Necromancer Academy's Genius Summoner

It was day four of the train ride.

They were now only one day away from the destination.

A lot of things happened in between.

Simon tried sleeping through a whole day, and one day he played a card game with the group of three, Ellen included. They must’ve looked like they were having fun, as people from other rooms also came to join, bringing the total number of players to seven.

When the train stopped at the stations, he went outside, stretched as much as he could, and bought various foods. The meals served on the divine train were okay, but he was getting tired of them. At the stations, he could buy dishes that were much tastier and had bigger servings.

It was also quite fun to try various local delicacies at each station. It was a taste of travel that could only be found in the Holy Federation.

Because Simon wanted to enjoy the train culture a little more, he even went to the third-class car and mingled with the travelers there. Their culture may have been different, but they were all good people.

Simon quickly befriended anyone he spoke to with his unique, friendly nature. Now, when Simon passed by, old men would shove him bottles of rum and tell him to drink. One time, he returned to his room drowsy from drink, slumping against his desk. Rete patted him on the back in disgust.

And Inquisitor Methyn…

Even after being beaten bloody by Rete, he didn't give up and continued to interrogate Simon. Rete gave him deathly glares every time he did, but he ignored them. This put the senior inquisitors into an awkward situation.

In the end, the seniors typically stopped Methyn's interrogations and took him away.

Rete's wrath was frightening, even among the inquisitors, but it was Simon's reputation as a devout and polite person that made them support him.

Now, no one was on the side of Methyn.

"Hey, hey! Don't make that face, rookie."

As Methyn was being dragged away by the seniors after asking only two questions, a senior inquisitor put his arm around Methyn's neck and said cheerfully,

"Even if he turns out to be a real necromancer, we gotta give him some credit at this point, don't you think? It's hard to find such a devout person even in the Federation."

"…"

At those words, Methyn stared blankly at the senior inquisitor.

The senior's name was Odell. This was his 4th year as an inquisitor, and he was also one of the cheeriest people on the team.

"You seem to know a lot."

"Hm?"

"About necromancers, Senior."

Methyn meant to be sarcastic, but Odell chuckled loudly.

"Oh, of course! My job is to beat up those bastards!"

"Necromancers are a terrible race of people who insult the dead—shag them, too—and spread violence for fun."

Odell grabbed Methyn's head and gave him a noogie.

"Ugh, it hurts!"

"Well~ I can't understand the tastes of those bastards either, but you see, those who terrorize the cities and commit crimes are extreme bastards. In simple words, I'm saying only those of a certain mind can do that! Do you think that sincere and kind fella would be so heartless? The only reason you think is because he's supposedly a necromancer."

"…"

Sensing his determination waver even for a moment, Methyn bit his lips.

"Whether they commit evil or not, a necromancer cannot be forgiven for their very existence."

Odell giggled.

"Yeah, yeah. Why am I even trying to convince a devout young man like you? To conclude, I'm asking you to retain some flexibility."

Before they knew it, they arrived at the inquisitor's lounge at the front of the train. Standing in front of the door, Odell patted Methyn's shoulder and continued,

"There are many people who hate the Goddess among the regular folk. Their lives remain devastated no matter how much they pray to her, with not even a crumb falling from the sky, you know? On top of that, the abbeys always collect the church tax and tithes. If all who are dissatisfied with the Goddess were condemned as heretics, the entire Federation would starve, there being no one left to farm."

"…"

"Well, well, that was a lot of nagging. Let's get inside!"

The two opened the door and entered the inquisitor's lounge. Five men, including Captain Baccara, were laughing loudly.

"Oh, rookie! Did you get dunked by that friend again today?"

"Pretty obvious. Look at his face!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Enough, enough," said Baccara, stopping the seniors.

"Good job, Odell and Methyn."

"Yes, Captain!"

Odell replied with a grin.

"…"

Methyn nodded his head while locking his fingers together.

Several senior inquisitors pointed out his attitude, but Baccara stopped them again.

'What do bastards having it easy on the divine train know about anything anyway?'

Methyn wasn't pleased with the seniors here.

He and his original comrades oversaw frontline conflict zones. Necromancer followers and heretics infected with the propaganda of the Dark Alliance were rampant there.

Suspects had to be interrogated no matter what, and discipline and order had to be established as a warning to others. Otherwise, it'd be them who were caught and killed.

However, the inquisitors in charge of the train were all weak-willed, perhaps because it was a peaceful, rear jurisdiction.

Starting from Baccara, the good-natured captain, to Odell, who defended necromancers. Methyn thought everyone was pathetic.

"Now, now."

Odell stood up and clapped his hands to lighten the mood.

"Since we're done for the day, yesterday was a holy day and we just worked it like normal! We deserve a drink today!"

On holy days, it was customary to drink red wine made in the abbeys and pray to the Goddess. As such Odell pulled the finest wine from his bag.

"This is from the barnyard abbey! It's been aged for 17 years."

"Woah! Isn't that an expensive brand?"

"Yeah, yeah! We're also priests, so we should celebrate this holy day."

The atmosphere became lively. Odell poured glasses for everyone. Methyn initially refused, but under the scrutiny of his seniors he reluctantly accepted.

"What about Sarah?"

Asked Baccara. Sarah was a female inquisitor, the only woman on this train inquisitor team.

"She must be sleeping in the women's room. She goes there as soon as she finishes work. Besides, Sarah can't even stomach alcohol."

"Let's just drink quickly and get this over with."

Everyone agreed. Odell, the owner of the wine, raised a glass and prayed. Everyone closed their eyes and listened to his prayer.

"In honor of the great Goddess’s grace! Ita est!"

"Ita est!"

Everyone vigorously brought their glasses to their lips. Admiration broke loose from everywhere.

"Whew! This stuff’s great!"

"Pretty good. But this one’s burning a bit too much on the throat…"

By the time they realized something was odd, it was already too late.

"…Huh?"

The inquisitors looked down. Something red was protruding from their chests.

The train walls turned red like living flesh, and thorns sprouted from them. The moment they swallowed the wine, their muscles stiffened, leaving them unable to dodge or unfurl a shield.

Shatter!

Standing still, Odell grinned and let his wine glass fall to the floor. The wine seeped across the ground like blood.

"You…"

Baccara's eyes trembled.

"aren't Odell…!"

Psshhk!!

At Odell's gesture, countless thorns protruded from the wall and pierced Baccarat.

"Since you're the most bothersome one here, I'll take extra care to see you die. Other than that…"

Odell turned his head.

"How did you figure it out, rookie?"

In the middle of five dead inquisitors, one was still standing, gripping the thorn that should've run him through.

"From you, the smell of divinity and jet-black is faint. All I can smell is blood."

Said Methyn while sniffing the air.

"Blood so terrible it buries all other smells. This kind of stench only comes from a ruthless murderer, but you behaved too normally for that."

"Hm, so the thing you were saying about the smell wasn't bullshit, huh?"

In fact, Methyn said to his other seniors that Odell smelled fishy, but no one believed him after the stunt with Simon.

"Methyn, inquisitor on the eastern frontline…"

Whirrr!

Methyn spread apart his arms. His subspace opened, and instruments of torture fell to the floor.

He took a fighting stance.

"…shall begin inquisitioning. Reveal your true identity."

"I guess that'd be a nice thing for me to do as a parting gift."

Kwraaaaaaaaaaaaa!

A terrible aura rose from his body, ripping through his shirt and revealing red patterns painted all over his body.

"My name is Alloken."

As Odell pulled off the biological face attached to his real one, a middle-aged man with thin eyes was revealed.

"I'm a bishop of Heavenly Blood."

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator - Ramen

Proofreader - Artethrax

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* * *

The fight didn't even last 2 minutes. Methyn, dyed red with his own blood, was slumped against a wall.

"Weak."

Methyn couldn't even lift a finger against him. Alloken smiled and moved on. Next to the inquisitor's lounge was the crew station, followed by the engine room.

When Alloken crossed the car and opened the door to the next, the crew, who had been preparing meals, froze in surprise. Alloken raised his arm.

Pow! Thud! Pow!

Some of the crew members fell, drenched in blood from attacks of unknown nature and origin.

"Kyaaaaaaah!"

"Silence."

The crew members remained silent at Alloken's cold words. With the wave of a hand, nooses of blood shot out of Alloken’s hand and wrapped themselves around the crew’s necks.

"Kugh!"

Grabbing the nooses, Alloken headed straight for the engine room, dragging the crew behind him.

The iron door of the engine room was firmly closed, but when Alloken brought his palm to the iron, fresh blood gushed out and shattered it.

"Waaaah!"

The train’s chief engineer fell from his seat out of terror.

Alloken looked around. A very complicated magic circle was carved into the center of the room, and many pipes supplied it with divinity.

"This train is now a sacrifice to the church of Heavenly Blood. The inquisitors are all dead; resistance is futile."

At those words, the chief engineer's face turned pale.

Heavenly Blood! Wasn't that a lunatic heresy group known for its recent mass murders?

"Turn the train, Engineer."

Alloken dropped a map at the feet of the shivering engineer.

"Slow it down and go to Point C, marked on the map."

When the chief engineer looked at the map, there was indeed a spot marked with a 'C' in red.

"Th-This is a railroad abandoned after a lack of use! If we send the train there—!"

"We've already restored the railroad."

Snapped Alloken.

"Don't spout nonsense. Just do what you're told."

The chief engineer gulped and said,

"Are you telling me to endanger the passengers? I'll never—"

Pow!

Before the chief engineer could finish his words, Alloken’s fist flew behind him. One of the crew members he brought with him collapsed, covered in blood.

"Kyaaaaaaaaagh!"

A scream shook the engine room.

"One dies for every moment you stall."

Thud!

Blood gushed from the second crew member's body, and he fell limp.

"After these bastards are dead, I'll take passengers from the cars."

Thud!

The third crew member exploded. The chief engineer shook frantically as Alloken stretched his arm out toward the last crew member.

"Please! Huhuhu! Pant! Chief Engineer! Please, save me!"

The last crew member begged and pleaded.

The chief engineer burst into tears. This murderer was serious. Even if all the crew members here were sacrificed, he'd drag other passengers into this.

"…Fine."

In the end, the chief engineer sat down and activated the glyph.

A moment later, Alloken smiled with satisfaction as he watched the divine train slowing down and safely crossing to the track that would take them to Point C.

"Well done."

Thud! Thud!

The chief engineer and remaining crew member also collapsed, their bodies soaked in blood.

No one could stop him now. He howled with laughter as he pulled out a communication crystal ball.

"Everything is going according to plan. Begin."

* * *

"Everything is going according to plan~"

Murmured Rete, in a good mood thanks to the cream cake served for dessert.

"Now, if we go a little further, we'll reach our destination. When we get off at the station and go straight up, we'll see the Tree of Life. We can save Teacher Anna!"

"…"

Seeing Simon’s lack of enthusiasm or response, Rete stopped and turned to look at him.

"What's up? Something souring your mood?"

"…Don't you smell something strange?"

Rete shrugged.

"Has that Methyn guy infected you with his nose? Smell, my ass."

"Blood."

At that, Rete froze for a moment. Simon stood from his seat.

"There's a heavy stench of blood."