Chapter 114: The Lie Beneath the Mask - The Third Return of the Necrotic Magic Armiger

14th Everdusk 2103 | CGA Branch, Dyna Crest Country

The room was bare save for one table and three chairs. The thick, rune-etched walls hummed faintly, sealed by enchantments that ensured sound wouldn’t escape. A fortress of privacy.

Lilia sat with her legs crossed, reviewing documents. Darian lounged beside her, arms folded. I sat across from them—calm, composed… masked.

“So, Evan. Level 20 already?” Lilia started, eyes scanning the papers. “That’s impressive for a D-rank hunter. You even passed the solo hunting exam—alone. No support, no background. Yet you defeated a boss several levels above yours.”

She tapped the edge of the document, her gaze sharp.

“There’s even suspicion… that you hold more than one class.”

I didn’t respond, didn’t flinch. Behind the mask, I kept my expression neutral.

“Wait,” Darian said, narrowing his eyes as if something clicked. “I’ve seen this boy before. Weren’t you the one from that academy? First awakened as a Magic Swordsman… and then switched to a Necromancer?”

I gave a simple nod.

“Yes, sir. I was about to awaken as a Magic Swordsman, but… due to unforeseen circumstances, I ended up awakening as a Necromancer. I still regret the change.”

Darian just nodded, saying nothing more.

Lilia leaned forward, setting the documents down.

“We’ll verify that later. For now, tell us what happened inside that collapsing dungeon.”

“Yes, ma’am. I believe I now understand the reason behind the dungeon collapse,” I said. I was telling the truth—partially.

So, I began weaving the tale. Not the full truth, but a plausible story: I was a summoner-type Necromancer, commanding skeletal warriors. When I encountered the dungeon boss inside a mountain cave, it flew into a rage after seeing my undead minions. Its level surged from 27 to 29.

"A level gap of 15, huh…" Darian murmured, visibly surprised.

I continued, explaining how the boss summoned a skeletal horse, how I used my summons to tactically take down the beast—first the mount, then the master. I told them how I used spells while my skeletons acted as shields.

Their expressions turned more and more shocked as I spoke.

I concluded the tale by placing the two items I obtained on the table—a weapon and armor from the boss. Both had degraded from Tier 1 to Tier 0. They inspected them carefully, whispering between themselves.

Darian raised a brow.

“So… is that everything?”

“No, sir. One more thing.” I leaned in slightly. “When the boss died, he said he mistook me for someone else. He… apologized. Then upgraded my summoning skill into something unique—non-tradable. I couldn’t sell it even if I wanted to.”

They were curious, so I demonstrated.

[Phantom Bond – Zephoros]

A shadow coiled from beneath my feet. A string of darkness rose, forming into the skeletal silhouette of a horse. Slowly, that bone frame was swallowed by my shadow, wrapping it in obsidian flesh. A living steed of gloom, complete with saddle and reins.

“A growth-type summon?” Darian leaned in. “Hmm, not bad. Downside is, its stats are bound to yours. I doubt it’ll grow too muc—OW!” He winced as Lilia nudged him sharply.

“Evan,” she continued, “why did the dungeon collapse after your arrival?”

I had been waiting for this.

“I think… the condition for the dungeon to collapse was fulfilled. After defeating the boss in its enraged form, a hidden message appeared. The system said the dungeon had been ‘cleansed’ and the reward was my summon upgrade.”

They both went silent for a moment.

I raised a question of my own.

“Also, ma’am, do you know the class of the person involved in the earlier accident?”

Darian flipped through some files.

“Yes… a Curse Doll Mancer. A rare class that manipulates monsters by turning them into dolls.”

“Ahh… that explains it,” Lilia muttered. “The boss must’ve developed hostility toward death-type summoners due to that class.”

I nodded—puzzle solved.

Still, they needed verification.

“To confirm this officially, we’ll use an artifact,” Darian said, pulling out a glowing orb.

My eyes narrowed slightly. A

Lie-Detector Orb

“Place your hand on it,” Lilia instructed. “It will synchronize with your mana.”

I complied. Mana resonated from the orb into my hand, a pulsing harmony of energy.

“Let’s begin,” Darian said, grinning playfully. “First question: Are you human?”

Lilia gave him a death stare.

“What? Just testing,” he mumbled.

Lilia rolled her eyes and took over.

“Was everything you told us true?”

“Yes. I told you the truth.”

‘Just… not all of it.’

“Did you receive the skill upgrade from the boss?”

“Yes. I did.”

‘From his lingering soul.’

“Was the dungeon collapse part of your plan? Are you affiliated with any guild?”

“No ma’am. I didn’t know it would collapse, and I’m unaffiliated.”

Lilia nodded, satisfied.

Then Darian interrupted.

“Wait, Manager. I want to ask just one final question.”

Lilia nodded.

He leaned forward, gaze sharp.

“Evan. Do you… have another class? Magic Swordsman, specifically?”

Silence.

The air chilled for a second. The tension twisted in the room.

But I was prepared.

“No, sir. As I’ve said before, I don’t hold the Magic Swordsman class. If I did, I wouldn’t have escaped Miss Lilia’s appraisal. The orb would’ve caught me.”

He looked at the orb.

It pulsed—

truth confirmed

Lilia sighed, turning to him.

“I told you. He only has one class. Stop trying to rope him into the Association.”

“But ma’am, I…”

“That’s enough. We have a meeting to attend. Go handle the rest.”

Darian left reluctantly, giving me one last suspicious glance.

“Evan,” Lilia said. “Go to the main desk and get your ID upgraded. I’ve already informed them. Also… remember this:

When your gaze wanders, disaster follows.

”

I nodded and left the room.

As I walked, I didn’t know Lilia stood there, staring at the empty space.

Murmuring to herself.

“Six classes… no. That’s impossible. No one in this city has such a thing. Even two are rare.”

She recalled the

Status

she saw

earlier

—a fleeting glimpse while scanning the class for registry.

[STATUS: Evan Ravencall]

Race

Human

Age

Title

????? ??????

Rank

Tier 0

Level

20 [720/2200]

Class

Necromancer Apprentice (D), Mage (?), Weapon Master (?), Blacksmith (?) [??????], Alchemist (?) [??????], Rune Enchanter (?!) [??????]

Talent

P#$#$^(?), I#$^% #^$^#^%^$^$ & @%#$#^$%^ (?) [!], Su#^%*%$ #$^#&%& (?), Tran$@@^#^&&#$ #@%% (?) [Locked], Repl%@$^ %& @$% #######(?) [Locked]

[STATUS: Just Now]

Race

Human

Age

Title

None

Rank

Tier 0

Level

Class

Necromancer Apprentice (D)

Talent

None

“A glitch… or a facade? But… such an artifact to hide this level of information? It’s not something available in this city.”

She shook her head and walked away, unaware she had just touched the edge of something far greater than she imagined.

Even I, Evan Ravencall, didn’t realize her fleeting glimpse might one day change everything.

To be continued...

Author’s Note:

Is this connection between Lilia and Evan just a fleeting encounter?

Or… the seed of something far greater?

Maybe it’s a thread tied to fate—or simply a trick of the author’s hand.

What do

you

think?

Let your imagination run wild. 👁️‍🗨️✨