Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Taste of Contempt

The group of twelve, led by Han Shuo, was awestruck when they reached the city gate. The gate of Zakias City was nothing short of magnificent, constructed entirely from the sturdiest stone. Whether from being steeped in blood or some other cause, those stones bore a deep brownish-red hue, as though stained by countless battles.

Upon the towering city walls, dozens of meters high, stood ranks of armored soldiers, weapons gleaming in their hands. Defensive mechanisms of every sort crowded the parapets, visible everywhere one looked.

From a distance, the gate resembled the gaping maw of a monstrous beast, fangs bared, ready to devour all that approached. Jagged, chilling spikes jutted out in every direction, like the sharp teeth in the jaws of a demon. The sunlight glinted off their edges, casting a cold, intimidating light that left a powerful impression on all who gazed upon it.

The two immense doors, forged of a mysterious, pitch-black metal, now stood open. The entrance was wide enough for a dozen riders to pass through side by side. The area before the gate was crowded: gigantic, unfamiliar beasts lumbered along, laden with goods and passengers, plodding out of the city.

These beasts dwarfed anything Han Shuo had ever seen—five meters tall, more than ten meters long, their thick, dark brown hides gleaming in the sun. Their heads bore some resemblance to elephants, faces lined with deep wrinkles, and from each cheek curved a long, ivory tusk, a full meter in length.

“These are earth dragons—a relatively gentle breed of magical beast,” Fanny explained, smiling as she noticed the students’ wonder. “They’re easy to domesticate, slow but capable of carrying enormous loads. They’re the empire’s chief beasts of burden, used by merchants for trade and transportation.”

“Fanny, keep an eye on them for a moment. I’ll go report to the officer and see if I can borrow a few warhorses. Otherwise, we’ll never reach Doro Town before nightfall,” Gene said, his gaze lingering on Fanny’s beautiful face, unable to hide his admiration.

Everyone in the necromancer division knew of Gene’s feelings for Fanny, and Fanny herself was keenly aware, though she’d never given any sign of reciprocation. Gene seemed content to wait, believing his sincerity would eventually win her over; gazing at her with undisguised affection was simply one of his many ways of showing it.

Han Shuo noticed Gene’s open adoration and cursed inwardly. In his mind, Fanny already belonged to him, so seeing someone else ogle her right in front of him naturally made him bristle. Still, as nothing more than a menial, and lacking the strength to show his true feelings, he swallowed his irritation.

“Go ahead, I’ll keep a close watch on them,” Fanny replied coolly, her smile polite as she turned from Gene’s ardent gaze to the grandeur of the city walls. “No matter how many times I see it, I always feel a surge of pride for Zakias City’s gate. Its strength has time and again turned back the savage beasts at our borders.”

Burdened with supplies, Han Shuo was nearly buried beneath his load. When the group paused, he did not stop moving; instead, he bent his knees, straightened, and flexed his wrists, repeating a monotonous set of movements.

“Bryan, what are you doing?” Amy asked, surprised to see the mountain of goods on Han Shuo’s back swaying with his every motion.

Her question drew the others’ attention as well, confusion plain on their faces.

“Nothing, my back’s a bit stiff. Moving helps,” Han Shuo replied, face guileless, looking almost simple-minded.

“Idiot, be careful. The things you’re carrying are valuable. If you break anything, you couldn’t pay for it if we sold you,” Bella scolded, frowning.

“Bella, you’re really clueless. Those things are tough as nails. The truly precious and fragile stuff—no one would trust him to carry it,” Lisa sneered, shooting Bella a mocking glance.

“Stop bickering, you two. Every time we go out on a trial, there are dangers to face. You should stick together, or we’ll run into trouble on the road,” Fanny admonished, frowning at Lisa and Bella’s quarrel.

Han Shuo ignored Bella’s cold words, continuing with his repetitive exercises. These weren’t part of Chu Canglan’s demonic arts, but rather muscle-training techniques he’d picked up in the past. Determined to surpass his current limitations, he used every spare moment to push himself further.

After a while, Gene returned empty-handed, his face dark. Approaching Fanny, he vented his anger: “Damn it, they actually want money from us!”

Fanny frowned in surprise. “We’re from Babylon Magic and Martial Academy—the empire’s cradle of knights and mages. We’ve trained countless talents for the empire. Even many officers and mages stationed here in Zakias are our alumni. The academy has an agreement with the city—how dare they refuse to lend us horses?”

“At first, when I said we were from Babylon Academy, the officer was ready to help. But as soon as he saw we were necromancers, he turned cold, demanded fifty gold coins, and mocked us, saying our division hasn't contributed anything to the empire and doesn’t deserve free resources,” Gene fumed.

The students, fired up by Gene’s words, clamored to confront the officer, their humiliation fueling a shared fury. Having joined the declining necromancer division, they already felt wronged; now, being so blatantly slighted, their anger could hardly be contained.

“Let it be. Take fifty gold from our funds and pay him,” Fanny said sadly. “These officers have lived here too long, and our division’s decline means we’re looked down on everywhere. I’ll report this to the headmaster when we return, but let’s not make trouble now.”

Gene at first refused, unwilling to let the arrogant officers off so easily, but after Fanny’s gentle persuasion, he relented, sighing as he took the gold from her and trudged off toward the gate.

Han Shuo watched the exchange, then glanced at Fanny’s darkened expression before casting a long look at the officer. In his heart, he vowed that one day, the necromancer division would regain its former glory, and necromancers would once again strike fear into the world.

“Don’t lose heart,” Fanny encouraged. “Once, necromancy was revered, and none dared look down on it. But during a certain period, all the other schools suppressed necromancy. There was even a great magical war, and many powerful necromantic spells were lost. That’s why we’ve fallen so far.

“This expedition to the Dark Forest is because I heard a deathly graveyard has been discovered there. Long ago, it was home to many great necromancers. If we can find it and recover the lost tomes, perhaps our division’s fate will change.”

Her words roused the group, brightening their faces with hope. Determination replaced their earlier gloom, as each resolved to make the most of this trial.

Watching their excitement, Fanny sighed inwardly. Though rumors claimed the deathly graveyard had been found, the one who discovered it died soon after leaving. The Dark Forest was vast—finding a single graveyard would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Even if they did find it, countless adventurers would surely descend upon it, and with only twelve of them, any real success seemed impossible. Thus, her words were meant only to encourage her students; their real goal was to test their necromantic skills and deepen their magical understanding.

Suddenly, a mocking voice rang out from afar, “Ah, isn’t that the necromancer division? Are you headed out on an adventure too? Why are you all standing here?”

It was Irene, the light magic student they’d met before, accompanied by her classmates, her teacher, and the devoted knight Claude. All rode handsome warhorses, approaching with a clatter.

“Mind your own business—watch you don’t fall off your horse,” Lisa snapped, glaring at Irene.

Irene giggled, her expression taunting. “I knew it, you haven’t managed to get any horses yet. Well, I can’t blame you—your division has contributed nothing to the empire. Wanting to use its resources for free is a bit much, don’t you think?”

Lisa and the others, though furious, could find no words to refute her; what she’d said was, unfortunately, the truth.

“Hello, Miss Fanny,” called Bechir, the senior light magic teacher, nodding with a courteous smile from his horse.

“Hello, Bechir. You’re heading to the Dark Forest as well?” Fanny returned the greeting with a polite smile.

“Yes, we intend to hunt the troublesome magical beasts in the forest to ease the burden on the local villages and give our students a chance to hone their magic. Well then, we’ll take our leave. Until next time!” Bechir was all politeness, but Han Shuo detected a trace of disdain in his eyes.

Once the light division’s riders had thundered past, Gene finally returned with six horses. Compared to those of the light division, these mounts were noticeably fewer and weaker. Even after paying fifty gold coins, the necromancer division had not been granted equal treatment.

With only six horses for twelve people, they would have to double up. The students quickly paired off, leaving Han Shuo, Fanny, Gene, and Buck without partners.

“Buck, you ride with Bryan. I’ll share with Miss Fanny,” Gene said, his eyes bright with anticipation.

“No way! I absolutely refuse to ride with that filthy menial!” Buck protested loudly, his animosity toward Han Shuo plain.

Gene’s intentions were obvious to all; here was a perfect chance to get close to Fanny. As he prepared to protest, Fanny suddenly smiled and said, “If Buck doesn’t want to, Bryan can ride with me.”

“Thank you, Miss Fanny! I’m coming!” Han Shuo exclaimed, delighted, as he quickly made his way toward her, leaving Gene behind.

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