After the lesson I approached Gronir.

  “Sir, I have some questions about creating a tier three.”

  Gronir nodded. “I suppose this is about your new project? I have some time, go ahead.”

  “Sir, how do I make sure the undead serves willingly?” I asked.

  “I am not surprised by that question, given your background. It is not something many necromancers care about. But the reality is, a tier three has to be bound. Just like your Nyx. And yet, your companion does serve willingly, right?”

  Both of us looked at Nyx.

  “Meow.”

  I pulled a small bone from my pocket and gave it to her. She started munching on it.

  Gronir chuckled. “You see, you have found an understanding with her. I had a tier three undead once, he died in battle. But he fought willingly, knowing the risk. I have met quite a few necromancers. Everyone has their own way of handling undead. The bond does have some benefits for them, like the small amount of mana they get. Essentially, you are providing them with food. You can also offer them a wage. And there is the fact that you have created them. They tend to be grateful for that.”

  “So, should I just try to convince them?” I asked.

  “You need to think about what you want from them and what you can offer them in return. You are ultimately responsible for their behavior. There are rules they have to follow, just like we have to follow the laws. But you can grant your tier threes certain freedoms. You know, there are plenty of students where I would be hesitant to help them create a tier three. But I think you understand your responsibility.” He explained.

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  “Is there a way to ensure my new undead won’t be evil?” I asked.

  “Evil? Well, that is always a matter of perspective. You have read the books I have given you, right?”

  I nodded.

  “Good. Use Edmund’s version of the spell. It should give you the best outcome, personality wise.” He suggested.

  I frowned. “The book mentioned something about mixed results.”

  Gronir nodded. “A lot of people are poor judges of their own character. And a lot of necromancers tend to have a large ego. Creating something that is heavily influenced by their subconscious often turns out poorly. It is certainly not a spell someone like Leo could use. But it is far more reliable than the spells that try to force certain traits.”

  I pondered that. “Will the undead be more like a child? Or fully mature?”

  “It’s not always the same. They are usually mature but inexperienced, as far as the world is concerned. You definitely have to ensure your undead knows the rules. Having something prepared for them to read can be helpful, although they get quite a bit of information through the link. And keep in mind that you are the master. If they break the rules, punish them. If you don’t keep them in line, the law will.” He warned.

  I touched my neck. I certainly did not like the sound of punishment. Then again, it could be something simple, like denying treats. Would the new undead consume bones as well? If it was vampiric, would I need to walk around with some vials of blood?

  “Thank you.” I said to Gronir, he gave me some things to think about.

  “Any time.” He said with a smile.

  As I left, I thought some more about my future undead. What did I want? Not in terms of type, or powers, but what function should my new undead have? Bodyguard? General? My new undead should have some say in that. But I should offer her options. I began to understand why tier three undead were rare. It was not just the difficulty in creating them.

  I remembered Leo’s words. And I remembered Helena’s warnings about him. She had been right, of course. He was a bad person. And eventually he might create a tier three. Was there a way to override someone’s bond? I stopped, that was an important question. I turned around and walked back to Gronir’s office.

  “Koyuki? Did you forget something?” He asked.

  “Sir, I do have one more question…” I said.

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Can another necromancer steal a tier three? Override the bond?” I asked.

  “Ah, a valid concern. And something that impacts all tiers of undead. If you meet a natural undead, you can take control. But it can be hard and you need to mentally overwhelm them. It is mostly used against tier ones or twos. A tier three? You need to be a lot more powerful than they are. But you asked about the undead from another necromancer. If you wanted to steal a tier one, you could. But the amount of mana needed would not be worth it. And the enemy would sense the intrusion and could fight it. A tier three? That could only work if the tier three was willing. And even then, it would be hard. But there is another point, it would be illegal. Your undead are your property, regardless of tier.” Gronir explained.

  I thanked him again and left.