The day after the banquet, the undead exhibition officially opened. Shun, his family, and the event organizers gathered for the opening ceremony. As a guard, Simon didn't participate directly; instead, standing a short distance from Shun.
'Hah, this is difficult.' He had spent the morning practicing Bone Armor again, recalling a conversation he'd had with Pier the day before.
'By the way, Pier. Can I use Bone Armor with your 'Legionized' skeletons?'
[It's not impossible. But don't even dream of it for now.]
'Huh? Why?'
'Pier's clone had been smiling.'
[You'll pick up bad habits.]
Pier was his mentor, and listening to his advice had never steered him wrong. So, Simon had refocused on mastering Bone Armor with standard summoning-type skeletons.
A loud round of applause snapped Simon out of his thoughts. The opening ceremony was over. The dignitaries on stage began to disperse, and Simon moved to Shun's side.
"Simon! Is something on your mind?"
"Huh? No, it's nothing."
Just then, the MC's gaze landed on Simon. When Simon offered a questioning smile, the MC boomed, "Come to think of it, we have a Kizen student with us today! Did you all know?"
The crowd murmured, their curiosity piqued.
"Of course, we can't miss the chance to hear from a top authority in the field! Now, let's welcome the Kizen student to the stage!"
'Waaaaah!'
A thunderous cheer erupted. Simon shot Shun a troubled look, but the MC was already addressing the young count.
"It's alright, isn't it, my lord?"
Simon's expression pleaded for help, but Shun just grinned mischievously and gave him a firm push forward.
"Of course, it's alright!"
"Well, an impromptu interview it is! Please come this way, student from Kizen!"
'So it's come to this,' Simon thought with a grimace as he was ushered to the stage.
'Wow.'
The crowd was enormous. The exhibition was clearly a major event in Blue Harbor.
"Please give us a brief introduction!" the MC said, holding out a magic amplifier. The MC's own voice was powerful enough to carry without one.
"I am Simon Polentia, a first-year student at Kizen aspiring to specialize in Summoning."
"Ah, you missed the most important part," the MC said with a playful wink.
Simon let out a small laugh.
"I was honored to enter Kizen as Special Admission No. 1."
With that one sentence, he heard murmurs and felt the crowd's perception of him shift entirely.
"You must have seen the exhibition while guarding the Count. What did you think?"
Simon quickly sized up the atmosphere. This wasn't a stuffy aristocratic ceremony; it was a lively, energetic event, reflecting the free-spirited nature of the resort island. He would have to match that energy.
"I can confidently say it is the best undead exhibition I have ever been to."
'Of course, it's also the only one I've ever been to.'
"Blue Harbor is one of the few places with an ecosystem that has evolved independently. The fact that this ecosystem has been preserved under the Oldone name is a blessing from the heavens for any necromancer. The undead created from the creatures of this island looked to me like technology from twenty years in the future. I especially recommend you see the Overlord on the top floor."
"Oh! It seems the Overlord has caught your eye!" the MC joked.
Simon immediately played along.
"I was so captivated during my guard duty that I even asked a staff member for the price."
"How bold of you! And how much was it...?"
"It started at 10,000 Gold, so I gave up," Simon deadpanned.
The crowd roared with laughter. The MC and Simon kept up a rapid, witty banter, lifting the mood even higher.
The head butler discreetly tapped his watch. The MC, who had been teasing Simon about having a girlfriend at Kizen, snapped back to business.
"Ah, look at the time! We ask for your continued interest and support for the new undead exhibition opening in thirty minutes. And let's give another huge round of applause to Simon for graciously giving his time for this interview!"
A thunderous ovation erupted from all around.
"The honor was all mine. Thank you," Simon said, bowing to the crowd before rejoining Shun.
Shun chuckled, nudging Simon's leg.
"You're a better talker than you look, Simon."
"...Than I look? That's a compliment, right?"
"Hahaha!"
A short while later, the exhibition hall opened, and a huge crowd lined up to enter. Simon and Shun spent the day walking the floor, greeting guests they had missed at the banquet, and acting as guides.
On the morning of the fourth day, Simon and Shun were in a carriage heading to the exhibition hall. The day's schedule was much like the last.
Looking out the window, Simon crossed his arms.
"The weather's gloomy today."
"It is. I wonder if people will still come."
A thick fog had settled over the entire beach. Tourists who had come for a swim were flustered by the unexpected weather.
"Where did all this fog come from...?"
"It's not even raining."
"Guess I'll be stuck in my room all day."
Blue Harbor's administrators were already making their rounds, announcing that swimming was restricted because the sea fog was too dense. Tourists grumbled as they left the beach.
"Yeah, yeah, we're going."
"Hey, don't you see something weird over there?"
"Yeah. The fog."
"No, beyond the fog... What is that?"
"Stop talking nonsense. I'm hungry."
But the murmuring on the beach grew louder, escalating into screams and desperate shouts to run.
It all happened in an instant. A galleon of jaw-dropping size pierced through the thick fog. Atop its mast, a flag fluttered: a distorted skull with two crossed swords beneath it. The symbol meant only one thing.
"P-Pirates!"
"It's pirates!"
The peaceful beach erupted into panic. People screamed and scrambled to get away.
'Kabooooom!'
A cannon blast shook the sky. A ball fired from the warship slammed into a tall building, and the stone structure crumbled in a burst of flame.
Cannonballs rained down on the beach, sending up huge fountains of sand that swallowed people whole.
"Get away!"
The beach and the town were instantly devastated, set ablaze by the relentless barrage. Soon, the colossal ship ground ashore, kicking up sand as pirates swarmed down its ropes.
"Muahaha!"
A man with a long beard sat on a deck chair, cackling. He held up a communication crystal.
"Second and Third Fleets, surround the island from the flanks and land! Don't let a single one of them escape!"
—"Yes, sir!" came the reply.
Through the fog, two more massive galleons could be seen splitting off to the left and right.
The man stood, and the pirates around him bowed in deference.
"Blue Harbor. A fine island."
He drew the sword from his waist and roared, "What are you waiting for! All hands, ashore! Wipe them out! Leave no one alive!"
"Raaaaaaah!"
At the exhibition hall, the sound of cannon fire sent Simon and Shun rushing outside.
"My God..." someone whispered in horror.
A colossal pirate ship, shrouded in sea fog, was bombarding the city, turning Blue Harbor into a sea of fire.
"This is no ordinary pirate crew," the head butler said, a cold sweat beading on his forehead. "Judging by the ship's size and that flag, they're the pirates of the Sinju Sea. They have no business in these peaceful waters. How...?"
Shun, his face pale with fear, grabbed Simon's sleeve. Simon gently covered the boy's hand with his own and patted his back reassuringly.
"The Commander is here!"
A man in a uniform adorned with numerous badges strode out of the exhibition hall.
"...Unbelievable," he muttered, his expression hollow. "How could a pirate ship get this close to the coast? What were the maritime outposts doing?!"
He frantically pulled a communication crystal from his coat.
"Outpost! Respond! Outpost!"
There was no reply. He quickly switched channels.
"This is the Commander! Respond immediately!"
But all three naval units guarding the sea routes were silent.
"Is the communication down? Because of the fog?"
"It's more likely they can't answer," Simon said, his face grim.
The commander turned, his eyes widening when he saw Simon's Kizen uniform.
"Ki-Kizen...!"
"What do you mean, they can't answer?" Shun asked, his voice trembling.
Simon let out a small sigh.
"It means they've already been taken out."
At the Blue Harbor Naval Headquarters, armed soldiers collapsed one by one, gasping and choking as a thick green smoke filled the entire building.
Meanwhile, at the Blue Harbor Naval Second Barracks, soldiers fell with black liquid drooling from their mouths. Those who fought to stay conscious were quickly devoured by artificial slimes slithering across the floor. "What on earth did they put in the food—!"
The Blue Harbor Naval Third Barracks was a complete bloodbath, too. Soldiers lay with their bodies twisted at unnatural angles, the walls scarred with the marks of a fierce battle.
And amidst the corpses of over a hundred soldiers, a man casually smoked a cigar.
"See?" he said, his formal suit splattered with blood. "It would've been better for everyone if you'd just quietly succumbed to the poison."
He raised a communication device.
"The ships?"
—"All burned," a voice replied.
"Don't let a single one escape the island," the man ordered, a chilling smile spreading across his face. "Especially not Count Shun and the Oldone family. Capture them at all costs."

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