Like a walking onslaught of pure anger, there's a single man walking towards us.

  The soldiers part at his approach.

  And is that Verad next to him?

  "Relia! How dare you?!"

  I do know him!

  That's...

  "Greetings, Commander Antares. What gives me the honor of your visit?" (R)

  "Father. Maybe you should calm down first." (V)

  Yes, Commander Antares.

  One of the highest-ranking officers in the army.

  And Ethan's and Verad's father.

  "Calm down?! I will calm down if this wench tells me what she did to my horse!" (R)

  Ehm, horse?

  Horse!?!

  I look over at the two corpses I just produced.

  Suddenly, I'm feeling in the worst position since I got draped over a sacrificial stone.

  How are we going to explain this topic?

  "Your horse, you say? That lies over there." (R)

  While I internally faint, the commander follows her indication and spots my work.

  Verad as well, already knowingly bringing a hand up to massage his temple.

  He walks slowly closer, yet shortly before he reaches it, his legs almost give out, prompting Verad to hold his side.

  "You, you... how could you?!" (A)

  "Don't act all surprised. We both know it was a goner. No horse survives the hoof mold. It was a danger, not just to the rest of our stables, but to our centaur allies as well. And if not for your personal insistence on keeping that poor thing alive, we'd already have shown it the final mercy a long time ago." (R)

  "It was not on you to decide this!" (A)

  "Maybe, but no one else did. So here we are." (R)

  He's pretty seriously focusing on her.

  So maybe I can get out of this?

  "Also, my little trainee had to get some practice. That last service was pretty appreciated." (R)

  Why did I ever hope that I'd make it out of this unscathed?

  Fate obviously doesn't think so in general for me.

  "You..." (A)

  "I, I, I, I'm sorry." (Y)

  "You killed my horse!" (A)

  I knew it!

  He's really mad!

  Oh my god, what am I to do?!

  I did it, even if on order, I tortured it to death!

  Oh my god, I need to do something!

  Make this right again!

  "I, I can fix this!" (Y)

  "Fix? How do you think this will be fixed?!" (A)

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "J-just wait!" (Y)

  I run quickly to the horses.

  If I got it right, it was the right one.

  So, just like back then, I pull a bit of life energy.

  Or at least animation magic, right out from my core, the same stuff that makes me move, and have it waft out of my mouth, right into the horsy.

  It works.

  I can feel how it works.

  For one moment, there's some kind of connection, and then everything is settled.

  I step back and anxiously gaze at my deed.

  There!

  A leg stirs.

  Then another.

  Then all.

  Then the whole body starts to tremble, before ultimately the whole creature reawakens and raises itself again.

  The first thing I notice is a distinct whistle from Relia.

  "Well, that is definitely something." (R)

  It might still be a little wobbly, with the tell-tale not-alive clumsiness, but it's standing by itself.

  I wouldn’t trust it to gallop, but a reasonable pace should be possible.

  "S-see? As good as new." (Y)

  Now, with shock, Commander Antares stares at the horse.

  "T-Trelias?” (A)

  Yet the horse simply stands motionless, staring at me with dead eyes.

  As this is what it still is.

  B-but at least, it's moving again.

  Ehm, why is Verad rubbing both of his temples now?

  And his father doesn't look any more assuring.

  To my relief, he turns to Relia instead of me.

  "Relia, whatever you're doing here with that thing, it's gonna end now!" (A)

  "Father, you-" (V)

  "Captain Verad! Don't interrupt me! This is far above your station." (A)

  "Well, if he won't speak up, let me do so. The simple answer is 'no', we won't stop." (R)

  "Do you have any idea what you're playing with? What this thing does?! There are rules one should not touch. Should not even consider. And certainly not annihilate like this thing does!" (A)

  "Well, too bad, it's gonna happen anyway. Marshall Zervion is a huge fan of the idea that this 'abomination', instead of mere horses, starts draining and reanimating the orcs at our doorstep. You know, those that threaten to 'annihilate' us, as you'd put it. And just saying, I back him up on this idea." (R)

  "This is madness, and you know it! What are you to do if it tells its, its, death puppets to turn against us?" (A)

  "That sounds more like a management issue. From what I could see, it's definitely possible to handle her." (R)

  I would also say that I'm not the greatest of all threats.

  "How can you say so if she does that!" (A)

  He points at the just arisen horse.

  "Reanimating dead horses?" (R)

  "You know what I mean! Doing this to my Trelias. My old comrade! This creature is going to create more such horrors. And when it shows its true face, it's going to be too late!" (A)

  I, I think I messed up.

  I just wanted to replace what I took, but of course, this isn't going to replace a loved animal.

  Still, it hurts to listen to this.

  Especially, as I don't even know what to say to defend myself.

  "Father, Yomi isn't like this! She wouldn't-" (V)

  "Silence, boy! This thing is an abomination! I'm sorry for your friend, but she's obviously dead, and that thing that replaced her won't bring her back!" (A)

  Is this how he sees it?

  How people see me?

  I'm just something else that puppeteers this body?

  Could I even prove that this is not the case?

  I still feel like Yomi, but do I know for sure?

  No, if I think that I am me, there has to be a point to it.

  "There's but one thing to do." (A)

  He draws his sword, walks up to the resurrected mare, and beheads her in one fell swoop.

  "...And this is to give it all a clean cut." (A)

  I didn't even know this was possible.

  A horse's neck is thick.

  The power displayed makes me almost as concerned as the deed itself.

  "Yeah, I'll need you to refrain from this. Otherwise, I’ll have to consider it insubordination against an order of the marshal and have to fight you. And honestly, they don't pay me enough to deal with the paperwork that would come with this." (R)

  "Tsk. She's going to be our demise if you let her, you hear me?!" (A)

  "Loud and clear. Can you leave now? You're disturbing the training." (R)

  I look around and find absolutely no one even remotely at practice.

  Even those who were training while watching me have scattered to the edges of the field, yet there seem to be even more observers than before.

  Though, to be fair, we're drawing a lot of attention.

  "Goddamnit! You'll regret this, Relia! You'll regret this!" (A)

  "Could you be more specific? Do you mean working with her or getting your horse killed?" (R)

  "Grah! Screw yourself, Woman!" (A)

  "Oh, and I thought we had rules against such a thing. But if I now have official permission." (R)

  While I'm sure that if I still had running blood, my ears would be bleeding now, this finally does it, and he leaves.

  Before he does the same, Verad bows towards me.

  "I'm very sorry for this. I know it's no excuse, but my father really loved this horse. More than certain other things. I'll make sure he stays out of your way." (V)

  How am I supposed to respond?

  I think I did something I ought not to.

  But now he’s apologizing to me.

  Yet it also doesn’t feel right to thank him for this, as it was his father who said these things.

  "That's appreciated, Captain." (R)

  Relia, thankfully, fills the silence for me, and so he leaves now as well.

  Ugh, I certainly never felt as uncomfortable as just now.

  The accusations weigh heavily on me.

  Especially, as I don't know how many agree with the chief strategist.

  I can only talk to those I know.

  "I, I am myself, you know? Not a monster." (Y)

  "Sure you are. Never had a doubt about it." (R)

  For real!?

  "You, you didn't?" (Y)

  "Sure. If you were truly a cunning creature from the other side of life and death, you certainly would already long time ago have stopped embarrassing yourself during training." (R)

  ... I kinda should've expected this response, shouldn't I?