༺ Hell For The Sake Of Rest ༻
“Deus!”
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
The carpet on the floor shook with intensity. Consumed by fury, a man strode hastily, each of his footsteps reverberating with a volatile surge of mana. This caused a vase on the edge of the desk to almost crash to the floor, if not for Findenai’s swift reaction.
“Phew, I almost had to go shopping again.”
Findenai let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and shot a piercing glare at the door. As if on cue, Darius swung open the door with a creak, entering the room at the perfect moment.
“What nonsense is this?”
As I arranged the candles, I glanced briefly at Darius before concentrating on what I was doing again.
It seemed to irritate Darius’ nerves so much that he stomped towards me.
“Nope.”
Findenai shrugged her shoulders and stood between us, blocking the way.
Darius, who had already suffered two humiliating defeats at her hands, gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists and shouted at me,
“Digging up the previous Household Heads’ tombs? Have you truly lost your mind?!”
Darius drew his sword from his waist and swung it in the air, his veins bulging as he yelled,
“I’ve looked past accepting the barbarians into Norseweden, entering the forbidden underground of the household, and hiring a damn prostitute as a maid! I let everything slide, but I can’t tolerate this!”
Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to get past Findenai anyway, I remained silent.
There was no time. The moon was about to rise.
“Calm down.”
At that moment, Deia, who was in my room, sighed and tried to pacify Darius.
Surprised, he looked at Deia with a puzzled expression, as if wondering why she was here.
Deia subtly showed the clock she held in her hand.
Today’s five minutes weren’t over yet.
“Deus is simply doing what needs to be done… The responsibility that a Verdi should bear.”
Upon hearing those words, Darius immediately scowled at Deia,
“The responsibility that a Verdi should bear? Are you saying that it must be done even if we have to dig up our ancestors’ tombs?! Our father is there too!”
“…It is still necessary.”
Darius was taken aback by Deia’s response. She was biting her lip, determination apparent on her face.
It seemed unbelievable to him that Deia, who disliked me more than anyone else, was siding with me.
“Ugh, fine! Damn it! Explain the reason for doing such a thing!”
As I was also ready to have a conversation, I slowly turned around and looked at Darius.
“I am a Necromancer.”
“What?”
Darius looked at me with a gaping mouth, completely surprised by this sudden declaration.
His reaction was understandable. It wouldn’t be too strange for Griffin Kingdom’s Royal Knights to suddenly barge into our household and take me away due to such a statement.
“Numerous spirits are wandering in this mansion right now. And the Verdi Household has prevented them from finding peace.”
I stepped forward slowly.
With Findenai stepping aside, I glared at Darius, who was now in front of me.
“Deia and I bear the guilt of ignorance. But you… the head, knew all of the secrets written.”
“…”
“Help me. I’m giving you a chance to take responsibility one last time.”
“Take responsibility?”
Darius, now understanding the situation, slammed his sword onto the ground and glared at me, as if releasing his anger.
“You want me to take responsibility for what the previous lords have done? But let me ask you, is there anyone in this world who is truly innocent? And who can claim with certainty that our judgment against the previous lords is justified?”
“…”
“I, too, know that they committed sins. But there’s nothing I can change! I can only continue the Verdi name as it has been!”
After looking at Darius for a moment, I calmly nodded.
“I understand.”
At my acknowledgment, Darius looked at me with surprise, confusion in his eyes.
“Since it has already been built up for hundreds of years. As the newly appointed lord, you probably can’t change anything.”
Darius tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fist. It seemed like he was struggling to hold back something rising inside him.
“But that does not mean you cannot do anything. We should, and cannot simply avoid what has been by saying it is inevitable.”
“…”
“Give me a chance. A chance to settle everything, cleanse all of our sins, and start a new Verdi.”
“A new Verdi…”
“Yes. I hope you’ll make the right choice as the Household Head.”
With those words, I walked out of the room. Findenai followed behind me, carrying our belongings.
I could hear Deia and Darius’s voices, but I simply ignored them and stepped outside.
Most of the previous lords were buried on a site not far from the Verdi mansion.
Some bodies couldn’t be found due to the war, and some were lost due to unforeseen circumstances, but most were properly laid to rest.
“He’s here!”
The Scrapyard Nomads, who were already waiting near the cemetery by my command, lowered their heads deeply as soon as they saw me.
Not liking their attitude, Findenai immediately grabbed the head of the person in front and expressed her annoyance.
“Hey, why won’t you greet me?”
“Ugh!”
“But, isn’t he the Master now?”
“Yeah! Thanks to him, we’re doing great!”
Having been slaves and later becoming rebels, their situation hadn’t changed much in the Republic. But here, they were provided with jobs, a place to rest, and meals. They didn’t really find the discrimination they faced from the locals as something major, only a mild annoyance. After all, they had already experienced the true disparities of social status.
With a simple nod to them, I entered the cemetery.
The cemetery for the past lords was meticulously maintained, not a speck of dust could be found, and the fences were sturdy as well.
Once Findenai meticulously positioned the candles I prepared beforehand; in the east, west, south, and north directions, I proceeded to place the remaining ones at the entrance with great care.
The family’s servants gathered from afar. The butler brought a ceremonial drum as I had requested. Well, I requested for a trumpet, but they didn’t seem to have one.
“Findenai, as I mentioned, please guide her.”
“…Yes, I’ll at least do my best for this.”
Nodding her head, Findenai headed back to the mansion.
I quietly watched her back for a moment, then took note of both the servants and Scrapyard Nomads members.
They were looking at me as if they didn’t understand what was going on, but ignoring that, I tapped the ground with my cane and gave an order.
“From now on, you will receive the guests who will come from the mansion. Don’t let anyone get in the way of them arriving here.”
Some of the less experienced servants looked puzzled, but most of them attentively listened to my words.
“The Verdi Household owes a great debt. Treat them as politely and courteously as possible.”
“Yes, understood.”
The head butler responded with a deep bow.
Next, I directly spoke to the Scrapyard Nomads,
“You all, protect them. The number approaching may be plenty, but with your skills, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Of course.”
The vice-captain of Scrapyard Nomads confidently replied, thumping his chest.
After hearing that response, I turned my body and entered the cemetery.
The butler, as we had agreed beforehand, held the ceremonial drum and stood at the entrance.
“Beat the drums regularly. If it’s difficult, you can take turns with someone else, but the sound of the drum must not stop.”
“Understood.”
“Start immediately.”
Bam.
The sound began to resonate.
At the same time, the servants, bustling about in preparation to receive the guests, and the Scrapyard Nomads, who drew their weapons and formed a protective perimeter, moved in a coordinated manner.
Things were very convenient when everyone followed orders without needing detailed explanations, I thought as I firmly planted the tip of my cane into the ground.
The earth gave way, creating a hollow pit. I began infusing mana into it.
It wasn’t my mana.
All of it belonged to the spirits trapped within me.
Whoosh!
Soon, the candles placed in the four directions were lit with a blue flame.
It would serve as a barrier to prevent evil spirits from escaping.
[Kekeke!]
[Freedom!]
[Verdi! Verdi! Verdi!]
The evil spirits’ screams rose in a crescendo. I continued to release mana, condensing it and filling this location with the energy of death.
It was a kind of ritual that I modified to suit this continent, based on what I saw multiple times with my grandmother.
I continued the ritual.
I summoned the shameless ghosts who were sleeping so peacefully.
Slowly, I walked to their individual graves.
Then, I recited the names engraved on the gravestones, awakening them from a deep sleep.
“Delmoen Verdi.”
Bam!
Along with the sound of the drum, Delmoen’s soul floated above the cemetery.
Slowly opening his eyes, he looked around in surprise.
[What? Did you wake me up?]
Ignoring his confusion, I walked to the next grave and called out another name.
Bam!
“Dolores Verdi.”
Bam!
“Tervite Verdi.”
Bam!
“Dupolian Verdi.”
Bam!
.
.
.
.
With each drum beat and utterance, the spirits awakened.
Even though they were confused, they were mostly angry at me for disturbing their rest.
“Detros Verdi.”
Bam!
I continued to awaken the spirits, one by one, until I reached the most recent grave.
“Damos Verdi.”
Bam!
A man emerged. He knew me.
[Deus? Is it Deus? Did you wake me up?]
Damos Verdi, the previous Head of the Verdi Household, and the father of the three siblings.
All of the Verdi Household members were now gathered.
Among them, there were those like Detros Verdi who slaughtered countless people for their own greed.
And there were those like Darius Verdi who simply closed their eyes and mouths, pretending not to see or hear the family’s sins.
[Deus! What on earth is happening here?!]
[Oh, isn’t this a sign that we have also entered the path of darkness by awakening the dead?]
[Kekeke! Damos! It is time to educate him!]
The Verdi Household apparitions gathered around me. The evil spirits, swirling like a whirlwind, filled the sky and glared down with a ferocious intent to tear them apart.
“Shut your mouths, all of you.”
I calmly opened my mouth toward them. The atmosphere turned serious with my next words,
“In a scripture from another world, there is a passage that goes like this.”
Bam!
“When the time comes, the trumpet will sound, and on the day the Son of Man himself descends from heaven, the dead shall rise first.”11 Thessalonians 4:16 paraphrase “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.” Author uses Son of Man (Christ) instead for some reason
Bam!
“And they will be judged according to their sins.”2Romans 2:6 paraphrase “He will judge everyone according to what they have done.”
Bam!
“I do not know if it’s true. I also do not know if such a person exists in this continent.”
Bam!
A slight smile involuntarily formed on my face.
Can they imagine even a little about what will unfold from now?
Probably not.
They have already closed their eyes.
Their so-called future no longer exists.
Bam!
“If there is no such individual, and if there is no afterlife, will your sins be buried and forgotten for eternity?”
[Deus! Watch your words!]
“Shut up! I’m not your damn son.”
I retaliated against Damos, who glared at me with anger.
I used mana to seal his mouth completely.
From the diary, I already knew that he, too, was not a great father.
“On this ambitious night, you will see and witness the resentment that has accumulated so much it has reached the sky… and you will have to bear its weight.”
[Delmoennn! Delmoennn! Delmoennn, one who devoured my eyes!]
[Is the person over there really Dupolian? My long-time friend, the one who raped my wife, killed me, and severed my son’s limbs?]
[Verdi! Verdi! Verdi, those who stained the mountain range red with blood to defend it!]
[Detrossss! Detrossss! Detrossss!]
The spirits were on the verge of collapsing on them. Calmly, I addressed the trembling souls of the Verdi Household.
“Of course, you may feel wronged. Among these spirits, there may be individuals too filthy to judge you.”
Indeed, among the spirits I had seen in the mansion, some people had led sinful lives.
Such as members of other families who invaded the Verdi Household.
Or thieves who came to steal money secretly.
There were also criminals who stalked maids or committed sexual offenses.
While not everyone was like that, there were enough of such individuals.
So, I took responsibility and unfolded this ritual as fairly as possible.
This place was not merely a ritual for tearing apart and devouring the Verdi Household.
“Let us shed all resentments, wash away all sins. Oh, spirits pervaded with grudges! This place is where your resentment shall be resolved! Today is the day a new, pure white history is written for Verdi!”
Bam!
“There is no holy man to judge you! No matter how long you wait, there will be neither salvation nor judgment! After death, there is neither eternal happiness nor eternal suffering! You shall only fall into a purely silent slumber!”
Bam!
For the first time, I felt my blood boiling.
I couldn’t contain the explosion of emotions.
My grandmother always said that when I get involved in an exorcism, I couldn’t help but get too excited. I can see now that her words were true…
“Now! Demand each other of your sins! Do not repent! Point fingers and criticize the sins of others! From this day forward, let go of all resentments and fall into eternal slumber!”
Bam!
I raised both hands high.
From that moment, the spirits that had been swirling in the sky began to pour down like a waterfall.
“The Son of Man has descended! The time has come! Blow the trumpet!”
Bam!
“Let us judge each other for the sake of rest!”
