Necromancer Survival

the question I should have asked then.
At that time, I didn’t want to think deeper because I had simply passed his comment off as mere rejection, but, once you dug deeper, the words he chose were quite strange.

     Why did he use the word, ‘command?’ There were many other gentle methods to reject me.
It’s not as if he wasn’t the type of person who would be smooth enough to reject me kindly.

     However, that’s what Seo Dawon said.

     If so, did that ‘command’ contain another meaning?

     “I meant it literally.
Since you’re the master, there’s no need to walk on eggshells around me.”

       “……” I couldn’t really tell what he was thinking just through his expression.
I couldn’t tell if I was dense, or if Seo Dawon was deliberately hiding his emotions, but…

     I gripped onto Seo Dawon’s arms when he tried to stop leaning his head on me, sit up, and straighten his back.
If not this time, I don’t know when this distance between us would narrow again.
Fortunately, Seo Dawon did not remove my hold and gently downcast his red eyes.

     “T-then, if it’s my command…… Are you saying that you would like me?”

    “The command has to be specific.
‘Like me…’ It’s not clear what kind of behavior you want me to showcase.” Seo Dawon naturally continued.

     I realized he was giving me advice: a reminder that when a Master gives a command, he must give specific instructions that a Servant could comprehend and act upon straight away.

     So, I took his advice and ‘commanded’ him.
“Answer the questions I ask.
Don’t lie, either.”

     Seo Dawon, knowing that he was given a ‘command,’ raised his head as soon as I spoke.
Normally, his eyes were like transparent glass, but somehow they looked hazy and decadent now.
I hesitated, feeling a hint of resistance from him, but Dawon soon slowly lowered his head.

     “Yes,” he responded, quietly.
He adopted an attitude of total obedience–enough that I suspected it was a prank to ridicule me.

* * *

     A few minutes passed by; I couldn’t find the words to speak easily.
I was flustered by the completely transformed atmosphere, and Seo Dawon was still utterly tranquil.
And then, right before my eyes, a system message popped up.

[Conditions have been met to expand or transform certain skills unique to your class.]

      “Skills unique to the class……?”

     “…..” Seo Dawon continued to look at me with that placid expression.
It was as if he was paying great attention to the words that came out of my mouth.

     I reminded myself that I was in the middle of “commanding” him and subconsciously covered my mouth with one hand and hastily closed the system message with the other.
After all, I can check the contents of this message later…

     “Hmmm…I mean, s-so…you can’t answer the questions I ask from this point on by lying, right?”

     “Yes.”

     “I can’t get used to him using such formal language…Ah, n-no.” I stuttered.

     When I saw Seo Dawon with a face devoid of any expressions, I felt like I was doing something malicious to him.

     I cleared my throat and once again asked the question I wanted to ask, “Why did you suddenly place such a strange taboo on me?”

     The thing that bothered me the most was the unknown skill that Seo Dawon applied to me just recently.

    And, as soon as I closed my mouth, he answered straight away without any hesitation.
“That’s a taboo placed just in case I attempted to murder you.”

    Murder…

      Goosebumps raised along my arms at his word choice, and I felt slightly depressed that Seo Dawon would dislike me enough to kill me.
Further, it felt unfair–why would he hold those sorts of feelings for me?

     “Why do you want to kill me?” I asked

     “I’ve never wanted to kill you.
I’ve told you earlier that the taboo was placed in order to stop me from murdering you.”

      Again, another strange response.

     No, that’s what I’m asking–you said you placed a restriction just in case you’d murder me.
There must be a reason, then, right? Only his speech was formal, his speaking style still left an unpleasant aftertaste…

I judged Seo Dawon’s expressionless face as one of contempt, and, rage rising, I continued to question him, voice wheezing.
“So! That’s why I’m asking…Why you might want to murder me!? What I wanted to know was the reason behind it all!”

     “It’s because of your blood.” 

TL: It’s been a while hasn’t it? I’ve been swamped with IRL work (grading papers T_T).
I’ve informed the discord server people that this break would happen–if you haven’t joined, that’s alright! I do update about any potential breaks there, though.
As promised, I’ll do 4 chapters–2 today, 2 tomorrow!

Also I do know that there’s a webtoon that’s out! Although, I have no idea if that’ll divert more or less people to this, haha.