Necromancer Survival

Chapter 442

"Sangyoon-ssi is the heir to a succession weapon, though?"

"Yeah. But that core… isn't bad." Dawon said and looked at Lackey, who was clinging to my back.

Just from looking at his expression, one could imagine Dawon as an older brother teasing his younger sibling. I couldn't really tell my lover that he was being childish, so… Anyway, I just tried to continue the conversation despite his expression.

Clearly enjoying himself, Dawon spoke playfully to the growling Lackey, "Just how well it'll be absorbed depends on the capacity of that skeleton over there though."

[Grrrrrrr.]

[I don't like you.]

"Do you even know what ‘Absorption' means?"

[Clack Clack!]

"Sigh…" I turned Lackey around to block its view and nestled it into my embrace.

Lackey settled down. Dawon wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind, and, just like how I had pressed my chin against Lackey's head earlier, he pressed his chin against the crown of my head. It didn’t hurt—he was just messing around.

"You're turning your back on me. How mean."

"Don't you think it's a bit much for a Legendary Mage to pick a fight with Lackey?"

"What’s the point of skirting around the issue? I’m just being honest." He embraced me as he climbed onto the bed.

‘Being surrounded by Servants… I guess that does make me look like a proper Necromancer…’

I had deliberately forced myself to think such thoughts in order to avoid acknowledging anything else, but when Da-won’s hand wandered to my waist, my face instantly burned.

"L-Lackey's here too! What are you doing?!"

"Your clothes are crooked…"

"…You're so crass."

"I don't know what you expected, but I'm only a Servant. I have no choice but to follow Lee-kyung-ie's orders."

"Don't make me laugh! You never listened when I told you ‘that's enough…!'"

Our bickering was only interrupted when Lackey lifted its head, blinking innocently, and asked, [Clack Clack?] [Master?].

With my face burning red, I mercilessly shoved a large pillow between Dawon and me. The Mage muttered something about Lackey being a "clueless little bonehead," but I ignored him.

However, by the time morning rolled around, I was in Dawon's arm while Lackey was still glued to my back. It was obvious that things had turned around, but…

"Did you sleep well?"

Even though he was the one suffering from insomnia, he still made sure I got some rest—and even now, he was smiling at me so brightly. Seeing that, I lost all will to argue.

Instead of answering, I followed my instinct and burrowed deeper into Dawon's chest and sniffed more of his refreshing, cool scent. I breathed in as much as I wanted to.

He gently stroked the back of my head, then traced my ear before slowly working his way down my body. It wasn’t anything suggestive—more like a careful, therapeutic massage.

Thanks to that, my body, which had become simultaneously stiff and limp from soaking in various potions, began to slowly relax and loosen. By the time his hands moved from the nape of my neck to my back, I was fully awake.

Then, with a muddled voice, I finally answered his morning greetings, "…Mmm…. I slept well."

"Does it hurt? Do you want me to stop?"

"…No…"

To be honest, the massage felt so nice and cool, I didn't want him to quit. It was a little embarrassing, making me feel like an old man, but Dawon continued waking me up gently—and then even helped me get dressed, piece by piece.

He chose soft knitwear for me. I thought he might have gone a bit too far when he even placed socks on my feet, but seeing the constant grin on Dawon’s lips as he dressed me, I figured this was just his personality acting up again. So, I said nothing.

Knock Knock–!

Just as I was drinking a cup of warm tea–

"Eunji brought the core Guildmaster-nim said you needed yesterday."

–Bang Eunji, wearing a white mini dress, walked into the room carrying a pearl-encrusted wooden box.

I glanced at Dawon, silently asking for an explanation as I eyed the box in her hands.

"I asked Eunji to bring it when you were asleep."

"Ahhh…."

"Eunji processed it as much as she could, but Lackey will need to consume it in portions. It's quite powerful." As she said that, Eunji opened the wooden box. Inside, there was a glistening, blue, and round jewel. At surface glance, it looked more like a sapphire than an undead's nucleus.

‘Why do I feel… uneasy.'

Despite its beautiful appearance, an overwhelming sense of discomfort washed over me the moment I laid eyes on it. Some kind of ominous energy undoubtedly emanated from the jewel. Was this… a ‘core?'

[You have discovered the ‘Defiled Apostle’s Heart.']

As soon as I faced the core, a [system message] popped up to explain what my eyes were beholding. When I saw the message, my mind recalled the name of a man I had briefly forgotten. "…Can I ask you where you got this ‘core' from?"

"Hmm… It's rude to ask a lady such things."

I became certain of the origin of this core when I saw Bang Eunji's reaction. Seeing my unease, Dawon took the wooden box from Eunji and spoke on my behalf. "Thank you, Eunji-yah. We'll use it well."

"Don't mention it…hoohoo…" Blushing, Eunji lifted the hem of her dress slightly in a polite curtsy before exiting the room with the same light, graceful steps she had entered with.

Afterwards, Dawon gently smoothed my frown with his fingertips. He said, in a soothing tone, "At first, I wondered if I should even bring something like this out… even as an ‘ingredient…'"

"……"

“The core doesn’t have a will of its own–there's no ego inside. If you think about it, this is probably the only moment in that man's existence that he will ever be of use to you. That makes it meaningful, doesn’t it?”

"……"

"However, if you still don't like it, you can choose to extinguish it here and now. I'll follow your opinion completely–no matter what you choose."

"…Of course I'm going to use it." I answered quickly.

Though I did feel nauseous when I realized that this core was a remnant that Moon Issak had left behind… Dawon was right. Plus, his nucleus was bound to be incredibly powerful. Everything about him was disgusting, but I couldn't deny his strength.

With my permission, Dawon took the blue core out of the wooden box and placed it on my palm.

Then, a dark stain—initially just a small dot—began to spread from the center of the core, swirling outward like an ink stain in water. The once-blue core gradually lost its color, darkening into a deep black.

[You have now obtained the ‘Defiled Apostle's Heart.']

Dawon handed me the blackened core, and, after receiving it, I knelt down to Lackey's eye level and held it up to him.

Lackey looked between my hand and my face and wriggled its fingers. Somehow… I thought I saw a gleam of anticipation in its eye sockets.

‘That's right. Lackey likes jewels…'

I was about to hand it over immediately but hesitated for a moment. Turning back to Dawon, I asked, “Wait… Didn’t Eunji say it had to be consumed in portions?”

"I've placed a limit on how much can be absorbed, so it's fine."

"…Okay. Then, Lackey. Say ‘Ahhhh.'"

Lackey opened its mouth wide; it had no questions as it looked at me. I cautiously pushed the core into Lackey's void black mouth.

The nucleus vanished into its mouth with a clattering sound; the purple of Lackey's eyes deepend before returning to normal.

However, that was all. Lackey's appearance didn't change any more.

"I-Is that supposed to be it?"

"Just wait.”

At that moment, a blue pattern surfaced all over Lackey’s body. Then, in an instant, a light exploded forth from it into a dazzling starburst.

I couldn't endure the brightness and closed my eyes tightly. Dawon grabbed me. from behind and covered my eyes with his hand.

Shinnee—!

When, after a while, I opened my eyes again, I found a black-armored knight kneeling at my feet.

Icy blue eyes glowed beneath the hollow helmet, and a cold mist spread faintly from the knight’s feet, as if that mist were capable of freezing everything in its wake. In one hand, the knight gripped a sword; its hilt was adorned with the skeletal head of a snarling wolf.

I was so startled I couldn't speak and just stammered a single word, "L… L-Lackey…?"

At that moment, the [System Message] rapidly inundated me with messages.

[Your servant, ‘Lackey,' has evolved into a ‘Death Knight.']

[Its level has increased significantly!]

[You have successfully acquired a new scenario for your summoned creature!]

[Loyal knight of the Demon King–Commander of Hell’s Legion– the Death Knight—Necromancer Choi Lee-kyung, you are the first in this world to summon such an entity! Your ‘Notoriety’ has dramatically increased! The day you become the world’s greatest villain is fast approaching. How thrilling!]

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TL: How much notoriety does Lee-kyung have? Also, ngl, what a fitting end for Moon Issak.

Also sorry for the lateness–the world's just been….not so great lately. My school's under attack from the government and Korea's under fire. Literally.