第３８５堀：賽は投げられた (Part1)
**Chapter 385: The Die is Cast**
**Side: Mauve**
We were reading through the documents detailing yesterday’s findings. It covered everything from the surface-level reports to the stomach-churning factory that Steve and his group had discovered.
"Hmm. Well, it’s a common enough story, I suppose."
"Yeah, no kidding."
"Indeed."
"Is that so?"
Dore, the Doppelganger, tilted her head at our responses, clearly lacking the context for such knowledge.
"It might be rare here in the New Continent, but back home—on the continent where Weed is located—this kind of thing isn't particularly unusual."
"Though the scale here is on a completely different level."
"???"
Ah, I guess that didn't click for her. I shot a glance at Curse.
"Ah, allow me to explain. When it comes to handling corpses like this, the Lich-type monsters are the experts, aren't they?"
"Yes... Ah, I see. Necromancy, then?"
"Exactly. It’s a craft that Lich-types excel at, though it’s not as if other beings can’t use it. Well, usually only humans do."
"Humans?"
"Yes, humans."
"So, when humans use necromancy on corpses, they are..."
"Naturally, they are using human corpses."
As Curse explained, those who practice necromancy need to acquire bodies to use as pawns. However, monster corpses are usually valuable as trade goods, so it’s rare to find one left intact. The closer a corpse is to its original state, the better the undead will function. Conversely, if there are significant missing parts, it hinders their movement.
You *can* create undead from nothing but bones, but the magical burden is astronomical, and the characteristics deviate too much from the original creature. For instance, if you're left with just bones, the weight is reduced far too much. That’s why it’s better to use human corpses taken whole from graveyards. Naturally, the families of the deceased are never happy about that.
"I see. So that is why there is such deep-seated disgust toward necromancy and the raising of the undead."
"That’s the gist of it. We’ve had to fight that kind of scum a few times in our line of work, and it was truly nauseating. I’ve seen cases where they used the client’s own husband, son, or wife as undead pawns—they really had no shame."
"…That is certainly enough to warrant such hatred."
"Well, that’s not to say necromancy is inherently 'evil' in every sense. While the disgust is natural, some nations keep one or two necromancers on the payroll."
"Why would they do that?"
"There are various reasons, but to put it simply, they are professionals when it comes to corpses, so they are useful for funerals and the like. Also, there are those who request to be used as undead soldiers even after death, and the state fulfills those wishes."
"…I understand the former, but why go that far for the latter?"
"It’s for those who want to remain a sword and shield for their country even after they’ve passed. There are quite a few places where the remains of great heroes are interred, and this suggests a way to utilize them."
"…I see. That is certainly rational. Being able to utilize useful talent and skills even after someone has passed away is, in a sense, a good thing."
"Exactly. That’s why they understand the rationality and keep the means available. Though, unless it’s an extreme situation, they wouldn't use it. It’s a massive disgrace to have your own inadequacy wiped away by the greatness of a predecessor."
"True."
Well, most of them are just illegal necromancers who only cause trouble. They can usually only control ten to twenty at most. That’s why the situation in Ex is on a completely different scale.
"Now that the explanation is over, let’s get back to the documents. The consensus is that the undead Orcs and Goblins that attacked us were likely created this way."
"Yeah, that much is obvious."
"Right. I think so too. But the troublesome part is what comes next. Did you read it?"
"What comes next?"
Prompted by Raiya, I reread the document I had been skimming.
"Let’s see... 'After Mauve and his group were attacked, the surrounding area was searched, but the caster themselves was not found.' ...That’s what we heard. Moving on... 'Therefore, we have decided to change our perspective. Regarding the magic-dampening items the monsters were wearing, it is inferred that by equipping them, they could act independently of the caster simply by receiving orders.' ...Wait, isn't this bad?"
"Exactly. Even if you defeat the caster, they don't stop. They keep moving until their magic runs out. Normally, if the caster’s supply of magic is cut off, the body would lose its maintenance and revert to a mere corpse, but these items mitigate that."
Ugh. So it’s not as simple as just taking down Noble when the time comes. If they are unleashed, Ex is finished. After all, even if Zargis called them failures, considering the dampening rate, they can move for at least an hour. If ten thousand undead were released into the royal capital of Ex, it would be nothing but a zombie party.
Undead monsters barely exist in this land to begin with, so the general public wouldn't know how to handle them, and the soldiers would surely be overwhelmed. Doesn't this make the "peaceful resolution" that Popuri and Hifie are hoping for look a bit difficult?
As I was thinking this, Dore spoke up.
"By the way, why do undead that exist in the natural world not run out of magic and collapse? I understand the ones in the dungeon receive a supply from the core, but..."
"Ah, that’s simple. Natural undead all keep their magic stones inside their bodies."
"…? Ah, I see. The place where magic is stored—something like a heart for a monster—remains in the corpse, so magic accumulates there and prevents them from collapsing?"
"That’s right."
"But human corpses turn into undead if left alone, don't they? Humans shouldn't have magic stones."
"You know that not every human corpse turns into an undead, right?"
"Yes. I’ve heard from people like Rurua-sama that those with higher levels are more likely to turn."
"Exactly. Higher levels. People who have accumulated a certain amount of magic are more likely to turn. The reason is likely that, out of a desire not to die, they unconsciously create a magic stone within their bodies, which then becomes the anchor. That’s the theory from Yuki and Zargis."
"…I see. That makes sense."
"Well, as you heard, there’s no concrete proof yet. Keep that in mind."
"Yes. I understand there are other possibilities. Thank you for the lesson."
With the lecture over, I opened my mouth.
"Still, what are we supposed to do? Even if we know all this, we can't exactly deal with everything, can we?"
"That’s true. Yuki and the others will likely do something about the production sites, but it’ll be difficult to track down all the ones already deployed."
"Well, all we can do is hope that Popuri-san and Hifie-san can settle this peacefully."
"Until then, it wouldn't be strange if the royal capital of Ex were to be overrun by zombies at any moment."