"Traces of the undead in the Southerory?"

  Just as Edward had finished arranging a mission for female adventurers in the adventurer's guild, he received information from the receptionist about the appearance of undead in the Southerory.

  Fag his surprise, the receptionist tinued solemnly, "There have been rumors for the past few days. Due to the ck of powerful monsters in our Southerory, ohese terrifying undead creatures appear, we advise adventurers not to leave the city for a short period. After the st i with the Lich, we suffered signifit losses. Now, the number of people willing to bee adventurers has decreased, so we ot afford any acts involving important adventurers at this time."

  Uanding the reason for the versation, Edward asked, "Do you know what type of undead it is?"

  Undead varied in strength depending oype. The Lich mentioned earlier was one of the top-tier undead, typically powerful magic users in their past lives, capable of using magic even in their undead state, employing neancy.

  Apart from Liches, there were skeletons, skeletal dragons, and various other undead creatures, each with different levels of threat.

  The receptionist, realizing that the young man seemed to have a good uanding of undead, said, "The one spotted this time is the Headless Horseman..."

  "Headless Horseman?!"

  Immediately, everyone, including Edward, showed surprise.

  Yes, the Headless Horseman was also one of the top-tier undead. Uhe Lich, which represented aire race, the Headless Horseman referred to an individual: Belldia, the stro knight of the Empire who died on the Northerory battlefield several turies ago.

  Uhe Southerory, the Northerory faced stant threats from magical domains, leading to frequent magical tides and motacks. To defend against these crises, the Empire's most elite knights and warriathered at the northernmost defense line.

  Belldia was one of them. He achieved the level of a fifth-rank Sword Saint at a young age, making him one of the most outstanding talents. With unparalleled swordsmanship, he was sidered the most likely didate to reach the sixth rank, an unexplored realm for humans.

  Yes, like magic users, knights and warriors in this world were divided into six ranks: Apprentice Swordsman, Swordsman, Sword Master, Sword Soul, Sword Saint, and the unnamed realm that had not been achieved by anyone so far. The reason it remained unnamed was that no one had broken through to the sixth ra, simir to the Arch Mage fic users.

  Belldia, as the most likely didate to break through to the sixth rank, gained numerous military achievements otlefield. He would have been directly appointed as the Empire's Grand Knight upourning from the border. Unfortunately, in a direct frontation with undead forces, he was targeted from the beginning aually died due to an ambush. His body was then turned into a material for a spell, resurreg him as the Headless Horseman.

  Sihen, the Empire had legends of the Headless Horseman. Acc to rumors, after being turned into an undead, he resisted the Lich's trol, killed the Lich trying to manipute him, and fled the battlefield. However, due to his undead nature's bloodlust, he couldn't restrain himself, being a demon that sughtered living beings.

  Although sidered a b legend by most, occasional sightings of the Headless Horseman seemed to annouo everyohat this bloodthirsty monster had ruly left and had been wandering within the Empire's territory all along.

  Now, hearing the receptionist mention it, Edward couldn't help but ask with i, " you tell me where it otted?"

  "Uh— well..."

  As the receptionist hesitated with a subtle expression, intense arguing suddeed from the adventurer reception desk in the distance. Faced with this unusual otion, the adventurers, who were initially idle, excitedly rushed over, wanting to see what had happened. Edward and his group, naturally curious, joihe crowd.

  In the midst of the crowd, a seemingly young woman with aed expression was arguing with the administrator of the adventurer's guild. Her urgency was evident.

  On the trary, fag the woman's ay, the administrator silently shook his head, dispying a helpless expression. Edward quickly inquired with the people nearby and received the following response:

  "That woman who came out of nowhere suddeered the adventurer's guild and directly asked for an adve the level of a Grand Mage. Please, if she's looking frand Mage, she should go to the Mage Tower. Our Southerory's adventurer's guild wouldn't have a Grand Mage. Even after the administrator explicitly told her that it's impossible for an adventurer of Grand Mage level to take her mission, she still refuses to leave. I don't know what's happening..."

  "I see."

  Nodding, Edward, now aware of the situation, observed the woman in the distance. ed in a brown cloak that cealed her body, her long hair peeking out from the hood, Edward couldn't dis much about her appearance. Although he hadn't seen her face, he could sehat she was a young woman. However, the term "young" seemed to be in quotes, as he couldn't detey signs of the vitality typical of the living.

  "An undead? How e an undead dares to e openly to the adventurer's guild these days?"

  Muttering to himself, before the others could react, Edward had already passed through the crowd and approached the woman and the administrator. Faced with his sudden intrusion, not to mentiounned woman, the administrator was the first to speak, "This is none of your business. Don't e any closer."

  Ign the administrator's words, Edward shook his head and g the cloaked woman before speaking, "I heard you're looking frand Mage."

  Uedly, Edward uttered these words, and the woman raised her head with surprise. Her cute face was revealed as she pushed back the hood, dispying fusion as she asked, "Who are you—?"

  Without any suspense, Edward, without pying games, simply said, "If you're looking frand Mage, I might be able to help."