Chapter 20
Long black hair, bluish-gray skin, a black robe and hat of a magician, a face without eyes.
Yuurai remembers seeing the collapsed figure before.
It's the young magician girl she met just five days ago.
"H-Hey! Are you okay!?"
Yuurai checks the condition of the girl whose name she still doesn't know.
Though her body still retains warmth, she isn't breathing.
"......No way. Why......? Who did this......?"
"......Bandits, or perhaps rogue adventurers. Ordinary people might discriminate against and avoid demi-humans, but scoundrels kill them for no reason."
Anger seeps into Claire's voice.
"......This girl is still warm. The one who killed her must still be nearby, right?"
"Probably."
Once again, dark emotions well up inside. Though she knows it's wrong, Yuurai feels tempted to give in to her impulses.
"......Calm down. Going further isn't good."
Claire grips Yuurai's hand. The warmth of another person slightly calms Yuurai's feelings.
"......Anyway, this isn't the time to be angry. First......"
Yuurai activates Spirit Sight.
Name: Lipia
Race: Eyeless Tribe
Gender: Female
Age: 15
Time since death: 5 minutes
Soul: Present
State: Innocent
(......Thank goodness. It's still connected.)
Beside the body, Lipia's soul stands with a vacant expression.
Yuurai can't tell if she feels something or nothing at all.
"Hey, Claire. Is it okay if I turn this girl into an Undead? There's still time now."
"......Even if you ask me, I can't really say."
"That's true. Then let me rephrase the question. Is it painful for you to live as an Undead, Claire?"
"......It was painful at first when I became an Undead. But now, I don't feel that pain anymore."
"Do you think it was good to be brought back, even as an Undead?"
"I still don't have an answer to that."
"I see. At the very least, if it's not something you absolutely wish hadn't happened, then it's worth a try. Whether to live as an Undead or not, I can ask her directly."
"Maybe."
"Then, I'll start."
It's not difficult. It's just a matter of activating the magic. Though, before that, it's necessary to pull out the arrow from her back.
"Undead Creation."
A vast amount of magical power drains from within, flowing into Lipia's body.
The magic transforms Lipia's body, turning her into an Undead.
"......Amazing. So this is the forbidden power that defies the laws of the world......"
Claire murmurs, seemingly overwhelmed.
A sinister black-purple light overflows from Lipia, fading after about five minutes.
"......It's done. Lipia, have you regained consciousness?"
Yuurai gently strokes Lipia's cheek. Her skin has turned a faint blue, just like Claire's. Her hair has also changed from black to a deep blue.
"......Ugh, huh......?"
Lipia regains consciousness.
"Lipia. Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?"
"......This voice...... Is that you, Yuurai? But I can't sense your magic......"
"Yeah, I'm using Concealment magic right now. I thought this might be less scary. Can you tell it's Claire?"
"I can......"
"Good. So, what happened? There was an arrow in your back......"
"Th-That's right! We were attacked by humans! What about Ragvela and Jeevy!?"
"The swordswoman and the spear wielder? I don't know. I only found you, Lipia."
"Please! Save them! They're probably still captured by those humans!"
"Got it. Do you know where they are?"
"I do! If I use Detection magic, I can find them right away!"
Lipia stands up, attempting to use her magic.
"......Huh? I...... Something's wrong...... My magic doesn't feel like my own......"
"......Let's deal with that later. Lipia, I'm counting on you to guide us."
"O-Okay! Right! Detection!"
Relying on Lipia's magic, the three of them hurry through the forest.
Upon checking the situation along the way, it seems that while the three of them were heading toward a dark Dungeon, they encountered humans and were all captured.
Working together, only Lipia managed to escape temporarily, but she was shot in the back with an arrow.
Seeking help, she tried to head to the town of Grimoire, but since she couldn't sense Yuurai's magic with Detection, she figured Yuurai must be inside the Dungeon and headed there.
And then, before entering the Dungeon, she collapsed and lost consciousness.
"I thought I was dead, but I barely survived! Thank you for saving me!"
Yuurai decides to tell Lipia the truth after everything is over, seeing her smile so happily.
The three of them head toward an unremarkable corner of the forest. Without Lipia's Detection magic, it would have been hard to find. Neither Yuurai nor Claire can use Detection-type magic.
"I can sense the two of them nearby. But...... their presence is very weak."
Somehow, Yuurai has a bad feeling.
She senses that something terrible is happening, and it's better not to let Lipia see it.
"Claire, from here on, I'll go alone. Take care of Lipia."
"......But"
"Wait here."
"......Don't lose yourself."
"......Yeah."
She advances alone for about two hundred meters.
Through the gaps in the trees, she sees the naked forms of Ragvela and Jeevy, hanging from a tree, pierced by numerous arrows.
And there, aiming bows at the two, are figures that appear to be human-like.