I Became The Academy Necromancer-Chapter 301: Drugs and Disaster

“A-ah, I mean, what are you talking about…?”

Jason, who introduced himself as the village chief, stood there looking flustered and troubled.

However, the moment I saw his eyes dart around nervously, it was clear he knew something.

“I have confirmed that the Wellington Trading Company was scheduled to conduct trade with this village around this time. Also, considering the amount of seeds, it looks like the place to grow them must be limited.”

This was the information I had received from Erica, who had applied pressure on both the Bright Household and Zeronia Household.

While there were several other candidates, someone had managed to successfully smuggle out Wellington’s trade ledgers.

Actually, it was Gideon Zeronia, the man who once desperately tried to come between Erica and me. Although I heard he was now diligently working for the Zeronia Household.

I wasn’t particularly interested in him, but what he did this time was indeed a big help.

“P-Please wait a second. What are you even talking about…?”

“How much more do I need to say? Do I even have to spell it out that the bishops of Demeter and Velas bought land around here?”

“….”

The chief simply stood there with his mouth agape.

He was now sweating more than when he was working the fields and didn’t know what to do.

“What’s going on?”

“Who’s bothering the chief?”

“Who is it? Who’s the scoundrel?!”

With the villagers rushing in to support him, Jason, the chief, regained his strength and straightened his shoulders confidently.

He wiped the sweat from his bald head with his palm and looked straight at me.

“Who are you to barge into someone else’s village and make such strange accusations? Yes! We trade with the Wellington Trading Company. Isn’t it natural for farmers to trade with merchants?!”

“….”

“And the bishops bought land here? Oh, that’s right! The bishops of Demeter and Velas did buy land here and are actually living here presently! Do you know why?!”

The village chief had completely transformed into a different person, spitting as he shouted. From behind, the villagers chanted, ‘That’s right! That’s right!’ and pointed their fingers at me.

“May I ask if I have permission to draw my sword?”

“What did you just say?”

Aria, clearly itching to act, mumbled something strange, but Eleanor nudged her in the side and shook her head.

Thankfully, Eleanor trusted me to handle the situation and stayed out of it.

“I asked if you know why!”

The chief pressed on threateningly, and I just stared at him, curious to see how far he was willing to go.

“Because they’re retiring! After following the word of the gods, they’ve decided to retire and come to this quiet mountain village to farm in peace!”

“…”

“This is that kind of village. This is the land where the bishop who served Demeter, the goddess of abundance and earth, is coming to live! And, and what? What?!”

Snatching the hoe of a young man who had been working in the fields happened to be holding, the chief struck it hard against the ground.

“You bastard! How dare some smooth-faced brat who has lost his mind start ranting about drugs, huh! Do you even know how drug-free the Griffin Kingdom is?! How dare youuuuu…!”

“What’s happening here?”

The chief, who had been in the middle of delivering an impassioned speech, immediately shut his mouth and the villagers surrounding him parted to the sides like Moses parting the Red Sea.

At the end of the crowd stood two people dressed in elegant, flowing silk garments, unlike the others.

Both could be better described as middle-aged—too young to be retiring.

The man wore the rosary of Demeter, while the woman represented Velas.

“Oh my! Your Excellencies! This person here…!”

Just as the chief pointed at me and was about to shout something—

The bishops’ eyes widened as they stared at me, as if fixated on something.

[The one from Demeter is Bishop Harace and the one from Velas is Bishop Uliana.]

Stella informed me of their identities right away.

It was very useful information.

“Bishop Harace, Bishop Uliana. I was not aware that you were already preparing for your retirement. It seems a lot has happened while I was away.”

Calling them by name in this situation made it seem like I had come here knowing everything.

It would probably make them feel like they were already in the palm of my hand.

“S-S-Soul Whisperer! Y-You have returned?!”

“But why didn’t His Majesty make an official announcement about such an important matter…?”

The two bishops, flustered, quickly bowed and rushed toward me.

Both of them looked as grim as dirt, wearing expressions that showed they were aware something had gone terribly wrong.

“I have yet to see His Majesty. In fact, I am on my way back now.”

“O-Oh, my goodness! It’s such a relief that you’ve returned safely!”

“Yes, indeed! So many people shed tears over your sacrifice! To think you defeated those vile Dante necromancers!”

It was Raizel who put me in that situation, but I heard that the bishops who served him had already pinned everything on Dante’s necromancers in my absence.

I understood.

If the citizens were to learn that the goddess Hearthia and the god Raizel themselves had descended upon Graypond to unleash calamity, the very foundation of the religious order would crumble.

However, just because I understood didn’t mean I was planning to be considerate.

“Enough with the unnecessary chatter.”

I waved my hand to cut them off, then glared at them and asked.

“It seems you ordered something interesting from the Wellington Trading Company. I have come here to deliver it personally, so take it.”

I took out the glass bottle again and handed it to them. They looked flustered as they checked its contents.

I then let out a sigh and asked with a hint of irritation.

“And why are you retiring so early? I can only assume it is because you need someone to manage the workshop you have set up here.”

Seeing that they didn’t even try to make excuses, they must have believed that I already knew everything.

In fact, I came here only half-sure. However, their reactions solidified my suspicions.

“I heard that the religious order is being shaken. The recent events must have conflicted with the word of God.”

[Ah…]

Stella clasped her hands together and quietly bowed her head.

She could only pray to God for the horrors that were about to unfold.

“I will not bother asking what you were planning to do with this drug. And it is not like you will be able to do anything anyway.”

“…”

“…”

The two bishops shut their mouths tight.

They seemed unable to predict what I was about to do next.

“The mere fact that you even ordered the Yellow Flower means you must have samples of it.”

The Yellow Flower; a demonic substance that once consumed, it would cause the person to crave more even after death, turning their soul into something similar to a zombie.

While it might sound strange to call souls zombies, the ones clinging to Goben’s carriage were exactly that.

So then—

Where were those souls now?

“Open your eyes wide and remember the tragedy that is about to unfold.”

As my mana surged fiercely, the broken souls that had followed our carriage, which was carrying the seeds, began to materialize.

These souls were dotted with holes, their eyes oozing out due to intoxication, rotting flesh, and exposed skulls.

All of them had retained the damage caused by their addiction to the Yellow Flower drug.

“Arrrghhh!”

“Wh-what is that?!”

“A-a monster! It’s a monster!”

The villagers screamed or fled in terror as the souls revealed themselves.

Addicted to the scent of the Yellow Flower drug, the souls, having lost all reasoning, wandered about aimlessly.

[Uwoooooooo!]

[Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Sniff!]

[Ack! Aaaaaack! Aaaaaaack!]

[Shi—shit!Ahhh! AAAAAHHH!]

And on recognizing the presence of Yellow Flower, the souls began to convulse grotesquely and spread across the village.

“This is the exact scene you wished to replicate in Griffin.”

A disaster in the form of the addicts engulfed the entire village.

Everyone fled, leaving only the two bishops and the village chief behind.

The bishops trembled and fell to their knees, begging for their lives.

I turned to the village chief and asked.

“Your speech was interrupted because of the bishops’ arrival, right?”

“Ah… ah…”

“Go on. You left off at ‘Griffin is a drug-free nation, how dare you.’ Finish your speech.”

I even made it easier for him by reminding him where he left off, prompting him to carry on with his tirade.

“Pl-please…”

Bursting into tears, the chief knelt and bowed his head.

“Spare me, I beg you.”

***

Witnessing the horrors unfolding at Forsville Village, the Dark Spiritualist and Stella gazed at Deus’ back with worried expressions.

[Is this… okay?]

In response to the Dark Spiritualist’s question, Stella shut her lips tight and continued staring at Deus as if trying to extract an answer.

[Encouraging good and punishing evil. I like the idea of showing those who try to cultivate the drug the souls of drug addicts, making them pay for their sins.] freewebnoveℓ.com

Unlike the Saintess, this outcome was quite satisfying for a necromancer like the Dark Spiritualist.

[But this isn’t like Deus.]

[…]

[The way he showed up out of nowhere and pressed them down so forcefully… this doesn’t feel like how Deus usually resolves things.]

[I agree.]

Stella responded with a slight nod.

Her shadowed expression filled entirely with concern for Deus.

With a sigh, Stella added her own thoughts.

[And causing chaos like this will make it easier for the Wellington Trading Company to cut ties and escape. The Deus I know would have carried out this plan discreetly to wipe them all in one sweep.]

Yet, he simply decided to make everything explode in a flashy display—starting without any detailed plan and simply hitting first.

[…Deus is hiding something.]

[I agree, senior.]

Stella nodded again, concern evident on her face, as the Dark Spiritualist crossed her arms and sighed anxiously.

However, the problem was—

[If Deus didn’t explain it to us beforehand… he probably never will, right?]

[Being too steadfast in his own convictions can be a problem, too.]

If Deus decided to hide something, he would never reveal it, no matter what they said.

Just as it seemed that their pointless worrying would drag on—

Crack!

Horns sprouted from Stella’s forehead, and her pupils transformed into vertical slits.

[You two morons.]

[Don’t make Stella say such harsh things.]

[Fock you and suck it.]

[Why did you come out?]

Flicking her middle finger, Velica clicked her tongue.

[Because I’m frustrated. In spite of being talented, all you do is stand back and watch?]

[…What nonsense are you spouting?]

[Unbelievable. What’s the use of having tits like those if you can’t even control a guy with a dick?]

Hearing the vulgar words pouring from Stella’s mouth, the Dark Spiritualist was momentarily dazed.

Taking advantage of that moment, Velica declared brazenly.

[Leave it to me. I’ll have him spilling all his secrets by tonight.]

[How?]

[I’ve got my ways. He’ll love it so much that he’ll be begging for more. St-Stella! S-stop! Stop! Ahh! You’ll hear stuff like that.]

[…Are you insane?]

The Dark Spiritualist, flustered by Velica’s absurd remarks, shouted.

[Of course, you’re coming, too. I need those tits.]

And so, Velica invited the Dark Spiritualist to join her plan.

***

https://ko-fi.com/genesisforsaken