance, twisting her waist awkwardly, trying to imitate my posture.

“Like this… and bend the knees? Hmm, this is harder than it looks. How do you manage that stance?”

The priest grimaced as she attempted to follow my form, placing a hand on her waist in discomfort.

It seemed she had twisted too hard and strained her back.

“…What are you doing?”

“Ahhh… I was testing something. You see, a powerful necromancer can sometimes possess others while in spirit form.”

She glanced around at the air as she explained.

“The necromancer’s soul disappeared before I could exorcise it… but that stance of yours is tough to replicate unless you’re a trained swordsman.”

The priest gave an awkward laugh, but then her expression turned serious.

Thud.

With her back straight, she suddenly sat down on the ground, her face twisted in pain as she looked up at me with tearful eyes.

“…Help me, I think I seriously hurt my back.”

“Aren’t you capable of healing yourself?”

“I used up all my strength exorcising the souls…”

She was acting like a child.

“Please, help me get up…”

I released my grip on my sword, exasperated by her foolish behavior.

“Here, grab my arm.”

I moved to her side, offering her my shoulder to lean on, supporting her frail body.

As soon as she pressed close, she brought her lips near my ear and whispered softly.

“Got you, necromancer.”

Startled, I jerked my head back, only to hear her giggling.

“Did I scare you?”

“…You seem full of energy. Why don’t you walk on your own?”

“Ah! Don’t be like that! I was only joking!”

She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and leaned heavily on me.

“I really did hurt my back. Carry me.”

I shot her a disapproving look over my shoulder.

Meeting my eyes, she smiled sweetly, pretending to be innocent.

With a small sigh, I bent down and lifted her onto my back.

“Ow! My back! Can’t you walk without shaking me so much?”

“If you’d prefer, I can find a zombie to carry you steadily.”

“On second thought, I think a little shaking is more comfortable.”

Her response left me speechless, and I turned my head to look back at her again.

With a gleeful expression, she raised her arms.

“Yah! Giddy up! Let’s go!”

I couldn’t remember the last time I felt such rage boiling up from deep inside me.

As I seriously contemplated dropping her on the ground, a more somber voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Did you suddenly gain the ability to control spirits?”

“I don’t know.”

“…I wish I could figure out why, but it seems difficult.”

She patted my back gently, as if trying to calm a child.

A golden light flickered behind me and seeped into my body.

“There’s no need to worry. I’m just removing the remnants of the spirits inside you. You should feel more at ease now.”

Contrary to her reassuring words, all I felt was an overwhelming sense of drowsiness.

The familiar sensation of exhaustion washed over me, and I stopped walking.

…That’s right.

I remembered now.

Priests were always like this.

I lowered her back to the ground.

“Already tired?” she asked playfully.

“I’m not comfortable carrying a ticking time bomb.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“Even now, you’re still wondering if I’ve been possessed by the necromancer’s soul or not.”

I tossed my weapon to the ground.

“I won’t resist. Check me however you like.”

At my words, her playful smile faded into a blank expression.

“…Hmm.”

She folded her arms, thinking deeply.

“You’re quite familiar with how priests operate.”

“I was a royal guard.”

“Oh, really?”

“A priest once told me, ‘The reason priests act good is so they can deceive evil people.’ A royal priest said that to me.”

“Hehe, that’s an interesting saying. I can’t entirely agree, but it’s not wrong either.”

The priest chuckled but wore a bittersweet smile.

“A priest who’s good at lying is a priest who survives.”

Perhaps she decided there was no longer a need to hide her sharp nature.

The priest clapped her hands together.

A brilliant golden light surged through my body.

“…Ugh.”

It was excruciating.

It felt like someone was wringing out my internal organs.

“In truth, I was planning to take you down when I found an opening. When I was riding on your back, I was certain.”

The priest knelt before me, meeting my eyes as I clutched my chest in pain.

“The necromancer’s soul is inside your body.”

Her words made my eyes widen, and I looked down at my abdomen.

Then, something appeared in the corner of my vision.

—

[Soul Slot 1 ― Corpse Summoner Deckard]

[You can activate Deckard’s ‘World of the Dead.’]

—

As I stared at the text, my vision darkened.

—

[World of the Dead is now active.]

—

The color drained from the world.

Green leaves turned black, and the brown bark of trees became white.

Everything turned into shades of black and white.

From this distorted world, a voice echoed.

“Please… let me out of here…”

I followed the voice, turning my head.

Behind me, in the shadow cast by my heels, a figure made of mud stared up at me, pleading and sobbing.

—

[Will you release the soul of Corpse Summoner Deckard?]

[Warning: If you release Deckard’s soul, ‘World of the Dead’ will no longer be accessible.]

—

Corpse Summoner Deckard.

The necromancer of Dane Village was truly inside my body.

“Please… let me move on….”

Just like the souls trapped in the skeletons, yearning for release.

“…”

The priest quietly examined my face before clapping her hands, releasing a wave of divine power.

Brilliant golden light washed away the black-and-white world, restoring the colors that had vanished.

—

[The World of the Dead has been deactivated.]

—

My vision returned to normal.

The priest inspected my condition and spoke.

“It doesn’t seem like your body has been taken over. And… it looks like the necromancer’s soul has been subdued, for some reason.”

She stood up, deep in thought, her expression troubled.

“Only a priest, a mage, or another necromancer can suppress a necromancer’s soul.”

She looked directly into my eyes and asked, “You’re not a priest or a mage. So, can you explain how you were able to subdue the soul?”

Priests exist to kill necromancers.

But this priest, standing before me, was different from the royal priests who wouldn’t blink an eye even if hundreds of people died.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“…Eris,” she replied.

She was trying to maintain her composure, but her hands fidgeted nervously, as if hoping for a reassuring answer.

“What would you do if I were a necromancer?”

Her restless hands stilled at my question.

Eris met my gaze directly and answered, “Nothing would happen.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. If you haven’t lost control of your body, then I want to remember you as just a normal soldier from the royal palace.”

I chuckled at her response.

“That doesn’t sound like something a priest would say.”

“I hear that often. The elder even told me I’d make a better mercenary than a priest.”

Eris laughed as if recalling an old memory, but her face slowly grew serious.

“Phew…”

She exhaled a long sigh and picked up the sword she had tossed to the ground, offering it to me.

It was the longsword once wielded by the hero who had turned into a skeleton.

I took the sword from her and returned it to my belt. Eris spoke with a somber expression.

“The Freya Church doesn’t ignore its benefactors.”

She clasped her hands together as if asking the goddess for forgiveness and added,

“…Even if that benefactor is a necromancer.”

Her sincerity reassured me, but it also made me uneasy.

After all, the emperor himself had declared necromancers more dangerous than monsters.

“Where are you headed?” I asked.

“I plan to report what happened in Dane Village to the church in Tallin.”

Eris let out a deep, guilt-ridden sigh, as if trying to convince herself that she wouldn’t report me as a necromancer.

“…”

Living as a necromancer in the Gerard Continent would be as difficult as living as a monster.

…If I were to die here, could I return to a time before becoming a necromancer?

I couldn’t find a solution on my own.

“I’ll tell you everything as we travel,” I said.

“…What exactly are you going to tell me?”

As I passed Eris, heading toward Tallin, I spoke over my shoulder.

“I’ll explain why I became a necromancer, and everything that’s happened up until now.”

Eris studied my face for a moment before nodding and following me. Together, we walked toward Tallin as I recounted my experiences.

“So, you’re saying the hero’s magic brought you back to life before you died?” Eris asked.

“It’s something I’ve experienced several times, even here in Dane Village.”

Given her close ties to heroes, I hoped she might have some insight into this strange ability.

After a moment of contemplation, Eris nodded slowly and began speaking, revealing something only a priest would know.

“I’ve read a similar story in the scriptures… A hero who prayed before the statue of the goddess was granted another chance at life after death.”

Another chance after death.

The mention of the goddess statue seemed to align with my situation.

“Is that statue in a temple somewhere?”

“No, the statues no longer exist. The necromancers destroyed them all decades ago.”

I sighed, realizing that what I thought was a clue had already been obliterated.

Seeing my disappointment, Eris tried to offer some hope.

“There is a ‘restored statue’ in Tallin, though. It’s said to be in the church’s underground chamber…”

Her words made my eyes widen in surprise.

“Can I see it too?”

“If I’m with you, it shouldn’t be difficult to access the statue… unless, of course, you really are a necromancer.”

Eris stopped walking and lowered her head apologetically.

“I said I wouldn’t ignore a benefactor, but I can’t allow a necromancer to step foot in the sacred church.”

The uncertainty in her voice told me she was still unsure whether I had fully turned into a necromancer, despite understanding that it wasn’t of my own will.

“I understand,” I replied simply, patting her shoulder in a gesture to encourage her to lift her head.

Eris smiled, relieved.

“Thank you, Allen. Thank you for trusting me. When we return to the church, I’ll do my best to find a way to remove the necromancer’s soul from your body.”

Her words made one thing clear to me.

Necromancers and priests cannot coexist.

The only reason she was offering me kindness was because she believed she could undo the transformation and restore me to who I was before.

—

[‘Necromancer’ is a profession obtained through the main scenario.]

[This profession cannot be changed.]

—

What would happen when she realized that even the church’s power couldn’t turn me back?

“Would you like me to look into the hero’s magic that allows you to turn back time as well?” Eris asked, offering to help in ways I hadn’t even considered.

I smiled at her well-meaning, but misguided, offer.

“I just need to take a quick break. I’ll be right back.”

“Oh, of course. Take your time,” she said.

As I turned off the path toward some nearby bushes, I glanced back to see Eris sitting on a large rock, stretching out her stiff shoulders.

Once I was sure she couldn’t see me, I drew the sword from my waist.

“…I need to deal with these spirits first.”

Without hesitation, I aimed the tip of the sword at my heart and drove it in.

*Thuck.*

As my consciousness faded, the world shifted again.

—

[You have died from your own attack. [Confirm]]

[Loading from auto-save. [Confirm]]

—

I reached out and dismissed the messages.

Above me, I heard familiar voices.

Freedom! Freedom!

Can I enter your body now?

He doesn’t seem to hear us!

Hehe, let’s just go in!

I looked up.

The spirits were falling from the sky like rain, trying to enter my body.

“Stay away.”

At my murmured command, the spirits froze.

Stay away? You don’t want us inside?

“…No, you can’t. Only one of you has business here.”

At my words, the confused spirits scattered, parting to reveal a single dark soul remaining in the sky.

H-how can you… control me in my spirit form?

The panicked necromancer’s soul tried to fly higher, attempting to escape, but another message appeared.

—

[The marked soul has been located.]

[‘Soul Slot 1’ has been filled with ‘Corpse Summoner Deckard.’]

—

A shadow stretched from behind me, splitting into thin tendrils like branches, reaching toward the soul.

C-corpse summoning magic?

The necromancer’s soul soared higher, but the shadow, like a snake hunting its prey, swiftly devoured him.

“No! Spirits, it’s time to return to Freya’s embrace,” Eris’s soft voice called out.

I turned my gaze to see Eris surrounded by spirits, her expression serious.

“I know you want to linger here, but now it’s time to go. I hope you all enjoy your next lives, living out your full years.”

She clasped her hands and whispered a prayer.

Golden light spread, pushing the spirits upward, sending them off into the sky.

“It’s done. The evil spirits have been destroyed, and the good ones have gone to the goddess Freya.”

How much of that had been the truth?

Despite having used such strong divine power, Eris didn’t seem at all fatigued.

“Hmm, why are you staring at me like that?” she asked.

I smiled, concealing the fact that she hadn’t realized I’d become a necromancer.

“There’s a goddess statue in the church in Tallin, right? Is that true?”

“Yes. Though it’s a restored version, the people of Tallin pray to it… Are you interested?”

The statue was said to grant heroes another chance at life after death.

I nodded at Eris’s hopeful question and replied,

“I’d like to offer a prayer to the goddess Freya myself.”

It’s time to uncover the secrets of the save system.

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