Chapter 3
WITH HER INTERACTION with the local bureaucracy concluded, Mira sat and watched adventurers pass by on the main street.
Mixed in with the traditional adventuring looks of armor and robes were some truly outrageous appearances, even by the standards of her own magical-girl attire. American-style ninjas made no effort to conceal themselves. Samurai passed by, strapped with numerous blades. There were even nuns wearing traditional demon masks, and no one seemed to react as if anything were amiss.
Maybe I don’t stand out that much after all, she thought to herself as she glanced down at her own outfit. With all that on parade, it didn’t seem she had much to worry about—so long as she ignored the fact that her physical appearance garnered more attention than her clothing.
She’d expected the process at the guild to take quite a bit longer. Now it was just past noon, and Mira was at a loss for what to do with the rest of her day. Her license wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow morning, so she had some time to kill.
A woman—specifically an adventurer, wearing a robe with a thigh slit cut all the way to her hip—passed before her and entered a nearby item shop. Mira’s gaze followed to the shop window, which was lined with all sorts of unfamiliar adventuring equipment entirely. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Hrmm! Perhaps some investigating is in order…
Deciding that a bit of retail therapy might be a way to amuse herself while coming to terms with this new world, Mira bounced into the item shop.
She gazed in wonder at the items on display, and the differences between the game and her new reality began to dawn on her. Before, the items found in these shops were just used as decoration or to assist in battle—but now they had practical applications in everyday life, like cooking and lighting.
How interesting. Mira smirked to herself as she played with the direction of the wind on what appeared to be a fan-like apparatus that sucked air in on one side and blew out it out the other. The tantalizing slitted robe from earlier fluttered in the path of the current, and Mira drew a disapproving look from its owner.
Mira made her way from shop to shop—everything from armories to apothecaries—and with each passing store, her eyes sparkled. But as she exited the eleventh shop, she saw a gathering crowd and drew to a stop.
In her wandering, she’d strayed from the main road. The crowd in question murmured and shuffled a bit deeper inside a neighboring residential area.
Wonder what’s got them all in a tizzy?
Thinking of it as her own instinctive curiosity, rather than crass rubbernecking, she found herself drawn into the crowd. Using her small body, she slipped through the gaps and made her way to the source of the commotion. At first glance, it was just an ordinary wooden house. Wilted flowers sprouted from neglected planters lining the windowsills, but that wasn’t what had attracted all this attention.
A zombie sat propped up in the shadow of the doorway. A tattered bit of burnt and torn leather—possibly the remnant of a jacket—was stuck to the zombie’s shoulder.
A nearby patrolman uttered a warning to the crowd. “Please stay back! This is the scene of an active investigation and may be dangerous!” His enameled white-and-blue armor marked him as a member of the Knight Patrol.
Administered by the Royal Alcait Military Police, the Knight Patrol served as the local police force for cities within the kingdom’s borders. The Alcaitian coat of arms was engraved prominently on the armor that served as their uniform.
At the moment, two officers were present, one holding back the onlookers while the other stood with his hand on his sword hilt and warily watched the motionless zombie.
What’s it doing out at this hour? Mira wondered. The sun’s still high in the sky.
The noonday sun hung directly overhead, casting barely the slimmest shadows. Mira looked up and squinted at the glare before returning her gaze to the zombie. As the crowd watched, the puddle of shadow it had been sheltering in slowly vanished.
“Something’s not right here,” muttered the officer as he unclasped his scabbard and poked the monster’s shoulder with it. A whisper broke out and spread among the crowd.
There was no sign of response from the zombie. The knight reached out and poked it again, this time more forcefully. The zombie jolted. Quiet enveloped the crowd once more.
As they looked on with bated breath, the zombie slowly tilted to one side before toppling to the ground. The limbs collapsed into small piles of dust as the two guards exchanged bitter smiles.
“Move along, folks. Just a false alarm!” called the officer serving as crowd control.
As the crowd dispersed and splintered into smaller groups, rumors of what happened started to spread through the town.
Hrmm. So this one was made up of earth and vegetation too, Mira thought to herself as she watched the guards stand over the remains. Seeing it under proper light like this, it’s almost more of a necromantic golem than a zombie.
Mira knew a little about necromancy. The technique to create a necromantic golem typically imbued a dead body or inorganic matter with a temporary soul created by the magician. In the hands of a skilled necromancer, bodies revived by this technique were even able to temporarily use the abilities they had while still alive. And since they possessed a soul—unlike undead monsters—they could withstand the light of the sun.
Though from what I’ve heard, they still try to avoid daylight. Perhaps it’s something else, she thought. It’s similar to a golem construct, but…it’s more like a skeleton wearing a golem costume. Perhaps some new technique?
It truly was a riddle.
As Mira pondered, another member of the Knight Patrol arrived, carrying a large box. Gathering up the scattered remains of the zombie, the officers packed them away to be taken to an evidence locker.
“What’s this, a ring?” one called. “I hope it’s not cursed.”
The knight scowled as he picked up a simple golden ring from the remains before quickly tossing it into the box.
Watching the proceedings, Mira couldn’t help but think of her friend and target. She wondered if Soul Howl was tied up in all of this. He’d always been a bit strange, but his knowledge and skills when it came to necromancy were second to none. She made a mental note to press the issue when she located him.
Their job complete, the Knight Patrol moved out. The crowd had dispersed, and order had been restored to the street. With nothing more to see, Mira turned back toward the main street, thinking there was still time to browse a few more shops.
“Huh?! There’s nothing here!” A worried yell cut through the silence.
Farther down the street stood an elven woman with long black hair. Clad in white-and-green light armor, she had a thin sword attached to her hip and a gentle expression in her eyes. She glanced about as though searching for something.
As she walked past, Mira figured she must just be another onlooker who’d come to gawk at the zombie. But in the same instant, the woman spun around and her eyes landed on Mira.
“Ah! A moment please, miss!” The elf jogged over to Mira and then leaned forward to peer into her eyes. She had a kind smile tempered by a hint of anxiety. “I’d heard a zombie had appeared in this area; do you know anything about that?”
Mira decided it was best just to skip to the end of the story. “Yeah, the guards just finished cleaning it up.”
She broke eye contact with the woman and turned to point in the direction the Knight Patrol had gone. The remains of the zombie had been removed well enough that any newcomer to the scene would never even know it had been there.
“I see, I see. So, it’s all been handled. Thank goodness. Thank you!”
The elven woman seemed to relax before she turned and knocked on the door the zombie had been leaning against. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Mira stepped slightly closer to snoop into the lady’s business.
“Ah, Miss Emella. What brings you here?” asked a simple, somewhat demure-looking woman who emerged from the house. Her voice was soft but expressionless, and she tilted her head to the side.
“I’d heard a zombie appeared in the neighborhood and was worried. Are you all right?” asked the elven woman, apparently named Emella. She looked worried and reached forward to catch and squeeze the other woman’s hand.
Zombie in the neighborhood?! More like on her doorstep! Mira amended the statement silently.
“Really now? I hadn’t noticed,” the woman replied as if it didn’t concern her at all. Her face remained vacant.
“I see. I guess it wasn’t a big issue after all,” Emella said. “Thank goodness. But if you need anything, you let me know, all right?”
“I will. Thank you.” After a quick goodbye, the woman closed the door.
Turning away from the house, Emella had a look of relief. For a moment, their eyes met, and Emella smiled softly as Mira pointed down at the doorstep beneath her feet.
“It was actually right where you’re standing.”
“Wha?!” Emella shrieked and leapt into the air before turning and casting a cautious look at where she’d just been.
“So you know the person who lives here?” Mira asked with a smirk as she gave a pointed look back toward the house.
Emella nodded with a slight pout. “I do. She’s married to one of my former guildmates. We met through him and became friends.”
“Former guildmate, huh?” Feeling the mood change, Mira dropped her smug expression. “I take it that he isn’t with your guild anymore?”
Emella gazed at her friend’s home, then dropped her head and nodded. A soft, sad smile crept over her face.
“Yeah. Our guild focuses on adventuring, and we regularly travel from city to city. It doesn’t really provide stability.”
“I can see how that might not be compatible with married life.” Mira knew that the life of an adventurer was one of risk and chances—not exactly the best for someone with a home life or children.
“Right. So he—Thomas—took the exam to become a guild official here in the city. Thanks to the appreciation for his work in our guild, he was accepted. He’d just started working when…” She trailed off and her expression clouded over as she took a quick peek back at the house.
“Did something happen?” Mira thought back to the countenance of the woman she’d just seen at the door. Any hint at the happiness of her married life had been thoroughly scrubbed away.
“A month ago, Thomas went to check the barrier around a dungeon and never came back. A search party was sent out, but they couldn’t find him. Even our private guild went looking for him. We couldn’t find a single clue.”
As she spoke, Emella’s tone sounded like she was venting her own feelings of inadequacy and a frustration that they couldn’t do more to help. After looking sullen for a few moments, she suddenly looked up and her expression flipped.
“Anyway, sorry about all that doom and gloom. But I’m sure he’s fine!” Emella beamed, but Mira could tell her words were intended to reassure herself. “Thomas is the kind of person who gets caught up in things and just vanishes; I’m sure he’ll be back before we know it. Well, then, see you around!”
With a casual salute, she turned and dashed off down the road.
She just bounces from one mood to another, Mira thought as she watched Emella depart.
Then her gaze shifted, and her expression grew somber. This house should have been filled with the joy and happiness of marriage. Instead, even as it sat under the brilliant midday sun, it exuded nothing but despair.
@winstonet fixed…
Where is the rest of it?