Accidentally Formed a Reverse Harem in the Apocalypse – Chapter 62 – Black Magic

Author: Asternkm

The world seen through a spirit’s eyes looked like a vast universe.

Living beings resembled individual galaxies.

Within them, the sparkling light of life instinctively revealed itself as the soul contained in the body.

‘Is it because they have pure eyes that can see the essence of life…?’

But when seen through those eyes, Kieran Woray’s corpse had……

Nothing.

There was only pitch-black darkness.

Even the few pieces of furniture in Kieran’s room gave off faint fragments of light, yet from his body alone, there was nothing but darkness.

‘Why…?’

Both had lost their life force, so why was it that only Kieran’s body showed no trace of starlight at all?

The moment that question arose, the water spirit spoke to me.

【Because the soul left the body in an improper way.】

‘What do you mean by “improper”?’

Perhaps because our minds were connected, I could communicate with the spirit using only my thoughts.

In a heavy voice, the water spirit answered.

【When all living beings exhaust their breath, they follow the path of light and enter the cycle of reincarnation.】

‘Oh?’

It sounded similar to the concept of reincarnation in Buddhism. I listened with interest.

【Whether by suicide, murder, or natural death at the end of one’s lifespan… when a being dies, the star engraved upon their soul shatters into fragments. Those fragments become signposts, allowing the soul to find the path of light.】

‘…And then?’

【But if a soul is taken in an improper way— that is, sacrificed as an offering for a purpose— then both the soul and the stars engraved upon it are completely destroyed.】

【The starlight fragments vanish without a trace.】

【And in the place where the soul was torn apart, nothing remains.】

【Only pitch-black darkness, and an empty shell wandering around.】

【We spirits view powers that use such sacrifices very negatively.】

【That kind of power will become an evil that corrodes and harms the world.】

An evil that corrodes the world…

At those words, I thought of the zombies.

‘Lives that should have been ordinary people, breathing normally.’

Yet because of some power, they had effectively died, and were now being forced to move.

Weren’t zombies themselves an evil threatening the world’s survival?

Chunks of flesh moving by someone else’s will, without souls.

‘Could it be…?’

Staring at the darkness that stained Kieran’s dead body, I asked the spirit:

‘To you, do zombies—those empty shells roaming the capital—look the same as this?’

I already half-expected the answer.

The spirit replied without hesitation.

【Yes.】

【From them as well, I see nothing but pitch-black darkness.】

【That’s why they feel ominous.】

【Ominous enough to make me want to hide with my contractor.】

【Benedict is a precious spirit contractor we haven’t seen in a long time.】

‘…I see.’

I hoped it wasn’t true, but it was.

The state of the zombies created by the culprit and Kieran’s corpse were identical.

The only difference was whether they were being controlled or not.

In other words, the culprit behind both incidents was the same person.

‘Thank you for telling me. You can take back the eyes you lent me now.’

【Alright. Chosen savior of the young god.】

‘What? I’m not a savior, I’m just a normal commoner—’

As I hurriedly tried to deny it, the water spirit snapped back with firm conviction.

【You are a savior.】

‘No, I’m not…’

【A spirit’s eyes cannot be deceived.】

【You are a savior.】

Was it because my role was Saint?

‘Ugh…’

As the memories the spirit had shown me faded, darkness returned once more. Just before everything ended, the water spirit left me with one final request.

【Please take good care of our precious contractor.】

“Gasp!”

I opened my eyes wide and saw the reception room of Keaton Ducal Estate.

“Huh… why am I looking at the ceiling?”

I was lying on the floor.

As I sat up in confusion, Zero and everyone gathered in the room rushed toward me.

The first to hug me was Lina.

“Waaah! My lady! You suddenly collapsed—do you know how worried I was?!”

“I did?”

“You did! You just fell over without warning—everyone here was shocked!”

I gently patted Lina as she cried.

‘What a mess…’

Looking around at Michael, Ruth, Benedict, and Aston, I could see worry on all their faces as well.

Each of them spoke with pale expressions.

“Are you alright?”

“Uh… yes. I’m fine. And I learned what I wanted to know too. Thankfully, the spirit lent me its eyes.”

“Are you out of your mind? Borrowing a spirit’s eyes isn’t something just anyone can do! That’s something only contractors can survive— if you fail, your eyes can literally burn out from the pure power! And you did it anyway?!”

Ruth scolded me so fast it sounded like rap lyrics. I turned away and covered my ears.

“B-but thanks to that, we figured it out!”

“Figured out what?” Aston asked.

When we first met, he looked more like a statue than a human. Now, however, he looked unmistakably human—and clearly angry.

‘Scary…’

Still, I told him everything.

“Something very important. The person who killed Kieran Woray and wiped out his family… and the one who caused the zombie outbreak— they’re almost certainly the same person.”

I didn’t think this was something one person could do alone. It had to be an organization.

‘If this was done by a single person, that’s even worse.’

I desperately hoped the enemy wouldn’t be unbeatable.

‘…What is Benedict doing, anyway?’

Only Benedict stood off to the side, scolding the water spirit after confirming I was safe.

“Don’t ever do that again, understand?”

【I only showed that human what they wanted to see…】

“Don’t. Got it?”

【…Understood.】

As the water spirit slowly lowered its hands, Benedict glared.

“Not until I say you can.”

【…Hng. Contractor is mean to spirits. So sad.】

“Don’t try that fake cuteness!”

Watching the scene, I felt something fluffy squirm onto my shoulder.

「Don’t you have something to say to me…?」

“Eek.”

Zero was glaring at me furiously, flames practically burning in his beady black eyes.

Before I could block my ears, his furious rant began.

「You think collapsing suddenly is no big deal?! Do you know how worried I was?! Just because you’re contracted with me doesn’t mean using a spirit’s eyes is safe! You reckless—ugh!」

My ears hurt. In moments like this, the only way out was full surrender.

‘…My eyes did hurt, though.’

「See?!」

‘I’m sorry. I was wrong. I won’t do it again.’

I had only done it because I thought I’d never experience something like that twice.

‘Forgive me, Zero. Okay?’

As I stroked him with pleading eyes, Zero huffed.

「Do you even know what you did wrong? Hmph!」

‘…This sounds like a lovers’ quarrel.’

「The guilty one stays quiet. Understood?」

‘…Understood.’

After that, I was thoroughly scolded by Sherry, Jacqueline, the butler, and even the head maid.

‘I should never rely on spirits again…’

Only after everyone confirmed I was truly fine did the discussion resume.

“First, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“The one who unleashed the zombies outside, and the one who killed Kieran and the entire Woray family overnight— they’re the same person. According to what the spirit showed me.”

I carefully explained the empty bodies, the darkness, and what happens to souls used as sacrifices.

After listening quietly, Aston asked,

“I understand your explanation. But how does that connect everything?”

“A very good question, Your Grace.”

I spoke as if everything were my own deduction, without mentioning Zero or the search window.

“This world has five major forces. Magic, holy power, spirit power, aura… and—”

I paused.

“Sorcery.”

At the unfamiliar term, the servants murmured in confusion.

“Sorcery? I’ve never heard of it. The Empire only recognizes four forces.”

“I don’t know much either, but I heard it’s widely used in the neighboring country, Quina.”

「The Empire avoided and rejected sorcery, so it lacks information.」