[… How many are there in total?]
It was an undead creature, a skeleton. There were easily over eighty of them.
Unlike the bulky ogres that were cumbersome, skeletons had smaller frames. Despite being nothing but bones, they seemed similar in height to Dhiope.
Heukhan playfully made a commotion.
“If I’ve come, you should get up and greet me. Why are you just lying down?”
“I was getting up, and the commander deliberately stepped on me!”
The skeleton’s body was stiff, and its stamina was weak.
“Kekeke. Did you notice?”
“Of course!”
Through the conversation between Heukhan and the skeleton, Connie Heart realized a new fact.
[They speak in a similar way. The commonality is that they’re both undead creatures.]
Undead creatures were born with dark magic infused in their bones. They were usually the opposite of fire and favored the cold. As they were essentially corpses, they were also affected by the temperature, risking damage to their physical bodies and abilities.
On the other hand, ogres were not undead creatures. They were not affected by the seasons, enjoyed cannibalism, and had a voracious appetite.
[Ogres were scared of Heukhan. But the skeleton seems comfortable around Heukhan.]
Moreover, the skeleton addressed Heukhan not as ‘Duraan-nim’ but as ‘Commander.’ There was an odd sense of respect and admiration in its tone.
[Could there be a sense of camaraderie among creatures of the same lineage?]
Connie Heart pondered over the relationships among the creatures.
“Ah, oh my, oh my”
Somewhere, the sound of a melody echoed. Stepping on the ground with an unidentified bone staff, the leader skeleton struggled to walk out, leaving its kind behind.
“Commander, what brings you here? I was just about to pay my respects.”
The leader trembled, legs shaking like an elderly person suffering from joint pain.
Nevertheless, its appearance was adorned. Among the plain ribs, it had a bunch of black roses stuck. It was a flower the skeleton had placed to distinguish itself from others.
“Heheum, Flower-Skeleton!”
It seemed like Heukhan referred to him as Flower-Skeleton.
Connie Heart gazed curiously at the well-groomed Flower-Skeleton. The magical flowers, unaffected by winter, were so beautiful that they constantly caught the eye.
[Still, I don’t sense a sinister aura.]
She observed the creatures closely.
Although she couldn’t awaken, Connie Heart was also a divine being. While unable to use divine power, she could sense it and feel the unique aura of creatures.
However, whether ogres, duraans, or skeletons, she couldn’t sense the ominous aura that creatures should possess.
Summing up her memories, there was one conclusion.
[Perhaps these creatures here have evolved significantly. They can conceal their own aura and may even have resistance to opposing divine power.]
She recalled the giant creatures she vaguely saw in the Misty Forest. They, too, didn’t exude a sinister aura. If encountered without knowing they were creatures, one might have thought them ordinary animals with a large physique.
Whether inferior or intermediate, the fact that all creatures, regardless of innate abilities, can conceal their aura was a surprising revelation.
“Cheer up, up! Commander, all we found after scouring the mountain this time is these annoying bones.”
The Flower-Skeleton, poking the ground with its staff, lifted a sack laboriously. Simultaneously, a crunching sound of bones breaking echoed.
With a small movement, neck bones dislocated, and shoulder bones were dislodged.
With an exasperated feeling of Again?’ the Flower-Skeleton let out an irritated scream.
“Aaargh!”
There was no pain, but the cry was an expression of frustration with its fragile body.
In reality, the skeleton, true to its undead nature, had excellent regeneration abilities. Even if bones broke, its body quickly recovered, so that display was just for show.
Heukhan, knowing this fact, playfully mocked,
“Kekeke. Falling for it so easily!”
“That’s right. We’re weak. So, Commander, can’t we delegate the search to other creatures? Ogres are always playing tag, so…”
“Ogres can’t be trusted. They’re lazy, lack perseverance, and aren’t delicate.”
“What about the chameleons?”
“Their habits are bad.”
Carmeleons might look fierce, but they were greedy. If given the task of searching, they were more likely to hide items than bring them back.
Moreover, being masters of transformation and illusion, when the situation turned unfavorable, they would pretend to be dead or change their skin to become transparent and cleverly escape.
“Then how about Yeti and Snowman!”
“Just hearing their names is painful. Kekeke. I don’t even want to think about them.”
“But, Commander!”
“So, move as if you’re exercising. You guys like lying down too much, that’s why your bones keep cracking.”
“We’ve been like this since birth!”
Though tempted to rebel, Flower-Skeleton was a creature with restraint.
“Tsk!”
He grumbled while opening the baggage, and unidentified bone fragments spilled out.
Dhiope’s torn robe was mixed among the bones. However, it was so damaged that it was hard to deduce its original form.
[Dhiope! Your clothes are over there!]
‘The clothes are a mess.’
Dhiope and Connie Heart exchanged glances, both recognizing the robe at a glance.
On the other hand, from Heukhan, only a tongue-clicking sound was heard.
“Trash again. Dispose of them.”
Perhaps because they were generally scattered and couldn’t focus on one thing, they quickly forgot memories of seeing robes in the past.
Or maybe because the robes they knew were different, they couldn’t correlate them.
“Yes, we’ll do that. By the way, how long do we have to continue our search?”
Flower-Skeleton’s awkward shoulder bone slumped down.
“It’s been over 300 years already. Even if we keep rummaging through the mountain, there’s nothing coming out.”
With a gloomy voice, Flower-Skeleton plucked a petal and wiped away nonexistent tears.
“Sniff, sniff.”
Holy moly.
Connie Heart inwardly chuckled. Flower-Skeleton pretending to cry using onomatopoeia was amusing to her.
Was Flower-Skeleton incapable of feeling embarrassment?
When the leader put on a tough act, their kind wiped tears with their awkward hands.
“Waaah, waaah.”
“Eeeh, eeeh.”
Watching them cry, Connie Heart covered her beak with her wing and chuckled softly.
Was it because of their smaller stature compared to Dhiope? Despite being so obvious in their act, they didn’t seem annoying. Rather, it seemed like a child throwing a tantrum, which made them look cute.
Meanwhile, someone broke their arm, and someone dislocated a bone.
Crack, ouch!
Crack, aah!
Loud screams erupted like a protest.
“Hmm….”
Heukhan raised his arm over his helmet. His index finger pointed towards Connie Heart’s forehead.
It seemed like he really considered Connie Heart his sounding board. His actions were so natural, bordering on audacious.
“Then, take just a fortnight off. Instead, leave your tasks to the ogres.”
“A fortnight? We only report once a fortnight. Isn’t the break too short?”
“Alright, then a month.”
“No way! Eight months!”
“Fine, four months!”
“Oops! Okay, four months! Hehehe.”
“……Hmm? I, I see.”
Heukhan didn’t even think about being duped. Feeling something fishy but not understanding, he lightly scratched Connie Heart’s chin.
“As expected, Commander, you are merciful.”
Flower-Skeleton, having achieved what it wanted, smoothly flattered.
Hehehe. Hehehe.
The collective laughter of the skeletons filled the plain with joy.
“Hehehe…. Hehe. Uh, Commander?”
Flower-Skeleton, after laughing with its kind for a while, cautiously asked, seizing the opportunity.
“Why exactly are you riding that black-haired beast?”
Heukhan stroked his neck proudly as if boasting of his own child.
“I’ve been remiss in introductions! This brave creature atop my helmet is none other than my head.”
“No. I mean not that round bird, but the human.”
Flower-Skeleton raised its branch-like arm, pointing at Dhiope. Curiously, Dhiope’s hair was as black as Heukhan’s.
“Oh. What am I saying? That lad is a little human we’ve raised.”
“Commander, don’t take the black-haired creature lightly!”
Flower-Skeleton openly expressed displeasure. Baekhan, who had been calmly carrying Dhiope on his back, was annoyed.
“Are we saying our choice was wrong now?”
The white horse opened its eyes fiercely. It was so angry that it looked like it could attack at any moment by scratching the ground with its front legs.
The quiet Cheonghan was equally annoyed by the anger.
“What’s wrong with black hair?! I love black hair so much! Are you suppressing my taste now?!”
Though it erupted at an inappropriate moment, Cheonghan still raised its voice.
“Eek!”
The frightened Flower-Skeleton shivered its awkward shoulders. It carefully concealed its hostility towards humans.
“I didn’t mean that. Humans are wicked.”
“Wicked and cute. Goodness is boring. There’s no taste in taming, right?”
Warning not to cross the line, Bacchan coldly cautioned. Quick-witted Flower-Skeleton immediately acknowledged, nodding its head.
“Indeed, Duraan are strong. You’ll handle it well. We always respect you, even in unseen places. You know my sincerity, right?”
Flower-Skeleton pulled a rose from its ribcage.
In the moment of wondering if it was to give it to Baekhan, the white horse took the rose stem with its lips. It was a natural act, as if it happened routinely.
“Kekeke. Beautiful. Yes, that’s why I like you.”
“This is offering loyalty and devotion.”
The black roses were distributed to other Duraan. The horses who received the flowers happily shook their tails.
“Hmm. Beautiful. Kekeke.”
With a satisfied laugh, Heukhan removed Connie Heart from his helmet.
“Watch carefully, my head.”
Petting the penguin’s head, he gazed across the wide field with a somewhat nostalgic look. It seemed like an attitude conveying something to a successor.
“Starting four months from now, you’ll be in charge of the creatures under your command.”
The black armor sparkled in the sunlight to the extent that it felt chilling.
Heukhan was undoubtedly an emotionless knight-like creature on the outside, but his speech and attitude were surprisingly poetic, not fitting his stature.
[Sorry, but I’m a divine being. I have awakenings to undergo and tasks to fulfill. I can’t stay here for four months.]
“I was commanding the skeletons here to regain lost honor.”
[….Hmm?]
“I’ve been searching this place for over 300 years to reclaim my noble honor. Kekeke.”
Heukhan’s voice was inflated with a sense of dreams.
“It feels like my honor is stuck on the ground. No matter how hard I look, I can’t find it. I’m sure I lost my honor. Let’s think about it, my head. It’s strange, isn’t it? Kekeke.”
As Heukhan raised questions, the three horses standing staunchly all nodded simultaneously. It was an attitude that clearly conveyed their inability to comprehend.
“So we can’t stop the search operation. Because I need to find my lost honor!”
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