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Chapter 7: What Happens When People Die
No one can truly explain what "death" is.
At first glance, it seems like a simple matter. When a living being loses its life—no longer growing, moving, thinking, or receiving the care and blessings of the supreme god Darmos—it has reached "death."
But if you think more deeply, you’ll realize it’s not as straightforward as it appears. When someone dies, their body remains right there. Their hair, skin, blood, bones—all of it is still present, unchanged in its most fundamental material composition from when they were alive.
So why? Why does this person now lie so still and silent, as though all the joys and sorrows of their life no longer concern them?
When it comes to death, everyone can ask endless questions. They might sound naïve or even silly at first, but once you allow yourself to ponder them, you’ll find they run deep—like underwater trenches pulling your thoughts into an endless void:
What is death? What does dying feel like? Does death have a color? A shape? If I die, what will I become? Will the dead version of me still be “me”? And if I cease to be “me” after death, then what was the “me” that lived? Was I truly existing while alive? Will I continue to exist after death? If my life is undeniably real, and death means I no longer exist, how can such a change—a mere shift in states of being—completely overturn my philosophical certainty of absolute existence?
Death, it seems, isn’t about the body. It’s about the soul.
Every living thing has a soul; we know this because we see their souls depart when they die. But what does death mean for the soul? Does it dissipate entirely, or does it simply move on to another place?
The corpse of Longbow Sunshot lay before me, and I couldn’t stop blaming myself. My mind raced with wild thoughts: if killing an opponent grants you their soul, had Ridatis, the bandit leader, taken the soul of our dwarf companion? But then we killed him too—did that mean his soul was now within us?
The thought that he might still be with us brought some comfort.
But why, then, did I feel nothing of the rugged dwarf’s bold spirit stirring within me?
As I wallowed in these melancholy musings, Long Triangle walked over and patted my shoulder.
“Thanks a lot,” he said earnestly. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be done for.”
I knew his gratitude was sincere, but his words grated against my ears. We both knew things didn’t have to end this way—if only I could’ve…
“I… I should’ve been able to block him…” I muttered awkwardly.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Elegant Strings chimed in, trying to console me. “Who would’ve guessed that guy would use Fear Roar? And besides, Longbow lost his head—he had plenty of potions but didn’t drink enough. His playstyle was just plain bad…”
“Exactly,” Long Triangle agreed, spinning the elven ranger around by the shoulders. “And anyway, don’t direct those comments at me. I’m Long Triangle. Jeff is behind you.”
Though I already knew Planewalkers viewed death lightly, I still couldn’t get used to seeing them treat the loss of an adventuring partner so casually.
“Longbow… How could you just up and die like that? Why did it have to be you, the priest? How am I supposed to let go of you?” To my surprise, Fei Yin, the mage, seemed most grief-stricken by the death of the dwarven priest. She clung to Longbow’s body, shaking his collar desperately, her face contorted with sorrow. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, as though she refused to accept the reality of his passing.
This softened my opinion of her somewhat. Perhaps beneath her seemingly cold, tough, greedy exterior lay a tender and kind heart.
“…My bat wings and hyena hide are still in your backpack… Those could fetch a good price, you know. Couldn’t you have handed them over before dying?”
Hmm. Maybe I need to rethink my assessment of Fei Yin’s “gentle nature.”
Just as I was sinking deeper into despair over Longbow Sunshot’s death, a familiar groan suddenly reached my ears…
“Ow… Miss Fei Yin, if you keep shaking me like this, my bones are going to shatter… Even if you want to murder me, wait until I return the items in my bag, okay?”
Impossible!
I turned in astonishment to see the supposedly lifeless body of the dwarf priest, clutched in Fei Yin’s hands like a ragdoll, slowly opening its eyes. The fatal wound on his neck had vanished—not just that, but all other injuries were gone too. His complexion was rosy, glowing with vitality, utterly transformed from the pale, lifeless figure moments ago.
“What’s going on?” Before I could voice my shock, Long Triangle spoke up, though his concerns seemed slightly different from mine.
“How did you revive so quickly?” Orc rogue Elegant Strings asked, showing little surprise or joy at Longbow’s resurrection. He seemed accustomed to the idea of coming back from the dead, merely puzzled by the speed of it.
“Well…” Elegant Strings added, mildly astonished, “…the respawn point is in town, isn’t it? With those stubby legs of yours, shouldn’t it take at least ten minutes to get here? We were planning to leave soon—you know how monsters respawn.”
Longbow Sunshot raised his head proudly, looking down on his questioning companions with faint disdain. “Amateurs,” he scoffed. “Clearly, neither of you has died much. Let me tell you, there’s a graveyard halfway up the mountain. I went straight there as a spirit…” His healthy complexion and clear mind reassured me that this wasn’t some ghastly reanimation.
“P-tui, what’s there to be proud of dying often?” Long Triangle and Elegant Strings simultaneously extended their hands, thumbs and forefingers forming a gesture aimed at Longbow. Its meaning eluded me, but it was evidently dismissive.
Ignoring their reactions, Longbow swallowed audibly and continued, “By the way, the Reaper Sister in the graveyard is quite the looker. If I hadn’t lingered to admire her for a bit, I might’ve come back even faster.”
“So that’s why you’re always throwing yourself into danger, huh? Creep,” Long Triangle sneered.
“Necrophile!” Elegant Strings quipped succinctly.
From their banter, I gleaned something about “death.” It seemed that when someone dies, their soul appears in the nearest graveyard. Once reunited with their body, they can resurrect. This must be why Planewalkers regard death so lightly—even mockingly—because it’s temporary, while life persists eternally.
This clashed sharply with my understanding of death. I’d always believed it was final, absolute, irreversible. Someone must have instilled this belief in me, though I couldn’t yet verify its truth since I’d never died—and had no intention of doing so anytime soon. Still, witnessing Longbow’s revival made me question whether my assumptions were wrong.
Another revelation: the Grim Reaper is apparently young, beautiful, and female. For those who fear death, this might actually be encouraging news…
“Enough chatter, let’s loot the bodies!” Mage Fei Yin showed zero interest in the men’s conversation. Her insatiable greed for spoils took hold again, and under her command, we dutifully searched every pocket of the Swordtooth Bandits. Even so, she wasn’t entirely satisfied, lamenting wistfully:
“If only we could sell human skin…”
Just as I’d marveled before, each of us found a severed head identical to Ridatis’s on his corpse. Why the brutal bandit carried multiple replicas of his own head was beyond me, but this peculiar habit proved useful, allowing us all to complete our quest to defeat the robber. Later, I learned this wasn’t uncommon among certain individuals.
Finally, we gathered around a large chest tucked into the corner of the room. Crafted from finely worked camphor wood, it sat quietly in the southwest corner, previously hidden by Ridatis’s imposing presence. Now, it stood out as the room’s most conspicuous object.
Long Triangle tapped carefully along the chest’s walls, ensuring no traps lurked within, before gently opening it.
Inside were modest treasures: a few gold coins, two or three vials of potion, a small stack of cloth, some dry bread—and a sword.
It was an unusual weapon. Compared to the longsword I’d recently lost, its blade was narrower and sharper, gleaming with a chilling light. Intricate yet understated patterns adorned the blood groove running down the center. Its defining feature? Instead of smooth edges, both sides bore rows of tiny serrations angled toward the hilt. This sinister design allowed it to pierce flesh effortlessly, only to cruelly tear and shred wounds upon withdrawal, inflicting greater harm.
The sword bore a fearsome name: Swordtooth Shredder. Stats included +15 Attack, +3 Agility, a 30% chance to inflict Bleed (dealing 10–15 damage per second for nine seconds).
“Oh, what a beautiful sword!” Fei Yin’s eyes lit up the moment she saw it. She snatched it up, examining it closely. First, she checked its stats. “Not bad…” Then she admired the engravings on the blade and hilt. “…Looks pretty too…” Finally, she clumsily twirled it with her slender hands. “…It must look amazing to wield…”
Her verdict came decisively: “…It’ll fetch a great price!”
Elegant Strings and Long Triangle exchanged awkward glances, the latter flushing particularly red. Clearing his throat nervously, he ventured, “Uh… Fei Yin…”
“What?” The mage remained engrossed, golden greed shining in her eyes.
“This sword should go to Jeff. He’s our only warrior, meant to use swords, and…” Here, he shot me a grateful glance. “…he sacrificed his own weapon saving me. Don’t you think he deserves a replacement?”
Fei Yin rolled her eyes indignantly, as if insulted. “Of course I intended to give it to him! Do you really think I’m that greedy? You underestimate me.”
“That’s a relief.” Long Triangle exhaled, reaching for the sword.
“…Didn’t you say you wanted to give it to Jeff? Why are you holding onto it so tightly?”
“I’m not holding it tight—I just want to admire it a little longer…”
“Alright, you’ve admired it enough. Let go…”
“Just one more look… Just one…”
With a startled cry from Fei Yin, the tug-of-war ended decisively in Long Triangle’s favor. Ignoring her indignant pounding on his back, he shoved the sword into my hands.
“Take it—you’re due for an upgrade anyway…” He glanced warily over his shoulder, adding urgently, “…And if she asks to borrow it later, don’t let her…”
“Ugh, you big oaf! Like I’d stoop that low!” Though defeated, the mage protested half-heartedly. Yet, despite her apparent generosity, her longing gaze lingered on the sword in my hands, her expression achingly adorable compared to her earlier fiery demeanor.
“This sword is from me, not that fatty…” she insisted. Long Triangle sighed, offering no rebuttal.
“…Oh, and take good care of it! Maintain it properly, repair it regularly, and whatever you do, don’t throw it away like last time…”
Despite her unnecessary reminders, I nodded solemnly. A good weapon is invaluable to a warrior. Unlike reckless spendthrifts, I don’t toss expensive gear around.
“…And one more thing… When you level up and need a new weapon, could you sell this one and send me the money?”
“Fei Yin!” Long Triangle groaned, exasperated.
“…Even if you’re obsessed with wealth, show some restraint!”
We presented Ridatis’s head to Sheriff Gerald, each receiving thirty silver coins and a Vitality Ring that accelerated health regeneration. Though Fei Yin complained bitterly about his stinginess, even attempting to snatch the pendant from his neck (only to be restrained by Long Triangle and Elegant Strings), justice was served.
At a nearby general store, Fei Yin sold off most of the loot we’d collected along the way, keeping only potions and items needed for skill training. While individual items like bat wings and dog eyeballs weren’t worth much, their cumulative value amounted to a tidy sum. Altogether, we earned over three gold coins, bringing our total haul—including treasures looted from Ridatis and his chest—to nearly ten gold pieces.
To my surprise, Fei Yin divided the proceeds fairly among us, taking not a single extra copper. When Elegant Strings suggested leaving the loose change with her to avoid hassle, she adamantly refused, scolding him soundly and extorting a staff promise payable at some indefinite future date—which may never arrive.
When Long Triangle informed me that Elegant Strings owed Fei Yin hundreds of debts, including legendary artifacts known only in myth, I began to understand the saying: “When lice multiply, they stop itching; when debts pile up, they lose weight.”
Despite Fei Yin’s apparent obsession with wealth, I sensed she wasn’t truly greedy. At times, her actions contradicted this persona entirely, revealing a truer, more natural side. But perhaps she enjoyed playing this role, finding ease and humor in it—and making others smile in turn.
This paradox applied to the others too: Longbow Sunshot wasn’t necessarily a bloodthirsty killer, Elegant Strings wasn’t as weak as he seemed, and Long Triangle didn’t truly prefer sneaking up on enemies from behind. They acted this way because they chose to, enjoying banter and teasing as a way to connect.
Some say everyone wears a mask in life. But wearing a friendly, amusing mask like theirs doesn’t seem so bad after all.
After completing the quest and splitting the spoils, they agreed to hunt outside the city to level up. After some thought, I declined their invitation. Just days ago, I’d despaired over affording tuition for alchemy lessons—but now, flush with two gold and thirty-seven silver coins, I decided to seize the opportunity.
I returned to Edgeville the Alchemist’s home, requesting to learn alchemy.
“One gold and ninety silver,” he stated flatly, sticking firmly to his price.
The clinking of coins as I handed them over sounded like the breaking of my heart.
That’s a fortune!
With tuition paid and only forty-seven silver coins left to my name, I, the pauper, began my first lesson in alchemy…
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