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As I placed my hand against the clearly stained brick house, the world turned upside down. Through the shaking and trembling visuals, I caught a glimpse of the Necropolis landscape.

– Rumble!

The bricks wriggled and swallowed my entire body, yet strangely, I felt no pain. Everything was peaceful—except for the nausea churning in my stomach.

“Ugh….”

“Whoa!”

Joaquin caught me as I swayed, nearly toppling over. He asked if I was okay.

I shook my head vigorously and muttered internally. Please don’t say it smells like weed coming from my mouth….

“Yikes…!”

“Kyaaaah!”

From behind, a nymph and a beastman sprang forth.

The wriggling wall, almost alive, spat out the nymph and beastman. No, was it more like it vomited them?

Kair, who had flopped onto the floor, was flailing his four legs and groaning, while Charnoy seemed unable to collect her thoughts amidst the spinning world.

Francesca, who joined us late, asked, “…What’s happening here?”

As if curtains were parting, the walls split apart, and Francesca emerged alone with a calm demeanor, contrasting with the nymph-beastman duo that had been spewed out.

Having finally regained my senses, I gestured towards Joaquin, signaling him to explain what was going on.

Joaquin flashed a bright smile.

“You guys. You know the Necropolis is just a nickname, right? There’s a real name for it.”

“Yeah.”

“Follow me, friends! I’m about to show you the true form of the Necropolis!”

—

Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

The soft light of the lamp, accompanied by the rhythm of dripping water—tap, tap—echoed as two humans, a beastman, and a nymph took their steps. Joaquin raised the lamp, illuminating the path ahead.

The light did not dispel the darkness. The alley’s shadows were too thick for a single lamp to handle.

However—

Whoosh.

With a rustling of wind, the light vanished, and then, something strange occurred.

– Saaah….

It was light.

In the pitch-black darkness, a faint glow emerged like moonlight peering through clouds, casting a gentle light that led somewhere along the alley.

Joaquin quietly extinguished the lamp and beckoned us with his hand.

“This is the way. Just keep following it.”

He was guiding us into the alley illuminated by the serene glow, the extinguished lamp jangling at his waist.

“Where exactly are we going? Where is this place?”

I asked.

Joaquin slightly turned his head—no, he spun his body completely and began to walk backward. Then he answered my question.

“I told you before! We’re going to meet the Abyssal Devourer. Plus, we’re going to see something fun along the way.”

It seemed wizards didn’t quite have all their screws tightened. In that sense, Joaquin was the most wizard-like person I had ever encountered.

I mean, the guy’s a lunatic.

Without even looking ahead, Joaquin added while walking backward, as casually as could be.

“I had a sight I was going to show you. You’re first-time guests to this city, right?”

“But what were you planning to show us?”

The resident of the Necropolis beamed with a smile.

“Need I say more? Of course, it’s the ‘Harbor!'”

The ‘Harbor’ was a place I was familiar with. To be accurate, I had heard rumors about it several times.

Checking the expressions of everyone around me, it seemed they all knew what the harbor was too. Kair had been operating in the Mauritania Continent all along, and Francesca was the Administrator of the Magic Tower Secretariat. The only one seemingly out of the loop was Charnoy, who had worked in the Inspection Office.

“What’s a harbor? I feel like it’s different from what I know….”

“That’s….”

-̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶ …!!

Just as Joaquin was about to respond, a huge noise surged through the area.

Kair and I turned our heads nearly simultaneously. Given that beastmen have better hearing than humans, it made sense to follow Kair’s gaze. Francesca turned her head in the direction of the sound, seemingly sensing some magical presence.

“Wha, what…!”

A startled Charnoy struggled to form a sentence.

In the trembling atmosphere, a horn-like cry echoed from afar, a notably long cry.

Joaquin, who had halted mid-sentence, looked up at the sky. With a smirk at the corners of his mouth, he seemed to be waiting for something entertaining to unfold.

At that moment, I suddenly felt an odd darkness enveloping the surroundings.

Feeling something was off, I lifted my gaze.

And then I saw it.

Twinkling crystals. A gentle light tracing the soft curves of a galaxy. Dense light seeping through the cracks between buildings and rat holes, illuminating the underground city.

A gigantic silver-bodied whale was flying through the air, letting out a long, echoing cry.

“…What is that?”

Kair and I stared vacantly at the whale, while Francesca, arms crossed, gazed at it with curiosity. Charnoy, with her mouth agape, could hardly regain her senses.

It was a scene straight out of a fantasy movie.

An underground city with a whale soaring through the sky.

“…Oh, it’s already started!”

The lunatic wizard beamed brightly.

“Let’s head to the harbor! Before it’s too late!”

—

Many names exist for the underground city established by the exiled wizard. The most widely known name, of course, is the Necropolis. However, the city’s real name is—

“…the Harbor!”

As we turned the corner, an endless expanse of ocean stretched out before us.

Between the sheer cliffs and the surface of the water, a narrow gap allowed light to seep in, reflected by the gentle waves and melting into every corner of the city.

Beyond the boundary of land and waves, there lay a vast sea with large, slow undulations.

“I’ll introduce you guys! This is the ‘Harbor of the Dead Whales!'”

With both arms pointing at the ‘Harbor,’ Joaquin raised his voice.

It resembled coastal caves seen along the Mediterranean shores. Calm waters flowed into the rocky crevices, and in the distance, fishing boats could be seen, with gigantic whales moving toward the city.

The harbor of the Necropolis, the official name ‘Harbor of the Dead Whales,’ unveiled itself before us.

“I remember that it was called something like this on the surface, but in the Necropolis, we always just called it ‘the harbor,’ so I’m not sure. Well, whatever! Ever since I came in here, I’ve had no news from above….”

Scratching his head, Joaquin waved his hands and got back on topic.

“Anyway, where is this place? It’s the lifeline of the Necropolis and the biggest trade port flowing with milk and honey!”

“Honey…? Is it really flowing with honey?”

Charnoy, captivated by just that one word, began to glance around. The beastman, eyeing the nymph, folded her ears in embarrassment.

“Umm… If only real honey were flowing, but unfortunately, it’s just a metaphor.”

“Ah…!”

Seeing Charnoy’s deflated face, Joaquin chuckled. The suddenly aware lunatic wizard wiped away the tears dangling from his eyes and began rubbing his hands together, staring at the harbor with excitement.

No, it’s fine to rub your palms together, but why are you sticking out your tongue like a crazy person? Is this guy legit insane…?

We, four in total, stepped into the Harbor of the Dead Whales, mingling with the locals.

The moment I took a step, the scenery around me began to ripple, and the familiar salty aroma of the beach mixed with the pungent smell of fish wafted in.

“This is the fish market! We deal in fish, clams, shrimp, and all that good stuff.”

Colorfully lined stalls stretched out in front of us. Local folk with sun-kissed skin, seeming like merchants and customers, gestured animatedly, their voices blending into a cacophony.

It seemed we had stumbled upon a bustling hour, as the fish market was teeming with people.

The smell of fish filled the air along with the clamor of numerous voices, hundreds of people each shouting a piece.

“If we keep going straight ahead, we’ll see the harbor! That’s our destination!”

“There are too many people! Can’t we just go somewhere else to meet up?!”

“Sure!”

“Then let’s go there! When will we ever get through this crowd to the harbor!”

“No way! On days when goods come in, the pasta sold at the harbor is the cheapest!”

“…Why the hell do I need to look for pasta in a fish market, you lunatic!”

I yelled back at Joaquin! Then, recalling that I had tagged along for his grocery run, I shot a resentful glance at Francesca. If I had taken care of that lunatic earlier, we wouldn’t have to deal with this hellish situation. Of course, no owner (nor not) would care about a slave’s (temporary) thoughts. Calmly, she chose to ignore me, pulling her cape low over her head.

As we pushed through the crowd, I locked eyes with the fish sprawled out on the stalls. One was a regular fish lying with its mouth open, dying on a rusty metal plate, while the other was a peculiar fish entombed in ice within a tank locked up.

“Is that a Zaratán?”

Francesca murmured as she gazed at the fish in the tank.

“Zara what?”

“Zaratán. It’s a whale that grows algae on its body.”

A whale that grows algae on its body? What a fascinating creature. I found myself observing it with interest, only for a shocking explanation to follow.

“It’s a representative harmful creature that eats people.”

“Harmful creature? How can such a little whale be dangerous?”

“A mature Zaratán boasts a size comparable to an island. It’s so massive that the waves of the sea can’t even crest over its back. Zaratán uses its size as a weapon to hunt, and there have been numerous reports of it attacking ships, mistaking them for prey. By the way, that one’s small because it’s just a juvenile.”

Francesca continued as she walked a step ahead, and I stayed closely behind her.

Just so you know, in any situation…

She was supposed to walk behind me; it’s simply not proper for a slave to walk ahead of a magician. Damn bourgeois brats.

“Ugh… It’s astonishing. That such a small creature could become a monstrosity that devours people.”

“It’s not unusual in the marine ecosystem. Besides, the plants that grow on its body are used as high-grade potion ingredients, so there’s a demand for them. But… given that the plants have already been cut, it seems someone bought them.”

“Anything else being traded aside from the plants?”

“Lots. Hearts, brains, organs, and bones. The hearts of sea creatures can serve as secondary materials for golems that can operate at sea. If you’re a magician of the Fate School, you can study souls using a whale’s brain.”

So everything’s about money, huh?

Given that this is a port area, the scale of the market was massive. All I could see were people or seafood, and no matter how far I walked, the path seemed never-ending.

“Kair…! Stop drooling and let’s get moving…!”

“Meow…!!”

As Kair drooled over the fish at the stall, she was dragged away by Charnoy. Meanwhile, a local rushed toward us, clutching some money.

Desperately gesturing toward the merchant, he looked just like a customer darting out from the blind spot like a deer on the highway.

“Whoa…?”

Just before colliding with the eager customer, Joaquin swiftly turned and began to spin in place. With fluid movements, the magician dodged the customer, smiling widely yet claiming to feel dizzy.

“Oh my, I’m dying…! The world is spinning…”

“There are so many people, Joaquin. Is it always like this?”

Francesca, stepping out of the market, asked Joaquin as he spun. Unlike the disheveled residents, wearing ordinary clothing, she looked every bit the magician in her quality fabric and well-fitted cape.

Perhaps that was why, despite Joaquin colliding with many people, no one ventured close to Francesca. This allowed me to walk comfortably beside her.

“No! It wasn’t like this before.”

“Then why is it suddenly so crowded today?”

“It’s the day when goods arrive.”

Suddenly alert, Joaquin wiped his forehead.

Rolling up his sleeves and wiping away the sweat, the look in his eyes sparkled with determination, entirely different from when he appeared intoxicated in a dark room.

“The dead whale port is the only transportation link connecting the Necropolis to the outside world. While smaller items are brought in by vendors, for bulk consignments, we have no choice but to go by sea!”

And today was the day when the goods were set to arrive.

“Do you see that whale over there?”

The guide pointed towards the sea. Various sizes and types of whales were making their way into the port. I even saw one soaring high through the sky.

I wanted to spot which whale he was referring to, but there was no need to search. The whale Joaquin indicated referred to all the whales currently entering.

“Those whales are raised by the Abyssal Devourer. They’re for cargo transport!”

“…Is that all?”

“Yep, all of them!”

The magician nodded enthusiastically, crossing his arms as if he found it entertaining.

“They say when it rains, it pours. How lucky am I to come looking for those friends, and they just show up? Not only that, but it’s also the day goods are coming in. Plus, there’s a festival happening too.”

“…Festival?”

A festival in a city filled with expelled magicians, cultists, smugglers, and mercenaries? It sounded like an incongruous term.

Could it be human sacrifice, self-harm, witch hunts, or orgies? Honestly, if it involved human sacrifices, I wouldn’t be surprised, especially since there were cultists mixed in.

Even though they worship different gods, weren’t the ones who lured Lucia to extract her blood technically cultists too?

If it were a festival held by such people…

“……”

As I cast a questioning gaze, Joaquin awkwardly chuckled and scratched the back of his head. He waved his hands dismissively, starting to give an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation.

“Just so you don’t get any weird ideas, just to clarify, it’s not anything strange! A festival is a festival! Just think of it as a celebratory event—like Thanksgiving or something.”

“Who’s hosting it?”

“Uh? Last year, the Drauphnip faction ran it. This year, it’s the Abyssal Devourer who’s taking charge.”

“…So the cultists are throwing a festival?”

“Yep, in a way that’s correct.”

“……”

“Oh come on, don’t worry. They’re nice folks! Just relax, relax.”

…Ah, yes. I’m sure they are.

*

Three people, one beastman, and one nymph began their descent towards the port.

Even the long lines heading to the harbor were packed with bustling crowds. Seeing the tightly packed throng, Joaquin’s shoulders drooped.

“Must be a busy day since whales are arriving. I should have probably come to the market tomorrow.”

“……”

Honestly, with a crowd this large, wouldn’t it be okay to take a shot? A bullet might even wake up the dazed drug dealer from his stupor.

I whispered quietly in Francesca’s ear.

“Should we shoot, Magician?”

“Hold your horses.”

Well, whether it’s an injection or a bullet, it wouldn’t hurt much if it hits gently.

Joaquin explained that he was about to seek out the Abyssal Devourer directly. Since he had friends in the cult organization, he could seek items cheaply and find people at the same time.

But wait, isn’t this guy planning to shop even after pocketing money?

I thought about snatching Kair’s rifle to give Joaquin a good whack on the head, but regrettably, such golden opportunities always slip away before they land in hand.

“Here, here! Just come this way!”

Joaquin, shining his lamp around, spotted something and shouted.

Following the busy wizard, we found ourselves at the warehouse buildings adjacent to the port. As goblins, tied at the waist, moved crates in and out of a whale’s mouth, Joaquin spotted a man and stopped humming to wave at him.

“Hey, buddy!”

“Goodman! You back?”

It was the Abyssal Devourer.

“Long time no see! Back from your voyage? Tell me if you have any interesting stories.”

“Of course. But who are these folks?”

“Oh, they’re my friends! They just came to the city recently.”

Joaquin effortlessly introduced us all as his friends. Specifically mentioning Francesca as an ‘acquaintance from the Magic Tower’ while referring to me, Charnoy, and Kair as ‘friends vouched for by her.’

It was a very natural introduction.

“My friend was recently expelled and had nowhere to go, so he ended up in the Necropolis. I told him to visit whenever he feels bored! But it seems he’s looking for someone.”

“Who are they looking for?”

“A cultist.”

Francesca interjected into their conversation. She intended to speak directly to the Abyssal Devourer in place of Joaquin.

However, the Abyssal Devourer didn’t react to Francesca’s question. Instead, he looked at her as if thinking, ‘Who the hell is this?’

Even in his drugged state, it seemed Joaquin could read the atmosphere, as he smiled and casually replied.

“Oh, my bad. She just got here yesterday and doesn’t know the rules yet.”

Joaquin explained to Francesca that “among the cultists in the Necropolis, there’s a rule against casually chatting with unknown individuals.”

The reasoning behind this was somewhat predictable; likely due to the Inquisition or the Punishment Committee.

When Francesca nodded apologetically, the tension in the Abyssal Devourer’s brows eased a bit.

“It’s not that she doesn’t know the rules; it’s that you forgot to tell her.”

The playful cultist gave Joaquin a light jab. Joaquin chuckled as he asked if he could help find the person.

A positive answer came back.

“I can do that. But there’s a condition.”

‘What condition?’ Joaquin asked in confusion.

Before helping find someone, the Abyssal Devourer laid down a condition. It was simply for him to confirm the magician’s identity.

“Identity confirmation? What’s that all about?”

Joaquin showed a grim expression, but the cultist shook his head firmly. The reason being that he might be affiliated with the religious police.

Of course, the Abyssal Devourer didn’t genuinely suspect Francesca and request an identity check.

“It’s not a big deal; it’s just verifying names and comparing IDs with faces, you know.”

“That’s it?”

“Did you think we’d drag you off and lock you up? Don’t think too badly of this. There are some worthless pieces of trash that sneak into this city disguised as expellees… So it’s just a preventive measure for confirmation.”

Indeed, if it was a level of identity verification like that, there was no reason to refuse. Francesca was currently hiding under the status of an expellee.

She had disguised herself as a real expellee with a similar appearance, age range, and even had an ID made. It wasn’t the sort that was forged by some shady dealer but an official ID issued by the Magic Tower.

As if that wasn’t enough, she had slightly altered her appearance with a magical tool, so the chances of her getting caught were virtually non-existent.

“I’m fine with that.”

Francesca readily agreed to the identity check.

I tried to dissuade her, and Joaquin did too, but it was no use. Her resolve was firm. She was fully confident that she wouldn’t be exposed.

However…

“…Huh?”

As with all plans, they often went awry, and the word ‘never’ doesn’t exist in this world.

“Is that person Raniere?”

 

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