I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 94 - Reinforcements

[Kyah! There’s something strange here!]

"...?"

Earthy popped out of the earth with a shout.

Something strange, he said?

I glanced up at the sky and saw that the monsters were still far away.

There was enough time to go down to the base of the wall.

“What, what is it?”

“Don't get too excited, Charlotte. Stay behind me—it might be dangerous.”

“Okay...”

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' urges our dark knight to hold back and insists that you take the lead.]

There was no need for nagging; I was already planning to take the lead.

I grabbed the scruff of Charlotte’s neck, who was about to rush down in excitement, and pulled her behind me.

Drag, drag, drag.

She became a little sullen but didn’t resist as she allowed herself to be dragged along.

This girl... was she brave or just had no sense of danger?

With Sylvia in the lead, we descended the wall.

Since Earthy wasn't giving any serious warnings, it probably wasn’t anything dangerous.

The moment I approached and looked inside—

“...I don’t see anything.”

Only pitch-black darkness entered my sight.

I gave Sylvia a signal, and she snapped her fingers, muttering an underwhelming incantation.

“Spark!”@@novelbin@@

A light source floated in mid-air, scattering flashes of light.

The trench was soon brightly illuminated, revealing human bones.

Countless human bones, piled up layer upon layer.

“...Ugh.”

“What on earth is this?”

“Buried alive...? Ah. Judging by the fact that they're still in armor, it doesn’t seem like they were buried after death.”

Sylvia recoiled in horror.

She was right.

The bones were chaotically tangled rather than placed neatly according to any funeral custom.

They were clad in armor, and even weapons were scattered around them.

If it wasn’t a burial, was it evidence of a massacre?

But then I noticed that several animal bones were mixed in as well.

The human bones were relatively intact, but the animal bones had turned bluish, discolored.

“Animal bones corrupted by excessive mana. In other words, monster bones.”

“Did they perish in battle against monsters?”

“Yes. That seems the most plausible explanation.”

I could roughly imagine the scene.

The flag torn to shreds in the center.

The soldiers must have gathered around the flag for their final stand, ultimately being wiped out.

Judging by the style of their armor, it must have been quite some time ago.

I would need to ask the Northern Grand Duke for more details.

“What... what was it...?”

“They were the remains of soldiers who died in ancient times.”

“Eek!?”

“Why do you approach when you're so frightened?”

“Well, it’s... it’s sad, isn’t it? If they’ve been buried here all this time, it means they were forgotten. If there are souls that haven’t found peace, shouldn’t we help them move on...?”

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' sheds tears, praising our necromancer’s noble heart.]

Even while trembling in fear, Julia stepped forward.

I had momentarily forgotten since she’d been dealing with spirits lately, but Julia was a necromancer who could also handle souls.

Back when Master Jane appeared, she had been terrified and tried to flee.

But now, she was bravely stepping forward, trying to bring peace to the spirits.

Standing in front of the trench, Julia looked down, hiccupping nervously.

Then, putting her small hands together, she began to pray quietly.

...Wouldn’t that make them disappear instead of bringing them peace?

In many ways, it looked more like a cleric’s ritual than something a necromancer would do.

But since Kali seemed excited, it was probably fine.

As Julia finished her prayer and opened her eyes—

“Eek!?”

“What is it, Julia?”

“A-A skeleton moved down there!”

“Come on, you must have imagined it.”

“No! It really moved! You look for yourself!”

Julia, startled, fell back onto her bottom.

Seeing this, Charlotte giggled and approached the trench once more.

This felt strangely ominous.

Still playful, Charlotte leaned over to peer into the trench.

Her face turned pale, and her body stiffened.

At that moment, an instinctive sense of danger surged through me.

If Charlotte, who had a good reaction speed, froze like that, it meant she had been paralyzed by overwhelming fear.

I lunged forward, grabbed Charlotte by the back of her neck, and yanked her backward, holding her light body in my arms.

At that instant, a skeletal hand suddenly emerged from the trench.

“Kyahhh!!!”

Julia let out a piercing scream.

Charlotte clung to me like a koala, trembling violently.

The shaking of her body transferred directly through her ribs.

“I will take care of this, Master.”

“No, wait. It doesn’t seem hostile.”

“What...?”

Sylvia swiftly loosened the leather wrapping her sword, preparing to draw it.

I quickly stopped her.

A moving skeleton. Its appearance was certainly threatening, but I saw no hostility in its movements.

Could it be...?

“Julia, try talking to it.”

“What? What!? H-How do I even talk to that...!”

“You're the one who woke them. No one else can communicate with them. No matter how scared you are, just give it a try.”

“I-I’m not scared! O-Okay then...”

Julia’s voice quivered as she snapped back, but then she took a deep breath and showed a resolute gaze.

She was obviously scared, but she didn’t want to admit it.

“W-Who are you...”

Clack clack! Clack clack clack!

“Ahhhhh!!!”

As soon as Julia asked, the skeleton’s jawbone began to move quickly, making bizarre noises.

Then, numerous skeletal hands reached out from the trench, and skeletal soldiers began to climb out one after another.

Damn it. Did communication fail?

Sylvia, too, seemed to think it was hopeless and began to draw her sword when—

“Th-They... They said they're the First Demon Realm Expedition Force! After they died and were forgotten, they were buried in mana-infused earth, and their souls got trapped in their bodies...!”

“...What?”

Communication had worked?

By now, the skeletal soldiers had climbed out of the trench and lined up in an orderly manner.

The lead skeleton, clad in resplendent armor, knelt before Julia.

Clack clack clack! Clack clack!

“What are they saying, Julia?”

“Th-They’re saying they're grateful to me for finding and resurrecting them... and they want to pledge their loyalty to me... Ugh! I didn’t even mean to resurrect them!”

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' is deeply moved that our necromancer has finally obtained an undead army!]

An undead army.

The skeleton soldiers lined up in formation before Julia looked truly imposing.

Though their bodies had weathered over the years, their spirits seemed as resolute as ever.

It even looked as if a fierce blue glow was emanating from their empty eye sockets.

“Th-Then...! Help us defend against the Monster Wave!”

Clack!

“Kyah! You don’t have to respond!”

They all clicked their jawbones in response.

Then, drawing their weapons, they began to march.

The city had been in a state of emergency because of the unexpected appearance of flying monsters.

Perhaps with these troops, we could fend off the Monster Wave with minimal casualties?

As hope rose, a new sense of anxiety welled up about how to explain this to the Northern Grand Duke.

Just then, an urgent voice called out from behind.

“Aslan—Master! What on earth is all this?”

“Why did you bring the Lady here!?”

“The Lady insisted on coming with me, so I had no choice.”

“Hey!!!”

Yuri appeared, hand in hand with Merilda, who was clinging to his side.

Seeing that sight, my blood pressure spiked, and rage flared up inside me.

Why was Merilda here when she should be in the bunker?

And how on earth was I supposed to explain this to the Northern Grand Duke?

Ah, I was going to lose my mind.

***

“Have they still not found Merilda!? Damn it! Where could she have gone...!”

The Northern Grand Duke’s hands trembled.

Even on normal days, he would become anxious if his daughter was out of sight.

And now, of all times, she had gone missing right before a Monster Wave?

He felt like he was about to lose his mind.

If, by chance, something happened to her—

The mere thought made his chest tighten, tears welling in his eyes.

So this is how tyrants are born, he thought, beginning to understand just a little.

“Your Grace! We’ve located the Lady!”

“What!? Where? No, more importantly, is she hurt?”

“She’s unharmed. It seems Count Vermont’s group was guarding her.”

“Ha! That’s a relief! Thank goodness! Once again, I owe a debt to the Count!”

Only then did the Northern Grand Duke breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.

Now, he could send Merilda and the Count to the bunker and focus on the battle.

Sacrifices were inevitable this time, but he couldn’t allow the guests to be harmed.

“Evacuate everyone to the bunker. And the troops—are they ready for combat? I’ll take command from the wall.”

“Y-Yes, Your Grace. But, about the Count... Ah. I don’t know how to explain this...”

“What is it? Why are you stammering like that!”

“Apologies, Your Grace. It would be best for you to see it for yourself.”

What an exasperating fellow.

The only kind of disturbance in this dreary city would be the appearance of flying monsters.

What could have happened that made him struggle to explain?

The Northern Grand Duke stomped up to the top of the wall, feeling stifled.

“Huh...?”

His eyes widened at the bizarre scene unfolding before him.

Clatter, clatter.

Skeleton soldiers were marching in perfect order, following Count Vermont.

“Uh... Your Grace. Please open the gate. I’ve brought reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements...?”

What in the world is going on here?

The Northern Grand Duke felt his head spinning in utter confusion.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]