FSFSLU 41

chapter 41

“Isabel… do carriages normally shake this much?”

“Why? Are you scared?”

“Scared? Not at all. It’s just… I was planning to carve some wood while riding, but now I can’t even do that.”

Tio flinched slightly and loosened his grip on the reins.

He didn’t need to eat, drink, or sleep. If he focused solely on blending into the shadows while moving, he could reach Dorothea’s mansion within a day.

But with two people in the carriage, progress was slower than he wanted, and impatience was creeping in.

So he increased the speed slightly, but the more the carriage shook, the more irritated someone seemed to get.

‘I can’t afford to annoy the Master of the Demon Sword…’

Tio wanted to deliver them to Dorothea as quickly as possible, but now was not the time.

Even if he suddenly said he would take them to Dorothea, the Master of the Demon Sword wouldn’t listen. Being able to withstand the control of the Demon Sword already indicated above-average mental strength and determination.

Perhaps the large woman in Tio’s carriage was the most stubborn person in the world.

First, he needed to slowly earn her trust and aim to draw her into the Demon King’s army.

Tio continued along the road, keeping a careful eye on the two behind him. Dyke was using the alias “Liz” and seemed to be traveling with an attendant for disguise purposes.

But one thing was bothering him: the attendant happened to be a priest.

Ordinarily, a priest’s holy power is like a deadly toxin to the undead, purifying those who have strayed from the natural order of life and death.

Tio had resistance to holy power, but the stinging pain it caused upon contact was something he despised.

‘Well… even so, there’s no real risk. Even if we encounter monsters, the Master of the Demon Sword will handle it…’

Tio clutched the reins with that thought in mind.

Yet, for some reason, the horse’s behavior seemed odd, even though they hadn’t been traveling half a day yet.

It seemed to resist his commands little by little.

‘What… why is this happening?’

This wasn’t even a legendary steed. He had stolen a regular horse from a local carriage driver. Why was the brainwashing already wearing off?

This wasn’t ordinary brainwashing. It was an ultimate undead horse, fed Tio’s bodily fluids to completely restructure its mind to obey him.

There was no way the brainwashing should break this quickly.

A cold sweat ran down Tio—though, as an undead, all his sweat was already cold.

He had no choice. Tio pulled the reins to stop the horse.

When the carriage stopped, Liz looked around, but the area was just an ordinary path stretching out from Tetina. There was no place to rest.

“Why did we stop all of a sudden?”

“Well, sis, there must be a reason.”

“…I know it’s my first time in a carriage, but you don’t need to teach me every little thing, Isabel.”

Tio felt embarrassed. Did the attendant know she was being disrespected in front of the Master of the Demon Sword? Even if they were close, that was rude.

Tio, who had already casually called Dyke, the Master of the Demon Sword, by his first name, had to suppress his urge to scold the insolent priest.

Instead, as the kind carriage driver Judith rather than ultimate undead Tio, he gave a slightly awkward smile.

“The horse seems unwell. Just a moment.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Nothing serious! A little medicine and it’ll be fine.”

Tio approached the horse, pulling out a small glass bottle from his pocket to prevent them from seeing its contents.

Holding a small bottle of dark red liquid, Tio checked the horse’s eyes.

Sure enough, its dull gray eyes were gradually regaining life.

This wouldn’t do. Tio opened the cap and dropped a single drop of the fluid into the horse’s mouth.

Soon, the horse’s slight resistance completely vanished. Its eyes darkened again.

Problem solved.

But then…

“Is the horse sick? I can heal it!”

Isabel suddenly leapt out of the carriage, shouting this unexpectedly.

Tio was surprised but concealed it, shaking his hand.

“It’s fine now. Please get back on.”

“Isabel, I said to get on. Judith knows more about the horse than you do.”

“But I even healed Denk’s Mohican!”

Then Tio froze.

As Isabel approached the horse, life returned to its eyes once more. Its muscles twitched, and it looked ready to bolt down the road at any moment.

“W-wait! Don’t come any closer!”

Tio hurriedly reached out to stop her.

Isabel looked surprised, holding her staff, at Tio.

Liz also leaned out of the carriage, shouting,

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing. Just… priest, don’t come any closer.”

Tio realized why the brainwashing had broken early.

It was because of Isabel and the holy power she exuded.

Even without trying, a slight aura escaped her. Moreover, that staff, wrapped in cloth, was undoubtedly a powerful relic.

A normal undead would feel their skin burn just from her approaching. But Tio had resistance to holy power. And the aura of the Demon Sword nearby masked it. That’s why he hadn’t noticed how much holy power she was emitting.

‘Damn, I should have realized.’

It didn’t matter to Tio; he wouldn’t die from holy power exposure.

But the horse’s brainwashing was a different matter.

Its obedience relied on the tiny amount of Tio’s blood it had consumed. If Isabel touched it, all of that blood would be purified.

The horse’s mind would return, and it would bolt for its master—disaster.

“Why…?”

Isabel looked disappointed, though not with blame. Just frustration.

“I… I’m good with animals! Mohican loved me taking care of him… Ah, what’s this horse’s name?”

Name? There wasn’t one. Tio had stolen it from a nearby village last night. Same with the carriage.

He quickly improvised,

“U-uh… Blank Eyes.”

“Because its eyes are blank?”

“Yes.”

Isabel nodded as if satisfied.

“Blank Eyes doesn’t like priests much. Please get back on, priest.”

“Yes…”

Isabel returned to the carriage slowly, gripping her staff with one hand and nearly losing her balance. Liz grabbed her waist and pulled her beside her.

“You’re so light. You need to gain some weight.”

“Hehe.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

Tio fed the horse the fluid again and resumed driving. He smiled outwardly but was seething inside.

‘What’s with her, a mere priest, wielding a relic? And why is she acting so bold? I wish the Master of the Demon Sword would scold her.’

He thought that with the brainwashing reapplied, they could continue toward the mansion.

‘Again?’

For the first time, Tio felt high blood pressure.

Once again, the horse’s brainwashing was breaking.

“Everyone, hold on a second.”

He stopped the carriage on the side and got down. Liz now wore a displeased expression too.

‘The Master of the Demon Sword is displeased…!’

Tio wanted to avoid Dyke later saying, “She can’t even control a horse.”

He quickly fed the horse the fluid. When Isabel tried to intervene with “I can heal it,” he almost shouted at her to stay quiet.

‘Damn it. The priest keeps breaking the brainwashing!’

The journey was far from over, and frequent stops were frustrating.

This time, he fed a large amount—an entire bottle. It should have been enough to brainwash even an ogre.

So surely it would be fine now…

‘No… again?’

Less than thirty minutes later, the brainwashing broke again.

Tio gritted his teeth. The horse had begun developing resistance due to repeated brainwashing. Even though he had intended to feed enough to last at least three days, Isabel’s constant interference was causing this cycle.

He was about to reach for an emergency bottle when…

“No, Isabel, you handle it.”

The Master of the Demon Sword issued an irreversible command.

Tio’s eyes widened in fear. He jumped from the carriage and saw Isabel approaching with a radiant, benevolent expression.

“Don’t worry! It’ll be fine now!”

“N-no, don’t come. I told you, Blank Eyes doesn’t like priests…”

“It’s fine, I’m sure Blank Eyes will like me!”

Isabel tried to pass him. No. If she touched the horse with the relic, the brainwashing would instantly break.

“W-wait…!”

Tio grabbed her wrist.

And at that moment…

“…!”

Pain.

A searing, unprecedented pain pierced him.

The necromancer Dorothea’s masterpiece—Tio had never experienced pain like this.

But Tio endured it. The pain spread from his hand gripping Isabel’s wrist deep into his core, yet he held on.

He could do this because he was an undead—he could feel pain from holy power, but he wouldn’t die.

Knowing this, Tio maintained a poker face, slowly pulling Isabel’s hand.

“Come on. Priests aren’t good with animals, right? Don’t worry and get in the carriage…”

But…

“Are you worried about me?”

Isabel’s innocent smile brought Tio to near despair.

‘It’s not the relic.’

It wasn’t just the relic giving off holy power—it was Isabel herself.

Tio had mistaken her immense holy power for the relic’s.

Just by touching her, he now felt pain unlike anything before.

‘There’s a monster like her…!’

He realized that she could never be brought to the mansion as-is.

He could survive, but other undead might be instantly purified just by her presence.

First, he had to keep her away from the horse.

A disaster. Liz was also approaching the carriage. Tio’s composure was fading…

Then, Isabel reached out.

She grabbed Tio’s wrist—the one holding hers.

Lightning-like pain shattered Tio’s smile. Waves of sharp holy energy crashed over him.

How could such a being exist? Was she really the legendary saint?

A person far beyond a bishop-level holy power holder gripped his wrist, and Tio almost forgot he couldn’t die.

Naturally, his strength faltered.

Isabel removed Tio’s hand from hers, smiled once, and confidently said,

“Now, Blank Eyes! I’ll fix you!”

She walked toward the horse. Tio, enduring the pain, tried to protest, but Liz grabbed his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Judith. She’s a fool, but capable when it comes to healing.”

“No… this isn’t good…”

Tio wanted to resist the Master of the Demon Sword’s orders, but he couldn’t—it would be rude.

So he could only watch in despair as Isabel’s hand neared the horse.

And…

The horse’s eyes brightened.

“Look! Blank Eyes’ eyes are glowing…”

The horse’s revival was cut short.

Hee-hinng—

The horse lifted its hooves and bolted away with the carriage.

“……”

A cloud of dust rose.

Isabel, Liz, and Tio could only stare dumbfounded at the receding carriage loaded with their belongings.