The lights flicker and a tearing scream echoes through the mansion. Roux was sent flying into the air and landed onto the dead bodies on the stone slab. It was the first time I had seen a person be blown off their feet. I suppose that was caused by offensive magic that the Lord seldom uses.
The Lord’s expression was the same as ever. His eyebrows were not furrowed nor was his face contorted, but one could surely see the spark of anger smoldering in those cunning eyes.
“Roux! You…you had the nerve to trick me? I remember telling you to report should there be any changes to the condition of the wound.”
“!…”
Maybe it was due to the impact the fall had on her, she could not reply. The Lord treads on her hands on the floor.
“I do not remember ever ordering you to lie.”
Roux certainly did tell him the truth. But between me and her, the Lord seems to have chosen to trust me.
Well, that is no surprise. He believes in his own magic. A slave’s word… Her position must be taken into consideration. What’s more, a slave who has not really proven her worth, could never carry any weight. All the more so when the story is ridiculous.
I had understood that. Hence, I chose to let her be.
I have been observing their interaction all this time. The kind of cruel treatment the Lord gives Roux.Perhaps, Roux dreamt that relaying the truth to the Lord would placate him, and that he might start treating her a little better.
I would never have chosen that course of action had I been in her place. To think that she would decide to bet everything on that sliver of hope. Looks like she was desperate enough.
Slaves are not even allowed to raise any objections.
The Lord, after having delivered several blows, took her by the neck and brought her over to where I was lying.
I am not sure if she bit herself for a small drop of blood fell off her blackened lips. For just a moment, a wonderful scent fills the air. It almost makes me lose my calm but I manage to compose myself after a bit of a fluster. Luckily, the Lord was busy chastising the slave that he had not noticed my slip-up.
“Hey, you scum! What exactly changed with End did you say? Say it once more.”
“A…h…”
The Lord’s eyes and Roux’s vacant eyes were pointed in the direction of my wound. All they could see was that the wound looked no different from when the Lord made it. Well correctly speaking, there was a slight difference, but the Lord was not looking that closely.
“End. Raise your arm. Show your wound to me and this thing… clearly.”
I raised my arm out of my own volition. The wound was laid bare under the dim light of the room.
The wound that ought to have healed had I been a ghoul was evidently still there.
“Hey, Roux! I ask you once again. What did you say about… this wound?”
“Gah… Mas..ter, it did… by itself…”
Maybe it was out of fear or because of the torment, she was not making much sense. The Lord makes a dramatic gesture as he looks at me.
“Listen, End. The slave says that…you gouged out your arm yourself. Mua ha ha . Say, is that true?”
Yes. The answer is yes. But, I will not answer.
The order has to be clear and precise. If he needs an answer… ’Answer me’ must be his order. But there were no such words from him. Hence I was not under obligation to answer.
That was the loophole granted to beings with intelligence in order to escape the clutches of absolute dominance.
The Lord looked at me for a few seconds and I suppose he interpreted my silence in his own way. He directed his attention back towards Roux.
Roux’s shoulders trembled, she turned pale and sputtered out,
“Ma-master… it… is lying…”
“Kek kek. I had not told this to a slave like you but… undead can never defy their creator’s orders!!”
The Lord laughed out loud and knocked Roux to the ground.
I watched them with my hand still raised. Because… I was not ordered to lower my arm. It was only natural for a devoted fleshman that is only capable of following orders.
“Hmm? Did you think you would be treated better if you reported that there was an anomaly? Did you really think that you could trick me,you useless dunderhead?”
Pitiful. The slave faithfully reported the strange truth to the master, but the master did not seem to place his trust on the slave. Their day-to-day interactions speak for themselves. Or maybe, the master’s personality is at fault.
If she had held her tongue, she would not have been chastised. But that does not mean I sympathize with her. I could have had my freedom stripped because of her.
I wonder if the reason why I don’t feel even a shred of pity towards her is because… I am a cruel person.
“Ah…. h…. It… even before… a book…”
“Shut it! You living scum that is lesser than a corpse!”
Looks like she knew about me reading the books. I wonder when she found out… but it’s not so surprising since she is also supposed to tidy the library.
However, she made a mistake by saying that now. Looks like the Lord was right. She is a useless dunderhead.
For several moments after, all I could hear was the sound of a person being knocked around, and her groaning and shrieking. Eventually, maybe the Lord had hit her enough for he looked over his shoulder and spat out at Roux who lay motionless on the floor.
“The next time you give me a false report, I will tear apart that body of yours as you live and make that soul writhe in eternal agony.”
His voice had an impact. It had the ring of truth.
A Necromancer. To the words of the mage who practiced the abominable art of manipulating the souls of the dead, Roux who lay like a corpse, convulsed in response.
The Lord turned to me.
“End. You can put it down.”
You can put it down. Since that was not exactly an order, there is no need for me to comply, but I am supposed to be a loyal fleshman, so I lowered my arm.
In response the Lord snorted, dissatisfied and proceeded to heal the wound on my arm. I suppose that since there was no change in the condition of the wound, he figured that it was meaningless to leave it be any longer. Although I could bear with it, the pain was getting on my nerves, so I breathed a sigh of relief but still kept a blank face.
“Roux. I expect this room to be returned to its original state. The corpses in this room carry more worth than you. You, that was bought for a mere gold coin.”
A single gold coin. I wonder how much he paid for me. I never knew that corpses could be bought. But I suppose it must have been for more than a gold coin, considering that many of those corpses are tasked with the duty of protecting the Lord.
The Lord leaves the room. Leaving me and Roux alone in the morgue.
Roux was lying face down on the floor since she collapsed and it did not look like she was going to move anytime soon. Maybe the Lord did not go all out on her for she was still alive. I could clearly make out the sound of her still breathing.
However, I am worried. She is a comrade. Our circumstances may be different, but she is something of a colleague to me. If you find your colleague in a bad situation, I suppose you should help them.
I was not under orders to stay put so I got up, stretched and plopped down where Roux lay prone on the floor.
It’s imperative that I keep an ear out for the Lord who may return to the morgue upon changing his mind. This whole incident happened due to my negligence. I shall not make the same mistake twice.
Roux looks up at me. Her unfocused eyes try to make out my face.
I wipe off a drop of her blood on the floor, and as if to show off I put the finger in my mouth and give it a lick.
And I learned for the first time, the kind of ghastly expression a truly bewildered person could make.
Nevertheless, it was all futile now. I don’t suppose the Lord trusted you very much to begin with… but now, he will certainly never believe you ever again.