The Beginning + Eerie Happenings

The Beginning

Under the influence of the North Sea monsoon, winters in Landon City were bitterly cold.

A light snow had fallen during the day. Now the Crimson Moon hung in the night sky, tinting the snow a faint blood-red.

Two kilometers away, the gas streetlamps burning through the night in Landon City were barely visible. A battered black carriage hurried along the road.

Inside the carriage, which reeked of cow dung, Xu Mu did not dare move. More precisely, he could not move a single finger even if he wanted to. He felt the carriage rattling beneath him, smelled the stench inside, and felt an agonizing pain in his chest where his heart had been pierced. It was eerie. He should have been dead, yet he was still conscious.

An hour earlier, Xu Mu had just arrived in this world. Nervous and excited, he had absorbed fragments of the body's original owner's memories and was eagerly considering his next move. Then he opened his eyes and saw a gleaming knife plunge through his chest.

Xu Mu had been stunned. Ten thousand curses raced through his mind. He had only just arrived, and he was already dead? What kind of start was this?

But after a while, he realized something was wrong. A normal person could not survive a knife through the heart. Yet despite the pain, he remained fully conscious. The pain from his chest wound was even gradually fading.

"Why... am I not dead?"

Xu Mu was terrified and bewildered. To anyone looking at him, though, he was a freshly made corpse.

The carriage continued at an unhurried pace. Up front, two people in black padded coats spoke quietly as one of them drove.

"Lord Les, it failed again. That's three times now. Could there be something wrong with the Summoning Array Diagram?"

The middle-aged man holding the reins spoke cautiously, almost timidly.

"Impossible! The priest gave me the diagram himself. There's no way it's wrong!"

The man called Les snapped back in a shrill voice. His certainty bordered on madness.

The middle-aged driver immediately fell silent. He flicked the reins, and the carriage sped up.

What Summoning Array Diagram? Who are these bastards, and why did they kill me?

Their conversation only raised more questions for Xu Mu. Unfortunately, he could not move, much less ask them anything. All he could do was endure. Perhaps a miracle would happen. Perhaps, in a little while, he would truly die...

A few minutes later, the carriage stopped.

The two men in black jumped down from the driver's seat, glanced around, and carried Xu Mu out.

They were in a desolate, eerie burial ground. Ghostly shadows loomed in the cold night, and a few green will-o'-the-wisps drifted in the distance.

The two men clearly knew the place well. They carried Green over and tossed him behind a small mound beside the road. Without bothering to dig a grave, they turned to leave.

"Old Bill, the summoning failed this time. We wasted a lot of materials, and someone died. We'll have to be more careful over the next few days."

"Of course, Lord Les. I'll be careful. But..." Old Bill, the driver, hesitated.

"But what?" Les asked coldly.

"Well... Green belongs to the Wilson Family. If he suddenly disappears, I'm afraid..." Old Bill faltered.

"The Wilson Family! Why didn't you say so earlier? Damn it..." Les raised his voice at once. "How many times have I told you not to provoke nobles? You fool!"

Old Bill's lips twitched. "He's only from an impoverished branch of the family. Besides, I meant to recruit him, not use him as a sacrifice..." His voice dwindled under Les's vicious glare, and he did not dare continue.

After a moment, Les calmed down. He cursed again and waved a hand. "Forget it. He's dead already, so there's nothing we can do. Let's get back to the city. We don't want to run into any of those eerie things out here. We're too far from town..."

Their footsteps receded. Soon came the neigh of a horse and the sound of the carriage driving away.

Xu Mu lay on the cold, hard ground. Perhaps he was imagining it, but with his cheek pressed against the snow, he could faintly feel its chill against his skin.

His spirits rose, though he still could not move. His chest still hurt terribly, but the pain had eased considerably...

Xu Mu endured the biting night wind for what felt like ages. As the pain in his chest faded, he sensed a trace of energy stirring inside him. It was cold and dim, so faint he could barely detect it. It had been stored in his heart, but now that the blade had pierced it, the energy had spread throughout his body.

At the same time, more memories surfaced in Green's mind.

"Green Wilson, an impoverished young noble living with relatives. Currently an apprentice butler for the Wilson Family in Landon City..."

The Wilson Family was among Landon City's foremost noble houses. It owned three cotton mills and an iron mine with abundant reserves. Its wealth ranked among the city's top five fortunes, and the family held a hereditary Viscount title.

The unlucky fellow Xu Mu had become was a distant relative from a branch of the Wilson Family. He had just turned nineteen. With his own family fallen on hard times, he had come to the Wilson Family in Landon City bearing little more than a noble title. But he was not content to be a butler. Hoping to restore his family's fortunes, he had taken a dangerous path: secretly studying Necromancy and joining a dangerous clandestine religious organization in an attempt to win an evil god's favor and gain extraordinary powers.

Unfortunately, his luck had been poor. Old Bill, who introduced him, was merely an errand runner and had failed to explain matters clearly. A misunderstanding followed: instead of welcoming Green, they made him the sacrifice for summoning an evil god. They placed him in the center of the Summoning Circle, stabbed him, and used his blood for the ritual. The summoning failed, so he died for nothing, and they dumped his body in the wilderness under cover of night.

For Xu Mu, however, the ritual had not failed. It had not brought an evil god into the world, but it had summoned his consciousness instead.

What kind of world had Necromancy and worship of evil gods alongside steam engines, trains, and cannons?

The Industrial Revolution had already kindled the light of science, yet mysterious and eerie supernatural powers still existed.

Mages remained mysterious and dangerous. Druids might hide in circuses traveling from city to city. Beautiful witches were no longer burned at the stake, but frequented noble parties. Knights had abandoned warhorses and heavy armor for bayonet-fitted rifles that fired bullets infused with fighting aura...

The night wind grew fiercer. From far away came the faint howling of wolves.

Green lay on the cold, hard ground for who knew how long. The wound where the blade had pierced his chest actually closed, and the heart-wrenching pain subsided. His limbs were still stiff and he could not move, but he could feel his hands and feet again. With effort, he could even wiggle his fingers and toes.

He breathed an inward sigh of relief. Eerie as this was, at least he would not have to die again.

After another while, Green finally hauled himself upright with every ounce of strength he had. He sat on the ground, panting hard. That simple movement had exhausted him. His whole body felt cold, and though he could feel his hands and feet, they were as stiff as if frozen, making movement difficult.

This feels awful. Surely there isn't something wrong with this body!

Green worried in silence. Surviving was one thing, but he did not want to end up disabled.

Fortunately, his hands and feet gradually recovered. Green hurriedly checked himself all over. The knife hole remained in his clothes, but the wound beneath had healed. The new skin was paler than the surrounding flesh and tingled faintly when he touched it. Then he pressed a hand to his chest. His heart was still beating. A great weight finally lifted from his mind. Whatever else had happened, he was alive, and that mattered more than anything.

Feeling a little more at ease, Green began to look around.

It had started snowing again. The wind drove the flakes against him like knives. Green Wilson must have been indoors before all this: he wore only a shirt and sweater. Yet Green did not feel especially cold. On the contrary, the temperature felt comfortable, almost perfect. He also noticed something he had missed earlier. His heart was beating, but very slowly—only twenty or thirty times a minute.

What's going on? Green frowned as a dreadful possibility occurred to him. I don't fear the cold, and my heartbeat has slowed... Those are signs of Lichification!

From what he remembered of Necromancy, Green realized what might be happening, and the hairs on his back stood on end. He recalled the faint energy that had spilled from his heart when the knife pierced it, and everything clicked into place.

While studying Necromancy, Green Wilson had acquired a damaged Magic Artifact once used by a Necromancer. He had barely understood the subject and was not even a true beginner, but ignorance had made him reckless enough to experiment with it. By sheer luck, he had not killed himself. Instead, he had absorbed the artifact's remaining psychic energy, which had settled in his heart. With guidance from a qualified Necromancer, he could have used that small amount of energy to construct a spell circle and become a novice Necromancer's apprentice.

But Green Wilson had met no such mentor. Damage to his heart had now released the magic power, altering his body. Instead of dying, he had begun showing signs of Lichification. His soul, however, had already been sacrificed in the summoning ritual. Xu Mu had simply taken his place and been reborn in this world.

Once Green understood what had happened, he resolved to take things as they came and stopped dwelling on it.

The wind and snow grew stronger. Fortunately, the strangely colored red moon still hung overhead, giving off just enough light for him to make out the road.

That should be the way to Landon City.

Green stood atop the nearby mound and gazed toward the distant, flickering lights.

In the Lorenzo Kingdom, Landon City was only a small city. But its proximity to the coast and access to a port made transport convenient and its economy prosperous. The city government had money to spare and, eager to make an impression, had installed gas streetlamps along its main roads the previous year. The mayor himself had ordered them kept lit all night, expense be damned. He wanted Landon City to become a true city that never slept.

Eerie Happenings

At four in the morning, dawn was just beginning to break. The snowfall had lightened but had not stopped.

Green finally entered Landon City. He walked along its neatly paved streets, following his memories toward the Wilson Family's residence.

The Wilson residence stood in Landon City's Upper District. The castle was nearly two hundred years old, and its soaring towers, symbols of the family's wealth and power, were visible even from outside the city. Green, however, had no right to enter the castle proper. As an apprentice butler, he mostly ran errands. His shared surname had earned him the position so no one could accuse the Wilson Family of Landon City of treating its own kin harshly.

Green lived with the Wilson Family's servants in a three-story building beside the castle. Its layout resembled a tenement, with twenty rooms on each floor and shared bathrooms.

Green's room was on the second floor. Once he had shut the door behind him, he finally let out a long breath.

The furnishings were simple. The room measured a little over ten square meters and contained a single bed, a washstand, a desk, and a wardrobe.

After looking around, his gaze settled on the crudely made wardrobe. According to his memories, it had a hidden compartment containing the Necromancer's Magic Artifact.

Curious and eager, Green went straight to the wardrobe to find the compartment and examine the damaged Magic Artifact. Before he could, a knock sounded at the door. A young, piping voice called, "Green! Get up! Young Master Vincent needs to go out."

Vincent was the Wilson Family's heir, a typical young noble who attended balls, chased women, and lived extravagantly.

Green's predecessor had also been born a noble. Though his family had fallen, he had received a noble education from childhood. He and Vincent belonged to the same family and got along well, so Green's main duty as an apprentice butler was to attend Vincent. The person at the door was Vincent's maid, Shirley, a kind, adorable girl of thirteen with blond hair and blue eyes.

Green put aside the thought of checking the wardrobe's hidden compartment. He called back, quickly changed his clothes, and opened the door.

Shirley was short, reaching only to Green's chest. She had a baby face and wore a blue-and-white maid's dress. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail, making her look especially pretty and sweet.

Green followed Shirley outside. Parked by the street was an ornate four-wheeled carriage. Four sturdy horses snorted, sending clouds of steam into the air.

It was Vincent's private carriage. Green and Shirley climbed straight in. Dark red velvet covered the interior, and a wave of warmth washed over them from the heating. A handsome young man in a white tailcoat sat inside. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, he was brimming with energy. He smiled as soon as he saw Green. "Green, I'm sorry to wake you so early."

Remembering their easy relationship, Green sat down opposite him without ceremony. "My dear Young Master Vincent, what good news kept you up all night?"

Vincent pulled the bell cord beside him to signal the coachman to set off. Then, unable to contain his excitement, he said, "Elves! Real elves! Word came from the Rowa Auction House that three female elves arrived last night. They were supposedly captured in the Gaia Forest. I've never seen an elf before. I have to buy one this time, or I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

Green was mildly surprised. According to the memories he had inherited, elves were an exceptionally rare humanoid species. They were uncommon even in the Lorenzo Kingdom's capital. He had not expected any to turn up in a small city like Landon.

The early streets were quiet, and the carriage made good time. In less than twenty minutes, they reached the entrance to the Rowa Auction House.

The Wilson Family clearly was not the only one to have heard the news, nor was Vincent the only person interested in elves. Three luxurious carriages bearing noble family crests were already parked outside.

Vincent grew anxious at once. Ignoring the cold, he pushed open the door, jumped down, and strode inside.

"Good morning, Young Master Vincent!" A well-dressed, attractive woman greeted him with a smile.

As the Wilson Family's heir, Vincent was a regular at the auction house. He gave her a slight nod and asked urgently, "Miss Ross, you know why I'm here. Tell me where the elves are."

Miss Ross kept her professional smile. Without wasting words, she turned to lead him inside. "No need to rush, Young Master Vincent. This way, please."

Green and Shirley were led with him into a reception hall. It was arranged much like a bar: not lavish, but tasteful. More than a dozen people were already seated inside. Some were finely dressed nobles; others were burly men who looked unmistakably like adventurers, with leather armor, longswords, and revolvers. Their fierce bearing and sharp eyes marked them as dangerous men.

When Green and the others entered, the adventurers sat at two tables drinking liquor in great gulps. Yet their faces were gloomy, and none seemed in good spirits. Green found it odd. Something was wrong. Barring some surprise, these adventurers had brought the three female elf slaves to Landon City. A successful sale would bring them at least several thousand Gold Pounds. They were about to make a fortune, so why the long faces?

With that in mind, Green paid closer attention.

A bald, burly man with blue battle markings tattooed on his face gave a miserable sigh. Perhaps he had drunk too much, or perhaps he was naturally loud. He slammed his metal cup onto the table with a bang. "Damn those things! They just won't leave us alone. If it follows us when we leave Landon, I'll fight it myself!"

The middle-aged man opposite him frowned. He seemed to want to caution his companion but could not find the words. In the end, he only sighed and went back to drinking in silence.

Green sensed something amiss. It was strange enough for three female elf slaves to appear in a small city like Landon. Spreading the word overnight and auctioning them off here was even more suspicious. An auction like this should have been advertised for days to draw wealthy nobles from nearby towns. Instead, they were rushing as though something were hot on their heels. Judging by the adventurers' state of mind, there was clearly more to the story, and it was serious trouble.

After weighing the situation, Green murmured a warning. "Vincent, something seems off about those men."

Vincent was no brainless rich kid. The Wilson Family had raised him to be its heir, and he had noticed the problem without Green's warning. He beckoned an auction-house attendant over, whispered a few words, and slipped him a banknote.

The attendant's eyes lit up when he saw the denomination. He withdrew at once and returned only a few minutes later with news. "Those men did bring the elves here. They say they captured them in the Gaia Forest and originally planned to sell them in Faerun City. But they encountered something eerie on the road. Several of them died, so they had no choice but to stop here in Landon City..."

"Do you know what it was?" Vincent asked, his expression turning serious.

"My lord, they haven't said exactly what happened. We only know it was something terrifying. One of their companions had served in the army and was an Advanced Apprentice Knight, but even he was killed by it." The attendant looked frightened. He clearly did not want to speak of the eerie thing, but he had to answer.

Green was startled too. An Advanced Apprentice Knight was on the same level as an Advanced Apprentice Mage. Equipped with enchanted firearms, such a knight would be formidable in a fight, yet he had been killed!

In fact, "eerie" was simply what ordinary people called such things. Lacking any understanding of the supernatural, they used the word for phenomena they could not explain. In plain terms, it could mean someone with supernatural abilities, a magical beast, a wight, a ghost, a demon, or something of that sort.