Reincarnated as Duke’s Heir
Copyright© 2025 by TheSmartOne
Chapter 23: Corpse Veil
Lucas stood at the forest’s edge, staring into a sea of gnarled trees and twisted shadows.
A cold wind slithered through the air, carrying the scent of damp earth and something far fouler. A distant growl rumbled in the darkness, sending a prickle up his spine.
A translucent screen flickered into view.
[Ding! You have received a new Quest.]
[Quest: Strive in the Forest of Death.]
Difficulty: A
Description: William, a renowned teacher, wants to see if you have what it takes to become his disciple. Prove your worth—not just by surviving, but by striving.
Rewards: Dependent on performance.
Penalty: No teacher for you.
Lucas sighed. Striving? Bullshit.
With a flick of his wrist, he dismissed the panel. His focus returned to the abyss before him.
The air felt heavier here, thick with the kind of silence that only existed in places long abandoned by life. Shadows curled unnaturally between the trees, shifting as if they had a will of their own.
Behind him, William and Sirius watched with varying degrees of amusement.
Thania, however, stood still. Her arms were crossed, her expression unreadable—except for the flicker of concern in her eyes.
“Go on then,” William said, waving him off like a child sent on an errand. “Three days. Ten undead beasts. Try not to die too early. That would be a waste of my time.”
Lucas turned to him, deadpan. “Oh, I’m so sorry for the inconvenience of my potential death.”
William grinned. “Apology accepted.”
Lucas groaned but knew arguing was pointless. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders—
And stepped into the forest.
The moment he crossed the threshold, the temperature plummeted.
It wasn’t just cold. It was the kind of chill that settled in the bones, whispering promises of forgotten things. Mist coiled around his ankles like hungry ghosts, and the trees—massive, ancient things with roots like gnarled fingers—seemed to loom closer with every step.
Worse than the cold, worse than the unnatural darkness, was the silence.
No birds. No insects. No rustling leaves.
Just the distant groans of something lurking beyond sight.
Lucas exhaled slowly. Alright. First step: survival.
Food. Water. Shelter.
Three days without food and water? Yeah, no thanks.
His body could handle hunger for a while, but dehydration? That would kill him fast. The issue was, he had no idea if there was clean water anywhere around here.
He crouched down, pressing his fingers into the damp soil. If there was moisture here, that meant water had to be close. He scanned the ground for tracks or signs of animals—undead or not, something had to drink around here.
After about fifteen minutes of careful searching, he found a faint trail of disturbed earth leading downhill. A good sign. Water always pooled in lower areas.
Lucas moved cautiously, keeping an ear out for movement. Every step he took felt like walking through a haunted graveyard, and he wasn’t eager to find out what exactly was lurking in the shadows.
A few minutes later, he heard it—
A faint trickling sound.
Water.
Lucas grinned, picking up the pace. He pushed through a tangle of thick roots and found himself at a small stream. The water was almost clear, but something about it made him hesitate.
He grabbed a nearby stick and dipped it in, swirling the liquid gently. The way it moved was ... off. Almost oily.
Lucas frowned. Yeah, not drinking that.
He needed fire to purify it.
But that led to a new problem—
Fire meant light. Light meant visibility. And visibility meant that every undead monster in this damn forest would see him like a walking buffet.
Lucas rubbed his temples. Okay, no fire for now. I’ll just have to risk drinking small amounts and hope it doesn’t melt my insides.
He sighed and cupped a handful of water. Here goes nothing. He took a sip—
—and immediately spat it back out.
“BLECH!”
It tasted like moldy socks mixed with rotten eggs.
Okay, plan B: find fruit or something.
Something I can eat here.
Lucas wandered through the forest, keeping low and listening carefully. He didn’t have high hopes, but maybe there were still edible plants that hadn’t been corrupted by whatever cursed energy tainted this place.
He spotted something that looked vaguely like berries hanging from a vine. Jackpot!
Lucas reached for one—
Lucas wandered through the forest, keeping low. Maybe there were still edible plants that hadn’t been corrupted by whatever cursed energy tainted this place.
He spotted something that looked like berries hanging from a vine. Jackpot.
Lucas reached for one—
SNAP.
He froze.
The sound came from above.
Slowly, he tilted his head up.
Perched high in the branches was something that used to be a monkey.
Now, it was a grotesque, rotting thing with hollow eye sockets and exposed ribs. Its long, skeletal fingers clutched the branch tightly.
And it was staring directly at him.
Lucas took a step back.
The creature twitched.
“ ... You’re gonna jump at me, aren’t you?”
It screeched.
Lucas barely had time to react before it lunged.
He rolled aside, dodging its bony claws by inches. The creature landed on all fours, head twitching violently.
Lucas didn’t wait.
A flick of his wrist—red flames erupted in his palm.
The undead monkey hesitated for half a second.
Then it lunged again.
Lucas thrust his hand forward. Fire burst from his fingertips, engulfing the beast mid-air.
A horrific shriek tore through the night. The flames clung to its rotting flesh, burning it from the inside out. Its body convulsed violently, but—