The Master of Language - T.M.L Chapter 26 (Part 1):

Abana, my master, Psyche, and I arrived in front of the New Continent Company building.

Speria stayed behind in the cabin, saying she needed more time to recover. Master seemed to trust her completely.

“It will be morning soon. Psyche, before people gather, please proceed.”

Psyche nodded slightly, then summoned her staff and magic book. She began to recite a spell, concentrating.

It seems she’s trying to cast a concealment spell.

As far as I know, Psyche specializes in mental magic.

“Ran, follow me inside.”

Master went in.

Will it be okay to leave her alone like this?

“I’m on a higher level than you, Ran.”

As if reading my thoughts, she spoke while pausing her spell.

Well, it’s an unnecessary worry to the point of embarrassment.

I followed Master Abana inside.

The smell of death permeated the building. There was that typical scent found in places full of death – gunpowder, blood, and other indescribable odors.

As we climbed the stairs, Master spoke.

“Actually, I lied to you.”

As if you’ve ever not lied, I thought.

“It’s not like it’s the first time. What’s new?”

“Hm hm. Is that so? Well, I appreciate it if you don’t make a big deal out of it.”

“What’s the lie this time?”

“The death magic I taught you. That’s actually only part of the original magic.”

At that moment, I remembered helping Master Abana store the death magic.

“Ah, I thought something was off. Like it didn’t quite add up? I wondered if it was just because I didn’t understand it completely, but that wasn’t it.”

“Did you notice? I must have inadvertently let out an exclamation of admiration for your brilliance. I tried to gloss over it, though.”

“What? So the part about storing it for two years was a lie?”

“Ah, no. That was true. Of course, I didn’t have a master to help me, unlike you.”

It seemed Master felt no ounce of guilt about lying, given how casually she speaks.

We reached the center of the building.

There, too, a considerable number of corpses were strewn about.

Master Abana looked around for a moment, then summoned her staff and swung it around.

In response, the corpses flew to the walls, clearing a wide space.

“That’s not good.”

At this sudden remark, I asked,

“What isn’t?”

“Corpses are just lumps of meat, Ran. I know human culture reveres the dead, but that attitude is not good for death magic.”

I must not have managed my expression well.

“It still feels a bit repulsive.”

“You must use the dead thoroughly as tools. Otherwise, you might be consumed by the will of the corpses. The more powerful the corpse you control, the greater the risk. So that attitude is dangerous.”

“……”

“Come here and stand. Take out your magic book. I’ll properly correct the death magic for you.”

Honestly, I don’t agree with Master’s thinking. But for now, I did as she said.

Master stood beside me and went through my magic book, modifying spells here and there.

After all the modifications, everything finally made sense.

Master Abana hadn’t fully trusted me even when she first taught me death magic.

Master’s mind is like layers upon layers.

As she often says, the magical world is cruel, so one must be cautious and then cautious again.

“Now try casting the spell. Just use this staff.”

Master Abana pulled out a staff from inside her robe and gave it to me. It was similar to the one she had given me before.

I extended the staff forward, reading the death magic contained in the magic book.

A soldier’s corpse slowly rose, making an eerie sound.

“How is it? Your first impression of performing death magic?”

I answered Master’s question.

“It’s definitely different from fire and water. There are fragments of will that the corpses had in life remaining in their bodies.”

Master Abana was delighted like a child.

“That’s what we call remnant thoughts. Use that to try more complex movements.”

I tried to listen to the remnant thoughts flowing into my mind.

“This corpse was a soldier. He was a Baritone soldier who handled a musket. Every morning, he cleaned his gun and trained to ingrain those actions into his body. So I just…”

“Just?”

“I just need to command.”

I raised my staff and cast death magic.

The corpse picked up the musket beside it, performed a series of movements, and fired the gun.

Bang-!

The bullet flew and embedded itself in the opposite wall.

The corpse immediately reloaded the bullet.

I did it.

I succeeded.

As I turned my head towards Master, filled with joy, the corpse’s face caught my eye.

The corpse was looking at me with a contorted face.

“Wh-What?”

Suddenly, the corpse aimed the musket’s muzzle at me. At that moment, I sent out psychokinesis, causing the muzzle to barely point above me.

Bang-!

The bullet grazed past above my head.

I waved the staff to cancel the death magic. The corpse then collapsed in place.

“Wh-What happened?”

As I turned to Master Abana, she shrugged her shoulders.

“What did I tell you?”

“……”

“Remnant thoughts are powerful. They stem from survival instinct. The moment you let your guard down, they break free from control.”

“So it’s because I respected the corpse as an individual.”

“And that usually flows in a direction that’s not good for you. Well, as you study death magic deeply, you’ll be able to use even that. That’s a level I haven’t reached yet. For now, start by treating them like tools.”

“……”

“You can handle it on your own now, right? Keep up the good work. I’ll see you in three days.”

With that, Master’s figure receded.

Left alone, I opened my magic book and looked at the corpses piled up all around.

Fear crept in, but I gripped the staff tightly and steeled myself.

If you fear corpses, death magic won’t work in the first place.

“Huh. Alright. Let’s do this. Treat them like tools…”

But, certainly.

Using the dead like tools instinctively feels repulsive.

I’m not some great person aiming to save the world. But I’m not an insensitive person without conscience either.

It’s difficult to use corpses purely as tools like Master does.

Dangun

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