Necromancer Survival

As I looked down at the skeleton, I guessed that Lackey seemed a bit annoyed, but it played with the baby in its own way.

The skeleton didn’t show any signs of getting angry or frustrated when the child’s soft hands stroked its cheeks or when his feet slammed its shoulder. Lackey was a smart little thing and seemed to know that the baby had no malicious intent behind its behavior.

‘It doesn’t seem to…hate this entirely.’

In the end, I accepted Koo Hui-seo’s request conditionally, “Well… If this won’t take too long, I can take some time out of our schedule.”

“Thank you, truly, Lee-kyung-ssi…” Koo Hui-seo sighed as he untied the baby sash and handed the baby to the skeleton.

I felt a little bewildered at the scene, but Lackey embraced the child who was clinging to its skull with determined arms.

The baby hugged and sucked on Lackey’s skull as if it had starved for several years. He placed his fingers inside the skeleton’s empty eye sockets as well.

‘Why does he like Lackey so much…’

From the very beginning, I felt that this baby was incredibly unique. I wondered if he was too obsessed with Lackey.

“Lackey!!!”

Of course, the skeleton didn’t seem to be too pleased at being the focus of the child’s obsession. But, since the baby didn’t seem to be acting purposefully, I eventually just gently detached the baby when he clung too forcefully. I didn’t actively prevent or detain the child.

Lackey stayed still, patiently enduring the baby’s enthusiastic teeth acupuncture session, but, when the baby’s mouth did not take a rest, the skeleton scooped the baby up roughly–like a bag of potatoes–and dragged him around the room. Fortunately, the baby loved this careless treatment, shrieking in glee.

Lackey held the wriggling baby more and more carelessly, to the point where it was practically dragging the baby by the armpits with one hand while using the other hand to support the baby’s bottom.

Each time Lackey completed a lap around the room, it stared at me as if waiting for approval, as if it were asking, ‘Is this enough?’

“How kind of you…” After about five laps, I nodded to Lackey with a sorry heart.

As soon as it got my permission, Lackey threw the baby away and ran to me. I was surprised at the sudden throw, but, fortunately, the nanny was standing nearby and quickly picked up the baby.

“Uwahhh!” The baby began to cry loudly as soon as the skeleton moved away, but he did not threaten others with the tentacles on his back as he had done before. He simply sobbed and expressed his complaints to the Lackey, who had turned away from him.

“Uwahhh!”

[Clack clack clack.]

[So loud.]

Lackey glared at the baby coldly before running to me and hugging me.

The baby struggled and tried to get Lackey’s attention anyway he could. Meanwhile, his abundant tears drenched his face; he looked utterly pitiful. “Lakweee…”

The baby, shedding enough tears to make his nanny’s shirt cuff transparent, finally stuck out its lower lip as Lackey refused to look at him.

However, when the skeleton snuck a glance at the baby, the baby was quick to adopt a pitiful expression again, squeezing tears out of his eyes by opening and closing his eyelids tightly. That behavior was so honestly cute; I bit my lower lip to hold back my laughter.

“The baby…is so stubborn, I find it difficult…” Koo Hui-seo approached the baby’s side and wiped away his tears. However, the baby refused his dad’s touch and continued to stare at Lackey.

Looking at those obsessed eyes, I could see his resemblance to Koo Hui-seo. However, Koo Hui-seo continued firmly, like an ordinary father to a baby that kept trying to crawl out of his nanny’s arms, “If you don’t stop crying, I won’t let you play with Lackey from now on.”

“Ummummm…” Perhaps because of his father’s strict tone, the baby closed his mouth and whimpered. However, his eyes were still fixed on the skeleton burying itself in my stomach.

“An attachment doll…?” ¹

Lackey stared up at my casual mutter, wondering what I could be talking about.

At that moment, Dawon-ie laughed and said, “Lackey. If you keep bothering us, should I give you to him?”

[Clack Clack Clack Clack Clack Clack!!!]

[Hate it hate it hate it hate it hate it!!!]

I shot daggers at the Mage through the corners of my eyes and dragged the skeleton into my arms, “What nonsense. I’m never giving Lackey away, so stop bothering it.”

[Clack Clack Clack…]

[Master…]

Lackey looked at me with twinkling, tearful crimson eyes.

Why was Seo Dawon always picking fights with Lackey–a skeleton that looked less than 10 years old. So, when Lackey unhinged its jaw to bite the Mage, I let it happen.

With a–as far as anyone could see–delighted face, Seo Dawon picked up the skeleton and said, with a deliberately despicable tone, “What use are you except as a doll when you’re this slow?”

[Clack Clack Clack clack clack!]

[I’ll kill you!]

I truly thought a meaningless fight would break out at this rate, so I calmed down the skeleton in my arms. I told Koo Hui-seo, “Koo Hui-seo-ssi, I’m sorry but I think the baby is going to have to exit this room momentarily.”

“Yees… It’s time for his nap soon anyway.” When Koo Hui-seo looked at the baby, the nanny took the baby and quietly opened the door. The baby seemed like it was about to cry again, but Koo Hui-seo placed an index finger against his and said, “Shh,” which ultimately made the baby restrain himself.

* * *

A short while after the baby left, Kim Sangyoon said, “I… I’m saying this because Seo Dawon-nim seems to be here as well, but…”

“Yes? Ah–yeah…”

“Would Seo Dawon-nim or the other resentful ghosts give me some signal to show their presence…?”

With that said, Kim Sangyoon looked around at some completely wrong location–the place where Lackey had attacked Seo Dawon just recently.

I felt sorry for not being considerate to the Warrior, and my worries that I had temporarily set aside resurged.

However, now that even Kim Sangyoon expressed discomfort, it was impossible to continue to feign ignorance. I struggled to open my mouth, “Ah… We actually talked about that.”

“Really?”

Actually, we needed to train together, but the fact that Kim Sangyoon couldn’t see the Red Lotus was a huge issue. Even if we worked well together, it would be challenging to engage in combat without knowing where our comrades were.

Of course, I could summon the servants, but the Warrior would need to collaborate with the others–the ones that weren’t summoned. They’d need to move as one to be a team.

So, at the very least, Kim Sangyoon needed a way to recognize their presence and be able to communicate with them. That’s why we devised a tool through Seo Dawon’s design, Koo Hui-seo’s money, and Choi Kyung-sik’s handicraft.

However, there was one problem.

Its performance was exceptional, but… The item’s design… truly sucked. I took out the pre prepared item from my inventory, hoping Kim Sangyoon wouldn’t take offense.

My hand trembled slightly as I handed the item to Kim Sangyun.

“Um… when you wear this item, you should be able to see all the servants I’ve contracted, and you should be able to hear their voices… At least that’s what Dawon-ie said.”

Kim Sangyoon’s voice shook when he saw what I had presented, “This… Dog… Um, necklace?”

“…Yes.”

“……” Kim Sangyoon’s face turned red with either shame or anger–I had no idea which emotion it was. I looked away from that bewildered expression.

In fact, after I received the finished product, I also questioned if this made sense. Choi Kyung-sik and Seo Dawon began using jargon to argue that, functionally, a dog-collar design was the best.

Although it was clear to me, even as someone unfamiliar with item crafting, that there was malice behind their words, I ultimately had no way to prove it and had to hand the item over to Kim Sangyoon as it was.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel sorry, so I cautiously advised him on how to wear the collar. “I-If you wear it under your combat uniform, I don’t think it’ll be noticeable….”

“Haah…” Kim Sangyoon exhaled deeply before grinding his teeth, but, eventually, he accepted the dog collar. Then, he closed his eyes tightly and clasped the lock around his neck.

—-

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TL: Man, Koo Hui-seo is already whipped by his baby.