I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 41: Death Army (1)

Yoo Seong and Rene, on their way back to Lothian, frequently halted to send birds of light into the sky.

They couldn’t get close enough to identify the enemy’s troop types but aimed to confirm their marching speed.

Fortunately, the Undead Legion’s pace remained slow.

Since they were undead, their walking speed was sluggish even without the need to run.

“At this speed, it will take at least three days, maybe even four, to reach Lothian.”

To Yoo Seong, this was welcome news.

It meant they had more time to prepare for the Undead Legion’s arrival.

However, not all the news was good.

Every time the legion passed a village destroyed by kobolds, the shallowly buried bodies of the villagers rose as zombies and joined the undead army.

“Rene, we need to send word to Lothian. Keep checking their marching speed and return.”

“Understood.”

At Yoo Seong’s suggestion to split up, Rene swallowed hard and nodded.

Although Yoo Seong felt uneasy, Rene wasn’t a child anymore.

In fact, she was a powerful mage, no longer needing to be compared to others her age.

“For the glory of Camelot.”

“For the glory of Camelot.”

Smiling at Rene, who struck her chest in salute, Yoo Seong turned his horse and raced toward Lothian.

“Lord!”

By the time Yoo Seong arrived in Lothian, the sun had already set.

But since Lothian was busy preparing for a siege, knights immediately greeted him as he passed through the gates.

It was Sir Simon, Sir Rant, and Sir Ruan.

Yoo Seong spoke quickly, without time for pleasantries.

“The Undead Legion is coming. Their current numbers are around 3,000. Rene is still monitoring their pace, but they’ll likely arrive in about three days.”

Upon hearing the exact figure of 3,000, Sir Simon and Sir Rant’s eyes widened.

Although they had expected thousands, the actual number felt overwhelming.

Yet the surprises weren’t over.

“Gather the soldiers. We need to dispose of the goblin and kobold corpses.”

“What?”

Sir Simon and Sir Rant blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden order, and Sir Ruan furrowed his brow.

“My lord, does this mean there’s a powerful necromancer among them?”

“Yes, every time they pass a ruined village, their numbers grow.”

The undead army, initially just over 2,000 strong, had swelled to 3,000.

If the corpses of the monsters around Lothian were left unchecked, the enemy’s forces would only increase.

“A necromancer…that’s the one who raises corpses, right? Curses too?”

“Exactly. And this one is no ordinary necromancer. High-ranking undead are likely to appear.”

“Oh…”

Sir Rant swallowed dryly.

He had experienced armies of trolls and goblins before, but an undead legion felt entirely different.

An army of the dead along with a sinister necromancer raising corpses made him feel as though myths and legends were becoming real.

“Lord, is there anything specific we should prepare for their disposal?”

Regaining his composure, Sir Simon asked Yoo Seong.

Since the corpses had already been burned once and buried shallowly to prevent disease, he needed clarification on additional steps.

“Burn them again. Then smash the bones with hammers.”

With time and labor scarce, burying them deeply wasn’t an option.

Burning them again and smashing the bones would ensure the undead couldn’t fight effectively even if they were reanimated.

“Understood. I’ll prepare immediately.”

With a grim expression, Sir Simon prodded Sir Rant, still in shock, and they hurried away.

Sir Ruan also turned to Yoo Seong.

“I’ll gather the battle priests.”

Since the battle priests were already armed with maces, there was no need for additional equipment for corpse disposal.

“Thank you. Where is High Priest Jillian?”

“Preparing the defenses…Ah, she seems to be coming now.”

Yoo Seong turned to see Jillian, almost running toward them, evidently having been on the wall until moments ago.

“Haa… haa… Successor.”

Jillian barely managed a bow as she panted heavily.

Normally, Yoo Seong would wait patiently for her to catch her breath with a smile, but there was no time.

Once Jillian seemed a little calmer, Yoo Seong asked directly.

“High Priest Jillian, there’s a powerful necromancer among the enemy. How are the preparations to defend against the undead?”

In the world of Fantasy Monarch, Yoo Seong had many methods at his disposal, but in reality, he was limited.

Lothian’s forces were far weaker than the elite wolf legion he once commanded.

Pressing her hand to her chest to steady herself, Jillian answered.

“We’re drawing the seals of Omphalos and the Lake Goddess on the walls. We’re also preparing holy water. Though I prepared it myself, so the effects might be minimal… Still, it’s better than nothing. Sir Ruan helped as well.”

As a priest with only basic divine power, Jillian clearly felt inadequate.

Her voice grew softer, but she bit her lip and continued louder than before.

“If it’s a necromancer, the Successor’s divine power will be the most effective. Since the Lake Goddess is also the Goddess of Life, she is the natural enemy of necromancers who wield the power of death.”

“I see. It is estimated that they will arrive in three days. Please continue to strengthen the defenses.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Though she was primarily a scholar, Jillian was still a high priest of a religious order. Her theoretical knowledge of siege warfare made her invaluable, even among the entire Western region, and she would undoubtedly be a great asset in this defense.

Once the conversation with Jillian ended, Yoo Seong turned back to Ruan.

“Ruan, summon the Battle Priests.”

“As you command.”

As Ruan turned to leave, Yoo Seong exhaled deeply, his shoulders sagging slightly. He wished he could remove his armor and rest, but it wasn’t the time for that. Rene was still outside the fortress, struggling alone.

Just then, Yoo Seong noticed that Jillian had not yet left and was looking around. Though puzzled at first, he soon realized why.

“Rene didn’t come with me.”

“What?”

At Yoo Seong’s words, Jillian’s eyes widened in shock. She must have been looking for Rene, but the unexpected answer caught her off guard.

Yoo Seong considered reassuring her but decided against it. Rene’s mission was dangerous, and there was no use in downplaying the risk.

“Rene stayed behind to monitor the Undead Legion’s marching speed. It’s dangerous, but she’s the only one who can do it.”

“Ah…”

Understanding that Rene was conducting reconnaissance through magic, Jillian nodded firmly and then spoke with determination.

“Then, I’ll return to continue drawing the seals.”

“Please do.”

Yoo Seong’s serious tone prompted Jillian to bow and run off. She seemed spurred by the knowledge that Rene was risking her life alone.

Half an hour later…

“Burn the flesh! Smash the bones!”

“If the trolls come back to life, you know what will happen! Grind them into dust!”

Under the command of Sir Simon and Sir Rant, the conscripts worked to dispose of the kobold and goblin corpses that had been shallowly buried around Lothian.

At first, the soldiers were resistant, wondering why they had to perform such gruesome tasks in the dead of night. But when they heard that the enemy could reanimate the corpses to fight, they set to work with grim determination, smashing every corpse thoroughly.

Lothian’s forces numbered around 600 soldiers. Although their experience had grown through recent battles, the number was still far from sufficient.

‘I can only summon three units at a time.’

Yoo Seong had four units in total, but he couldn’t deploy them all simultaneously.

Kate’s infantry,
Vanadain’s archers,
Diana’s light cavalry,
Hector’s heavy infantry.

‘I can recall a summoned unit and summon another, but once recalled, I can’t summon the same unit again immediately.’

Choosing the initial units and keeping a reserve was crucial. Yoo Seong opened the status screen to check on the knights and units, but there was another purpose.

He was verifying a strategy prepared before this battle—something that could be a key factor.

‘Not yet.’

The Undead Legion would arrive in three days. With their current speed, they might just barely make it in time.

Closing the status screen, Yoo Seong joined the Battle Priests to help destroy the monster corpses.

Two days later in the afternoon…

There was still no news from Robin and Edgar, who had gone to scout the direction of the Volano Barony. However, refugees from the village of Philo arrived in Lothian.

That night, around midnight…

A weary Rene knocked on Lothian’s gates.

“They’re almost here. They’ll reach Lothian by tomorrow afternoon.”

The Undead Legion, led by the necromancer, had absorbed the bodies of those slain in the kobold-raided villages. Their numbers had swelled to nearly 3,500.

“You’ve done well. Get some rest tonight.”

“Yes, Successor.”

Despite her exhaustion and fear, Rene forced a smile and headed to her room.

Time passed.

Morning broke, and news finally arrived from Robin and Edgar.

Goblin forces detected in the Volano Barony, advancing eastward.

The signal flares provided limited information. Yoo Seong exhaled slowly, gazing eastward toward the Volano Barony, opposite Lothian.

It was home to the powerful Artois County, one of the top three forces in the western region.

‘I hope they hold out.’

It wasn’t a prayer but a wish. With a short sigh, Yoo Seong resumed preparing for the battle.

The wind blew and the time passed.

As the sun crossed its zenith and began to set, the death army appeared beneath the crimson evening sky.