Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

Chapter 160

Simon knew that Anna had a chronic illness.

Ever since Simon was a kid, she suffered from an unknown disease for several days a year. Then, after a few days, she'd wake up fine.

But Anna now looked worse than Simon had ever seen.

Richard had tried to do something. A magic circle made of mana was spread beneath Anna's bed.

"Follow me, Simon."

As she slept, Richard and Simon went out. The two walked up a small hill not far from the house.

"Father, something happened to Mom, right?"

Asked Simon after taking a few steps, not able to bear it anymore. Richard calmly replied,

"It's that usual chronic illness. But there's a complication."

The medicine to alleviate Anna's condition could only be made in the Holy Federation.

However, the incident with Nefthis made Efnel issue the highest level of alert for the Holy Federation. All routes in and out of the Federation were under strict control.

"The middle man, who used to provide the medicine once a year, contacted us saying it'd be difficult this year."

Simon was speechless. He never imagined what happened in Kizen would affect Les Hill and his parents so far away.

"Don't worry too much. I've already taken action."

"How?"

Richard gazed into the sky before continuing,

"I was able to contact an acquaintance of your mother. She got the medicine and will come to Les Hill herself to deliver it. She’ll arrive by the end of the week."

"Ah…!"

Simon's face brightened.

"Th-That's a relief! How generous of her!"

"Mhm. So, I have a favor to ask of you."

Richard looked Simon in the eye.

"I want you to go and pick her up. Times are strange, and since she's from Efnel, she must feel threatened. Please, take care of her."

Simon nodded vigorously.

"Yes! Leave it to me."josei

The medicine should arrive within this week.

Anna would be fine.

The heavy atmosphere began to ease. Richard asked about Simon's life in Kizen, and Simon burst into telling the stories he had been itching to share.

The friends he met at Kizen, the professors, the classes, performance assessments, and even the necromancer skills he had learned.

As they talked, Simon felt just how precious things at Kizen were. Richard, listening to the story, also wore a subtle smile on his face.

"Things haven’t changed there, huh?"

There was a deep longing in Richard's voice when he said that.

"Are you… involved with any girls there?"

"…!"

Simon went bright red.

"N-Not yet."

"I see."

Richard stroked Simon's head as though proud.

"Now is the time to think about your future. Having a healthy relationship is good, but youthful passion is quite hard to control. Be extra careful when meeting friends of the opposite sex in the future."

"…"

Simon met Richard's gaze. In Simon’s eyes, Richard discovered a surprisingly rebellious edge.

'Has Simon ever looked at me with those kinds of eyes?'

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Simon pouted and turned away.

Richard was perplexed. His kind and obedient son was going through a rebellious phase?

It must be unavoidable for the rebelliousness of adolescence to develop if he is hanging out with peers of the same age at school.

Meanwhile, Simon had different thoughts.

'Does he even remember what he did before?'

Simon had already heard about Richard's school life from Nefthis and Pier. Richard giving him warnings about relationships was hypocritical considering how promiscuous he was.

A son's first rebellion and a father's hypocritical remarks. The thoughts of father and son crossed in different directions.

* * *

* * *

On the way down the hill, after talking about Kizen, Simon made up his mind.

'I need to tell him here.'

This was the time to talk between father and son. There was no point in prolonging it.

"Father."

"What's wrong, Simon?"

"There are two things I'd like to ask you."

Seeing Simon stop to ask a question, Richard thought that something that was supposed to come had come. He looked serious as he nodded his head.

"Go ahead."

"First off, what's the nature of Mom's chronic illness? If the medicine can only be obtained from the Holy Federation, isn't it priest-related?"

Despite being their only son, Richard and Anna's past were buried in fog for Simon.

Asking about their past was forbidden, like some kind of unwritten rule, and Richard had only said that even knowing about it could put Simon in danger.

But things have changed. Simon became a Commander after inheriting Richard's Legion, so he was already directly involved.

Simon wanted to know how they were in the past and the nature of his mother's disease, which they had always brushed off as a 'chronic illness'.

"Yeah, I guess it's about time for you to know."

Richard raised his head.

"Your mother's true identity is a former saintess of Efnel. She was the 'Saintess of Miracles' in the Holy Federation."

Simon's jaw dropped.

To think that his mother was a saintess like Flema!

He thought she might’ve been an excellent priest, but it was more than he could've imagined. Simon was the son of a Commander and a Saintess.

"Anna's illness is a side effect of forcibly removing her 'Essence of the Saintess'."

"Remove the… Essence of the Saintess?"

Simon had already heard of that essence from Nefthis.

"If you kill a saintess, their 'Essence of the Saintess' flows out into the air! Soon, a new saintess will be born in the Holy Federation, nestled in a person with high compatibility."

The power to turn humans into demigods known as saintesses. Simon thought it would be a massive operation to forcibly remove such a thing. This was in addition to Richard disbanding his Legion of his own will.

Simon thought that life in Les Hill was leisurely and peaceful, but the two of them had in fact made great sacrifices for this daily life.

"There's currently no perfect cure for this illness. But thanks to the medicine from the Holy Federation, she can continue to live."

"…"

Simon nodded before returning his gaze directly into Richard’s eyes.

"The second question is regarding you, Father."

"Go ahead."

"You were a Commander, weren't you?"

This time it was Richard’s jaw that dropped.

"I also heard that you were famous in Kizen. But strangely, there are no records of a necromancer named Richard Polentia."

Excluding Nefthis, none of the professors knew a Richard Polentia. Trying to find clues about his father, Simon scoured the books in the Kizen library, but he came up blank.

"Who exactly are you, Father?"

"…"

Richard put on a faint smile.

"I used a fake name."

As a child, Richard resented and hated his father, Theron Polentia. He was an excellent necromancer, but that did not excuse him of his actions.

He was a sociopath and alcoholic, and was often violent towards his son and wife. He even experimented on Richard for his research.

Unable to withstand the tyranny, Richard ran from home and abandoned his father's name. So he made a new name for himself.

Even after getting acknowledged by Nefthis and entering Kizen, he used his new name up until the end of his time as a Commander.

"Yona."

Richard smiled.

"Try looking for that name when you go back to Kizen."

Richard didn't elaborate further. Simon didn't ask him to, either. His question was answered.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Actually, I became a Commander. I inherited your Legion."

Richard’s eyes shook.

"…Did Nefthis tell you?"

"Yeah."

"How's Pier?"

"He's been released from his seal and is doing fine. I've also gathered up Elizabeth and Prince so far."

Simon wondered how Richard would react.

Would he be proud? Mad?

But Richard remained expressionless. All he said was,

"I see."

Countless emotions were in that voice.

"It's fine. As long as you don't regret it."

Richard didn't ask Simon more about the Legion. The two arrived at the house before they knew it.

* * *

The next morning.

Simon left early and was running through the mountains.

'It's been a while since I was last here.'

As the heir of Les Hill, Simon often had to cross the mountains to manage villages. He had crossed the rough Les Hill mountains thousands of times, all without a core.

Now that he was a necromancer, he could conquer the mountains much faster. Maintaining Jet-Black Operation as he ran, the surroundings rushed past.

Feeling the wind on his face, Simon recalled what Richard had told him.

"The guest must've already arrived nearby. However, monsters frequent the Forked Forest Road, and first-timers are bound to get lost in the complicated terrain. So I want you to guide her."

A guest from the Holy Federation.

Simon was deeply curious.

She visited the Dark Alliance at a time of great turmoil just for Anna. Simon was eternally grateful.

Once he had arrived at the Forked Forest Road—an unavoidable path on the way to Les Hill—Simon climbed a tall tree and waited.

Nom.

He chewed the poorly-made rice ball Richard had given him. He didn’t know how long the guest would take to arrive, so he needed to make sure he wouldn’t get hungry.

Only a few merchant wagons passed by, so it was tranquil. Anticipating a long wait, Simon took out a holiday assignment from his subspace.

'…Ah!'

After working hard on his assignment for a while, he saw a traveler entering the Forked Forest Road.

A white robe covered their entire head, and a backpack was slung over their shoulders.

They fit Richard’s description almost exactly. Simon returned his assignment to the subspace and hopped down from his tree.

"Nice to meet you."

Simon politely bowed his head.

Surprised by the sudden arrival, the traveler flinched.

"Ah, I'm—"

Whiiish!

A gust of wind blew.

The traveler vanished before appearing again beside Simon, flying in feet first.

Poooooow!

Simon barely raised his right arm in time to block.

The two trembled in a contest of strength between leg and arm. The surrounding leaves scattered into the sky, and the unsettled dust formed a small cloud.

While giving a welcoming smile, Simon said,

"Wait! There seems to be a misunderstanding."

"You…"

A woman's voice came from inside the robe.

"…are a Necromancer, are you not?"

——