SWY 81

Sharhan’s group immediately stopped in their tracks. They hadn’t come to fight, so there was no need to provoke the people here.

“Who goes there?!”

A man holding a spear shouted. His face was hidden behind a barricade, but judging from the presence Sharhan sensed, there were about three or four people behind it.

“I’m Elieas, leading the people from City Hall. And this here is…”

After introducing himself, Elieas turned to look at Lestel.

“I’m Lestel, the head of Black Pearl merchant guild. Is Simon inside?”

“Th, the head? You mean the head of the Black Pearl?”

When Lestel nodded, a stir came from inside.

“Please wait a moment.”

Though their tone had changed, they still didn’t let the group inside easily. It was only natural. Letting people in without confirming their identity just because of what they said would be reckless. Sharhan thought they seemed to have decent organization.

They murmured among themselves, then the sound of someone running echoed, suggesting they were sending someone to verify the claim. Sharhan’s group stood with their backs to the barricade, staying alert to their surroundings.

“This area is regularly cleared. There are a lot of people inside, so no matter how careful we are, noise attracts the corpses. We just did a cleanup yesterday, so things should be quiet for the next few days.”

It sounded like he was saying there was no need for heightened caution. The ground had felt unusually slick with thick blood, apparently the aftermath of clearing out the moving corpses the day before. Sharhan grimaced at the sight of congealed black blood and rotting flesh on the floor.

“Master?”

A familiar voice rang out from inside shortly after. Recognizing it as Simon’s, Lestel’s face brightened.

“Simon.”

“Master… you’ve returned… Open the gate!”

At Simon’s command, the survivors of Central Road moved efficiently. They quietly pulled one of the carts aside, creating a space wide enough for two people to walk through shoulder to shoulder. Once Sharhan’s group slipped inside, the cart was pushed back into place.

The moment Simon saw Lestel, his eyes turned red and he dropped to his knees, sobbing.

“Master… Ah, Alum…”

“Let’s talk inside first.”

Looking deeply troubled, Lestel helped Simon to his feet, but he was so overwhelmed that he kept collapsing again and again. When Lestel finally managed to lift him up in an almost-embrace, his gaunt face was soaked with tears.

“I’m sorry. Seeing you again…”

Lestel nodded as if he understood everything Simon couldn’t say, then forced a lighthearted comment.

“You’ve gotten thin. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Simon, forcing a smile, was visibly emaciated. His eyes were sunken, and his once-glossy hair looked dull and brittle. Only his neat clothing remained the same.

“So have you. You’ve lost weight too. I was so worried after we sent only the two of you out, not knowing the world would turn out like this. I kept thinking maybe something happened to you because of Alum, and…”

Simon studied Lestel closely, trying hard to calm himself. He had lost some weight, but didn’t appear to be seriously injured. Only then did he finally relax. He’d regretted not stopping him from going to find the antidote more times than he could count.

Something had happened to Alum, he had feared losing Lestel too. The days had been filled with guilt, fear, and suffocating worry.

“I insisted on going myself, and I came back safely, didn’t I?”

“I’m so, so relieved. Please, let’s go inside.”

Simon, barely composed, took out a handkerchief to wipe his tears and led the group inside. A few steps behind his upright back, a heavy iron door came into view.

It had originally been the mansion’s main entrance, now wrapped in thick brambles that looked painful just to look at. Not just the door, but the walls too were covered with thorny vines, shattered glass, arrowheads, and jagged bits of sharpened metal.

“At first, just keeping the door shut was enough to block the corpses. But it turned out they weren’t the only problem. Attackers climbed over the walls and doors, so we fortified everything like this. Even that wasn’t enough, so we built barricades with wagons all around the mansion. Still, there were always groups looking to strike.”

Noticing the doubt in their eyes as they scanned the doors and walls, Simon explained. Inside the slowly opening gates, a number of survivors could be seen. They stopped what they were doing and looked over. Though scruffy and thin, their expressions were good. Life here didn’t seem too bad.

Sharhan carefully surveyed the area. It seemed all the trees had been cut down and burned. The empty garden was packed with tents.

“Are they new survivors?”

“They said she’s the head.”

“The head?”

“Oh? That woman’s the city lord’s daughter. I saw her greeting people with him before.”

“Then they’re from City Hall? What are they doing here?”

Sharhan’s group walked through the curious survivors and entered the mansion. Not just the garden, but even the mansion’s interior was filled with tents.

Tents filled every available space in the lobby and hallways, suggesting there were more survivors living here than expected. Many of them kept makeshift weapons close by, ready to defend themselves.

“This is the only space we kept empty. We left it for the head to use in case she ever came back.”

Simon led them to Lestel’s bedroom. It had been so well-maintained that not a speck of dust could be seen on the bed or floor.

“There seem to be a lot of survivors. You should’ve used the room.”

“You needed a place to stay when you returned. I cleaned it myself every day.”

Sharhan understood how Simon must have felt. Leaving the best room untouched, cleaning it each day while praying for Lestel’s safe return, it must have been how he dealt with missing him.

Lestel must have thought the same. He looked around the bedroom that felt frozen in time, unable to hide his mixed emotions. Then he let out a quiet sigh and asked the question Simon hadn’t managed to say earlier.

“What happened to Alum?”

Simon’s expression darkened immediately.

“It was about three days after you left. I heard he wasn’t breathing and rushed over and… Alum… was eating the caretaker.”

Simon’s eyes reddened at the memory. He took deep breaths, struggling to steady his emotions. Lestel didn’t rush him.

“I tried to pull him away, but he lunged at me with a mouth full of blood and flesh… Ugh…”

“You don’t have to say more if it hurts.”

Simon shook his head, clearly feeling it was his duty to tell him.

“I barely managed to get outside and lock the door. I was on my way to get a doctor. The carriage suddenly stopped and I heard the coachman scream. I opened the window and saw… something, maybe a person, maybe a corpse, like Alum, with blood and flesh in its mouth, eating the coachman. When I looked outside, people were screaming and running, being chased and eaten. The horse panicked and bolted. The coachman… he was eaten alive in front of me, then came back and tried to eat me too…”

Just hearing it painted a horrifying scene in everyone’s mind. Sharhan and the rest of the group had all come through similar hells. Derry sniffled, remembering his own master.

“I was so terrified I hid in the carriage. When things quieted down, I ran back here to the mansion. I was so scared, I couldn’t even think of going back to Alum.”

Simon gave a bitter laugh, but it was that fear that had saved his life.

“Thankfully, I locked the door quickly, so the inside of the mansion stayed safe. But for a while, I couldn’t think straight. Survivors knocked and begged to be let in. I hesitated, but started letting them in one by one. We gathered information, were attacked, lost people, nearly split into factions after infighting. But we made it. I kept visiting Alum… but it was hard to accept that he’d become one of those things.”

After a deep breath, Simon finally finished the story with a look of resolve.

“I was sure he was dead. I checked. But even as his flesh rotted and fell off, he bared his teeth and tried to attack. After struggling with the decision, I ended it with my own hands.”

Sharhan had expected tears, but Simon grit his teeth and held them back. His jaw jutted out, and blood vessels burst in his eyes, turning them red. It was more heartbreaking than sobbing. Lestel hugged him and patted his back.

“You did well. You really held on.”

“Yes. I barely managed while waiting for you.”

“Thank you for waiting for me to come back.”

“Master, I took food from the storage without permission.”

“That was the right thing to do. The survivors look well. It must be thanks to your efforts.”

Simon gave a short laugh and lowered his head.

“I didn’t touch the artifacts,” he whispered, then raised his voice. “There are people who helped me. I’ll introduce them. Now that you’re here, I’ll leave this place to you. They’ll be a great help to you too.”

“Simon, I’m actually heading to Serman… to my hometown.”

“What? H, hometown…? I assumed you’d stay here…”

Knowing a bit about Lestel’s family, Simon stumbled over his words. He repeatedly wiped his hands with his handkerchief, clearly flustered. His darting eyes showed just how shaken he was.

“Shan’s younger sibling is in Serman.”

“Oh…”

Simon glanced at Sharhan and gave a nod of understanding.

“So… come with me.”

“Pardon?”

“Leave this place to someone else and come with me to Serman. Alum’s gone. I’m the only family you have left. Family should be together.”