By Zephyria 
To the north of the Sierran capital lay Eldos Mountain, an offshoot of the Yuil Mountains. To its west, where the five kingdoms were situated, lay the Duchy of Widrow, and to its east, bordering the East Sea, was the Duchy of Grimesbane.
The Duchy of Grimesbane was Sierran’s premier source of iron ore and weapon production. Dozens, even hundreds, of minerals were mined from the ridges of the Yuil Mountains, and the abundant waters of the East Sea were used to cool the heated iron. Naturally, many skilled artisans had flocked to Grimesbane over the past few hundred years.
In the Sierran Empire, all steel weapons were crafted by master artisans. Their techniques were passed down through apprenticeships, meaning that when the flame of one furnace died out, a single skill would vanish with it. Losing Grimesbane was tantamount to losing three hundred years of Sierran weaponry.
The reason Grimesbane fell so effortlessly was obvious.
Currently, Grimesbane had no leader.
The successors who should have inherited Grimesbane, Wendy and Vivian Grimbswein, were hiding their identities and studying at Shierun Academy. They had just enrolled when I was in my third year, so they should be in their final year now.
Without anyone to lead them, the artisans of that land could not have evacuated swiftly.
“…It’s no wonder they didn’t look like mercenaries… they were too well-dressed.”
“…”
“They must have been knights. The… zombies we saw on the way.”
Giselle’s voice scattered futilely in the wide clearing.
Yes, we had fought our way here, dispatching several zombies.
The zombies we encountered at the very beginning mostly wore the attire of Owen’s mercenaries. They were clad in light armor, had dark complexions, and wore thick leather boots. The corpse of the Cigarette Man had risen as he was in death and pursued us.
However, the ones we saw a little later were different. They wore lighter clothing, and the torn parts of their bodies had been meticulously stitched up. They carried good swords and wore boots with holes.
How far had they been dragged for their boots to wear out so completely?
It was standard practice to recover the bodies of fallen knights and return them to their families. While knights themselves retrieved the bodies, laborers were responsible for transporting them to their hometowns. It was clear that the bodies, being transported in such a manner, had been stolen by some means.
They had clearly been taken and scattered into the desert by us.
It was a devastating realization. My heart sank with distress.
It was Hugh Benson, as always, who broke the silence.
“What answer will you send back?”
“Since we’ve gotten closer to the correct answer, it’s time we explained properly.”
Rubel replied in a neat, unwavering tone.
“From now on, what we do will have a significant impact on this continent, for whatever reason. While few have seen a god in the Oasis, there are a significant number of believers who have heard divine revelations in the Sanctuary of the Sun. It will be safer to disclose our destination and travel openly.”
“How much should we reveal about the zombies?”
“We should borrow the words of the Sun God to explain. I don’t know if we can recover the wandering dead from the Shatun Desert, but shouldn’t we erect a memorial tablet in a suitable place? We need to take testimonies from those whose bodies were stolen, so the sooner the better.”
As I listened silently to the children’s conversation, Marianne tugged at my sleeve.
“Michael.”
“Yes?”
“Before… what did you do with the bodies of your allies? Was there a magic circle or something to prevent them from rising as zombies?”
“…”
“You don’t have to remember the exact spell formula. Even just knowing what effect it had, or how many mq of mana it used, would be enough for me to look for something similar here.”
My breath caught in my throat.
Looking into the many pairs of eyes fixed on me, my heart ached deeply. Many names, worn away by the passage of long years and thought forgotten, churned within me.
I managed to find my voice. I tried my best not to inject any emotion into my words. Fortunately, I could speak clearly. Without crying, without faltering. I simply stated the facts as I remembered them.
“Where I lived, we originally buried the dead. Then, before a full day had passed, evil spirits would dig up the graves and steal the bodies.”
Corpse Odor.
What could be more foul than that?
It was impossible to hide, even if one tried. When Sajil, whom I had promised to bury in a sunny spot later, stood before me in hempen clothes, holding the Changcheon Sword, I did not hesitate to cut him down. That was when there were still many crying children behind my back.
“We also floated them on water for funerals. Yet, the bodies were still stolen.”
Many who heard that the dead could rise from the ground chose to drown them. They floated the bodies, wrapped for burial, down a wide river, saying, “Shouldn’t we at least send them off with a lament?” After they crawled out of the water, half-rotted, no one did that anymore.
After burial and drowning became impossible, those who died were buried in our hearts.
“Even after cutting off their heads and burying the head and body separately, they still rose again… so we cut them into more than sixteen pieces and buried them separately.”
“…”
Regret flickered across Marianne’s face.
However, I needed to justify my actions. I continued with a bitter tone.
“…So that they couldn’t be used again, and because it was too much trouble to sew them back together.”
What I had taught them until now was the last resort.
How could one watch the dismembered body of a loved one with a clear mind? Yet, one could not bear to let strangers inflict such indignity. So, usually, one of the deceased’s relatives would step forward to assist with the non-funeral funeral. Because I had lived longer than most, I had seen many Sajil through this process.
Marianne, who had been fidgeting throughout my story, immediately bowed and apologized.
“I’m sorry, Michael.”
“No, it’s alright. It’s only natural to be curious.”
In the Sierran Empire, too, people were buried in the ground when they died.
The funeral procedures and forms differed slightly from the Central Plains. Sierran had parks for the deceased in each territory.
Sierrans would place flowers inside the coffin containing the body, and then place ornate sculptures on top of the buried coffin as decoration. Paths were made between the sculptures, and flowers were planted. When one wished to honor the deceased, they would bring new flowers to the sculpture and weep before it.
Thinking of those who could no longer perform proper funeral rites made my chest tighten.
“The reason we didn’t think of burning the bodies was due to a lack of wood from prolonged wars and poverty at the time. Seeing the funeral rites used in Biban and Yulan on this trip… if we have the means, that would be the least…”
“…You don’t have to think about that, Mika.”
Rubel cut me off and took my hand.
There were few times when Rubel’s hand was warmer than mine. The child spoke in a clear voice.
“That is for Father to decide. Thank you for telling me. That’s enough.”
“…Yes.”
And so, the very next day, from the early hours of dawn, we gathered before the audience chamber, waiting for the doors to open.
The wait to meet the Sun God felt much longer than before. Though the time of sunrise was roughly the same each day, none of us could sleep soundly after hearing that the Empire was under attack.
As soon as the sun rose beyond the horizon, straighter than the sea, small Maklirs, who had been waiting for morning with us nearby, swarmed in and opened the doors to the audience chamber.
The Sun God sat on the highest seat in the audience chamber. He looked exactly as he had before. His well-braided Maklir roots reached down to the foot of the dais.
[Are you ready to depart?]
“Yes. Thank you for embracing us with your warm light.”
Rubel replied formally to the god’s gentle voice, and with cautious movements, knelt on the red carpet, straightening his back. The other five, standing half a step behind him, and the mercenaries, standing three steps behind them, all knelt.
It was to seek mercy and compassion.
Everyone knew that the Sun God’s power could not yet reach the Sierran Empire. However, with the benevolent god present before them, they felt they had to borrow some of his power. It was only yesterday that John’s display of reverence for the Sun God had benefited the entire group. All of them looked up to him with body and soul.
The god’s gaze calmly swept over the tops of our heads. He did not bother to ask why we knelt. Rubel opened his mouth again in a calm tone.
“However, a trial has befallen us that is beyond our human strength, and we dare to ask for your help.”
[….]
“Currently, in the Sierran Empire…”
The left branch of the Maklir was raised. The Sun God waved his hand slightly, stopping the child’s words.
Was it a god’s prerogative to seem to know without being told? The Sun God, in a gentle tone, as if consoling us with great pity, murmured.
[It is all the same.]
“…”
[The divine source cannot be moved and exist simultaneously. Go to the place I indicate and scatter the ninth source. Then you will be able to prevent the troubles you worry about.]
“Does that mean…”
[Constant temptation will follow. But I promise. I will continue to shine my light for you every day. Until the darkness of the night has sufficiently receded.]
A gentle breeze lifted the group to their feet. Facing the children who stood up awkwardly, the god calmly explained the path we must take and the tasks we must perform. We listened patiently, asked various questions, and received many answers.
Therefore, the words we conveyed to Ranunculus are as follows.
Our party received a special divine revelation in the Sanctuary of the Sun.
The black magician, suspected to be the mastermind behind the Monster Variant incident, is estimated to number around thirty individuals.
These black magicians are creating monsters using the bodies of fallen knights, so ensure the remains of the Empire’s knights are protected.
Eleven individuals, including the Second Prince, will depart to eliminate the black magicians in the name of the Sun God. If the current force is insufficient, reinforcements will be requested immediately, so prepare troops in a location that allows for the fastest movement, namely, west of Felix.
Upon mission completion or failure, we will return to the Sanctuary to regroup. Therefore, please send the next Ranunculus to the Sanctuary of the Sun.
I felt pity for Ranunculus, who had to embark on a long journey without much rest. I sincerely wished that the creature would have ample time to be cherished upon arrival at the Duchy of Widrow.