Hit The Road Jack!

Undertaker Jack is not human. Perhaps calling Jack a “homunculus” or a “golem” would be more accurate. Indeed, his constitution is the same as that of a human—his bones are made of calcium, and blood runs through his veins—but he still lacks that which makes us truly human: a complete soul.

Mors sculpted Jack from marble and breathed life into his lungs, embodying through him her desire to hunt down necromancers. His soul was artificial, incomplete, and defied conventional rules. His body was that of an adult, but his mind was that of a child, incapable of fully understanding the emotions that Mors had given to humans.

His only purpose in life was to follow the Scent of Death in search of necromancers to kill. A being that tried to be human but was merely a slave to his fate… Until one day, he refused to fulfill his mission.

“I am about to fail, Mother. No, perhaps I am no longer worthy of calling you that, my creator, Mors.”

“You always have been and always will be, my beloved son Jack. That is something immutable. What makes you think otherwise?”

“I am not capable… I know I was created to serve the purpose of hunting necromancers, and yet, I do not have the courage to kill this poor girl.”

“Jack, you are like a gardener pruning the rotten branches of humanity. It is inevitable that one day you will wound yourself on the thorns. Among the souls you must return to me, why do you refuse to take this girl's life?”

“I don’t know. I must be defective. My muscles refuse to move. Besides, there is a voice in my head alongside yours, but this voice says something that unsettles me.”

“And what does it say, Jack?”

“… That killing this girl is wrong. It tells me that despite being a necromancer, she is nothing more than a child.”

Mors stifled a small laugh. “*Heh*… Jack, that voice in your head is what humans call a conscience.”

“But why?”

“You are not a machine, Jack. Machines are made to operate under the instructions given to them, without questioning or complaining.  I created you to resemble a human as much as possible. Because of that, you are still capable of feeling empathy for the humans you are meant to kill.”

“But I don’t understand… What is the point of being alive if I am not fulfilling what is expected of me? Doesn’t that make me a failure?!”

“Life is not something so trivial that it can be reduced to mere accomplishments. There is an entire spectrum of human emotions that you are still far from understanding. Even knowing that you would be defying me, you still called out to me… That does not mean you are a failure—it means you are slowly becoming human.”

“How does disobeying my creator make me human?”

“Machines are bound by orders just as beasts are bound by their nature. Ignoring orders and overcoming one's nature… That is a gift that belongs only to humans. That is what they call free will. ”

“Then what should I do? I cannot oppose you…”

“I have a solution, but you must accept my terms. Voluntarily, using your own conscience as well.”

“Please, tell me.”

“You have permission to spare this girl’s life, but you must keep her under your watch. Prevent her from using her necromancy, but allow her to do so when she's fighting in my name.”

“Doesn’t that mean she will become a killer of her own kind?”

“It is a price she must pay for her life. Besides, there is something else you must do, no matter what happens.”

“And what is that?”

“You will kill her. When I decide that her time has come, you will bring her to me, without hesitation.”

“… I accept.”

…

Jack awoke to the sunlight hitting his face. Slowly, he got up, stepping out of his makeshift tent. A fire was already burning in the campsite, heating the water for breakfast.

On the other side of the fire, there was a girl with dark blue hair braided in twintails, dressed in a black lolita-style outfit. She held two skewers with fish, carefully roasting them.

“Breakfast is almost ready, Jack.”

“Naoko…” Jack gazed at the girl, remembering the secret agreement he carried with Mors. “Good morning.”

At some point, he would be forced to prune that flower, but to the flower that nearly died withered, the gardener was her savior.

“Look! I managed to catch two—” *Plop!* The girl fell clumsily but kept her arms raised high, preventing the fish from touching the ground.

“Are you okay?!” Jack helped Naoko to her feet, and then the two of them enjoyed their breakfast...

“We’re close to the target, aren’t we? Why is your sister nearby?” Naoko asked as they finished eating.

“Magdalena… What could she be up to this time?”