But Landsmecht was a ways away and an empty stomach meant you were weak right when you needed to fight. A light snack was customary, and a stamina potion if you didn’t want to eat, although that was costly.

“Back to the basics, Lord Lantal?”

One of the [Archers] jested. It was unseemly to talk with the nobility—but the [Princess] and her

[Knights] weren’t around, and Lantal had grown up around these people. They were childhood friends, and this?

This was their life. Lantal grimaced.

“If there’s a Ghoul, I’m going to be very unhappy.”

Zombies turned into Ghouls over time, but even in Noelictus it normally wasn’t a day’s process. Then again…he shuddered.

“If it’s a Ghoul-type Mothbear, we’re going to have a bad time.”

The others groaned. The [Archer] groused as she checked her quiver. She had regular arrows…and two emergency-arrows. Magical. If it was a Ghoul Mothbear, she might have to use them.

“Lord Lantal, do you think of happy events?”

“Sometimes. When I’m not about to stink of dead bear.”

“Fair enough.”

They all laughed at that. Lantal raised a hand and the company slowed. They were approaching Landsmecht.

——

There was no Ghoul. Nor was it hard to find their quarry as it was sometimes, when a zombie might wander into a forest.

The [Lord] found the undead wandering down the road just outside of the village. They were pursuing a fox. The frightened creature—pelt grey to camouflage against the local flora—was fleeing in sleepy terror. The mindless zombies—two deer and a large Mothbear—were plodding after it.

“Ugh. Milord, your orders?”

One of the [Riders] wrinkled his nose. The undead were rotting in the day. No getting meat from them after so long. Lantal coughed and covered his nose.

“Archers, bring down the deer. [Axemen]—with me. We’ll take out a leg and bring the bear down.”

It was a short skirmish. The three [Archers] dismounted at a distance as the undead turned towards the Humans. They loosed—after the third volley, one of the deer fell, arrows bristling from chest and head.

The elk died next, as an arrow finally hit its brain and the damaged body was unable to contain the death magic.

The bear was harder. The [Archers] didn’t have [Piercing Arrow] or other useful Skills that would go through its thick hide. And the enchanted arrows were far too costly to use for this.

So Lord Lantal himself baited the monster. He dodged a clumsy swipe as a woman with an axe hacked at the leg. Another man came in with a sword as two more used boar-spears to force the bear back. It was too strong for them. But after another flurry of dodging—the blows hacked into its bone and it collapsed, with only three legs.

“Stay back! Spears—hold it down! Axes, the head! [Piercing Thrust]!”