Chapter 63: Because I Trust You Completely
Leona’s jaw dropped, and a blush spread across her delicate face with visible speed. She stared at Abyss, speechless.
“Well… I don’t mind,” Abyss nodded, giving her an encouraging look. “As long as you like it.”
“I… I’m not… I…” Leona stammered, trying to explain.
Abyss, lying comfortably on Leona’s lap, glanced around and said, “Oh, and Leona, I did underestimate your strength before. The clothes I bought for you were only suitable for ordinary Dou Warriors. Look, in such a fierce battle, you’ve torn your clothes, holes here and there… Oh, through this hole, I can see…”
Boom!
Leona, unable to contain her temper any longer, punched Abyss’s head into the ground.
…
Abyss, brushing dirt off his hair, stood up, took off his cloak, and tossed it to Leona, who was sitting there mortified, clutching the torn fabric of her clothes. He stretched his neck, feeling significantly stronger. It seemed Leona’s loyalty had increased significantly while he was unconscious. Although he didn’t know the reason, he wasn’t in a hurry to find out—as long as their relationship was improving, it was a good thing.
“Abyss, we were so worried when you were lying there unconscious,” Flora said, approaching him, a happy blush on her face. “Thanks to the clue you left, I knew to use the Awakening spell on you.”
“It seems my worries were unnecessary. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have noticed that subtle clue,” Abyss said, gently stroking Flora’s soft golden hair. “Luckily, you’re Flora, my worthy follower. You even understood the obscure hint of biting my tongue.”
After patting Flora’s head, he reached out to ruffle Leona’s silver hair, but she slapped his hand away.
“Stop it! Don’t touch this princess’s head! You pervert!”
“Abyss, how did you do it? Those tendrils were really strong. I felt terrible after just a short exposure. How did you endure them for so long?” Flora asked curiously.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure myself. It was more of a gamble, but I won,” Abyss said with a faint smile. “From the beginning, I realized this Lord of Submergence wasn’t very intelligent or cunning. So, when I learned he was trying to drain my vitality, I used magic to shut down my cognitive abilities.”
Flora’s eyes widened, and even Leona, still sulking, turned to look at him.
Using magic to shut down one’s own mind was practically suicide for a mage, especially a necromancer who needed to constantly maintain their magic. Ninety-nine percent of mages wouldn’t bother learning such a self-destructive spell—it offered no benefits whatsoever.
“Then how did you maintain the magic on us? If you stopped thinking, we would have turned to ash, wouldn’t we?” Flora asked, bewildered. Her knowledge of magic wasn’t extensive, but she understood this basic principle.
“Remember Trivik?” Abyss asked with a smile. “The mage ghost who was chanting in Leona’s tomb?”
“Him?” Leona asked, surprised. “His task was complete. Shouldn’t he have returned already?”
“Just in case, I had him stay in your tomb and play cards. He’s a gambling addict, so he was more than happy to oblige,” Abyss said. “And look, it came in handy today, didn’t it? I informed him through our bond and transferred complete control of my mana to him. From the moment I lost consciousness, it was him, not me, who maintained the magic on you and Flora. He’s not very powerful himself, but he’s very knowledgeable. As long as he has enough mana, he’s not much weaker than me.”
“You gave him all your mana? You’re incredibly reckless!” Leona said, looking at Abyss as if he were a fool.
Indeed, Abyss’s actions were as reckless as shutting down his own mind: lighting a candle in a latrine—asking for trouble. If a seasoned necromancer happened to pass by, they would have mocked Abyss for his foolishness, handing over his mana to a ghost. If the ghost had any malicious intentions, Abyss would have been completely at his mercy, his body taken over.
In fact, that’s exactly what Dallan, hanging in mid-air, bound by Flora’s spell, thought.
Madman! This seemingly gentle boy was a true madman! More insane than any follower of the Lord of Submergence!
No sane necromancer would ever do such a thing! Sealing his own mind, relinquishing his mana—it was pure madness. And his ultimate goal was to enslave a god! How foolish, how arrogant!
To be defeated by a madman even more insane than himself, Dallan didn’t know whether to feel ashamed or humiliated.
“Never doubt the person you employ, and never employ the person you doubt. Look, my mana has been fully restored now. Trivik, having completed his task, will return to me soon,” Abyss said, spreading his arms and looking at the two girls with gentle eyes. “Just like I trust you with my life, I trust all my followers completely. My goal is to challenge a god. If I can’t even earn the loyalty of my followers, wouldn’t I be as ridiculous as a treant’s stomach?”
“Stop it… Trying to win us over with sweet talk…” Leona said, blushing and turning away.
“And thank you, Leona. You took a huge risk for me. I won’t forget it,” Abyss said, suddenly serious. He crouched beside Leona and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You must have known that when you put on that mask, there was a high chance you’d be enslaved by the Lord of Submergence, your soul devoured—but you still did it. Thank you.”
“It wasn’t because I was worried about you… It was only because if you died, I would turn to ash. That’s all…” Leona said, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms, hiding her blush from Abyss.
“And Flora, you’ve been working hard these past few days, preparing for this battle. Thank you,” Abyss said, looking up at Flora with a smile. “Without your abilities and wisdom, we might not have been able to defeat Dallan. After we’re done with the current situation, I want to hear all about your fight with him.”
“It’s my duty…” Flora said, waving her hands dismissively.
“By the way, how did you know I put on the mask? I didn’t tell you, did I?” Leona suddenly asked, peering at Abyss from between her arms. “Weren’t you unconscious?”
“I was, but when I woke up, I found that one of my followers had somehow captured a monster that was trying to pry its way into this world from another dimension,” Abyss said, glancing up at Dallan, a mocking smile on his face.
“It seems I have more opportunities to study this fellow now.”
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