The Unaware Harem Adventure Tale of the Strongest Enchanter ~~I Don’t Know My Companions’ Faces or Identities, but I’m Pretty Sure They’re All Guys~~ - 18. Dangerous People of Unknown Identity

18. 18. 18. 18. Dangerous People of Unknown Identity

There stood a man with messy hair and an unmotivated-looking face.

Luke coughed. He was both surprised and relieved: “Why is the group leader of Unknown here…?”

The sudden visitor caused the Undead King to become cautious and hesitant.

Now that the battle had temporarily ceased, it was possible to at least evacuate Emma.

Luke was about to make a ruthless decision as a leader. There was no way to rescue Liza and Bronk, who had fallen into enemy hands. Then at least, he wanted one person to survive.

“Lux, I have a favor. Take her and escape.”

“Her…? Whoa!? Emma-chan’s a mess!”

Lux noticed Emma leaning against the door and rushed to her. He placed fingers on her neck.

After confirming she was alive, he picked her up and acted as usual.

“She’s in terrible shape. Your handsome face is ruined.”

“I don’t matter. You really arrived at the perfect time. I’ll distract him. You escape somehow.”

Luke stood and pointed his greatsword at the Undead King.

There was no more chance of victory. A death match only to let Emma escape.

But Luke smiled. He was content with that. The days they spent together would remain in Emma’s memory. Maybe someday, Liza and Bronk could be saved. But he would burn his life here and vanish. Luke waited for that moment without wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead.

“You’re retreating too. All of you.”

“W-What are you saying? That’s the Undead King. What can you do alone?”

“Who said I was alone? I brought the full team, you know?”

*Bang!* The door flew open. And four people stepped in behind Lux.

A blonde swordsman with cool eyes.

A black humanoid figure with a bloodshot eye darting around.

A full-body armored figure emitting steam and heavy footsteps.

And a completely white furball from any angle.

“Unknown…”

Luke uttered their name unconsciously.

He had believed they were superior.

They were newcomers. In public, they were called a joke group. It was even whispered that the guild created them just for popularity.

Of course, Luke didn’t believe that. But the difference in accumulated experience was real. There was also likely a gap in raw power. He’d never seen them fight. Still, he had believed without a doubt. That the Silver Blade was the strongest.

“Zain.”

“Bl00d, blooood!!”

With holy magic, all of Emma’s wounds vanished.

She woke up. She looked left and right in confusion. She was going “Eh, eeeh!?” unable to comprehend the situation.

Lux set her down and drew a short staff from his waist.

“Father, it’s Felice! I have returned!”

Revealing her face, Felice spoke to the man on the throne.

But the man remained silent like the dead. He showed no reaction even to his daughter’s return. The Undead King’s laughter echoed through the hall.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the daughter of the Marquis Flareheart who fled, leaving her people and father behind. What’s a coward like you doing here now?”

“I didn’t run. It was entrusted to me. To live with hope in my heart. My hope is to see the day I reclaim my people and father. An undead wouldn’t understand that.”

“Oh, I do understand. I am the Undead King who retains his memories from life. To be precise, I am a former human who willingly became undead.”

“W-What!? Willingly!?”

For the first time, Felice was shaken.

She wasn’t the only one.

Luke and Emma also showed disbelief. Their expressions plainly revealed emotion.

Perhaps pleased with that reaction, the Undead King began speaking fluently.

“They say undead are those whose emotions or souls linger in the world and transform. In other words, undead are humans turned into monsters. Humans who gained the power of monsters. So I thought: what is the perfect undead? If you think that far, the answer is easy. A being that holds human knowledge and wisdom, and the immense power of a monster. A human who surpassed humanity. Just like how high elves are above elves, undead are the next stage above humans.”

“Wow, a superior being, huh. Then why would this perfect undead attack a place like the Mirdia territory? You turned into a monster by your own will. You must’ve had some grand reason, right?”

Lux pointed at the Undead King with his short staff.

Encouraged to continue, the Undead King became even more talkative. He was adding exaggerated gestures.

“There was no reason. I simply trampled it because it seemed like a conveniently vulnerable town. I wanted to test the power I gained as soon as possible. Also, I suppose… I needed test subjects and a comfortable research lab.”

“You! You attacked my beloved Mirdia for just that!?”

“Yes. So what? The weak are oppressed by the strong. It’s nature’s law. Isn’t it only natural for the weak to serve the superior? I still remember it well. The pigs called peasants gave splendid screams. Hahaha!”

“You fiend…”

Felice gripped her weapon tightly. Bl00d was dripping from her hand.

Magic power and killing intent burst forth. Red waves of light were running through the ancient magic script on her blade.

Flames erupted from the blade. It engulfed Felice herself. A violent hot wind tore through the room.

In contrast, the Undead King was ecstatic.

“Ooooh! That’s truly the Flareheart family heirloom—a legendary-class magic tool said to have been forged by that famous craftsman. I’ve been looking for it, and you had it!”

“Driven from my home without understanding, asking ‘why’ so many times it drove me mad. And in the end, such a stupid reason. So stupid. Good for you—you’re already dead. Now I can erase you from this world without hesitation.”

Luke shuddered at Felice’s smile.

Had he ever felt such a heavy, dense killing intent?

She was cloaked in flame, so she should be hot. But she felt terrifyingly cold. Her eyes didn’t smile at all. And Luke instinctively stepped back.

(I was surprised that Felice was the daughter of Marquis Flareheart. But even more so that she held such magical power. I once heard the Flareheart family descends from a union between a fire spirit and a human. Could it be true?)

Spirits are beings close to gods that govern the elements.

Even if they bind with a human, having a child is nearly impossible. Still, exceptions—miracles—do exist.

A human inheriting the magic of a fire spirit.

A daughter who strongly inherited the spirit’s power through a distant-generation trait—Felice Flareheart.

Her magic sword was fueled by her fire magic. It burned hotter and fiercer.

At this moment, she might be a swordsman on par with him.

Yet, she still wouldn’t win.

Luke didn’t doubt his own judgment.

“Don’t fight. Even you have no chance. He’s not only strong but also reads our moves and sets traps cleverly. And you all don’t even have anti-undead equipment—”

“Hey now, are you underestimating our Zain?”

“…?”

Luke was puzzled by Lux’s words. He then looked at the Undead King. The enemy still cloaked in darkness stood there.

(Cloaked in darkness…? Is he continuously casting defense magic?)

“Looks like you noticed. Zain’s Holy Field is so powerful that it practically has the same effect as the higher-tier holy magic, Sanctuary. In short, this place has turned into a sanctuary where undead can’t approach. It lasts from a month to almost a year. Think Wraiths can fly around in that?”

“If that’s true…!”

Luke turned his gaze to Liza and Bronk.

The two had collapsed on the floor before he knew it. The Wraiths possessing them had been purified.

(What holy magic… Not even Emma could do something like this. Unknown—what in the world are you?)

Cold sweat dripped down Luke’s back.

The allies he thought he knew now appeared as mysterious, unknowable entities.

He knew their faces and appearances. Yet now it all seemed like a lie. The faces he thought he knew were blacked out. They were no longer recognizable.

Lux readied his short staff.

“Well then, shall we get to work? Time to begin the Undead King extermination.”