Summoning Genius of Necromancer School Chapter 168 Today, they would cross the border. Simon couldn't sleep properly because of that fact. He woke up early and packed his bags with a mix of worry and anticipation. Since it might be a long journey, he meticulously put all kinds of daily necessities, extra clothes, and even food into his subspace. An hour before departure, Richard came up to Simon's room and gave him various helpful pieces of advice. How to deal with Inquisitors if caught, which Priests were friendly to the Dark Alliance and which were not, what actions to avoid, and how to cross the border alone and return if problems arose. The advice was so detailed, brimming with experience and knowledge, that Simon wondered how Richard knew all these minute things. "Lastly." Richard's expression turned serious. "This is about when Lete might betray you and hand you over to Efnel." Simon spread his palm without hesitation. "I think I don't need to hear that, Father." "......I also trust Lete, who risked her life to come here for Anna. But who knows what might happen in the world?" Simon lowered his hand and showed a faint smile. "I've decided to trust Lete 100%. If I hear your story now, I might unconsciously show suspicion towards Lete in my future actions or words. I believe the best I can do for my safety right now is to show Lete a consistent demeanor." "......." Simon was surprised by Richard's reaction that followed. It was a sight rarely seen. Richard was grinning, his mouth stretched wide, showing his teeth. "You are my masterpiece, Simon." Richard hugged Simon tightly. The embrace of his father, felt after a long time, was a little embarrassing but not unpleasant. "Please return safely." "Yes, I will." Simon went down the stairs and arrived in the living room. He saw Lete leaning against the front door, nervously tapping her foot. "Why are you so late?! We need to leave quickly to catch the carriage." "Sorry. Shall we leave right away?" "Since you were dawdling, I'll just be a moment too." Lete hurried into Anna's bedroom, where she was sleeping. She had slept next to Anna all night, but it seemed she wanted to see her one last time. A solemn and determined aura enveloped her face as she looked down at Anna. "No matter what, I will save you, Teacher." Lete lightly kissed Anna's forehead, took one last look at her, then turned and walked away. "I'll go see her too." "Honestly." While Simon went to say goodbye to Anna, Lete stepped outside. Richard was in the yard, having come down at some point. "I truly owe you a great debt, Lete." "There's no debt to share with a Necromancer." She replied coldly as she walked out. It was still early dawn, and the surroundings were dark. She tapped the tip of her shoe on the ground, then took a deep breath. "Remember this, Necromancer. If anything happens to Teacher Anna, I will be the first to appear before you." Her words were thorny, but Richard smiled gently. "Thank you, truly, Lete." "......." Lete spun around, her white hair fluttering, and walked away. Simon, who had just come out of the house, bowed to Richard and followed her. "Let's hurry. We're 30 minutes late, so we need to pick up the pace." "Alright." The two of them, each manifesting Jet Black and Divine Power, ascended the mountain range at dazzling speed. The brightening indigo dawn sky was beautiful, and the morning breeze was refreshing. 'Finally, I'm going to the Divine Federation.' He felt it was a vacation no Kizen student would ever experience. * * * After crossing Reshill's rugged mountain range, Simon and Lete took a carriage, pre-booked by Richard, to Hove, Reshill's neighboring territory. The two sat facing each other inside the carriage. Lete cast a soundproofing magic circle to prevent any sound from escaping, then rapidly tested Simon. "Greetings when meeting devotees?" Simon clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. "Laus. May the Goddess's blessing be with you." "Greetings when meeting a high-ranking Priest of bishop-level." "Gratula me ciblis. Glory to the great Goddess." "The 10th of the 19 Ordeals." "The ordeal of abstinence, neither eating, drinking, nor sleeping." Lete's eyes widened as Simon answered without a hitch. "Were you originally interested in the culture of the Divine Federation?" "I only became interested two weeks ago." For Simon, who had memorized the etiquette of four kingdoms, this was simple. The Divine Federation was a single nation ruled by the Pope, and its etiquette was mostly unified, which made it easier to study. He was also familiar with it from growing up watching Anna's behavior at home. Several hours passed in the carriage. Just as the sensation in his buttocks began to fade, they transitioned from a bumpy forest path to a smoothly paved carriage road. Soon after, the coachman's shout was heard. "Welcome to Hove Territory!" They had finally arrived. Hove was a considerably larger city than Reshill. Simon paid the coachman and stepped out. As his feet touched the ground, his motion sickness subsided, and he felt much better. "No time to rest. Hurry." Lete had used this Hove route when she first entered Reshill, so her steps were unhesitant. The two pulled their robes tightly over their heads and strode through the dark alleys on the outskirts of the city. Occasionally, back-alley gangs would pick a fight with Lete, only to be sent flying five meters by a single kick, landing headfirst on a building roof. But it was nothing significant. "Here it is." The place they arrived at was a dilapidated pub at the very end of the alley, its very existence questionable. Lete entered and led Simon to an empty table. After a few minutes of catching their breath and zoning out, a robed man entered the pub and joined their table. "The wolf's confession is." The man spoke quietly. "To the foolish lamb." Lete replied. The man nodded. "I've been waiting. Please come this way." This man was the broker who had brought Lete here. Following him, they opened a back door and stepped outside into an overgrown garden that was untouched by human presence and completely unkempt. Walls and pillars were chaotically covered in vines. "Before we depart, I will settle the remaining payment." The broker said, turning his back. It was time to pay. Lete fumbled in her clothes, but Simon was quicker, pulling out a coin and flipping it. "I'll pay with this." As the broker took the coin, Lete said flatly, "What is it? Why are you paying?" "My father gave it to me. Let us pay for the travel expenses." The broker, seemingly accustomed to such situations, pulled out a magnifying glass and examined the coin. His face was hidden by his hood, but his hands could be seen trembling slightly. "How could you have such a precious item...!" "If you're too foolish to recognize the value of this item," Simon grinned and continued, "My father told me to just pay in cash. What should I do?" "......It's definitely genuine. I'll accept this as payment." The broker quickly put the coin into his pocket, as if afraid Simon might change his mind. "What's so special about that old coin that he's making such a fuss?" Lete asked. "It's currency minted in the old empire. It has no real value, but nobles are crazy about it as a luxury item." "Ah-ha." The broker rubbed his hands together. He seemed a bit more polite than before, though it might have been his imagination. "To confirm again, who will be using the disguised identity?" "This child." Lete gestured. The broker took out a forged identification card from his pocket and handed it to Simon. <Acolyte. Ska Seraphino> 'So my name will be Ska Seraphino from now on.' As Simon etched the new name into his mind, the broker added an explanation. "This person died suddenly a month ago from a monster attack during a mountain trek. No body was found, so I believe you can use the ID without issue for about six months from now." "Understood." The two entered the dilapidated abandoned building. A teleportation magic circle was drawn on the floor. "I'll see you after the transfer." The broker stepped into the subspace first. Simon and Lete followed him onto the magic circle. Whoosh! It was different from Kizen's comfortable teleportation magic circle. Perhaps because it was drawn by a hired freelancer, the ride was terrible. His body spun around, and his stomach churned several times. Simon stumbled and opened his eyes in a new location. 'This is...!' A scorching sun beat down, and a vast desert stretched out before them. Two vultures shrieked as they flew in the sky. "Ugh." Lete appeared next, clutching her forehead and swaying. "Welcome to the neutral zone, Hali Desert." The broker said. Simon tidied his disheveled hair and looked around again. 'So this is the neutral zone I could go to with the red request form!' The neutral zone, centered around the Hali Desert in the middle of the continent, was an area entangled in sharp conflicts of interest. Both Priests and Necromancers could enter here, making it a place of endless disputes. The broker explained. "The direct route from the Dark Alliance to the Divine Federation is completely blocked, but the route from the neutral zone to the Divine Federation is open for essential goods transport. We will blend in with a merchant caravan heading to the Divine Federation from here. Do you have any questions?" The two shook their heads. "Alright, then, please enter." The broker opened the lid of a wooden box on a nearby cargo cart. A magic circle was drawn on the bottom of the box, which looked incredibly cramped. The expressions of the two hardened. "We're going to cross the border in here?" "Yes. The journey will take about four hours." Simon finally understood the situation. 'I see, so this is smuggling.' Teleportation was blocked, and people couldn't enter subspace. This traditional method was the best option. "Oh, come on. When I crossed into the Dark Alliance, you just disguised me as a merchant, didn't you?" Lete grumbled. "The atmosphere has changed a lot since then. Security has been tripled, and inspections of merchants have become stricter. The higher-ups even dispatched inspectors, so bribing the inspectors no longer works." "......Haaah." Lete tapped her forehead with her finger, then looked up at Simon. "You go in first. I'll take another box..." "I'm sorry, customer." The broker rubbed his hands together. "Two people must enter one box." "What?!" Lete shrieked in horror. Then she strode forward and grabbed the broker by the collar. "You bastard! What are you doing?!" As she lifted her arm, the broker's feet dangled in the air. "H-H-Help! Please don't do this!" "Are you trying to screw me over? You want me to go into this cramped space with this guy?" "I-I can't help it! It was already a great effort just to secure this one empty box on the cargo list! If you want a more comfortable route, you'll have to wait about three months." "......Tsk!" Even with Richard's help, a three-month delay would endanger Anna. Lete bit her lip tightly, then threw the broker to the ground. "Stop it, Lete. We only have to endure it for four hours." Simon, on the other hand, quickly accepted the situation and even got into the box to try it out. "Oh, it's cozier than it looks once you're inside." Simon lightly tapped the box, speaking positively. Lete covered her face with her palm and sighed, as if the ground itself was collapsing. '......Oh, Goddess. Why do you give me such trials?'
Please login to track progress