Chapter 6: This Lich Charges Extra
Necromantic lords were particularly interested in undead troops.
All the members of the Elegiac Society were at least legends. Certain ones, like the Dullahan, newly betrothed to a bone dragon, were legends among legends. Advertising to them was certainly the right move.
Yet the first reply came not from the notoriously extravagant Dullahan, but rather from Black Rose.
[Black Rose: Ingenious design. I'm now convinced your rejection from Legendary Spellcraft really was due to bias.]
So she had only been politely humoring him before...
[Black Rose: But customizing low-tier skeletons seems pointless. The teleportation fee alone would exceed their cost.]
Good, a critic. Critics were potential customers. Ambrose quickly replied.
[Megaman Tiga: Skeletons are all about quantity, after all. If you're thinking of a bulk order, Lady Rose, we can arrange for a convenient delivery site.]
[Black Rose: What about advanced undead? I happen to need several enhanced death knights.]
[Megaman Tiga: Since it's you, Lady Rose, I'll be honest. After Legendary Spellcraft turned down my paper, I've run short on materials. I haven't yet tested high-level undead modification. The failure rate is high and the material cost is exorbitant. It'd cost at least three hundred thousand gold. Frankly, it's not good value for money.]
The members of the Elegiac Society were all formidable powers within the undead world. Ambrose wanted steady business rather than a one-time ripoff, so he had no intention of hiding the risks involved.
[Black Rose: Price isn't an issue. Low-tier skeletons are useless to me. I need high-level undead—either death knights or something that can break through the gates of the imperial capital of Lyon head-on.]
𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Ambrose froze.
The Lyon Empire was the mightiest of the nine human kingdoms, home to hundreds of cities and hundreds of millions of people.
Seventeen centuries ago, the paladin Arthur Lyon had overthrown the tyrannical Dragon King and founded the empire. He then succeeded in the feat of driving every dragon from the continent.
The capital itself was built atop the Dragon King's corpse. It was a kingdom founded on the basis of valor and strength.
Over the past millennium, the capital had been fortified by layer upon layer of enchantments. The Dragon King's remains had been reforged into powerful draconic armaments.
After centuries of additional enchantments, even an ordinary human wielding one such armament could rival a legendary dragon in might.
It was said that only the blood of Arthur Lyon himself could unleash the full strength of these armaments, transforming them into a force capable of reshaping the continent.
And even without such relics, the empire's Court Magi and Lionheart Paladins were more than enough to annihilate any foe.
All in all, to breach Lyon's capital would be suicide. It would take at least thirty legendary magicians working together to cast a spell beyond their rank to destroy that city.
What in the world was Black Rose planning?
AAfter a moment's thought, Ambrose replied with a single line. [If it's the Lyon Empire you're after, I'll have to charge extra.]
Whatever her goal, he was broke. If Black Rose could fund him, he'd pour his entire unholy soul into research.
It wasn't like he was being asked to destroy the whole city, but merely to break open the gates. Every defense had its flaw. If he could find it and exploit it, the gates would fall—even if only for a few seconds before the self-repair enchantments kicked in.
As for what Black Rose could achieve in those few seconds, that wasn't his concern. Ambrose doubted she was simply courting death.
All he had to do was focus on the task she was paying him for.
And if the Lyon Empire took issue with his involvement, well, Alkhemia was leagues away.
No one blamed arms dealers for selling to both sides.
In the worst case, he'd offer the empire a discount on anti-undead weaponry later.
[Black Rose: Money's no issue. I'll wire thirty thousand gold as a deposit and send you intelligence on the imperial capital. Draft me a blueprint first.]
As expected, she was well prepared. How she'd obtained intelligence on the capital was anyone's guess, but she was clearly a figure of no small importance.
[Megaman Tiga: An honor to serve you, Lady Rose. You'll have the preliminary design within three months.]
Three months actually wasn't much time.
High-tier undead required rare materials and intricate structural planning. You couldn't just tweak a skeleton's proportions and call it a day.
The problem was magic.
Advanced undead, like Ambrose himself, wielded potent spellcraft. A high-level design meant reworking the magical core, the spirit lattice, and the entire soul-binding array from scratch.
It was delicate, precise, and time-consuming.
Still, a big client was a big client. Ambrose decided to pull a few all-nighters to get a preliminary design ready.
"Good thing I'm past the need for food, sleep, or bathroom breaks..."
Thanking his foresight, Ambrose unrolled a stack of parchment and began his calculations.
Not far away, Isabel had just finished brewing the calming draughts. But she didn't dare stop working—what if the lich commanded her to do something else? Pretending to stay busy, she furtively glanced around and looked for a chance to escape.
The laboratory door stood right there. Perhaps she could make a dash for it while Ambrose was distracted?
No, that was impossible. The castle was surely riddled with magical traps. The moment she touched the door, she might turn to stone.
There were still plenty of ingredients in the cabinet. Maybe she could concoct a few potions to fight him instead?
No chance. She was only an apprentice alchemist, far from capable of crafting something to harm a lich. Even her master wouldn't be able to.
As panic knotted her thoughts, Ambrose spoke without looking up: "Drink one yourself if you're not in a good state of mind. These materials are expensive, and you can't afford to pay for any you waste."
Isabel jumped, heart pounding. For an instant, she thought he'd read her mind.
Too frightened to pretend to work any longer, she obeyed and sipped from one of the bottles. The potion was faintly bitter but not unpleasant.
Within moments, her racing pulse eased and her trembling stilled. Calm settled over her like a blanket, followed by clarity.
She looked at the empty vial in her hand. There had been twelve doses. Now, one was gone. Eleven remained. Who were they for? Could her brother truly be capturing people for this lich's experiments?
No, it made no sense. Why would test subjects need tranquilizers? Wouldn't he just kill them?
Unless... this lich didn't intend to kill anyone.
Isabel lifted her gaze toward Ambrose, confusion flickering in her eyes. Could she really have encountered... a benevolent lich?