The Death Mage that doesn't want a fourth time

Appendix 7 Luciliano's report 2 - Kasim's spring

In Talosheim's royal castle, a strange conversation was taking place.

"Can nothing be done about it, Master?" asked Luciliano. He had been persistently pestering Vandalieu over a certain strange difficulty.

"Zandia, can nothing be done about this apprentice?" asked Vandalieu, consulting Zandia as she passed by.

Zandia... the Titan Zombie girl who was Talosheim's second princess and had been praised as the 'Tiny Genius' when she was alive.

"Eh? Am I supposed to carry him away with an iron-claw grip like Jeena-nee?" asked Zandia.

She had become a Zombie at a young age, but as a Titan, she was two meters tall.

"But Master, I really am at a loss here," Luciliano insisted, despite Zandia picking him up by the head and lifting him into the air.

"What is this guy having so much trouble with?" Zandia asked, directing this question to Vandalieu rather than the still-lively Luciliano.

She had once experienced Luciliano peeping on her during surgery out of academic interest.

"He said he wants to hear from wild Undead... Undead that aren't under my influence, from Zombies in particular. He won't listen to what I'm saying," Vandalieu said.

"I'd think that might be impossible," said Zandia.

"You're right," said Vandalieu.

Zandia couldn't be blamed for immediately thinking that Luciliano's request was impossible.

"I do understand how he feels, since Undead change completely under your influence, Your Majesty. The research I do is different, but I am a mage," Zandia said.

Undead would undergo rapid changes from the moment they were charmed by Vandalieu and placed under his guidance.

This was particularly apparent in inferior, low-Rank Undead. Rank 1 Living Bones and Living Dead were Undead that simply moved around meaninglessly and didn't even possess much of an instinct, let alone wills. But even they would clearly recognize Vandalieu and obey his commands to the best of their abilities.

Rank 2 Zombies had heads filled with nothing but hatred for the living and a desire to devour their flesh, but ninety percent of that would be erased and replaced with feelings of affection, loyalty and fear for Vandalieu. This was even true for Cursed Weapons and Living Armors, which were considered to have nothing but a desire to kill.

And many Undead partially regained their memories and personalities from while they were alive as their Ranks increased under Vandalieu's influence, becoming able to speak words.

Undead in their natural state were completely different creatures.

Zandia assumed that as an Undead researcher, Luciliano would want to study not only the Undead that had undergone such changes, but Undead in their natural state as well.

Having finally been understood, Luciliano nodded... or rather, since he couldn't, he expressed his agreement by clasping his hands together and shaking them up and down. "Indeed, that's right," he said.

"But you know that there's no way you could hear what an Undead in its natural state has to say, right?" Zandia said.

"Indeed, that's right," Luciliano said again.

Undead in their natural state, especially low-Rank Undead, never communicated with the living.

Conversation was possible with Ghosts who possessed their memories and personalities from while they were alive in addition to their hatred and regrets. There had also apparently been very rare cases where Zombies and such would stop attacking those they had been close to while alive and express desires such as asking them to "run away" or "kill me"... assuming that these were not the delusions of the witnesses.