Chapter 1533 (1/2)

In Taloshei place

“Can nothing be done about it, Master?” asked Luciliano He had been persistently pestering Vandalieu over a certain strange difficulty

“Zandia, can nothing be done about this apprentice?” asked Vandalieu, consulting Zandia as she passed by

Zandia… the titan Zoirl as Talosheim's second princess and had been praised as the 'Tiny Genius' when she was alive

“Eh? Arip like Jeennee?” asked Zandia

She had becoe, but as a titan, she o meters tall

“But Master, I really a hi him into the air

“What is this guy having sothis question to Vandalieu rather than the still-lively Luciliano

She had once experienced Luciliano peeping on her during surgery out of academic interest

“He said he wants to hear from wild Undead… Undead that aren't under my influence, fro,” Vandalieu said

“I'd think that ht be impossible,” said Zandia

“You're right,” said Vandalieu

Zandia couldn't be bla that Luciliano's request was impossible

“I do understand how he feels, since Undead change completely under your influence, Your Majesty The research I do is different, but I ae,” Zandia said

Undead would undergo rapid changes from the uidance

This was particularly apparent in inferior, low-Rank Undead Rank 1 Living Bones and Living Dead were Undead that silessly and didn't even possess much of an instinct, let alone wills But even they would clearly recognize Vandalieu and obey his commands to the best of their abilities

Rank 2 Zo and a desire to devour their flesh, but ninety percent of that would be erased and replaced with feelings of affection, loyalty and fear for Vandalieu This was even true for Cursed Weapons and Living Ar but a desire to kill

And ained their memories and personalities from while they were alive as their Ranks increased under Vandalieu's influence, beco able to speak words

Undead in their natural state were completely different creatures

Zandia assumed that as an Undead researcher, Luciliano would want to study not only the Undead that had undergone such changes, but Undead in their natural state as well

Having finally been understood, Luciliano nodded… or rather, since he couldn't, he expressed his agree theht,” he said

“But you know that there's no way you could hear what an Undead in its natural state has to say, right?” Zandia said

“Indeed, that's right,” Luciliano said again

Undead in their natural state, especially low-Rank Undead, never co

Conversation was possible with Ghosts who possessed their memories and personalities frorets There had also apparently been very rare cases where Zo those they had been close to while alive and express desires such as asking the that these were not the delusions of the witnesses

But even with these exceptions, the kind of acadeation that Luciliano wished to carry out would be impossible

“In other words, you want to conduct a detailed investigation on an Undead that isn't under His Majesty's influence, but in order to do that, His Majesty needs to 'guide' the Undead? That's impossible There's a contradiction there,” said Zandia

“That's right Ah, by the way, please let go of Luciliano, now,” said Vandalieu

Luciliano was released frorip of Zandia's hand, which was relatively small compared to the rest of her body He swayed on his feet, but he didn't collapse

“So nothing can be done about it after all?” he said

“I don't know any Undead in their natural state to begin with,” said Vandalieu

Most Undead were char near him There was no way that he could be acquainted with any Undead in their natural state

“And anyway, you can create Undead as well, can't you, Luciliano? Couldn't you just create one and ask it yourself?” Vandalieu asked

“Yeah, you can ood idea?” Zandia agreed

“You know that the Undead created by ordinarymore than puppets made of corpses with life forcibly embedded inside the ate with such puppets”

As he said, the Live-Dead and other Undead he created were nothingSuch puppets were unsuitable for pursuing his current interest

“So please, do soive up

“Muh…” Vandalieu seemed troubled as he shook his head

Indeed, he really was troubled As he didn't normally show any facial expression, he often deliberately made obvious movements to express his emotions to others

“What is it about Undead that you want to research, anyway? Depending on what it is, His Majesty or Ito show you my body, okay?” said Zandia

“… I was only interested in the re that Guba at the fact that he was still being treated like a peeping tom

“Leaving that aside, what is it that you're interested in now?” Vandalieu asked

Luciliano's expression straightened up “So that is so fundamental that nobody thinks to question it The heads of inferior Undead are filled with either nothing or a si and a desire to kill, so they are completely unsociable So then, why do they –”

Meanwhile, there were loud noises of battle echoing repeatedly across the training grounds that were a little distance away from Talosheim's town area

This in itself was not unusual The training grounds' du as dummies, were the heroes from nations that worshi+pped Alda and heroes that worshi+pped Alda personally a the hero Zombies recovered from Gubamon

As Undead, they eaker than they had been while alive and they were equipped with Obsidian equip abilities were undoubtedly first-rate

And as happening here was training through real combat Of course, the Undead hero dummies attacked the trainees

The walls of the training grounds had almost been broken several times before, so there were now restrictions on what martial skills and spells could be used But even so, the fierce, echoing sounds of battle alwaysplace

But today, the sounds echoing across the training grounds were not the sharp noises of swords clashi+ng, but heavy, repeated crashes that sounded like a gong being struck

“shi+eld Bash!+ shi+eld Bash!+”

A fehtly-equipped compared to the other dummies that had Obsidian equipment, used her round shi+eld to unleash two shi+eld Bashes in quick succession

“UOOOOOH!” roared the young e shi+eld ed to use his shi+eld to stop the shi+eld Bashes

And as the Elf Zoht hand to try and turn the tables on her

But the Elf Zombie pulled her arood enough! shi+eld Bash!+”

“GUAH?!”

A third thunderous, gong-like crash echoed out as Kasi his entire body But surely the Elf Zombie wouldn't strike with a fourth shi+eld Bash Or at least, that's what Kasiht

But although the Elf had lost her blood fro turned with the same skill that it had done while she was alive

“Thrusting Kick!”

Her shoe, which was ned for unarmed combat, crashed into the stomach of Kasiround and was sent flying backwards like a football

“I-I've lost,” Kasi to voice his surrender

Hearing these words, the Elf Zo into coaching-mode “Kasim-kun, you have to use your shi+eld more proactively Also, it's fine to take a defensive stance, but you can't shut yourself away The ene for an opportunity, you have to go and create one”

Kasiave a bitter smile as he took the Elf Zombie's hand to stand up “I know that, but it's iht away, Gerdsan,” he said “As expected of someone as called the 'Dual-shi+eld Princess' The way you handle your shi+elds is a, and your footwork is like that of a master's as well, isn't it? You're really incredible”

Kasi at the Elf Zombie, the hero Zombie Gerda who had once been known as the 'Dual-shi+eld Princess,' with shi+ning eyes

“That's a title I'm just an Undead now,” Gerda said

She was an Elf hero who had lived in an era even before the foundation of the Amid Empire She wielded two s the her ene style had been well known in her time

She was recognized as a shi+eld-bearer by those around her, but she was actually more like a martial artist that used her round shi+elds as weapons However, because of her high proficiency with the shi+eld Technique Skill, her defensive abilities were beyond those of most shi+eld-bearers

“And in terer than I hen I was alive, you know?” Gerda said “My Enhanced Muscular Strength Skill turned into the Superhuth Skill when I became a Zoh”

“But you're still a, Gerdsan,” said Kasi

Gerda, who had been staring at Kasiaze Her eyes narrowed, as if she had looked at an object that was too bright for her And she io of Kasim's hand “You don't have to imitate what I do You only have one shi+eld, and your Unar Technique Skill is low Level, isn't it, Kasim-kun? With your shi+eld, I think it's best to thrust the edge into your opponent's arainst a demi-human-type monster,” said Gerda

Kasio of hi hiinal position

She was a training du advice, she would return to her original position and stand there like a statue, une places or the next training candidate came

“Can I practice against you again next time instead of a monster?!” Kasim shouted in her direction

But there was only silence in response from Gerda

Having washed away his sweat at the public bathhouse after training, Kasim met up with his friends Fester and Zeno in the plaza connected to the ed in a deep conversation

In this plaza, where there were statues of Vandalieu of various ages lined up in a row, there were benches as well as tables and chairs for enjoying Reversi and shogi It was a place for the citizens of Talosheim to relax

Thus, there were a lot of people here, but the background noise naturally drowned out spoken words, so it was the perfect place to have a non-sinister confidential conversation

“The truth is, I… like Gerdsan,” said Kasi in his two friends

“We know,” Fester and Zeno replied quietly

“Eh?! How, I haven't told anyone yet!” Kasi surprised

Zeno sighed “Kasirounds every day that we're not in a Dungeon or a Devil's Nest, and you only ever train with that Gerdsan”

“And you always boast to us about how great Gerdsan is,” Fester said with a grin “How she's so pretty, how her legs are beautiful and how her ears are so long… Even I'd notice after all of that”

“Was I that easy to understand?” said Kasi as he realized that his two friends had already known about his feelings

It seemed that Kasim had unconsciously spoken about Gerda very fondly Meanwhile, Zeno and Fester looked refreshed

“So, what are you going to do? It's not going to just end at telling us about it, right?” said Zeno

“Wait, are you really alright with this? Gerdsan is a Zoht?” said Fester

In ordinary hu problem It wasn't just a matter of love that transcended race Someone in Kasim's position would be lucky toon the nation, they ated and burned at the stake

But this was Talosheie Undead, the one serving as general and prihts' Orders were Undead as well It was a nation where in this very plaza where Kasi, numerous Zombies and Skeletons could enjoy pleasant conversations under the watch of the statues of Vandalieu

Vandalieu had co and even erased the rotten smell of their bodies with Deodorization It wasn't rare to see Zo without being close enough to be breathed on

And these Undead were the natives of Talosheirants froes like Kasim and his friends came here

And because Vandalieu had imples like serants who had been emotionally distant from the Undead at first were now friends with them

With that being the case, though this was just a natural course of events, there were some who developed romantic relationshi+ps with Undead But this wasn't without its problems

The largest problem was that Undead couldn't have children The deed itself was possible, but as their reproductive organs had stopped functioning like the rest of their internal organs, this was the obvious result

The desire to have children was not limited to royalty and nobles; even farmers and townspeople would naturally want to have children, raise therown-up children take over their farms and businesses This societal notion was firmly-rooted in the world of Lambda

There were probleled to get by, or quarrels over ould succeed family businesses and farms, but this was necessary in Lae roles in every industry

And even for couples who couldn't have children despite their best efforts, they could adopt the children of relatives or have their apprentices take over their businesses

But when the inability to have children was et over, unless the couples sought out children to adopt or people to take over their businesses beforehand

But there was also an occupation that was completely unrelated to such societal notions That occupation was the occupation of being an adventurer

“If you're talking about the issue with children, none of that has ht? I istered with the Explorers' Guild rather than the Adventurers' Guild now, but it's all the same in the end, isn't it?” said Kasim

Being an adventurer was a hazardous occupation with a high mortality rate And many who took up this occupation were those who had already been defeated in the struggles to succeed their fain with

Neither of these applied to Kasim and his friends, but they had already talked to their fa unable to succeed their businesses when they became adventurers in the Hartner Duchy

Kasim assured Fester that this wasn't a problem, but it seemed that this wasn't all that Fester orried about

“No, there's ht so they have a different sense of ti habits and that because poison and disease don't affect theet sick,” Fester said, fluently listing the various proble relationshi+ps with Undead faced “You need to be prepared if you want to seriously date someone of another race”

Kasim and Zeno stared at Fester in disbelief

“Fester, using his brain?! You sound like a proper, decent married person!” Kasim blurted out

“To think that Fester has straightened up so much… Kuh,” Zeno muttered