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~~ - 5. If you want to meet the undead, go to the Corridor of the Dead

5. If you want to meet the undead, go to the Corridor of the Dead

The Corridor of the Dead.

It is said to be an ancient graveyard.

Due to the emergence of miasma, it became a nest of undead — or so the rumors say, whether truth or lie.

Zain purifies a group of Skeletons with holy magic.

“As I thought, it was the right choice to bring them along.”

“Holy magic is effective against undead. Zain is reliable.”

“D-d-d-don’t praise me that much. I’ll get embarrassed.”

A healer dressed all in black, wrapped in belts all over — Zain Hernard.

The only exposed part is their left eye.

They, too, is truly a mysterious one.

Appearance aside, they’re surprisingly honest when spoken to. And they quietly follow instructions.

Above all, the holy magic they use is powerful.

Of course, they can heal. But they can also purify miasma, eliminate undead, and even dispel curses — they’re an extraordinary talent.

On top of that, despite being a healer, they’re also skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

They’re an irreplaceably valuable asset in terms of their role.

Their flaws are their creepy appearance and the fact that they regularly become a shut-in.

Also, once a month they get arrested by the guards as a suspicious person.

Every time a new guard is assigned to the town, they get surprised by Zain. At this point, they’re practically a famous sight in Avantale.

“New kind of Skeletons. I’ll take care of this.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Skeletons clattered with hard footsteps through the stone corridor. It was filled with dim, cold air.

Felice drew the sword at his waist. And like a gust of wind. She cut down three enemies.

As expected from a top-class swordsman.

To easily sever even the hard bones of Skeletons — impressive.

More than anything, that cool smile of his looks picturesque.

With an androgynous face and a refined bearing, plus a mask mysteriously covering his eyes, it only adds to his charm.

The majority of his fans are overwhelmingly female.

He’s dependable as an ally. But as an enemy, there’s no one more troublesome.

Even a small quarrel ends up being spread by all the women in town. And you end up being viewed as the bad guy — it’s hopeless.

It’s said that over a hundred soldiers follow him.

“The miasma here still seems thin.”

“The buildup starts from the fifth basement floor. No need to purify it.”

“No purification~?”

“If it looks bad, I’ll ask you.”

“Leave it to meee!”

Zain brings their face in close, almost touching.

Their bloodshot eyes glare straight at me.

Yeah, too close. As always, they have no sense of personal space.

They look like that, but they’re actually a good guy. You really can’t judge by appearance.

By the way, “miasma” is poisonous air that undead prefer.

If the living inhale it, their body becomes paralyzed and they gradually lose their sanity.

Where there’s miasma, undead appear.

Where there are undead, miasma appears.

In either case, it’s not a place you should charge into without preparation.

We continue walking through the stone corridor.

On the walls, blue flames are lit at regular intervals.

“We assume that rookie party ran into a Dullahan. But shouldn’t we also consider that it might be something else that kept them from returning?”

“That’s true. But from what I heard, they don’t seem like the kind to neglect mapping. They also seemed to know when to pull out. If they’re clever, the chance of survival is high. What bothers me more is: why is a high-class undead like a Dullahan here?”

“Did it come from outside?”

“Drawn in by the miasma here — that’s a plausible story. For rookies, it’s a disaster though.”

Suddenly, my sensor reacts.

I always have a net of magic spread 360 degrees in all directions.

“Enemy.”

“How many?”

“One. There are also three others nearby. But they’re not moving at all. They’re probably those rookies hiding in a room after running from the Dullahan.”

“Then the one moving is our target.”

“Felice, take care of the enemy. Zain, check if the rookies are injured.”

“Bloooood, bloooood, I shall heeeaaal it aaall!”

Standing in front of the closed door was a suit of black full-body armor.

But it had no head. In its right hand was a well-worn one-handed sword.

A high-level undead — Dullahan.

Releasing ominous miasma, it slowly pointed its blade toward us.

“I will be your opponent.”

Felice draws his sword again.

Forged by a master craftsman, its blade reflects light like a mirror. It’s without a single nick.

When he pours magic into it, the ancient magical runes engraved on it glow and flames burst out.

Even I can’t read the letters on that sword.

From its effect, it probably has fire-controlling power.

Many ancient magical runes are lost. So reading them completely is hard.

With a breath, they both close the distance.

Slightly faster was Felice.

The Dullahan shifted to defense just in time and blocked sword with sword.

But it couldn’t completely stop the flames and shock.

With a roar from its back, it crashed through the door.

A cloud of dust rises. And we enter the room beyond.

“Ahh, you broke it.”

“If you’ve got complaints, wanna take my place?.”

“Bl00d… Bl00d… Give me blooood!”

No way I’m complaining.

Oh, Felice, you tease.

Leaving the Dullahan to Felice, Zain and I go check on the rookies.

Zain is already examining the condition of a thief-looking girl. She’s lying down, injured.

I decide to speak to the green-haired mage girl who was staring blankly.

“You’re lucky to be alive. We came to rescue you — you’re safe now.”

“Um, who are you people?”

“We’re ‘Unknown’.”

The one who answered was a red-haired swordswoman.

“An S-class party!? People like you came to help us!?”

“It was a request from the guild master. We also came to confirm if the Dullahan sighting was real. I want to say they should’ve sent us before it came to this. But anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Please help our comrade! She’s badly hurt!”

“Already handled.”

“Huh?”

Zain releases healing light onto the black-haired girl.

The holy healing effect instantly closes her wounds and even purifies the miasma in the room.

That was just a low-grade Cure, you know. Ridiculous.

It probably had the effect of at least a mid-tier High Cure.

The mage girl is stunned.

“No chant… and that’s holy magic? It even purified miasma… Could that be a High Cure!?”

“I-I-I healed it aaall! Rest a bit, and to-to-tomorrow, you can waaaalk!”

Zain’s glaring eye turns toward the mage girl.

She seems totally terrified and lets out a small shriek: 

“Eek.”

Now just Felice.

The Dullahan slowly rises. It once again points its blade at Felice.

Its sword is subtly decorated — practical, yet good-looking.

The armor is quite splendid too, like a high-ranking knight.

Maybe in life, it served as a royal guard or noble bodyguard.

A Dullahan is a headless undead.

Its strong emotions from life dwell in its weapon. It turns it into a monster.

Unlike Skeletons or Zombies, it retains strong regrets. It endlessly wanders to fulfill its lingering will.

To defeat a Dullahan, you must destroy the weapon it’s bound to.

Felice and the Dullahan clash swords.

But it’s the Dullahan whose blade is deflected.

Felice may not look it, but he’s a power-type swordsman.

He’s not quite on par with greatsword users, but close.

And with that fire power, to the Dullahan, he’s the real monster.

The two lock swords up close.

Clashing metal echoes and sparks fly.

Neither yields, blades slicing through the air, again and again.

“Flame Flash Slash!”

A horizontal red flash melts and slices the Dullahan’s armor.

The heat and shockwave rampage through the room. It slams the Dullahan into the stone wall.

Felice approaches with firm footsteps.

The Dullahan can no longer stand.

“Pitiful spirit of the dead. I shall bring you salvation.”

A slash sharp enough to cut steel.

The Dullahan’s sword is severed halfway.

Instantly, the armor crumbles and clatters to the floor.

Seems the sword was the main body.

“Amazing…”

The swordswoman rookie was in awe of Felice’s strength.