Episode 81. Death row lottery (1)
Wheeeeee.
Rubin tightened his grip on the blood frost. Frost spread from the blade and surrounded his body.
“Ugh… My blood feels like it’s freezing.”
Kuze was amazed. The cold air that encompassed the space was aimed at his entire body like a sharp sword.
‘I don’t feel the cold.’
It was only Rubin. As if the space had been separated, Rubin’s body alone was filled with warmth.
Yeah!
As he swung his sword, the frost danced. As it swept over one wall, the shelves in the warehouse swayed together.
Thud thud.
“Let’s go up.”
“Yes, your highness.”
They came out of the warehouse and rested until dinner was ready. Even then, Rubin still had his new weapon in his hand.
Knock knock.
Rubin looked at the fireplace where the firewood was burning. He brought his sword closer. According to his will, the cold gathered at the tip of the sword. The cold quickly spread and permeated the entire front of the fireplace.
Thump thump.
The cold engulfed not only the fireplace, but also the dying firewood. The fire died down in an instant. Then, solid ice covered the remaining embers. Kuze stuck out his tongue at the sight.
“What incredible power.”
“It’s not enough yet.”
This is the sword that the head of the Roinen family used before their return. It is a sword that even his mother could not fully handle. Rubin promised that he would one day fully handle it.
After the little boy carefully returned to his room after dinner, Killian revealed his plan to assassinate Yorick.
“When the lottery draw takes place, I will kill Yorick.”
Killian, sipping on an oacum and munching on meat, looked like he was talking about a picnic.
Well, since we’ve been together for a long time, I’m sure he’d have some sort of method for destroying Yorick.
Yorick trusted Killian, not knowing that his trust would be so great that it would easily cost him his life.
“While I kill Yorick in his house, you can stay in the coliseum where the drawing is taking place.”
“Where is Pkin when the draw is held?”
“Pkin? He’ll be in the arena too. He’ll have to chase down the condemned man instead of me.”
Killian had planned to leave his role as chief executioner to Fkin. Fkin had to be dropped to make it easier to take out Yorick.
However, the Death Knight had no choice. To protect Yorick. That was the reason for the Death Knight’s existence, so in order to eliminate Yorick, they had no choice but to fight together.
“Really? Then I should stay next to Pkin.”
Rubin answered while touching the Blood Frost. The Blood Frost, which welcomed its new owner, lightly spread the frost of light according to his touch.
If it were the future Rubin knew, where Killian would be chosen in the death row lottery.
Keeping Pkin in check would help Killian.
‘It’s also for my personal reasons.’
Because that confusing time was also the best time to get Glayton’s bracelet.
“Once the lottery for death row inmates is over, you will be able to quietly go outside with your permits.”
“There are two days left.”
“The lodging that used to house the rookies is finally closed.”
With a relieved smile, Killian opened his mouth wide and poured the Oakum into his mouth.
* * *
Two days later.
The residents of the Black Tower gathered at the amphitheater on time.
The attitude of the residents toward the lottery for death row inmates is quite natural. Although there is a clear chance that they themselves will be selected, the residents accepted this reality without any problem.
However, without exception, every single one of them was holding a weapon such as a sword or an axe in one hand.
If the person next to him is chosen for death row, he will swing the sword himself to ease the burden of the beheading captain, Killian.
“This time, I wonder if I’ll be chosen from among the cockroaches on the ground.”
“I’ve been getting picked here for weeks now.”
The residents chattered leisurely.
To them, the ground of the Black Zone is like a trash can where cockroaches rub their lives every day. Just as the ordinary citizens of the White City despise the Black Zone, those who entered the Black Tower also despised the Black Zone.
As the residents complained, only the underground towers had recently been put to death. The residents, unaware that this was Amret’s political decision, simply accepted it as bad luck.
“What can I do? It’s all luck.”
“If I get picked, I won’t run away. You can cut off my head.”
“Heh heh, you little shit, you’re bluffing.”
“But… I don’t see Yorick and the Chief of the Beheading Corps?”
Everyone else was saying the same thing about Yorick and Killian not showing up in the special viewing area, but they all agreed. The identities of the rulers of the Black Zone were something they could not question.
But today, there was a new fact that caught the attention of the residents.
“Today, with Lieutenant Commander Pkin… Who are the two standing next to me? Can you see them?”
“Ah! Those two! They’re the ones who came in a few days ago. The chief of the beheading squad took them as attendants.”
“You’re sitting in the special viewing area… I’m jealous.”
The ones in the special viewing area were Rubin and Kuze.
In fact, even if he was a servant chosen by Killian, this was a special case. Until now, servants had to stay right next to the special viewing area.
But if you think back to the brawl a few days ago, it’s not hard to understand.
‘Subdue Pkin quickly and help Killian.’
Rubin looked at Pkin.
Pkin took the center of the audience, replacing Yorick and Killian, who were away. The wizard’s expression was filled with joy. A brief joy of ascending to the throne and seeing the sight.
When Rubin’s gaze naturally turned to Glayton’s bracelet on his left arm.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
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The sound of the air vibrating began to ring in the ears of all the residents.
The resident registration number is tattooed the moment you cross the border of the black zone.
The tattoo of that resident registration number contained high-dimensional marking magic.
Once a week, whenever there was a lottery for the condemned, a marking spell was to be activated. According to the marking spell, all criminals in the black zone, whether above or below ground, would hear the same ringing sound.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
It’s probably starting to snow on the ground by now.
Whether you are a butcher, a carpenter, or a one-armed doorman guarding a tavern, everyone is looking at the snow falling from the sky.
The eyes of atonement. Or the eyes of misfortune.
But not even the snowflakes fluttered in the black tower underground. The sound that spread into the ears of the residents was just gradually narrowing the gap.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom… Boom, Boom, Boom.
It was just then.
Pkin turned his head and looked at Rubin.
“Hey, you. Come next to me.”
He waved his hand and called Rubin. Rubin approached him submissively.
“When a death row inmate is selected, a red light will appear above his head.”
He spoke as if he was explaining it to me in detail.
This was something Rubin also knew. There was a light floating overhead, like a firecracker lighting up. That was the mark of a death row inmate.
The only way to remove this mark was to cross the black zone, either dead or alive.
Even if he entered the building, it would be the same. The light would rise above the building and reveal his location. As long as he stayed in the black zone, there was no chance of the condemned man surviving without being caught.
‘But Killian isn’t here now.’
Rubin thought calmly. Perhaps when the drawing was done, a red light would appear over Yorick’s mansion.
Pkin already knows who the death row inmate will be, so when the red light rises over Yorick’s mansion, he’ll leave right away.
‘Then, you can chase after him and get the bracelet.’
Rubin put his hand on the bloodfrost once again.
“Okay, get ready.”
Pkin said with a meaningful smile, then raised his left arm and placed his hand on Rubin’s head.
Ding ding ding ding ding… Boom!
The same sound was heard in the ears of the people filling the arena, and in the ears of Rubin and Kuze who were in the special viewing area.
The sound that had been ringing at a constant pitch amplified greatly as if putting a period on it.
It meant that the death row inmate had finally been decided.
* * *
“… … .”
Killian looked at his watch. It was 12:45. There were still 15 minutes left until the inmate was selected.
From this point on, the sound of the draw starts ringing in my ears. Ding… ding… ding… The intervals between rings are still wide, but they gradually get shorter as time passes.
Killian looked at Yorick sitting across the table.
“You’re getting younger and younger.”
“Keep on going, keep on going, that means what I stole from Amret wasn’t fake.”
“Immortal and eternal life… I envy you.”
It had been four years since Yorick had consumed the Tears of Givenrat. In the meantime, Yorick seemed to have grown ten years younger. His body was reaching its peak, and his dark magic was growing stronger accordingly.
Yorick’s current level is 6 stars. There is no necromancer on the entire continent who has reached 6 stars.
But for Yorick, who possessed an ageless body, even more was possible. Even the 7-star level, the realm of superhumans.
‘In 10 years… it may be possible to swallow up not only the Black Zone, but the entire White City.’
Of course, that won’t happen. Today, Yorick will die at Killian’s hands.
“So, what were you trying to say, Killian?”
Yorick has a relaxed expression. He doesn’t think it’s strange that Killian showed up just before the death row lottery.
From Killian’s point of view, that was actually strange.
“I got kicked out of the death row lottery because of me. Are you okay with that?”
“Is it that important of a story?”
“Yeah, it’s definitely important.”
“Anyway, neither you nor I need to attend every time.”
“That’s strange. I thought you would naturally refuse if I caught you. You enjoyed drawing lots for death row inmates. I heard there’s no play quite like it.”
“Haha, that’s true. It’s fun to see the kids going crazy over just one death row inmate. But that doesn’t matter. I’m curious about the story you’re going to tell me, and… … .”
Killian’s eyebrows twitched. Something was off. He wasn’t the type of guy to follow along so obediently.
I looked around. It was Yorick’s basement. This was also the necromancer’s laboratory, and it was full of strange and unpleasant death monsters.
Bone ogres and bone trolls pass by Killian with loud footsteps. A giant bat hanging from the ceiling, its blood dried, stares only at Killian.
There was also a Death Knight standing silently among the Death Monsters. The captain of the unit, named ‘Halkin’ by Yorick. He was said to be an ancient knight found in the tomb.
“And what else?”
Killian asked. Yorick smiled irritably.
“I just happened to have something to tell you.”
“What do you want to talk about if we hold on?”
“If possible, I want to make sure you don’t go to the coliseum.”
“okay?”
Killian drank the Oakum. What is this story? Yorick was trying to capture him too?
Killian’s hand naturally fell to his sword in the ominous flow. He felt Halkin’s soulless eyes staring at his hand.
at that time.
The ringing in his ears, which had been gradually getting closer, finally reached its end. Boom, boom, boom, boom… Boom! Killian frowned for a moment at the dull ringing that informed him that the death row inmate had been chosen.
“Has the death row inmate been chosen now?”
“Yeah. You just got picked.”
Suddenly Yorick laughed, revealing his fangs.
“What’s with those unlucky eyes? Did a sign appear above my head?”
“Surely that can’t be?”
But he was still smiling. Feeling uneasy, Killian looked up at the top of his head. Of course, there was no red light indicating a death row inmate.
“Who is it this time? Who are you that is taking such a long time to get to know? You know it.”
“Are you curious? I can see you’re anxious.”
Yorick turned his head, chuckling. It was toward the coliseum. There was a red light flashing in that direction, even though it was blocked by a wall.
“Was this death row inmate also chosen from the Black Tower?”
“As you can see.”
“Who the hell are you?”
“That’s actually why I kept you here, Killian.”
Yorick grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. He was so happy about something that he scratched the table with his long fingernails.
“It seemed like you cared a lot about that kid.”
“Little guy? Save me? What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know how that kid came to be so hated by Amret. Anyway, this time the condemned person is that little bastard.”
Killian didn’t immediately understand what he was saying. A kid? But his senses were responding accurately. He felt a strange sense of foreboding.
At that moment, Killian moved the hand that had been resting on the sword. He grabbed the sword handle and immediately stood up, pushing the chair away.
Yorick’s playful voice rang out to him.
“You said Luden? That little kid’s name.”
