Swordsman's Regression: Reawakened as a Necromancer-Chapter 63: Leaving Ostuary
The rain was ending now.
Only silent splatters disturbed the silence of the night.
Percival was on his Skeleton Steed, his hood raised over his head as he looked down at the Wounded Peaks, the lost battlefield where he had resurrected Mercius.
Then, he cast a final glance over his shoulder toward the city gate. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Ostuary.
He wouldn’t forget this city. Not for a long time.
The blood he had spilled, the souls he refused to raise—they would follow him for the rest of his journey, haunting him.
But he would carry their burden willingly. He had the Strength and the Constitution.
Whatever it took to ensure security. Whatever it took to be untouchable.
Moments earlier, Mercius had left for the city’s Fort where the Goldtowers lived.
The Knight had left Alenya in their care after sharing a final kiss with the old noblewoman.
Percival could only imagine what their shock had looked like, seeing the Blade of Brackenbridge who had died decades ago stride through their gates.
However, their testimony would certainly help in the selling of his story.
Before they got the chance to question him any further, Mercius vanished into a blue furnace, returning to his Summon Space under Percival’s command.
A sigh left the Necromancer.
He looked to the heavens, watching droplets fall against his weary face.
Percival wanted nothing more than the sanctuary of sleep, but time was a luxury he didn’t possess.
He had to move on.
Lowering his head, he pulled the map he had bought in Metrodorian out of his pocket and studied it.
Luvengart.
That was his next destination.
It wasn’t very far. The city was just two cities away from Ostaury.
He only had to make it in time.
"Come on, Argus," Percival tugged the burning horse forward. "Let’s go."
Through the dark of the north, the outworlder journeyed through Brackenbridge, a figure riding a dead horse.
Behind him was a sword and a scythe crossed diagonally, and within him was a resolve to truly become undefeatable.
—----—
Speaking of Metrodorian, the King’s City was as always: brimming with life, wealth as the true apex of Evernia’s civilization.
The castle rose high and bright in the center of the city, commoners walked past, the king’s guards stood in attention, the gold of the gate and the windows glinted against the sun.
It was the morning, and in a beautiful city such as the King’s City, the mornings held a certain charm to it.
Behind the castle, the royal garden sprawled excellently on an expanse. It was an oasis of vibrant green color, shielded from the cold winds of the kingdom by towering marble walls.
Princess Ethel squatted amidst a sea of budding lilies. On her right hand was a soft, emerald light. As she moved her fingers, the vines coiled and stretched, sensing the Verdant Magic she poured into the soil.
The lilies which had been stunted for days, finally bloomed into beautiful flowers.
A smile stretched on the princess’s face.
Day by day, she was getting better at ⸢Sprout⸥, the Skill that allowed her to speed up the growth process of any plant. Learning the Skill was great, but nothing made Ethel happier than watching plants blossom to the beautiful flowers they were meant to be.
Following days of intensive personal tutoring from the Grand Mage her father had picked, her status hovered at Level 12. It was a modest height, but her control over the life force of the garden was becoming precise.
She moved over to honeyflowers that were fading color, using her ⸢Healing light⸥ to enrich their nutrients and bring back their healthy golden glow.
A shadow fell over her work.
From the bulkiness and the pommel shape poking out of the figure, Ethel knew it was her brother.
Prince Aethelstan stood still for a while, watching his sister tend to the flowers, his hand resting on the hilt of a sword, and his princely face etched with a habitual scowl.
"Why are you always here, Ethel?" he asked. He sounded impatient, yet curious and gentle at the same time. "Watching weeds grow... doesn’t it ever get boring?"
Ethel didn’t look up. She was rather focused on a stubborn petal that was beginning to unfurl. She intensified her Skill, pouring more mana into the flower. Finally, the petal slowly opened, completing the blooming honeyflower.
"Only if you’re not looking at the right things, Aethelstan," she replied with a gentle, knowing smile.
"They’re flowers," Prince said with a grunt. "What else is there to look at?"
Ethel glanced at him, shook her head and returned to work. "There is always something new in nature, if you have the patience to see it."
She swirled toward a withered rosebush, her gown sweeping against the grass. After studying the flowers for a while, she noted an issue and directed a pulse of her magic to fix it.
"Father is frustrated, isn’t he?" she asked softly. "With this whole business regarding the Hero."
Aethelstan’s face darkened instantly, his jaw tightening to hide his frustration with his father.
"He doesn’t trust me," he muttered, gazing at the flowerbed his sister had just finished working on. "His own son! I told him I can take the place of that shameless Hero. I am strong enough! You should have seen me yesterday in training. Many of the Legacy Awakeners were there watching, and they applauded me."
He looked away, narrowing his eyes. "They know the truth. They’ve seen what Father refuses to see. There’s no Knight in my Level anywhere as strong as I am."
Ethel looked at her brother. She glanced at his shoulder, seeing the Lvl 107 floating below his crest, and then she returned to his face, giving him a look of pity and affection.
"You always boast a lot about strength, Aethelstan," she said. "Maybe there are other qualities Father is looking for."
"Other qualities?" He glared at her, his eyes turning defensive. "What other qualities could be more important than strength? Especially in a time like this!"
She shrugged lightly, returning her attention to a flower. "You’d have to ask Father. Where is he anyway?"
Aethelstan turned, looking past the garden gate to the castle. "He has a meeting with the nobles and the Legacy Awakeners. He didn’t want me there for it."
His gauntlets groaned in the silence as he gripped his sword hilt angrily.
