The misadventures of the necromancer

Chapter XXXIII

The crowd begins murmuring among themselves, not expecting this turn of events. Especially considering Nero’s annoying manner of speaking. It’s understandable—how could anyone predict that someone who just moments ago was practically leading the lynching of Adar would, after the strange spectacle of making Adar strip, simply declare him innocent? And not only that, but he seems almost offended by the waste of his time.

“A trick, a ploy to try to save his friend!” shouts the innkeeper, pointing an accusing finger at Nero.

Adar can’t see Nero’s face, but the way he stiffens indicates he is not happy. Adar, on the other hand, couldn’t be more pleased. Having Nero on his side almost guarantees his survival.

“Hey. Call that clown my friend again. And we’re going to have a problem.” Nero’s voice is harsh and hard. The unexpected comment succeeds in silencing those in the crowd who started to agree with the innkeeper.

Before anyone else can start speaking, Nero takes control of the conversation.

“I’ve spent enough time watching police shows to learn something.” Another one of Nero’s confusing statements. What are police shows? Adar has no idea, and seeing the confused expressions of the people, he knows he’s not the only one. But Adar has an advantage—he already knows something about Nero.

As such, he certainly will not make the mistake of thinking the necromancer is making things up. These police shows are likely some form of magic or something similar.

“Thus, it’s easy to see that the girl fought until the end. Her nails have what appears to be skin.” As he speaks, his head turns to the body lying on the ground. “From the violence she suffered, it’s clear she scratched her attacker.”

Nero stops looking at the body and faces the crowd directly. Pointing back at Adar, he says, “I just saw his body right in front of you all. And he doesn’t have a single mark on him. His hands don’t have a single wound, let alone one that could result from being in a fight.”

This clarifies for Adar, and the entire village present the reason for the strange spectacle Nero just made him go through.

“That doesn’t mean anything he could...” starts the innkeeper before Nero interrupts him.

“Have taken a potion.” Judging by the expression on the innkeeper’s face, Nero guessed exactly what he was going to say. He seems to study, the older man for a few moments before speaking again. Adar can't even guess, what he is thinking.

“A good possibility. But I checked the potion inside his bag. It’s untouched.” The innkeeper starts to open his mouth again, but once more, Nero speaks first. “In case he used some other potion, I looked for a wound he got a few days ago. It’s still there.”

He shakes his head slightly as if challenging the innkeeper to continue speaking. But, finding no opposition, he continues speaking.

“So, he couldn’t have taken a potion recently. Otherwise, the wound would have completely disappeared by now.”

Adar hears the final conclusion and lets out a sigh of relief. Everything Nero just said makes perfect sense. Everyone now has to see that he is innocent.

But Nero doesn’t seem to be done yet. He fixes his gaze on the crowd again before declaring, “And not only can I say that, this idiot is innocent. I can also say something about the real killer.”

Hearing this, the crowd falls silent, waiting to hear what more he has to say.

"Well, he can't be it up." Nero's voice is paused and a little hesitating. Making it even harder to understand what he means. Adar can only think that Nero must mean that the assassin couldn't get Tamara's body up to carry it somewhere else.

Seeing the confusion in the crowd, Nero attempts to clarify. "You guys understand it doesn't go hard."

But this explanation does not help Adar, or anyone else. What doesn't go hard. That is until a short woman starts to laugh.

She turns to her side to talk to a friend, but her voice carries enough for Adar to listen.

"He is saying the killer can't do a man's job."

“He is impotent!” Someone in the middle of the crowd finally says out loud.

In the crowd, some start to laugh while others express their confusion and disbelief at this. Except for the fat boy still next to Adar. Who furiously shouts, “What!”

Nero, who had been staring at the innkeeper. Quickly turns around with a small smile on his lips that doesn’t reach his eyes. Adar immediately knows that Nero has achieved something. Facing the boy directly, Nero uses one hand to point to the body on the ground.

“The marks on her body are large, indicating that the attacker must have been a man with hands much like yours.” Taking a step towards the boy, he continues to speak, the smile growing on his lips. As he fixes his eyes on the boy’s hands, noticing this, the boy hides them behind his back.

“The clothes are torn. This means the attacker tried to abuse her. What’s the explanation for him not doing so after overpowering her? Logically, it can only be due to his impotence. Don’t you think?” Nero asks directly to the boy, who, seeing Nero’s stance. And despite being larger than the necromancer takes a step back.

“Perhaps you have another explanation for what happened?” The boy listens to Nero's words and simply shakes his head. He starts looking around embarrassed. Adar notices that in the end, he focuses on the innkeeper.

“No. Is there an explanation for why you got upset about my possible insult to the good name of a killer?” This question makes the boy’s eyes widen. The fear of what these words might mean is transparent on his face. At the same time, Adar feels the bearded man finally release his arm.

“Neither. Because I can only think of one explanation.” Here, Nero starts looking around. Adar can only think he is assessing the reaction of the rest of the villagers. Adar himself can only watch the spectacle unfolding.

“What did I say? A trick to free the other one.” Adar hears the innkeeper’s loud voice exclaiming. “Now. This stranger is even accusing one of our village’s young men. After, we found his companion next to poor Tamara. That can only indicate his guilt.”

“That’s right. We already know who the culprit is,” shouts some voice in the crowd. Followed by another, “Maybe they’re all together.”

With the village turning against them, Adar looks at Nero. Who is studying the crowd carefully. His face is expressionless, indicating to Adar that Nero is also not worried. This leads him to look at his friend Seres, who has been silently observing. Quietly, so only his friend can hear, Adar says, “Fools! They’re risking their lives with this.”

From his side, more specifically from the bearded man. Who was holding him comes a low. “What?” making Adar look at the man carrying a curious and concerned expression. The man seems intelligent enough to understand how strange Nero’s behavior has been and that it could have serious consequences.

Out of nowhere, a laugh rises, countering the growing fury of the village. Once again, Nero acts contrary to expectations. Adar almost doesn’t notice anymore. But for these villagers, this is strange and leads to hesitation.

“So that’s how it is. Too bad, even though I’m no Sherlock, I was hoping to solve this logically.” He starts to walk towards the body. “But this is a world of magic. It’s better to use magic, right?”

This question silences the crowd once more. After all, who would consider that strange young man a mage? For them, this doesn’t make much sense. For Adar, the only doubt is what magic he intends to use. And remembering the cheerful young woman he met yesterday, he can only hope Nero isn’t about to do what he thinks.

“The best way to clarify this is to ask the victim. Don’t you think?” Hearing this Adar's mouth drops. Although not surprised, he cannot help but be shocked. What is Nero thinking? Revealing himself like this won’t have good results.

The villagers, in turn, start talking among themselves again, and from what Adar can understand, they do not like it.

“Come on, we just need to ask a necromancer to ask her who killed her.” And if the crowd was starting to get angry. Now, they become furious.

“Well, even with a necromancer, we can’t get her to talk. But surely she can point to the culprit,” says Nero casually, right in front of the village. The woman who had been accompanying Tamara since she was found faints. Making the tall man who had accompanied her rush to her aid.

Because of this, the crowd's shouts rise even more while some start approaching Nero. He, in turn, spends a few moments looking at the fainted woman before continuing to speak.

“Look, all it takes is for anyone who knows a necromancer capable of doing this job to raise their hand.” After making this statement, he raises his hand and starts waving it to the crowd.

Adar can't help but find it ironic; after all, as requested, someone who knows a powerful necromancer has their hand raised. For a moment, Adar even considers raising his own hand since he also knows a capable necromancer.

But Nero's sheer confidence and nonchalance leave the crowd without knowing how to respond. How could anyone react to this picture?

In the resulting pause, Nero turns directly to the boy and asks him. “Don’t you want to confess anything while you still can?”

But before he can say anything, the innkeeper's voice is heard, “And what would my son have to confess to a liar like you?”

Nero immediately turns to the innkeeper. “Son!! Well, that makes sense.”

With his hand still in the air, he slightly shrugs and continues speaking, “But that bit about being a liar is a bit insulting. When have I lied?” The question sounds genuine and sincere, making the whole situation even more confusing for everyone watching. How can someone be so relaxed in this situation?

“You’ve been lying since you started talking,” the innkeeper responds. His voice carried some anger. But a slight smile appears on his face. Adar can only conclude that the man thinks he’s triumphing over Nero. While Adar is certain that the man is digging his own grave.

“I don’t understand. Oh, you think I wasn’t serious when I offered to help hang him.” As he speaks, his hand remains raised. So, he uses his head to indicate Adar.

“Nope. I was being completely sincere. If I even dream that one of these two is involved in something like this, I will turn them into human torches.” Adar cannot help but hear Nero’s voice acquire a coldness that indicates his seriousness on the matter. And from what he knows of the necromancer, he has no doubt that he is telling the truth.

“But let’s leave that aside. No one is raising their hand?” His light tone returns when he faces the crowd again. Which remains undecided on how to deal with someone so strange.

“Stop the show. Nothing can save your friend from paying for what he did,” declares the innkeeper loudly.

“I warned you we would have problems if you said that again,” Nero’s voice turns harsh again as he faces the man.

“But let's leave that issue for now. Apparently, you didn’t notice that someone has had their hand raised.” He indicates his own hand, which has been raised. The crowd returns to silence, possibly starting to understand what he means.

“Last chance. Anything you and your boy want to confess?” Nero asks, finally lowering his hand and beginning to kneel near Tamara's lifeless body.

The innkeeper lets out a loud laugh before speaking again. “I have to admit, you are persistent.”

What Nero hears makes him shake his head. “You really are bastards. You won’t even let the girl rest in peace. But you’ll learn that everything has consequences.”

Nero is now with his back to Adar, so he can’t see much. But he doesn’t need to, already knowing what will happen. Nero touches the body with his hand.

The body starts to tremble. As Tamara’s lifeless body begins to rise, the entire crowd steps back, and screams of terror or astonishment are heard. The man who had been beside Adar says, “May Medishe protect us.” Not that Adar knows what the goddess of light and healing can do for them now.

“This wasn’t necessary. Well, it was, but only by your choice.” Adar thinks the whole village can hear Nero's criticism. His voice contains a bitterness Adar had not heard from the necromancer before.

“My poor girl, can you go grab your killer? Please?” Despite the “please” at the end, no one doubts that this is an order from Nero.

And so, with a speed that might be unexpected for the village, who have never seen undead, the girl charges towards Adar.