Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 216

The city reeked of blood, an acrid stench that mingled with the putrid odor of decaying corpses, creating a truly nauseating atmosphere.

“Woof, woof!”

“Caw-!”

Stray dogs, rats, and crows scavenged in the alleys, attempting to clear away the bodies, but the rate at which new corpses piled up far outstripped their efforts.

It had been one week since the inquisition began.

Death was rampant in Skolbon.

A staggering five thousand innocent citizens had already been killed, their ordinary lives brutally cut short.

“It’s progressing smoothly.”

“Indeed.”

The masterminds behind this horrific massacre, the three cardinals, were leisurely enjoying tea and conversation within the Deusis Church’s temple.

“By the way, it’s rather unexpected that King Abelson is neglecting the situation. Judging from the initial atmosphere, one might have expected her to mobilize troops.”

Cardinal Fidenzio remarked.

Cardinal Benigso responded, “She is young, but wise. She understands that opposing us would spell the end of the kingdom’s future.”

“It’s a shame. I was hoping she would act rashly out of youthful folly…”

Cardinal Fidenzio licked his lips, clearly disappointed. Had Abelson mobilized the army, they would have branded the royal family as heretics and attempted to seize the entire kingdom.

But she wasn’t moving as predictably as they had anticipated.

“Don’t concern yourself. Expanding our influence within the Mariette Kingdom is already a significant gain.”

“That’s correct. Now that they understand the consequences of defying Deusis, the people here will prioritize the church over the royal family.”

“Ultimately, it’s only a matter of time before the Mariette Kingdom falls into our grasp.”

Fidenzio nodded in agreement with the other cardinals.

“My perspective was too narrow. I must abandon my impatience and wait comfortably.”

“Impatience is a poison in all things!”

“Indeed! Hahaha!”

The cardinals continued their amiable chat. They were laughing and conversing, seemingly amused by something, when suddenly—

Bang!

The chapel door burst open, and a priest rushed in, his face pale with urgency.

“What is the meaning of this? How dare you disrupt this sacred time of worship!” Cardinal Fidenzio rebuked, his expression stern.

The priest, breathless from running, knelt and bowed his head.

“I apologize! But the matter is extremely urgent…!”

“Hmph, speak then.”

As soon as he received permission, the priest rose and exclaimed, “It’s the undead!”

“Yes?”

“A large number of undead have gathered near Skolbon!”

***

The capital, Skolbon, already in turmoil due to the inquisition, was thrown into further chaos.

“Did you hear? Undead have appeared in the Detron Forest, right next door! They say there are tens of thousands of them…”

“Tens of thousands!? Where did so many undead suddenly come from!?”

“Calm yourselves. The Deusis Church is in the capital, after all. With three cardinals present, what is there to fear from some undead?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Stop worrying and get back to work.”

The advance of an undead army would be a disaster for any ordinary city, but Skolbon was different.

A large force from the Deusis Church was stationed in Skolbon. The vast majority believed that the undead posed little threat if the church intervened.

And they weren’t entirely wrong.

Magi [magic users] were vulnerable to divine power, and the undead were especially so. The Deusis Church had consistently demonstrated this truth by subjugating undead throughout the continent.

Therefore, there was no need to panic simply because an undead army had gathered near the city.

“Hmm, this has become troublesome.”

Cardinal Fidenzio frowned.

“The number of undead exceeds ten thousand.”

“Ten thousand? When did that many gather?”

“I don’t know. What matters now is that we’re stuck dealing with them.”

The Deusis Church was obligated to confront the undead. The situation demanded it.

What would happen if they fled without destroying the undead? The image they had cultivated in the Mariette Kingdom would instantly crumble.

“Let’s speak with the king first.”

“Indeed. The kingdom should naturally take the lead in defending its capital. There’s no reason for the church to bear that responsibility.”

The cardinals proceeded directly to the royal palace. Visiting the king without an appointment was considered rude, but they disregarded such formalities.

Fortunately, King Abelson Mariette readily agreed to meet them, greeting them with a polite smile.

“What brings you here?”

“Your Majesty, we have received news that minions of evil are gathering.”

“Ah, you’re referring to the undead.”

Abelson nodded, as if she was already aware of the undead gathering.

“Yes! The undead! We must destroy them immediately!”

“The undead grow in strength and number as time passes. Already, a force of over ten thousand has amassed. It will be too late if we delay!”

“If we act now, we can subdue them without much difficulty!”

The cardinals took turns speaking urgently, their message clear: they wanted troops dispatched immediately to subdue the undead.

Why were they trying to incite Abelson into action instead of taking action themselves?

The reason was simple.

‘There’s no real benefit in hunting undead.’

The process of absorbing the Mariette Kingdom was progressing smoothly. While hunting the undead might boost public enthusiasm, it wasn’t essential to their plan.

In other words, they wanted to avoid unnecessary losses.

‘At the very least, we need the king’s army to move alongside us.’

However, they couldn’t simply ignore the undead. The best solution was to position the kingdom’s army at the forefront.

The church would then contain the undead without sustaining any damage.

“The Mariette Kingdom lacks the capacity for such an undertaking.”

“As expected, a wise decision… wait, what?”

Cardinal Fidenzio, who had naturally assumed Abelson would dispatch troops, widened his eyes in disbelief.

“What do you mean, the kingdom lacks the capacity!?”

“Precisely as I stated. The Mariette Kingdom cannot afford to send troops to subdue the undead. We will defend Skolbon from a fortified position behind its walls.”

“W-what kind of nonsense…!”

Cardinal Fidenzio, on the verge of shouting an angry retort, desperately swallowed his words. This was the royal palace, after all, and excessive rudeness towards the king in front of witnesses would not be tolerated.

Cardinal Fidenzio took a deep breath and continued, “Your Majesty, the undead grow stronger with time.”

“I am aware of that.”

“Then why are you choosing to hide when you know this? The enemy’s forces already exceed ten thousand. If this continues, the entire Mariette Kingdom could be in danger! Can’t Your Majesty hear the voices of the people trembling with fear!?”

Cardinal Fidenzio shouted, feigning desperation. It was ironic that a man who had orchestrated the massacre of thousands was now speaking of the people.

Abelson shook her head, suppressing a laugh of disgust.

“As I have repeatedly stated, we lack the resources to subdue over ten thousand undead. We trust in the capital’s defenses, magic, and walls, and we will defend it from here.”

“No! Then the church will intervene, but at least provide support troops…”

“No. We will protect the capital. We will not take a single step outside its walls.”

Abelson was resolute.

The three cardinals seethed with frustration, but they were powerless to force her hand. It was the same reason Abelson couldn’t halt their heretical questioning: the defense of the capital fell solely within her jurisdiction.

“If you have concluded your business, I would appreciate it if you would leave. I have much to consider regarding the defense of the capital.”

Faced with Abelson’s dismissal, the three cardinals had no choice but to depart the royal palace in silence.

***

After leaving the royal palace, the three cardinals gnashed their teeth, unable to contain their fury.

“How can she be so foolish! How much help can this city’s defenses possibly be!” Cardinal Caino exclaimed.

Cardinal Fidenzio nodded in agreement. “That’s right! She clearly doesn’t understand how powerful the undead become over time!”

The two cardinals continued to rant about Abelson’s incompetence and foolishness, emphasizing the urgency of dealing with the undead.

“She knows nothing! She’s utterly ignorant!”

In truth, their assessment of the undead was accurate, even insightful. The Holy Empire of Gatrein, and by extension the Deusis Church, had subjugated more undead than any other entity, accumulating considerable expertise in the process.

Among their accumulated knowledge, one point stood out above all others: undead must be confronted and dealt with swiftly upon discovery.

Then Cardinal Benigso spoke, “She’s likely bluffing. She knows we have no choice but to intervene, and she’s holding out for leverage.”

He believed Abelson was more cunning than foolish, aware of her advantageous position and exploiting it.

“She’s holding the country and its people hostage, threatening us.”

“Then isn’t that even more problematic?”

“It can’t be helped. Ultimately, they will all embrace the empire. Besides, dealing with these undead shouldn’t be too difficult.”

From what he understood, the undead army was only large in number, primarily composed of low-level undead.

If that was the case, there was no need to request additional support. They would undoubtedly achieve a swift victory with the priests and paladins already present.

“Caino and I will move together. Fidenzio, remain in the capital to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.”

“Very well, I understand.”

Following a brief discussion, Cardinal Benigso and Cardinal Caino decided to set out to subdue the undead, accompanied by two thousand paladins and one thousand priests—a total of three thousand individuals.

“We will depart at dawn tomorrow and complete the subjugation by evening. We should plan to return by the evening of the following day.”

The location where the undead had gathered was approximately 60 kilometers away. While it would take ordinary soldiers at least three days to travel one way, these individuals were different.

One day would suffice for them to reach their destination.

“Fighting them at night would be more troublesome.”

“Then we’ll begin the battle immediately upon arrival.”

The soldiers were somewhat fatigued, but not to the point where it would hinder their combat effectiveness. This was due to the continuous replenishment of their stamina through divine magic.

From the outset, they were elites accustomed to such forced marches. One reason for their rapid pace was that they carried only three days’ worth of rations, minimizing their baggage.

“We have arrived.”

A short time later, the undead army began to appear in the distance.

“There certainly are a lot of them.”

Cardinal Caino observed. Seeing the creatures filling the forest, he understood the reports of over ten thousand undead.

“It’s alright. From what I can see, most of them are skeletons. At this rate, it will be an easy victory, and we won’t even need to intervene personally.”

Fortunately, the quality of the undead was as low as reported. He had expected to find high-ranking undead interspersed among them, but that was not the case.

Undead of this caliber could be dealt with swiftly.

“Then we’ll have dinner after dealing with the undead.”

Cardinal Caino grinned.

“Let us inflict God’s punishment upon these wicked creatures.”

***

Meanwhile, a man watched the clash between the undead army and the paladins from afar.

“Good.”

The man smiled and raised his hand. Those who had been lying camouflaged on the ground rose to their feet in droves.

“The Empire’s 3rd Magic Corps, the Annihilators.”

The man announced in a solemn voice. “Let those arrogant fanatics realize the true might of the Drasen Empire.”