**??????? POV**

Why is it that I wanted to laugh?

When I thought of what sort of thing was funny, the answer that came to me was jokes and weird situations.

Although, upon further contemplation, I couldn’t think of an example of either that I had encountered. I couldn’t even recall experiencing the sensation of amusement before in the slightest.

For that matter, I didn’t remember anything prior to awakening in the dungeon. I could only wonder at the time if I had actually existed before then.

I understood the concept of humor. To an extent, at least.

Something unusual, or maybe the right term would be silly, brings forth an emotional response similar to happiness, but with a slight twist.

That was my superficial understanding of it.

Now, my judgment of the unusual may not have been the most trustworthy, considering my circumstances, but it certainly struck me as odd.

I mean, had anyone else truly seen a Zombie Knight put on an expression of incredulity?

“Did you just talk?!”

Well, I couldn’t blame the demon controlling it for being surprised. An incredulous-looking Zombie Knight could not compare with the peculiarity of a talking skeleton.

I didn’t respond to him. Social etiquette would probably necessitate some sort of reaction, but what was I supposed to say?

I obviously talked.

Was I supposed to say yes?

At that moment, instead of giving an answer, I found myself comparing incredulous-looking Zombie Knights, talking skeletons, and rhetorical questions.

Why ask a question when you don’t actually need an answer?

It’s just as weird as the other two.

“Ugh, Great Demon King, is this thing broken?”

I guess I was staring at him while lost in thought for too long. He seemed to be getting frustrated.

“You tell me.”

I decided to take a bit of a confrontational approach. Well, it was obvious that the demon was baffled, so I didn’t really expect him to actually know anything. But I figured I could try out a tactic to fish for information.

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“Excuse me?”

‘Huh, so his incredulous expression wasn’t at its peak yet.’

I was surprised that the baffled look of the Zombie Knight managed to increase when I questioned it.

“I said, you tell me. Am I broken? The energy comprising my skeletal form has some unique patterns that I can see present in your magic. You also just questioned why I’m not responding to your commands. You’re the one that made me, yes? Did you put my soul in this skeleton? Why am I like this? Where are my memories?”

I wasn’t sure if it was my confrontational attitude, or the content of my questions, but the look I received became a solemn one.

“Sorry, I was too surprised just now and didn’t really use my head. I think I know what happened. To answer your questions, you are in fact controlling one of my skeletons. However, I did not put any soul into it.”

He took a short pause as I digested his reply before continuing.

“Your mention of the soul does remind me of what just occurred, though. Our Great Demon King used soul energy to enhance us and the portals. He said that, in addition to strengthening us, we might undergo unexpected changes due to the miraculous nature of soul energy. Nothing out of the ordinary really happened to me… but perhaps something happened to you…”

He started to trail off, seemingly uncertain of what he was saying.

“Just what are you implying, exactly?”

“I’m saying that nobody put any existing soul into your body. You’re not someone missing their memories. The Lord would have nothing to gain by doing such a thing. Instead, I think his magic might have given you life… I have to say, I didn’t think such a thing was possible. He really is extraordinary.”

I didn’t really care for the awe my conversation partner was feeling. Was he seriously insinuating that I was a newborn? I didn’t know how to feel about that.

It’s one thing to think that your life was taken from you. That you had past experiences, loved ones, and a home all in reality but just without access to the memories of them.

After all, you could still get them back. You could go and discover what you had lost. You could be comforted in your state of confusion by those that knew you.

It’s another thing entirely to be told that you just started your journey in the world. That there was no place already for you. That you had nothing and no one. That you were just an unforeseen consequence of a spell. A mutation.

It’s not that I was depressed. I just… felt a bit lost at what I was told.

I was familiar with demons. I recognized the magic that made the undead I was speaking with. I understood its language and the language of the humans that were fighting before. How was it that I was just born?

And if I was… What was I supposed to do?

“Anyways, that means you’re one of us now. The Great Demon King’s spell made you, but you’re in my skeleton. I think it would be suitable to give you my surname. Let’s see… Yes, there’s no better name than my grandfather’s. Elsmeth. Welcome to the world, Elsmeth Mersik. And happy birthday.”

The change in disposition was astonishing. He went from baffled, to serious, to jovial. The Zombie Knight had a big smile on its face as it welcomed me.

What a funny guy.

He must not have read my emotional state. Well, it’d be impossible for him to do so, considering my lack of a face to make facial expressions with.

My path lacked certainty and I had a multitude of doubts, yet I found myself unconsciously chuckling. That’s right. Together with my skeletal teeth clattering, the signals of darkness energy I produced with the Attribute of the Dead vibrated the air in such a way as to produce the sound of chuckling.

This scene between my soon-to-be good friend and me, which I reminisce on as my first heartwarming experience, would probably horrify most humans.

A Zombie Knight with an enormous smile standing together with a chuckling skeleton.

How truly unusual. How truly humorous.