Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 209 - 196 Constructing the Necromancer Figure Club

Boom boom boom boom...

Four white bone constructs sped across the ground, flipping the turf and splashing the muddy soil into the air like rain.

The novices from Andrei Academy, draped in black robes, watched as the reckless constructs charged away, standing in stunned silence as they were splattered with flying mud.

The four Spine Wheels came to a halt in front of Andrei Academy’s teleportation array. The flesh at their centers began to wriggle, expelling their operators.

Lyle caressed the sharp beak of his blood-plasma smeared bird beak mask, watching his comrades from the Necromancer Figure Club emerge from the other three Spine Wheels.

"Did we attract too much attention?"

"That’s exactly what we want," Flexibility said as he stored away his Spine Wheel, "After all, this is a product we’re planning to promote. Just imagine, a revolutionary means of transport, pure spirit summoning creations. Surely there will be many who dislike Teleportation Gates and will fall in love with these wild constructs, willing to pay for them. After all, building a Gundam requires a whole lot of stuff."

"Did you not feel the joy deep within? That feeling when you’re zipping along with this treasure, leaving everything else behind was just great." Shiny caressed his Spine Wheel, which was covered in his favorite scales on the inside of the twisted spine. "I mean, I felt like I found a reason to live."

"Not at all," the controller dashed the enthusiasm, "I didn’t feel it during the test, but driving it myself, I realized it’s too fast. The Spine Wheel, made based on the blueprint provided by the Plague Doctor, is a bit out of control. We might need to install a speed limiter. Otherwise, we’ll have to change our advertisements. ’Spine Wheels, your one-way ticket to hell, just for you!’"

"Nice slogan, Mr. Controller. We’re sure to make a fortune. Those comrades will definitely want to learn how to spell ’death.’ Besides, the most praiseworthy features of this big baby are its speed and destructive power, who would limit the strongest part? Here in Andrei, speeding isn’t illegal."

"I’m not a salesperson, you idiot! Do you want to see our customers coming back in pieces every day with complaints? Then listen to the chatter of those fragments grinding all day long? It’s unlikely that we’ll be able to go at full throttle in Andrei for much longer. Soon enough, the executive committee will start issuing traffic laws and speed limits aimed at speedsters like us. The Spine Wheel is too dangerous, there were several times during lane changes I almost crashed into a crowd."

Lyle rubbed his head, he had help from Nia, so dodging pedestrians was easy.

"Eh? Are we supposed to avoid crowds? Isn’t the biggest thrill plowing through them and listening to the sound of bones cracking?" Shiny looked surprised, as he cleaned something in the gaps of his Spine Wheel. The three fell silent as they looked at the pile of broken bones next to Shiny. "I think we also need to test the defense of our Spine Wheels. The results are super awesome! Unscathed."

Shiny pulled out a whole femur. That never-seen gentleman was truly lucky; at least he didn’t have to buy bone bonding glue like the other victims.

"What are you planning to do with these?" Lyle asked Shiny, who had never dealt with people before.

Shiny tapped the femur in his hand, casting a glance at Faceless, who had been diligently shirking his duties on the teleportation array and had been watching the four of them for a while now.

"Peace, Mr. Faceless."

"Peace, Mr. Hit-and-run."

"...Mr. Faceless, I remember there used to be a lost and found near the teleportation array here, for storing parts left behind due to failed teleportation magic."

Faceless looked at Shiny, "Ten years ago, the lost and found became virtually pointless, because teleportation magic has been perfected, and cases of missing limbs are now very rare."

"Very rare doesn’t mean none, right? Look, I’ve found a lot of missing parts here, it’s an unintentional discovery. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind setting aside a place for those poor comrades who are searching for their lost belongings."

Mr. Faceless stared at the pile of shattered bones pointed out by Shiny, and black lines seemed to appear on his pale mask.

"So, should I keep the name of Mr. Shiny, the enthusiastic member of Andrei Academy, so that the owners can beat you with gratitude?"

"There’s no need for that, good deeds should remain anonymous."

Mr. Faceless no longer felt like joking around. He looked at the four of them and began to write names in the register.

"Where are you guys headed?"

"City of Wandering. We’re headed to the Black Abyss Arena to start our society’s rivalry battle. Necromancer Figure Club, please remember this name, Mr. Nameless, it will be the largest trade society in Andrei’s future, touching every aspect of Andrei people’s lives. We have this confidence. By the way, on my personal behalf as Shiny and in the presence of the three founders here, we can offer Mr. Faceless a 1% discount if you’re interested in our products."

"I’m a Teleportation Gate Mage. My mobility doesn’t require external items."

"You can’t say that, sir." Mr. Flexibility began to feed Mr. Faceless some different ideas. "I’ve heard that Mr. Faceless has wanted to resign for a long time."

"Yes, I’ve wanted to resign, to spend time researching magic, but they refused, saying each Teleportation Mage is irreplaceable, we are one of Andrei’s pillars. Otherwise, they would join forces and throw my lounging room into a Different Dimension."

"What a sad story, Mr. Faceless."

"Yes, so I inflicted serious injuries on them, becoming one of the few Teleportation Mages able to work, now serving my time."

"Mr. Faceless, then you should be our loyal customer."

"I told you, I don’t need..."

"You need it! Mr. Faceless, if we become developed and strong, and Spine Wheel replaces the Teleportation Gate’s position, making the Teleportation Gate a non-essential device, wouldn’t you be freed then?"

"What you’re saying seems to make sense," muttered Mr. Faceless. "So what should I do?"

"Preorder our Spine Wheel transportation tool, full payment up front, supporting Oliou and various magical items—spirit summoning materials can even get an additional 1% discount. Since our business is just starting to grow, the Spine Wheel you ordered will take a long time to be ready, the timing is still uncertain."

"It’s okay. I’m a Teleportation Mage, the Spine Wheel isn’t much use to me anyway."

"In that case, why not donate to us? We will distribute it to those in need. It’s all for the cause of ending the monopoly of the Teleportation Gate business!"

"Wait a minute? I pay for a creation and then donate it back to you? What do I get out of it?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"A promise worth its weight in gold, a promise about your own freedom."

"So I would have paid money and gotten nothing, wouldn’t that be too wrongful?"

"No worries, you haven’t spent the money yet, have you? When it comes time to spend it, then you can cry foul. How about that? All doubts resolved!"

"..."