Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner-Chapter 325: Episode

Dungeons. Enigmatic spaces that defied all modern academic knowledge. They were known to manifest naturally, without any discernible cause, connecting the continent to some unknown third space. Many scholars had dedicated their lives to uncovering their secrets, and the revolutionary technology of ’Subspace’ was a direct result of that research. Of course, that had only scratched the surface of the dungeons’ mysteries. The reason Endolas Bordeville’s ability was considered one of the continent’s top ten mysteries was precisely because of his extraordinary power to create a sort of miniature dungeon.

These dungeons were scattered across the land, and according to Lorraine, some people actually lived inside them. They controlled access to the entrances with an unidentified phenomenon called the ’Blood Ring’. It was said that if anyone approached without permission, their blood would begin to boil, killing them instantly. Because of this absolute isolation, which no army or security force could penetrate, these places had become dens for criminals and pits of evil.

The Alliance had ignored the problem for a while, but recently, an extremely dangerous criminal was reported to have passed through a Blood Ring. In response, the Alliance requested that Kizen dispatch a necromancer to dismantle it. Silage, the foremost expert in hemomancy, was the one sent for the job. The Blood Ring had already been reduced by nearly half, and its complete removal was expected within the year.

Simon, who had been listening with rapt attention, finally asked, "Who is this extremely dangerous criminal?"

Lorraine’s eyes narrowed, and she flicked him sharply on the forehead.

"Ow!" he yelped, covering the spot.

"That’s enough," she chided. "Professor Silage’s mission is top secret. How much more do you expect me to spill? Are you an investigator from headquarters?"

She had a point. Simon lowered his hand. "So, will we be able to see him next year?"

"Probably. Of course, the final decision rests with the current professor, Walter, but since Silage is his teacher, he’ll likely defer to him. He should be back on campus next year."

Walter would step down as the Hemomancy professor. ’Will this unsettling feeling finally end when I’m a second-year?’ The mere thought brought a brief wave of relief.

"In that case, I also..."

"Hm?" Lorraine tilted her head slightly. "There’s something I want to ask you."

"Huh? M-Me? Ask anything."

She hesitated, her gaze darting about before she finally spoke in a hushed voice. "What do you think about Kizen’s headquarters?"

Simon was confused. Kizen headquarters? The question came completely out of the blue. Her red eyes stared at him, waiting intently for his answer.

"C-Can I be honest?"

"Yes. Be honest."

He had no idea what she was getting at. ’As Nephthys’s daughter, is she trying to gauge student opinion?’

"They might be working hard in their own way," Simon began, deciding to be frank, "but from a student’s perspective, they’re the axis of evil."

He continued, voicing what he truly felt. "Whenever headquarters interferes with an exam, it always causes trouble. Things either become impossibly difficult or just plain strange. Honestly, the evaluations run directly by the professors are much more stable."

This was, in fact, the consensus among most Kizen students. He felt a small thrill of satisfaction, as if he had spoken for everyone.

But one look at Lorraine’s face told him he’d given the wrong answer. She wasn’t angry or upset, just... disappointed. An expression that said, ’That’s not it.’

"Th-Then what do you think about the Ivory Tower?" she asked again, a hint of impatience coloring her tone.

"I don’t really have any thoughts on it." He was being honest. They had once coveted his position as Lord Commander, but that was ancient history. It was Meirin and Serne’s home faction, and that was about it. But seeing Lorraine’s displeased expression, he quickly added, "B-But the Ivory Tower is such an old and rigid organization. It seems like it would be stiff and suffocating to live there. I hear stories from Meirin sometimes, and it sounds stifling."

Finally. Lorraine’s eyes lit up.

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah."

She seemed satisfied, much to Simon’s relief.

"Ah, let’s stop talking about this and focus on the game," he said, changing the subject.

Lorraine nodded, her gaze sweeping the banquet hall. "Has the Pig Princess not come out yet?"

"Looks like it."

The rules were extremely simple. The ’Knights’ protect the princess. The ’Assassins’ kill her. Even as he spoke with Lorraine, Simon was meticulously observing the animals. This waiting period was crucial for the Knights. It was their chance to identify the assassins by looking for any unnatural behavior. All the animals here were characters from ’Animal Kingdom’. By questioning them about their personalities and backgrounds from the story, they could gradually narrow down the culprits.

’But these assassins are too good.’ No matter how hard he looked, no one stood out. You’d think they’d lie low to avoid making a mistake, but every animal was mingling and making small talk. The ’Sluggish Duck’ was just spacing out by itself, but that was in character. The two students playing the assassins must have memorized the fairy tale by heart.

’This game is a psychological battle based on fairy-tale knowledge.’ It was designed to test their judgment, reasoning, and assassination skills. But this was just the prelude. The real game would begin when the ’Pig Princess’ appeared.

"Esteemed guests! The Pig Princess is now entering!"

Right on cue, the main character arrived. Every animal rose to its feet. Simon and Lorraine stepped forward. From the lavish staircase on the third floor, a fat pig with a protruding belly descended, taking each step with painstaking effort.

"Ohohoho! Thank you all for coming!" the Pig Princess cooed, waving elegantly. She was flanked by two dogs armed with weapons.

’They can’t attack her directly here.’ Simon was already looking past her, scanning the other animals. It would be difficult to kill the thick-necked princess with a single blow from a distance. And the assassins knew the story inside and out. The most effective method would be poison. They would likely try to poison her food with a toxin from their Subspace, something they’d learned in Venomology. After all, according to the story, nothing could stop the gluttonous princess from eating.

"Pig Princess! Baron Horse pays his respects!"

"Ohoho! I heard you were busy!"

A few animals came forward to greet her. Complaining of fatigue from her weight and trembling legs, the Pig Princess went straight to her designated spot on a spacious, circular sofa. As soon as she sat, the other animals swarmed around her, showering her with flattery.

"Ohoho! And we have humans with cute little ears, too!" The Pig Princess’s gaze fell upon Simon and Lorraine. "You were allowed in because you walk on two legs, but I shall have to change the kingdom’s laws! Animals that walk on two legs are superior. But humans are not!"

"A truly wonderful idea, Princess!" one of the animals fawned.

"Ohohoho!"

She had no idea they were trying to protect her from assassins. Simon sighed. It couldn’t be helped; it was part of the story.

’To guard her closely, the standard approach is to win her favor.’ Having read the tale, Simon knew exactly what to say to charm her.

’Clack, clack.’

He knew what words she liked, what foods she craved.

’Clack, clack.’

But the assassins would surely try to interfere. He would have to listen for any remarks that were out of character or overly malicious; those would be his clues. Fairy tale knowledge. Psychological warfare. It was all well and good.

But why bother playing by the rules?

There was a much easier way.

’Shnk!’

"Back off, if you value the princess’s life."

It was to use Lorraine’s strength. She had suddenly stepped in, pressing a red dagger to the Pig Princess’s throat.

’Kyaaaaaaah!’

"P-P-Princess!"

The banquet hall erupted into chaos.

"What are you waiting for? Not backing off?" Lorraine pressed the dagger harder, drawing a thin line of blood. The princess let out a terrified squeal and burst into tears.

"Blood! Blood! Bloooood!"

With that vicious smile on her face, Lorraine looked like a true villain, even to Simon. He followed her lead, drawing a shortsword from his Subspace and leveling it at the princess’s neck.

"Everyone, back away," he commanded.

"How dare you humans!" one of the dogs barked. "Is this how you repay our kindness?"

The Pig Princess, seeing the blood trickling down her own neck, began to sob hysterically. "He said to back off! Hurry up! I’m going to die! I’m going to die! Squeeeeeal!"

At her command, the animals scrambled backward. Simon was genuinely curious what expressions the assassins were wearing right now.

’With an assassin in the crowd and the risk of poisoning, the most foolproof way to protect her is, paradoxically, to take her hostage.’

The tables had turned. Simon glanced upward.

’We have to hold out for thirty minutes.’ A timer had appeared when the princess arrived. Two minutes had already passed.

’Come out.’ Simon opened his Subspace, and his skeletons materialized. Lorraine, taking the hint, did the same, surrounding the princess with a cordon of bone.

"M-Monsters!" the animals cried, stamping their feet in panic.

"Any rash moves will harm the princess," Simon announced calmly. "We have one demand. Everyone here will exit the mansion. Comply, and the princess will be spared."

"Y-You despicable humans!"

"We never should have let them in!"

At that, Lorraine flicked her dagger, nicking the princess’s skin again. As a fresh drop of blood welled up, the Pig Princess’s eyes rolled back in terror.

"What are you doing! They said get out! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

At her frantic order, the animals began to retreat, but one was noticeably dawdling. It was a sheep, its fluffy wool peeking out from a well-tailored suit.

"E-Everyone, wait!" the sheep stammered, its voice trembling. "If we all leave, the Pig Princess will be in even more danger! Who knows what those humans will do to her in here!"

A smirk touched Simon’s lips. ’Nice try, assassin.’ If everyone left, the opportunity for assassination would vanish.

’Shnk!’ Lorraine moved her dagger again, lightly scoring the princess’s chin. "Still dawdling? Should I show you what happens next?"

Simon shot her a subtle look to calm down. ’Why does she seem to be enjoying this so much?’

"Squeeeeeal! Get out, quickly!" the princess shrieked, on the verge of a seizure. "Don’t provoke them, just get out!"

The fox in the suit grabbed the sheep’s arm. "Calm down. Okay? Look at that human woman’s eyes. She’s completely insane."

"...Hah, no, really." The sheep violently shook off the fox’s arm and stomped its foot.

’Thump-thump-thump!’

Then, erupting with Jet-Black energy, it charged.

The sheep’s massive body sent the surrounding skeletons flying. Just as it was about to throw a punch at Lorraine—

’Thwack!’

Simon’s body blurred, appearing between them to deliver a powerful kick. "Finally showing your true colors, assassin."

"Kugh!" The sheep staggered back, having blocked the attack by a hair’s breadth, and dropped to one knee.

"Lorraine, cover the back," Simon said.

"Okay."

A cat that had been stealthily climbing the ceiling was now diving toward the Pig Princess. Lorraine moved to intercept it.

Simon commanded his skeletons. While they held their swords to the princess’s neck to keep her from escaping, he engaged the assassin sheep.

"Dammit!"

’Whoosh! Whoosh!’

The suited sheep swung its fists wildly. "Hey, you crazy bastards! Knights kidnapping the princess?! Isn’t this against the rules?"

"I’m simply choosing the most rational method," Simon replied, ducking under a punch and cloaking his right hand in Jet-Black.

’Blade Infusion’—Hongfeng Original

At the same instant, the sheep’s right hand was also enveloped in darkness.

’Blade Infusion’—Hongfeng Original

The two infused fists collided mid-air with a deafening shriek of energy. The shockwave sent plates and cups shattering to the floor.

The sheep immediately infused its left fist and swung. It was handling its new animal body with surprising skill. ’Must be a Martial Arts major.’

’I’ll use that large frame against it.’

Simon darted in close, slipping past the sheep’s side. Dodging the swinging fist, he lightly placed his open palm against its waist.

’Even if it’s still incomplete!’ The image of a candle flame flashed in his mind—the technique he used to extinguish it by releasing Jet-Black. As his palm brushed against the sheep, it shimmered with dark energy.

’Quenching Palm’—Simon Original

Simon straightened his arm, pushing forward with his palm. A thunderclap of Jet-Black erupted in a circle.

’BOOOOOM!’

"Keoheok!" Saliva flew from the sheep’s mouth as its massive body was blasted into the air from the impact.

’I did it! It worked in a real fight!’ A triumphant smile spread across Simon’s face.