Category: This Necromancer Wants to Capture the Hearts of Deceased Beautiful Girls

Chapter 20: Her Highness, the Princess, Isn’t Very Bright

“First, you have to acknowledge that you’re dead, otherwise our conversation can’t continue.”

Abyss dusted himself off, stood up, and regained his usual composed demeanor.

Leona seemed to dislike looking up at Abyss. She thought for a moment, then turned and closed the lid of the coffin behind her. After stretching her knees and jumping onto the coffin, she looked down triumphantly at Abyss, the added height of the platform seemingly necessary for her to communicate with him.

“Fine, my heart’s not beating anyway, so I’ll play along and pretend I’m dead.”

Leona’s voice still cracked a bit. She coughed lightly and cleared her throat.

“Alright, then I’ll begin,” Abyss said, clasping his hands behind his back. “You’ve been dead for forty-two years. You died from an unknown curse. Very few people know this secret. I learned a few clues from the soul of a secretly executed court guard and deduced it. Now that I’ve seen you in person, I’m even more certain of the cause of your death.”

“Nonsense! I haven’t felt any changes in my body. How could you know something I don’t even know? Just hearsay and baseless speculation?”

Leona immediately expressed her disdain. From her expression, it was clear that she genuinely hadn’t felt any curse on her—but then again, most people wouldn’t believe the words of a teenager they just met. Abyss was prepared for this.

“I have solid proof,” Abyss said, pointing to Leona’s upper abdomen. “Not long ago, I encountered a necromancer who was turning living people into zombies as guards while heading towards your tomb. Guess what he was planning to do?”

“Throw a feast at my place?” Leona rolled her eyes. “If you keep beating around the bush, I’m leaving.”

“He belongs to an organization called the Council of the Dead. He was on a secret mission to come to your tomb and retrieve a cursed object from your stomach.”

Abyss watched as Leona’s face changed upon hearing those words, and she instinctively covered her stomach.

“Oh, don’t worry. He’s already been torn to shreds by his own zombies. He won’t be opening up your abdomen to retrieve your stomach,” Abyss said with a reassuring smile.

“Then how do you plan to verify your so-called solid proof?” Leona asked. “Don’t forget, you still have no physical evidence. There’s no way this princess, a Dou Qi genius, could die from a mere curse. Do you know how strong my life force is? When I was little, I was trampled by a horse. An ordinary child would have died, but I was able to get out of bed after three days and was running around by the fourth.”

“It’s simple. I’ll open up your abdomen, take out your stomach, and see what’s inside.”

“You still want to cut me open!” Leona exclaimed in exasperation.

“You’re insulting my skills! I’m fundamentally different from that incompetent errand boy. I’m the best necromancer on the continent. Even if I open up your abdomen, I can heal it in the blink of an eye without leaving any trace. It’s completely safe!”

Abyss said confidently. He wasn’t lying. The necromancy he had learned not only allowed corpses to be resurrected in various forms but also included a complete set of methods for preserving corpses and undead, which he had mastered quite well. Back when he was learning corpse beautification from his master, he was once suspected of killing a living person to fake his results, which enraged his master. Abyss was clueless about applying makeup to the living, but once the subject was dead, he could instantly transform into a makeup expert.

“Impossible! This princess’s body is a human treasure. How could I let you touch it casually?” Leona shouted, her face flushed. “Shameless necromancer, don’t think you can do whatever you want to this princess’s pure and innocent body just because you resurrected me!”

“Then let me ask you, is it true that you have a legendary appetite and can eat the food of three grown men by yourself?”

Since the direct approach didn’t work, Abyss tried a different tactic.

Leona shook her index finger mysteriously. “Those are just rumors, lies told by bards to entertain ignorant commoners.”

Abyss was taken aback. If that information was false, then maybe…

“Six,” Leona said triumphantly after a pause. “I can eat the portions of six people in one meal. Are you underestimating this princess by saying three people’s portions?”

Abyss was speechless for a moment. He turned to look at Flora, who returned a helpless look, as if to say, “I didn’t expect that either.”

“With all due respect, your appetite is probably beyond the reach of ordinary humans. Haven’t you ever wondered why you can eat so much?” Abyss sighed and said to Leona, “Dou Qi and magic are similar. They both draw energy from external sources, not from eating. Even a muscular ninth-tier warrior, no matter how big their appetite, should still be within the realm of human capacity. But your appetite, you’ve reached the level of a two-headed ogre, haven’t you?”

“Who are you calling a two-headed ogre?!” Leona glared, then paused thoughtfully. “Hmm… Now that you mention it, my appetite is indeed a bit outrageous.”

You’ve never even thought about this yourself?! Abyss facepalmed.

This princess seems a bit slow-witted?

“Hmm… Let me think… Oh, my appetite changed drastically when I was twelve. After my birthday that year, I suddenly became very hungry. My father always criticized me for it.”

Leona pondered, sitting down slowly, her legs dangling and swaying back and forth. Her physique was indeed worthy of the title of the greatest Dou Qi genius in history. In just a short while, her joints seemed to have fully regained their flexibility. It took Flora more than ten hours to go from being completely stiff to having full control over her body like a healthy person, and that was with the help of the fire and herbal medicine.

“Did you feel anything else unusual?” Abyss pressed, secretly relieved. Fortunately, although this princess wasn’t very bright, her memory was still intact.

“Nothing else unusual. But from that time on, my abilities became stronger and stronger. By the time I was sixteen, I could hardly control them,” Leona said, looking at her dust-covered hands. “I often broke things accidentally back then. Now that you’ve resurrected me, why do I feel like I have better control? ABC, can you come here for a moment?”

Abyss didn’t ask what she wanted but walked straight towards her.

“Thump!”

A surge of Dou Qi flames erupted from Leona, and a straight punch, accompanied by a resounding sonic boom, landed squarely on Abyss’s face!

Chapter 19: Her Highness, the World’s Number One Princess

It was the first time in Abyss’s life that he encountered such a fierce undead.

His master had specifically studied Abyss’s necromantic talent and concluded that this child was born to learn necromancy. He possessed an innate power that instilled a sense of submission and belonging in the undead. Therefore, in theory, even high-ranking undead with complete cognitive abilities would instinctively have a certain level of goodwill towards him—at least they wouldn’t be hostile, let alone attack him on sight.

Abyss, who had lived a carefree life until the age of sixteen, was now experiencing his first forceful “manhandling.”

“Cough, cough, cough! Let go! It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!” Abyss struggled within the coffin, trying to crawl out, but a pair of delicate, white arms were tightly locked around his throat. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t loosen their grip.

Trivik, chanting incantations nearby, was a bit surprised but didn’t come to Abyss’s rescue. He continued playing cards with his two buddies, unconcerned.

Flora knew that a necromancer like Abyss couldn’t die from suffocation, but out of basic concern, she approached the coffin.

“Cough! Help!” Abyss stuck out his tongue, struggling to squeeze out the words.

The owner of the coffin, Princess Leona, poked her head out from behind Abyss. It was a young girl with beautiful silver hair and a childish face, appearing to be only twelve or thirteen years old. Her arms were short, and judging from the length of her forearms, she was probably only as tall as Abyss’s chest. The girl who was choking Abyss made a small, beast-like grunt, her voice hoarse. Her emerald green eyes were still cloudy and unfocused, suggesting her actions were purely instinctive.

“Calm her down! I can’t chant the incantation!” Abyss said, desperately trying to speak.

“Ah! Got it!” Flora quickly chanted a prayer. Soon, a small halo of light spread outwards from her body. Her Divine Arts took effect, and Leona’s strength in the coffin weakened slightly.

Abyss didn’t bother catching his breath. He lay in the girl’s arms and chanted the incantation: “Leona Placidia Crepeus! With me as your master, obey my command, through the cycle of reincarnation, your soul shall return!” Then he pointed a finger at Leona’s forehead.

The spell took effect immediately. Leona’s eyes quickly focused, and her expression gained a touch of reason. She released her grip on Abyss’s throat and looked at the ceiling, lost in thought.

“Phew… Finally done…” Abyss sighed in relief.

“Hmm?” Leona, having just regained her senses, noticed a man lying on top of her. “Who are you?”

“Oh, let me introduce myself. I’m…”

Thump!

Before Abyss could finish his introduction, he was kicked out of the coffin. Flora watched as he flew out like a fish out of water, spinning rapidly in the air, before landing face-first on the ground with a splat.

“Audacious scoundrel, how dare you lie on this princess? Where am I? I demand you return me to my chambers within an hour, or I’ll turn this wretched place into ruins!” Leona, having kicked Abyss out, stood up triumphantly from the coffin, one foot on the edge, speaking in a voice that hadn’t been used in over forty years. Her voice was high-pitched and cracked, making her sound rather comical. “Tsk, why is my throat so uncomfortable, and my joints are so stiff? Hey, what have you done to me? Tell me the truth!”

Abyss, unharmed, scrambled to his feet. “Your Highness, can you please listen to my explanation first?”

“What’s there to explain? You were lying in my arms while I was sleeping!” Leona patted her flat chest. “You’ve tarnished a lady’s honor. This matter must be settled with a duel!”

“I didn’t want to lie in your arms. You pulled me in!” Abyss said, raising his hands innocently. “I was trying to wake you up from the coffin, and you dragged me in!”

“Nonsense, you shameless… Wait, why am I in a coffin?” Leona looked down and noticed that she was standing with one foot on the edge of a coffin. The place she was in didn’t seem like a living person’s residence.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know you’re dead?” Abyss stared at her, wide-eyed. “No way?”

“Do you want me to beat you to death?!” Leona shouted, enraged and embarrassed. She jumped out of the coffin, landing on the ground with a slight stumble due to her stiff knees.

Abyss finally got a clear look at the legendary Dou Qi genius. Both in the court portraits he had seen and in his preconceived notions, Princess Leona was a tall, handsome, and valiant young knight. Never once had he imagined that this eighteen-year-old princess would look like a child who hadn’t grown up.

Flora nodded secretly. Her earlier assessment was correct. This legendary Princess Leona was only a little over 140 centimeters tall.

“I think I did feel a bit weak before, and then I fell asleep…” Leona said, calming down slightly as she noticed the lack of mockery in Abyss and Flora’s eyes. She paced back and forth, ignoring her stiff joints. “Did I die after that? That shouldn’t be… I’m still alive now… Ah…”

She suddenly seemed to remember something and placed her hand on her chest.

Abyss sat on the ground and shrugged helplessly at her.

“I’m dead! My heart isn’t beating! Who did this?!” Leona shouted in disbelief. She glanced at Flora, who was standing awkwardly, unsure of what to do, and shouted again, “Ah! I know you! You’re the Saint of the Church! What’s your name… something Carrot, right? You Church people! You pretend to cooperate with the royal family, but you’re plotting against me behind my back?”

“I’m sorry…” Flora instinctively apologized.

“Her name is Flora, and she’s not a Saint anymore. I’m Abyss, a necromancer. I resurrected you. We’re not only unrelated to the Church, but we’re also their sworn enemies,” Abyss finally said before things got even more chaotic. “I want you to join us.”

“Joining you is out of the question. I’ll never join you in this lifetime,” Leona said impatiently, but she paused and crossed her arms, looking at Abyss. “But I don’t want to fight you right now. Hey, you, ABC, explain the current situation to me.”

*************

ABC: “ABC” sounds like “Abyss”. It could be said that this is a childish behavior of hers(Leona), which is why the MC is called that. In the original text, it’s written exactly as “ABC”.

Chapter 18: A Perfect Grave-Robbing Duo

The undead stood before Abyss with the same reverence as devout believers before their god, trembling with fear and not daring to show any disrespect. After Abyss promised to return Princess Leona’s body if they failed and guaranteed the villagers’ safety, the spirit, without a word of complaint, led Abyss and Flora towards the distant mountains.

The Princess’s tomb had only one entrance, located in a natural cave. A rough, natural stone served as the door, blending seamlessly with the cave wall. Even the most experienced explorer would have difficulty discerning that this was the entrance to a Princess’s tomb.

“This is the entrance to Princess Leona’s tomb. We guards are not allowed to enter. Please forgive me for only being able to bring you here,” the spirit said in a raspy voice.

“We’ll take it from here,” Abyss nodded with satisfaction. “You can go back and rest now.”

“I humbly beg the Necromancer Lord to protect our village and spare our descendants from suffering,” the spirit lingered.

“I, Flora Cicathia Saint Floracess Ping, swear in the name of the Nine Gods that I will protect the villagers from harm,” Flora said solemnly to the spirit.

In this world, oaths sworn to the gods using one’s full, true name held a powerful binding force. Those who broke their oaths would surely suffer misfortune. Flora couldn’t possibly be unaware of this.

The spirit trembled slightly. He knew that Flora had been a Saint and understood the significance of the Nine Gods’ names to such a young woman. Finally at ease, he nodded to Flora and gradually faded into the air.

“Alright, we can go in now,” Abyss said, tilting his head towards the stone door. “I won’t let you break your oath.”

Flora instinctively took Abyss’s hand. In the few days they had spent together, she had become accustomed to the process of entering and exiting the Shadow Realm with him.

After a snap of his fingers, Abyss looked at the stone door for a moment and then extended a hand towards it.

Sharp bony armor quickly covered his hand, and a faint buzzing sound resonated in the cave. As the buzzing intensified, Abyss’s hand trembled. Then, the bony armor shot out like arrows, striking the stone door. The door was hard and heavy, but it crumbled like sugar before Abyss’s bone projectiles. A palm-sized hole appeared with a cracking sound, followed by a web of cracks.

Abyss then kicked the door.

It creaked and some stone fragments fell, but the door remained unmoved.

“…You do it,” Abyss said, covering his face and hiding behind Flora, his pride wounded.

…

Beyond the entrance, a plain and unremarkable path descended underground. The surrounding rock walls were roughly hewn, with chisel marks still visible. There was no light source. Rather than a Princess’s tomb, it resembled an unsafe abandoned mine.

“It might collapse soon,” Abyss said, looking at the walls. “There are quite a few cracks.”

“If it collapses, the Princess and the secrets she holds will be buried underground forever, won’t they?” Flora said sadly. “To die from a curse and then be buried so hastily is too unfair to Princess Leona.”

“Not only will she be buried forever, but her body will also be crushed,” Abyss said, extending his index finger. “Even with magic and alchemical preservatives, I don’t fancy digging up a vintage meat pie from the ground.”

Flora gave Abyss a disgusted look as he spoke so seriously.

“But you’d be wrong to say that the Empress didn’t care about this tomb,” Abyss said with a smile, pointing at Flora’s feet. “Look what you’re stepping on.”

Flora immediately looked down, but she saw nothing but the roughly carved steps.

“Wait, look again,” Abyss said, gently blowing on the ground.

A dense network of magic runes appeared before Flora’s eyes. Countless runes formed lines, like a spiderweb, covering not only the floor but also the path ahead.

“If we weren’t in the Shadow Realm, we would have triggered the alarm mechanism of these magic circles when we entered,” Abyss said, walking forward unconcernedly. “But it doesn’t matter now. We can even dance in this tomb without affecting the real world—I actually know a dance to perform in front of graves. Do you want to learn?”

“I think I’ll pass…” Flora declined immediately.

“You’ll dance with me sooner or later,” Abyss chuckled softly. He was in a good mood.

With their dark vision, they didn’t need any torches or other light sources. They followed the path, which grew steeper and steeper. After descending about forty or fifty meters, the scenery suddenly opened up, and they entered a relatively spacious area. It was a large hall, about three or four hundred square meters, but it was completely empty, not even a brazier in sight. Only a single luxurious coffin, adorned with gold and jewels, lay in the center of the hall, exuding an eerie aura.

A dense network of magic runes, so intricate it made one’s scalp tingle, covered the entire hall, constantly rotating. Even a mouse entering wouldn’t escape detection.

“The magic runes here are even denser,” Flora exclaimed. “The materials needed to build a magic circle of this scale must be astronomically expensive.”

“This place is as heavily guarded as a ghoul’s teeth. It seems the Empress’s confidants replenish the materials for this magic circle every six months to ensure it keeps running,” Abyss said, grimacing. “Even royalty wouldn’t waste money on something like this that no one can see. The Empress must have her reasons. This is getting more and more interesting.”

“How are you going to retrieve the Princess’s body now? There must be magic circles inside the coffin too, right?” Flora looked at Abyss, at a loss for ideas. She could think of a thousand ways to retrieve the body using her Divine Arts, but none that wouldn’t trigger the magic circles.

“There’s still a way. This magic circle can only detect physical objects, not souls,” Abyss nodded, rubbing one of his rings and releasing a mage’s phantom from it.

“My lord, what can I do for you?” the mage phantom bowed respectfully to Abyss.

“Trivik, do you see the magic circle around us? Can you figure out the corresponding spell?” Abyss asked, pointing at the rotating runes.

The mage phantom named Trivik looked around and said after a moment of thought, “It’s an amplified seventh-tier spell, Arcane Web, and there’s another one inside the coffin. It’s also connected to a signaling circle.”

“That’s right, Arcane Web. I need you to stay here for a month and chant the Arcane Web spell in reverse, using your magic to temporarily disable it,” Abyss said. “That shouldn’t be difficult for you, and you’re undead now, so you won’t get tired.”

“Well… no problem… but…”

“Meet your two card buddies,” Abyss released two more phantoms. As soon as they saw Trivik, they exclaimed happily.

“Ah, someone to play cards with! Master, leave this to me!” Trivik said, beaming with joy, and patted his chest in assurance.

Seeing Flora’s confusion, Abyss explained as he sent Trivik and the other two souls back to the real world, “He was an elven mage who spent his life immersed in magic. Although his own power was average, he was incredibly knowledgeable. Even I often consult him about magic outside of necromancy. By having him chant the spell in reverse, he can interfere with the detection circle and temporarily disable it without triggering the signaling mechanism. And Trivik is a card fanatic. He’s always happy when he has someone to play cards with.”

Back in the real world, Trivik immediately started playing cards with his two friends, his mouth not idle as he chanted a strange, distorted version of the spell in reverse. The glowing runes around him actually flickered and went out.

“That should do it. I’m going to retrieve Princess Leona’s body. Stay here, don’t move,” Abyss said, taking Flora’s hand and pulling her out of the Shadow Realm.

Flora obediently stayed where she was, watching as Abyss strolled over to the coffin, lifted the lid with practiced ease, and reached inside.

“So that’s how he resurrects the dead. He does it directly in the coffin…”

“Ah, success,” Abyss said with a satisfied smile, extending a hand into the coffin. “Come on, grab my hand and come out… Ugh!”

Before he could finish speaking, a small hand shot out from the coffin, grabbed his throat, and yanked him inside!

Flora covered her forehead. Although she acknowledged that Abyss was incredibly strong, why was she not at all surprised that he had somehow messed this up?

Chapter 17: Go, Little Fire Dragon!

If you can’t solve the problem, solve the people causing the problem!

Abyss wondered if his constant grave robbing and secluded necromantic research in the Shadow Realm had made his thinking rigid. He hadn’t even considered such a straightforward and effective solution until Flora reminded him.

“So… I’ll use my abilities to discreetly remove Princess Leona from her coffin…” Abyss said, glancing at the still-dazed spirit.

The spirit quickly turned its face away. “I don’t know anything.”

“Then, with the resurrected Princess Leona, we’ll head straight from here to find the Empress, who most likely cursed her. Once we solve the problem with the Empress and her subordinates, the tomb guardians in the village can continue living their lives without the constant threat of being hanged,” Abyss said, growing more excited as he spoke and clapping his hands. “My goodness, I love this approach. Why should we be so subservient when we’re the strongest necromancer and Divine Arts user on the continent?”

Flora smiled. Abyss’s affirmation and his words pleased her.

“We have a month. That should be enough time,” Abyss calculated, counting on his fingers. “It takes half a day to reach the Imperial Capital from here. I think a month is sufficient—unless something unexpected happens while we’re solving the problem.”

“Only half a day?” Flora interrupted Abyss’s thoughts. “The Imperial Capital is quite a distance from here. It would take us at least a week to get there on horseback.”

“A week? Oh, you mean by horse?” Abyss blinked, then patted Flora’s head. “My silly Flora, you don’t think I only have one horse, do you?”

“Eh?”

Abyss smiled and snapped his fingers, pulling them both into the Shadow Realm. He then gently stroked one of the rings on his finger.

A long, drawn-out roar, seemingly echoing from ancient times, reverberated in Flora’s mind. As the roar grew louder, the sky gradually darkened. The sun was clearly shining brightly in the sky, unobstructed by clouds, but its brightness was noticeably dimming. Powerful magic stirred up a fierce wind, whipping around them, sweeping away the snow on the ground in the Shadow Realm and making their clothes flap loudly.

“What kind of magic is this?” Flora asked, staring at Abyss’s hand in astonishment. A blue light was spreading from the ring at the center of his palm. The growing power made Flora feel a sense of pressure, even an urge to use Divine Arts to protect herself.

“Don’t worry, it won’t harm you,” Abyss said to Flora, raising his hand high. “Come out, Little Fire Dragon!”

The light in his hand grew brighter, then detached itself and continued to expand in the air until it hovered above them like a small mountain. The light then began to take shape, solidifying into a gigantic creature with flapping wings.

“Responding to my master’s summons. Master, I am a Frost Wyrm, not a Little Fire Dragon,” the colossal creature in the sky boomed in a voice like rolling thunder, but its tone was filled with resignation. “It’s been two years. You should really get my name right, Master.”

“You were a fire dragon when you were alive,” Abyss chuckled. “Although you were on the verge of death when I first met you, I still prefer to call you Little Fire Dragon.”

“…Master, what are your orders?” The colossal creature overhead gave up on reasoning with Abyss, flapped its wings, and slowly descended. The immense wind pressure forced Flora to hold down her hair to prevent it from being blown into a mess.

Only then could Flora see the creature clearly: its entire body was covered in ice-blue scales with a thick layer of frost, its massive wings shimmered with magical runes, its four legs were as thick as millstones, its head was the size of a bull, and two blue flames burned brightly in its hollow eye sockets. White mist constantly puffed from its nostrils with each breath and word. It was a dragon!

“Let me introduce you. This is Flora,” Abyss said, placing a hand on Flora’s shoulder. “Flora, this is Little Fire Dragon. As you can see, he’s a dragon.”

“Dra… dragon?” Flora covered her mouth, trying to maintain her composure. “Weren’t dragons extinct a thousand years ago?”

“They’re not extinct. They just found a hidden sanctuary on the continent. With humans becoming increasingly powerful, it’s not easy being a dragon these days,” Abyss said, pointing at the dragon’s snout with a smile. “The dragons foresaw that their entire bodies, from skin to bone, could be made into weapons and armor that humans coveted, so they orchestrated their disappearance long ago. According to their plan, they would only emerge to save the world when the apocalypse was near.”

“Miss Flora,” Little Fire Dragon said, despite its mountainous size, it was as docile as a mare in front of Abyss. “So, you’re Master’s family?”

“Yes,” Abyss nodded.

“Follower! Follower!” Flora corrected, blushing.

“Oh, I’ll address you as Mistress from now on,” Little Fire Dragon said with an ingratiating smile on its massive face. “Greetings, Mistress.”

“Alright, that’s enough for introductions. We’ll need you to fly us somewhere later. Get ready,” Abyss said, not mincing words with the dragon.

“As you wish. Please summon me whenever you need me,” Little Fire Dragon said obediently, nodding its enormous head. Abyss raised his hand, and the dragon transformed into a beam of light, disappearing back into his ring.

“So, with this little fellow’s help, reaching the Imperial Capital in half a day shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Abyss said to Flora, hands on his hips, with a hint of pride. “Little Fire Dragon is a very reliable partner. As long as I regularly give him shiny things to add to his collection, he never slacks off during work.”

“You actually have a dragon…” Flora stared at Abyss incredulously. “Just how many secrets do you have?”

“It’s not really a secret,” Abyss said, waving his hand dismissively. “It’s just that I have too many things. If I brought them all out, it would take half a day to explain them all. It’s the same if I just take them out when I need them. Speaking of which, shouldn’t we be leaving now? I haven’t met Princess Leona yet. Although I’ve seen her portrait, those painters are too abstract.”

Chapter 16: A Difficult Dilemma

The happy smile that had bloomed on Flora’s face upon hearing Abyss’s discovery instantly froze.

“What’s wrong? Is there a curse on this village?” Flora leaned closer, looking ready to dispel any curse that might exist. It was clear that her interaction with the village children had made her care deeply about this place.

Abyss reached out and stroked one of the rings on his finger, releasing a translucent spirit from it. “I found him in the village graveyard. Let him tell you what happened. Don’t worry, I’ve used an illusion spell.”

The spirit formed a human face in mid-air and spoke in a raspy voice, “Kind lady, our village is indeed made up of guardians of the tomb. Forty-two years ago, the Empress selected a group of her most loyal soldiers and ordered us to bring our wives and children to this place. We were tasked with guarding Princess Leona’s tomb, preventing anyone from disturbing her rest. We were also to disguise ourselves as farmers and keep the location of the Princess’s tomb a secret. Now, apart from the Empress—now the Empress Dowager—only her confidants and we know about this.”

“Why would she do that?” Flora asked curiously. “Although the locations of royal tombs aren’t publicly announced, they’re only kept secret from commoners, right? I remember that high-ranking nobles are privy to this information. And wouldn’t this lack the grandeur of a royal burial?”

“Indeed, but we don’t know the specific reason,” the spirit shook his head helplessly. “We were just soldiers following orders. The Empress’s explanation at the time was that the Princess’s peace after death couldn’t be disturbed, or something terrible would happen.”

“What terrible thing? Would it affect you?” Flora pressed on.

“The Necromancer Lord just told me that you want to retrieve Princess Leona’s body. I can certainly lead you to it, but if the Princess’s tomb is disturbed, we will all be executed by the Empress’s men,” the spirit pleaded. “I don’t want to disobey the Necromancer Lord’s will, but I also hope you can reconsider, for the sake of the women and children in the village. They are not warriors and shouldn’t die for us.”

“Indeed, there’s a large magic circle inside the tomb. If Princess Leona’s body, or the magic circle itself, is disturbed, the Empress Dowager’s mages will sense it, and then the executioners will be dispatched,” Abyss said, his expression grim. “A princess who died from a curse, and an empress who is trying her best to keep the location of her body secret… it’s not hard to imagine the story behind this.”

“Abyss, is there no way to prevent the mages from sensing it?” Flora asked, now having great faith in Abyss’s abilities.

“They also send people to inspect the tomb every six months. If the Princess’s body is moved, we won’t be spared either,” the spirit interjected.

“Exactly. I need Princess Leona’s body. There’s no point in going there if I don’t take it,” Abyss said, massaging his temples. “Once we take it, these villagers will only have a month left to live because that’s when the Empress’s people come to inspect. Although I really, really want to obtain Princess Leona’s body, I can’t sacrifice innocent lives for it.”

Abyss’s words were a bit strange, but Flora had no time to comment. She was also caught in a dilemma.

“Let’s find a quiet place and think this through carefully,” Abyss said. “There must be a way.”

“Abyss, I haven’t asked you yet, you intend to resurrect me and four other people. I want to know your purpose,” Flora asked Abyss seriously.

“I already told you my purpose when you were first resurrected. I want you to be loyal to me, to belong to me body and soul, one hundred percent,” Abyss said.

Flora blushed slightly but continued to look into Abyss’s eyes intently. “Then, if one day I truly become completely loyal to you, what happens after that?”

“Well… this might be a bit rude,” Abyss pondered for a moment. “But since you asked, I won’t hide it. You’re a genius, and so are the other four. But your talents actually come from a portion of the Creator God’s divine power. If you can be one hundred percent loyal to me, then I can obtain all of your abilities through the link of necromancy. I am indeed using you, but I will also do my best to make you truly loyal to me from the bottom of your heart.”

“And then? What will you do after you have divine power?”

“I don’t have a plan for that yet,” Abyss looked up at the sky, thinking. “Maybe I’ll kill the Creator God and take his place. If he can’t manage this world properly, someone else should.”

“That’s a crazy idea.” As a Saint, Flora wasn’t repulsed by Abyss’s blasphemous thoughts. “I understand. You do have a reason to retrieve Princess Leona’s body.”

Abyss was surprised. If he had told anyone else about his idea, they would have thought him crazy. Yet, the always intelligent Flora had so readily affirmed his thoughts.

Perhaps this Saint was more rebellious than he imagined? Although their personalities were different, maybe they were kindred spirits after all.

“Why did you suddenly ask all this?” Abyss seemed to see a decision in Flora’s eyes.

Flora looked up and smiled. “Since you can’t give up your goal, I have an idea!”

“Tell me!”

Not only was Abyss delighted, but the spirit also turned towards her, waiting for her to speak.

“But this idea shouldn’t be coming from a Saint…” Flora hesitated. “Do you still want to hear it?”

“What kind of person you want to become should be your own choice,” Abyss shook his head. “In my eyes, Saint is just your previous profession, not your label. Are you afraid I’ll be disappointed in you? Don’t worry, I’ll be disappointed if you cling to your past identity.”

“Then I’ll tell you,” Flora regained her confidence with Abyss’s words and looked up. “If we can’t solve the problem, why not solve the person who created the problem!”

“Hmm? Wait, you really surprised me. Why are you suddenly saying such ruthless things?”

“I’m not joking. We’ll resurrect Princess Leona and bring her out, and then we’ll take her with us to deal with the Empress who buried her and ordered her tomb to be kept secret!” Flora said resolutely.

“My goodness, you truly are a genius,” Abyss couldn’t help but whistle.

Chapter 15: The True Face of the Strange Village

After receiving confirmation from Abyss, Flora politely took a couple of bites of the food. As a high-ranking undead, she didn’t need to eat, but it wouldn’t harm her either.

Once they finished their meal, Abyss took Flora’s hand, stood up, and said to the woman and the one-eyed old man, “Thank you for your hospitality. My assistant and I need to discuss what songs to sing for the children.”

“Please, feel free,” the woman said with a smile. “If you’re gathering inspiration, Bard, sir, please feel free to wander around our village. If you have any questions, you can ask anyone.”

Abyss nodded and led Flora out of the house, finding a secluded corner to talk.

“Abyss, I feel something’s off. The way the villagers look at us is unnatural,” Flora whispered. “Maybe we should leave quickly. Although they’re all very hospitable, and the children are adorable, I still feel uneasy.”

Abyss, not being very good at dealing with the living, asked, “You said their eyes are unnatural? In what way?”

“I can’t quite explain it. Although they genuinely want to be hospitable, I can see in their eyes that they actually want us to leave,” Flora said. “There’s a hint of fear in their emotions.”

“That’s very strange,” Abyss frowned, looking at the nearest house. “This place is as weird as a vampire’s kidney.”

“Also, I don’t know any bard songs…” Flora said sheepishly.

“It’s alright. You must know a couple of nursery rhymes. You can just… wait a minute,” Abyss suddenly paused and walked towards the house he had been looking at. He gently scratched the wall with his finger. The wall was of good quality and didn’t show any marks from his scratch, even though the bricks looked weathered, suggesting they were quite old.

“What’s wrong? Did you find something?” Flora asked softly, approaching him with concern.

“So it’s true…” Abyss stared at the bricks, nodding. “Flora, look, although the bricks are weathered and seem quite old, the concrete used to build the wall doesn’t match their age. It doesn’t look more than fifty years old.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, does it?” Flora asked curiously. “What if this house was renovated?”

“Let’s go check out the other houses,” Abyss said and led Flora towards the house next door.

As Abyss explained, Flora was surprised to discover that although the neighbor’s house had a different style, the walls were in the same condition—old bricks and concrete that was less than fifty years old.

They checked a couple more houses, and it was the same story.

“Then the conclusion is obvious…” Abyss said, clasping his hands behind his back. “And the elderly people in this village are still quite strong. Judging from the way the men walk, they seem to have better balance than ordinary farmers. They must have had Dou Qi training. Although farmers can also train in Dou Qi, if all the men in the village are like this…”

“Princess Leona died forty-two years ago…”

“Flora, go sing for the children. I need to do one last confirmation,” Abyss said. “The children will love you.”

Flora nodded, pursing her lips. “I understand!”

Abyss watched as Flora walked towards the village square. The curious children ran up to her and surrounded her. Flora smiled gently, letting them form a circle around her. She cleared her throat slightly and began to sing.

Her melodious voice filled the air. At first, only the children were listening, but soon, the entire village was captivated. In her previous life, Flora was not only a powerful Divine Arts user but also a beloved singer. Her hymns could even induce a blissful trance in some believers. Abyss only knew that Flora was a good singer but had never heard her sing in person. Now, as she showcased her voice, even the well-traveled Abyss couldn’t help but gasp softly in admiration.

He didn’t linger, however, but headed towards a small hill behind the village.

As a necromancer, Abyss could sense the aura of death emanating from that direction from a distance. On the hill was a small graveyard with only twenty or so tombstones, some of which looked recently erected.

“This graveyard only holds one generation,” Abyss said, nodding slightly, clasping his hands behind his back. Then he turned around. From this angle, he could see the entire village. “I see. Princess Leona is buried here. The people in this village, who appear to be villagers, are actually soldiers stationed here for generations under the Empire’s orders? That explains why they’re so reluctant to have any conflict with travelers and try their best to satisfy them. They simply don’t want this remote village to attract too much attention…”

“Then… Princess Leona should be buried underground somewhere around here…” Abyss muttered to himself, closing his eyes.

…

When Abyss returned to the village, Flora was surrounded by a crowd of villagers. They were all lost in the afterglow of her singing, still clapping unconsciously.

“Ah, A… Master, you’re back!” Flora greeted Abyss as soon as she saw him.

The villagers then noticed that Abyss had been gone for a while and looked at him with a hint of wariness.

“I went to the nearby hillside to admire the scenery. This village is truly beautiful. I think I’ll be able to write my new sonnet soon,” Abyss said loudly to Flora, trying to appear artistic. “My assistant, come here quickly. I need your opinion on my verses.”

Hearing that Abyss had only gone to admire the scenery, the villagers relaxed slightly, thanks in part to the goodwill Flora had earned from them.

“Did you find anything?” Flora asked as soon as they reached a secluded spot.

Abyss nodded and told Flora about his deductions and discoveries. Then he pointed to the ground. “I’ve sensed it. There are indeed deceased buried deep underground here, most likely Princess Leona.”

“So, are we going to retrieve Princess Leona now?” Flora blinked. “It should be easy for you with your abilities, right?”

“It is indeed easy. I can bring Princess Leona out in the blink of an eye,” Abyss said, looking at Flora. “But the price is that all these villagers will die because of our actions.”

Chapter 14: A Strange Village

The sun had just risen, casting its morning light upon the land, and a cluster of low-lying buildings on the distant horizon gradually came into focus.

Sounds of children playing and adults calling out to each other drifted from afar. Abyss and Flora dismounted from the undead warhorse. With a snap of Abyss’s fingers, they emerged from the Shadow Realm once again. However, this time, the undead warhorse wasn’t absorbed into his ring. Instead, it transformed with a ripple of distortion from a semi-transparent spectral form into an ordinary black horse. Aside from its slightly red eyes, it was indistinguishable from a living horse.

Abyss looked at the distant buildings and scratched his head. “Tsk, this is clearly a village… and it seems quite populous.”

Flora was also puzzled by the sight before them. “Did that necromancer named Leiner trick us? We traveled for two days only to arrive at a village…”

“That shouldn’t be the case. When people lie, their souls fluctuate, and I can detect it. I’m certain Leiner didn’t lie to me, unless the address he received was fake…”

Indeed, it was a village. As they drew closer, the houses and settlements of the village came into full view. It was winter, and the fields were bare. Most of the villagers were idle. They wore clothes made of animal hides. Some men were setting out with bows and arrows, preparing to hunt nearby, while the women were busy sweeping away the snow that had fallen overnight in front of their houses. Smoke rose from the windows, and children were chasing each other gleefully in the village square. It was a village where life seemed relatively comfortable. Abyss estimated that there were about a hundred people in the village, including children.

“Travelers, where are you headed?” As they reached the entrance of the village, they were finally noticed by the busy villagers. An old man, sitting in front of his house chopping wood, asked.

“Well…” Abyss pulled out a thin booklet from his pocket and showed it to the villager. “I’m a bard, traveling with my assistant to gather inspiration. We want to see the local customs of your village.”

“Ah, I see!” the old man stroked his bushy white beard. “Everyone in the village will welcome you. Bards don’t often come to our remote little village.”

The children of the village gathered around curiously, staring at Abyss and Flora. Their clothes were of good quality, and Flora’s neat and elegant mage robe, in particular, captivated the children’s eyes. Several women also approached, and one of them said, “If you’re a bard, sir, please come to my house. We’re making breakfast and haven’t started eating yet. You’re welcome to rest for a while.”

“Eh? Won’t you find us bothersome?” Abyss asked, widening his eyes in surprise. “I thought farmers didn’t like bards very much.”

“You worry too much, sir. It’s a tradition in our village that as long as guests are polite, we will treat them with hospitality,” the old man said with a smile, putting down his axe. “Our village isn’t wealthy, but we have enough to spare. We can certainly afford to treat you to breakfast.”

“Bard brother, can you sing?” a child asked, jumping up and down with his hand raised.

“Yes, I can sing. But I charge a fee for my singing, and it’s quite expensive,” Abyss coughed. “But my assistant can sing for you for free.”

Flora, once again unwittingly sold out by Abyss, hurriedly waved her hands. “I’m not a good singer…”

“Sister’s voice is as beautiful as a nightingale’s. If she sings, all the boys in the village will fall in love with her!” a little girl exclaimed.

“No way! Girls are noisy and troublesome! We hate girls the most!” a little boy immediately retorted.

“Betty, Avril, stop making a fuss in front of our guests. Let them come inside and warm up by the fire first. Our village is so remote, they must have traveled a long way,” the woman who had invited Abyss and Flora for breakfast said, scolding the children while smiling politely at Abyss. “Bard, sir, please come with me. Please don’t mind our humble abode.”

Abyss and Flora exchanged glances and followed the woman. Although they had many doubts about this village, and the villagers’ enthusiasm made them uneasy, Abyss wasn’t worried that they would harm him or Flora. He had seen villagers do bad things before, but it usually involved laxatives and pitchforks, which were completely useless against him.

They entered the woman’s house. As soon as they stepped inside, the smell of stewing meat made Abyss sniff the air. The cookware seemed to have been placed on the fire before their arrival. A cast iron pot was steaming on the stove, and several halved baked potatoes were placed beside it. The warmth of the fire felt pleasant on Abyss’s face.

There were two beds in the room. An old man with a missing eye and half a leg sat on one of them. Upon seeing Abyss and Flora, he said to the woman, “Mary, we have guests?”

“Yes, Father. They are traveling bards from afar. I invited them for breakfast,” the woman replied. “We have enough stew today for everyone.”

“Good, good,” the old man nodded and said to Abyss, “Welcome, travelers from afar. Please forgive this old cripple for not being able to stand up to greet you.”

“We should be the ones thanking you. Although we have no money to offer, my assistant will sing for your children,” Abyss said.

Flora blushed, but she couldn’t contradict Abyss at this point, so she stood there silently, feeling wronged.

“Life is boring in winter. The children will be delighted,” the old man said with a smile.

The woman quickly served the stew, tossed a few more potatoes into the dying fire, and brought out the baked potatoes.

Abyss didn’t refuse. After a brief thank you, he started eating the food the woman offered.

He chewed carefully. The meat was fresh, probably venison caught yesterday. It was slightly bland due to the small amount of salt, but still delicious—most importantly, there was nothing else added to the stew. If the villagers had put any harmful herbs in it, Abyss would have tasted it instantly. Necromancers were specialized mages who often dealt with herbs, sometimes even resembling alchemists. Abyss’s nose and tongue were naturally sensitive to medicine. He could confidently say that this was just an ordinary stew. There was nothing wrong with that, but Abyss still felt strange. The villagers were all quite friendly, and he couldn’t sense any lies from them, but something felt off.

It seemed like they were… deliberately avoiding any conflict with outsiders?

Chapter 13: A Big Step for Abyss

Flora, clad in a moon-white Healing School mage robe, was twisting and turning, carefully examining herself. Mage robes were generally loose-fitting, lacking the shoulder pads and corsetry that Flora had worn all her life. The fabric was incredibly soft and smooth, even more comfortable than the commoner’s dress she had worn before, making her reluctant to take it off.

When she was a Saint, both her everyday clothes and formal attire for public appearances were ordered directly by the Church from specialized tailors. No one cared about Flora’s own preferences. The Saint was an important public figure for the Church, so they had full control over her wardrobe, ensuring it was appropriate for every occasion, devoid of any personal touch.

This time, Abyss took Flora to a newly opened high-end clothing store in the city and let her choose whatever she wanted, lifting her spirits slightly after the encounter with the rude Holy Knights.

“It seems you really like white clothes,” Abyss said, arms crossed, observing Flora with satisfaction. “The first time I saw you, you were wearing a black dress with gold trim. I thought that was your style.”

“Of course I didn’t choose that dress myself,” Flora said grumpily.

Abyss pondered for a moment, finger in his mouth. Indeed, not many people had the opportunity to choose their own burial attire.

“This mage robe suits your wife’s temperament very well,” the shopkeeper said, approaching them with a smile. “It’s made with the finest materials, specifically for female mages. Not only is the fabric good for the skin, but it also has three built-in magic circles. With just a little bit of mana, it can be dust-proof, shock-resistant, and heat-retaining. It’s very practical. I’m sure you won’t regret buying it.” His voice was raspy, as if he had phlegm in his throat.

“Not wife! Not wife!” Flora waved her hands frantically, her face flushed.

“Oh, so it’s your fiancée? My apologies,” the shopkeeper bowed impeccably.

Flora stammered, trying to explain further, but Abyss interrupted, “How much? I’ll take this robe.”

“This robe sells for ten thousand imperial coins, but since you two are the first customers of the day and this beautiful young lady is a mage, I can offer a discount. Eight thousand five hundred imperial coins,” the shopkeeper’s smile remained unchanged, clearly practiced over many years. “What do you say?”

“Eight thousand five hundred imperial coins?” Flora quickly calculated after hearing the price. The large sum she and Abyss had received from the guild yesterday was less than twenty thousand. This single robe would cost almost half. Although she didn’t have much concept of money, she could vaguely sense that this was what people called extravagance. “That’s too expensive!”

“It is indeed too expensive. Not worth it,” Abyss agreed, shaking his head.

The shopkeeper maintained his smile, but it seemed less enthusiastic. He cleared his throat. “Ahem, then I can show you some mage robes without built-in magic circles. They’re much cheaper, only a few hundred imperial coins each.”

“No, thank you,” Abyss said dismissively, waving his hand.

“This…” the shopkeeper looked troubled. “What are you planning to do, sir?”

“If she likes it, how could I not buy it for her? As long as you give her a complete set of undergarments that match this robe, including the chemise and trousers to wear underneath,” Abyss said.

The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up. “Ah, I misunderstood. So that’s it. Since you’re sincere about wanting this robe, I’ll bite the bullet and make a loss to gain a friend!” He walked towards the lingerie section, winking at Abyss as he passed. “Do you prefer something wild or something sweet for the lingerie?”

“Something wild,” Abyss nodded, closing his eyes.

“Just something normal!” Flora shouted, flustered.

As the shopkeeper went to find the accompanying undergarments, Flora was admiring herself in the mirror, wearing her first self-chosen new clothes. Seeing that neither of them was paying attention, Abyss discreetly extended a finger towards the shopkeeper and whispered a prayer.

A golden light flashed at his fingertip, and the shopkeeper, who was rummaging through the clothes, suddenly froze for a moment before continuing, bringing over a set of undergarments and lingerie that perfectly matched the mage robe, his expression slightly unnatural.

“What’s wrong, shopkeeper?” Abyss asked, feigning concern, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“Well… my chronic pharyngitis, which always flares up in winter, suddenly feels much better…” the shopkeeper’s voice was suddenly clear. “It’s a bit strange…”

“Chronic illnesses are like that. They just get better inexplicably,” Abyss said smugly, wiping his fingertips on his palm, like a gentleman playing billiards.

At first glance, the shopkeeper thought it made sense, but upon closer inspection, he realized the guy was just talking nonsense!

Abyss hadn’t done anything bad. He was just experimenting with using Divine Arts. In his conversations with the Divine Arts user’s soul, he had learned a lot, memorizing all sorts of Divine Arts incantations. However, since Abyss hadn’t been baptized by the Church and didn’t believe in any gods, even if he recited the incantations, no miracles would occur. From the beginning, Abyss didn’t think he needed to worship any gods, even if they could perform miracles. Moreover, he had personally visited the Divine Realm and discovered that the gods were just a bunch of miserable wage slaves.

The spell he had just used was the intermediate Divine Art, Disease Dispelling, which could directly cure minor ailments. The price was that the illness would be transferred to the caster—but Abyss was a necromancer. Although he was still alive, his body was not much different from a corpse, so he wasn’t worried about getting sick.

This spell wasn’t really necessary, but Abyss’s goal wasn’t to cure the shopkeeper. He just wanted to see if Flora, as his follower, would truly transfer her power to him. And the answer was clear. With Flora developing her first feelings of goodwill towards him, Abyss had indeed gained access to her power. Although this power was still insignificant and seemingly useless, it was of great significance to Abyss.

The replica of the Creator God’s power, which had guided Flora’s ancestor to become the greatest Holy Knight in the Church’s history as the “Super Holy Knight System” and had awakened in Flora as an extraordinary talent for Divine Arts, had now, after two transfers, finally fallen partially into Abyss’s hands.

Acquiring the power of a follower couldn’t be considered stealing… A follower!… Could anything a necromancer did be considered stealing?

Chapter 12: The Laughable Will of God

Flora immediately realized what was happening upon hearing the conversation. She stopped in her tracks and, taking advantage of the fact that the people downstairs couldn’t see her yet, listened quietly from the top of the stairs.

“Oh? What kind of blonde girl?” The Holy Knight’s voice was muffled, echoing slightly, as if he was wearing a helmet.

“Well… I don’t remember her very well. A lively-looking blonde girl, very beautiful,” the innkeeper’s voice was hesitant. “She was brought here by a man… but I was very sleepy at the time, so I don’t remember his face clearly…”

“No need to recall. Take us up there,” the Holy Knight commanded.

“That’s not appropriate, is it?” the innkeeper immediately refused. “Our inn is a high-class establishment. If we disturb our guests casually, it will ruin our reputation, and our business will suffer.”

“Very well, then you must be looking forward to seeing your whole family tied to the stake in a week,” the Holy Knight’s voice turned menacing. “Use your pig brain, you fool. Don’t forget what the Church is. We’re not servants here to cater to you idiots. We are the spokesmen of God! I can’t tell you who we’re looking for. You just need to know that those two are enemies of God. If you don’t cooperate, you’re disrespecting God’s will, and we don’t like people who disrespect God living in this world.”

The innkeeper fell silent for a moment. “Holy Knight, sir, I’m sorry. I was too rude. I’ll take you to them right away.”

“That’s more like it. Next time you dare to talk back to us, I’ll personally rip your dog’s mouth apart.”

Hearing this, Flora immediately ran upstairs. She was light on her feet, making little noise, and didn’t attract the attention of the people downstairs.

Rushing into the room, she saw Abyss wiping his face with a wet towel and said hurriedly, “Abyss! The Church is secretly looking for us! They’re coming up!”

Abyss raised his head. “What’s wrong? There’s nothing to be afraid of. I haven’t sensed anyone with even a hint of Divine Arts among them.”

“Eh? We don’t need to be afraid?” Flora was stunned.

“Hold on, some soup spilled on my face last night while I was eating. I need to wipe it off.” Abyss, completely unconcerned about the Holy Knights coming upstairs, their armor clanging in his ears, used the inn’s windowpane as a mirror and patiently wiped his chin.

Bang!

The door was kicked open, and a group of fully armed Holy Knights stormed in, followed by the reluctant innkeeper.

“Holy Knights of the Church, here on official business! Come forth and submit to inspection!” the lead Holy Knight shouted. He wore intricately decorated full-body armor and carried a slender two-handed sword on his back. His body was enveloped in a blazing aura of Dou Qi, indicating his high level of martial skill and his status as a high-ranking Holy Knight of the Church.

“Go home,” Abyss said calmly, without even looking at him. An almost imperceptible wave of magic spread silently.

All the Holy Knights shuddered simultaneously. The lead Holy Knight suddenly turned around and barked another order, “Inspection complete. The people we’re looking for are not here. Let’s go!”

“Yes, sir!” The other Holy Knights, ignoring the other guests who were still sleeping in the inn, responded in unison and turned to leave without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, they were gone, their footsteps fading away.

“Innkeeper, don’t leave yet. Please return our deposit. We’re leaving,” Abyss said to the innkeeper, who was still standing at the door, looking dazed.

The innkeeper’s expression was complex. He was both astonished that Abyss had sent the Holy Knights away with a single sentence and relieved that they were gone.

“Your deposit is ten imperial coins. I’ll return it to you now,” the innkeeper nodded, walked over, and placed a ten imperial coin on the table. “Thank you for driving away the Holy Knights. Although I don’t know who you are, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Why are the Holy Knights so arrogant now?” Flora asked suddenly. “I remember that in the past, Holy Knights would call themselves protectors of the good and wouldn’t casually threaten believers with punishment.”

“That was a long time ago,” the innkeeper said, listening to the sounds downstairs to make sure the Holy Knights were gone before continuing indignantly. “I was just a child when that Holy Knight wouldn’t harm a fly. The Pope at the time was Hendrick III. His Holiness allocated Church funds for education, establishing schools in major cities across the Western Empire, providing free education for the children, and even spending money to help artisans and small merchants who had gone bankrupt due to unforeseen circumstances. Everyone loved him. There were no Holy Knights like this back then.”

“What happened then?” Flora’s voice was filled with disappointment.

The innkeeper grimaced. “Then the Saint at the time, due to her frail health, contracted a sudden illness and died. Hendrick III had raised her since she was a child and treated her like his own daughter. After her death, he had an accident and died, his mind distraught.”

“What a tragedy,” Abyss said from the side.

“Indeed. The next Pope, upon assuming office, immediately canceled the nationwide school construction program. The schools that had already been built began charging exorbitant fees, making it impossible for children from ordinary families to attend,” the innkeeper said angrily. “They couldn’t get back the money that had been given away, so they started levying taxes on all merchants within their jurisdiction, calling it a ‘God’s Reverence Tax.’ They claimed that the previous Pope had been disrespectful to the gods and that they needed this money to build new statues to atone for his sins. After they burned a batch of merchants who refused to pay at the stake, no one dared to disobey them anymore. I don’t know if the money was actually used for the gods, but the Holy Knights’ equipment suddenly became more extravagant, and their numbers increased rapidly.”

“I understand… Thank you,” Flora’s voice was even lower now. She bit her lip and put the money from the table into her pocket.

“You two should leave the city quickly. Those Holy Knights are up to something again. I don’t know why they’re looking for a girl,” the innkeeper said. “Since that Pope took office, the selection of Holy Knights has become lax. Some of them are just thugs who have changed their clothes, acting arrogantly in the name of God’s will, especially in cities where the Church’s influence is strong. If you don’t leave, you might be caught and used to fill their ranks.”

“Let’s go, Flora,” Abyss stood up. “I’ll say it again, you can tell me your wish anytime.”

“Hmm…” Flora wanted to say something, but she closed her mouth tightly.

“Let’s go buy clothes. Her Highness the Princess is still lying there waiting for us,” Abyss said, taking Flora’s hand.

Chapter 11: Suddenly Becoming Rich

“Well, the client’s signature and fingerprint are both here. Your reward is valid. If you want to collect it now, I can go to the back and retrieve the funds the client deposited—of course, after deducting the 5% service fee and the cost of the tables and chairs you broke earlier, it comes to a total of eighteen thousand four hundred imperial coins,” the receptionist said to Abyss and Flora after carefully examining the request notice. “If you don’t need it right away, you can collect it anytime. We only start charging a storage fee after a month.”

“We need it now. Please bring it out,” Abyss said, looking at Flora beside him. “We’ll be leaving this city soon.”

“Certainly,” the receptionist nodded, then asked before putting away the request notice, “May I ask a nosy question? While Mr. Leiner’s fingerprint is indeed genuine, why is the ink green?”

Abyss thought for a moment, finger in his mouth, and replied, “Well… that’s because Mr. Leiner was a great lover of nature. He loved the green of leaves.”

He certainly couldn’t tell the receptionist that the ink was actually made from the verdigris scraped off an abandoned chandelier in the house. He hadn’t found any inkpad or similar item on Leiner—which made sense, considering Leiner hadn’t planned on letting anyone leave alive, so he naturally wouldn’t need an inkpad for someone to claim the reward.

The receptionist looked a bit skeptical, but having dealt with all sorts of strange mercenaries over the years, he didn’t say anything and quickly retrieved a bag of coins from the back.

Imperial coins were made of white copper and came in various denominations, the largest being one thousand. Eighteen thousand four hundred imperial coins weren’t actually that much and were quite easy to carry. Of course, if the owner was careless and lost even one coin, it would be enough to make him cry for a month. This city was relatively prosperous, with no shortage of thieves on the streets, so only those with some skill dared to walk around with so much money.

Flora glanced discreetly at the mercenaries drinking in the guild. These guys, in stark contrast to their previous rudeness, were all chatting and laughing cheerfully. Some were slumped over the tables, sleeping peacefully. There were no harsh curses, and no one was throwing their mugs around. Abyss hadn’t fooled her. The Tranquility spell she had casually cast had indeed given these blood-soaked mercenaries a moment of peace.

“The amount is correct. Flora, let’s go,” Abyss said, patting Flora’s shoulder. “What, do you want some ale too? I’ll take you to a better tavern.”

“Oh, no. I just found it interesting to see how the mercenaries were affected by the Tranquility spell,” Flora said as she followed Abyss outside.

Abyss glanced back at the mercenaries drinking obediently. “Hah, these people who make a living off blood money aren’t exactly clean, and most of them aren’t mentally stable. You’ve done a good deed. They might never forget these few months of good temper for the rest of their lives.”

Flora smiled happily, tugging at the hem of Abyss’s clothes. “When I was still a Saint, I loved seeing people like this, harmonious and happy.”

“I don’t particularly enjoy seeing everyone happy. I prefer people being quiet and peaceful.”

“That’s just being dead!” Flora retorted.

“Dead people are great. They’re quiet, they don’t have as many desires as the living, and they don’t play mind games,” Abyss said, rolling his eyes. “If I had to choose, I’d still prefer dead people, dead people are better.”

“Don’t say that! Both the living and the dead are good!” Flora said playfully, tugging at Abyss’s clothes again. “Are we leaving now?”

Seeing Flora acting so affectionately towards him, Abyss felt a sense of satisfaction. He reached out and patted her head again. “No, let’s find an inn and rest for the night. Then, after daybreak tomorrow, I’ll take you to buy some new clothes. Let’s leave here after you’ve changed.”

“Hmm? I already have new clothes. Don’t you like this dress?” Flora asked curiously, lifting her skirt. “I quite like white dresses.”

“Of course not. It’s hard to find a girl on this continent with a figure more perfect than yours. You look good in anything,” Abyss shook his head. “But this dress was just something I bought randomly. It’s a commoner girl’s style. It looks a bit out of place for you to wear on an adventure. I’m planning to buy you a mage robe. You know a bit of magic, right? You’ll look the part when you wear it. Mage robes also have hoods, which will be more convenient for you to hide your face.”

Flora thought about it and agreed. Mage robes were not only stylish for women, but the hoods could also be pulled up to cover most of the face—many mages liked to conceal their faces, leaving only their mouths visible.

“And, most importantly,” Abyss said, “I’m hungry. Don’t forget that I’m a human first before a necromancer.”

“Ah! I’m sorry! I can’t feel hunger now, so I forgot that you need to eat!” Flora apologized hastily.

Abyss waved his hand, indicating that Flora shouldn’t worry about it, and led her to find an inn.

With money in hand, things naturally became much easier. Abyss and Flora extravagantly checked into one of the better inns in the city. As an undead, Flora didn’t need sleep. Although Abyss wanted to get two rooms so Flora could lie down and rest, she firmly stated that she didn’t want to be alone and lying down anymore. She had spent forty years lying in a coffin and didn’t want to experience that loneliness again.

So, after dinner, Abyss lay in bed while Flora sat in a chair, reading the local guidebook provided by the inn to learn about the changes in the world, and they spent the night like that.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Abyss opened his eyes from his light sleep.

Flora immediately noticed his movement and asked softly, “Abyss, are we leaving?”

“Yes, get ready. We’re leaving,” Abyss nodded. “The clothing stores should be opening soon. Let’s go early. I don’t want to be too close to other customers.”

“Okay, I’ll go downstairs to get the deposit back from the counter!” Flora nodded and stood up from her chair.

“Thank you,” Abyss nodded. He was going to wash his face.

Flora left the room and hadn’t even reached the stairs when she heard a commotion downstairs.

“Holy Knight, sir… we can’t divulge our guests’ information…”

“Just answer me, did a man with a very beautiful blonde girl come into your inn? The girl seemed a bit dazed and afraid of the light?”

“No, sir… but as for a blonde girl, there was indeed one who checked in yesterday…”