"Scythe Priest Group?" Prince Kase exclaimed.

"Does the Empire really have something like that?"

The Reaper Sacrificial Team had always been a rumor to the outside world, and there had never been any evidence to prove its existence.

The rumor first started with the Icefield Elves and Moon Elves to the north, who had detected stirrings of Necromancy.

There are many schools of Magic on the continent. Some are divided by element—like the classic metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—while others are divided by function, such as the Earth and Wood Mage Corps that Robson had always yearned for.

Necromancy was one of the more minor schools. Because its practitioners manipulated corpses, engaged in wanton slaughter, and were mentally unstable, they had always been wanted by the major powers.

Of course, being wanted was only something that had happened in the last thousand years. In truth, long ago, although Necromancy was terrifying, it was also a relatively widespread school of Magic. Within the Elf Kingdom, there was even a Magic Academy established specifically for this school.

But a thousand years ago, a Necromancer of an ancient, non-human race rose up on the northern ice plains. After he gradually swept across the continent, creating a cataclysm, Necromancers became taboo among all the major races. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Among humans, even the Tilia Kingdom—the loudest advocate for freedom in Magic—had a policy of killing any Necromancer on sight.

The Tillia People of today hate Necromancy to the bone. After all, the Tillia People are descended from the Philte People, and the current state of humanity is a direct result of the fall of the Elanshiri Empire—the Human Third Empire that the Philte People had established.

One of the most important reasons for this was that the cataclysm had severely weakened them, sowing the seeds for the eventual collapse of the Elanshiri Empire.

In fact, the Beastman Empire had always kept the matter of the Scythe Priest Group a secret.

Even Prince Kase himself was only now learning that the Empire was truly involved in such a thing in secret.

The cataclysm back then didn’t just bring disaster to the Elanshiri Empire; the Beastmen were the first to suffer.

It was at that time the Beastman Empire lost what is now the Frankish Great Plains, as well as a swath of territories further south.

It was also during that time that the Beastmen lifted restrictions on which races could join the Empire. The prestige of the Beastman Imperial Family began to decline, gradually leading to the situation today.

"It seems His Highness Prince has heard the rumors about us. However, I wish to say that rumors are ultimately just rumors, nothing more than stereotypes. The world does not recognize the true nature of Necromancy." A short Beastman wearing a black mask and exuding an aura of death walked up to Kase.

Though he was described as short, he was actually two meters tall.

Prince Kase looked at the Mage before him; this Necromancer fit his typical stereotype of them perfectly.

"Forgive my lack of an introduction. My name is Danganiel. You have likely heard of me," the Necromancer said with a bow.

"Danganiel? I never would have thought... I thought you were already dead..." Prince Kase fell silent. ’Danganiel... one of the Priests in service to the Beast Emperor before last. For him to still be alive, he must be a Great Mage.’

A Great Mage... At this thought, Kase’s heart grew heavy. The number of Great Mages in the Beastman nation could be counted on one hand.

’What exactly is happening on the central front? Is that why Father is so desperate? Or... is his health truly failing?’

"We simply moved to a different place to quietly serve the Empire," Danganiel said, bowing his head.

"These people, and these... things... are they all for you?" Prince Kase asked, looking toward the Flying Dragons. There were at least a hundred Priests here.

Nearly a hundred. Even for the Beastman Imperial Family, with its vast resources, this was no small expense.

"Yes, Your Highness, please rest assured. As long as Your Highness can secure enough time and space for us,

we guarantee those humans will obediently hand over their cities," Danganiel sneered.