ALL NOVEL Chapter 44
Chapter 44: The Secret of the Undead
In a dense forest on the outskirts of the Tapeya Basin, Princess Liliya stood in a clearing, dressed in clean silver armor, wielding a new sword, quietly listening to the shadow guard’s report.
Having been tempered by the training of war and battle, the princess’s once youthful face now bore a hardened aura of iron and blood, a hint of resilience that was absent when Vilyric first encountered her. Her agile eyes sparkled with a sharpness that few could withstand.
Her sky-blue hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, secured in place by a silver feathered helm. Her slender frame and appropriately rounded chest were protected by the armor. Despite her petite stature of barely 1.6 meters, it was hard to imagine this girl had once bravely charged through the ranks of a hundred or more beastman armies.
Kneeling slightly, Shadow Guard Emily cast a sideways glance at the princess she had served for many years. She could feel her master undergoing an unimaginable transformation at a breakneck speed, about to break free from her cocoon.
As Liliya’s closest ally, Emily naturally understood the current circumstances of her master.
But if they could successfully complete this mission and seize victory in the war against the beastmen, once they returned to the capital, Princess Liliya would undoubtedly crush all competitors with unstoppable force, stomping them firmly underfoot.
After a bit more maneuvering, once the ailing old king breathed his last, Liliya would ascend as the new queen of the United Kingdom of Humans, reaching the peak of this world.
For this, Emily would spare no effort in aiding her master.
For instance, uncovering intelligence on the approaching enemy stronghold.
“Is that so… Humans, huh…”
“Yes, Your Highness.” The shadow guard nodded, “We sisters thoroughly investigated, and the facilities inside the basin are entirely operated by humans. There are numerous traps, mechanisms, and counter-magic circles set up around the perimeter; the beastmen cannot possibly use these.”
Liliya exchanged a glance with Hua, who was leaning against a large tree, yawning out of boredom, and they both shared a bitter smile. “Expected but still surprising, huh? No, it’s all too expected; they really are pulling out all the stops. Well then…”
“Emily, how many people are in the basin? Have they discovered you?”
The dark-clad female guard, her face obscured by a veil, pondered for a moment and spoke with a slightly hoarse yet remarkably alluring voice, “It seems they haven’t noticed. Everyone has been cautious, avoiding the inner basin and instead observing from the nearby steep peaks. As for how many there are…”
“I’ve already confirmed that. There aren’t many, about 300, but…”
Miss Hua suddenly chimed in, her expression peculiar. “Liliya, those guys in the basin aren’t human.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
The princess tilted her head in confusion, but Hua didn’t immediately respond; instead, she furrowed her brows, seemingly hesitant. With no other choice, Liliya turned her questioning gaze toward the all-knowing priestess.
Vilyric innocently shrugged, appearing disinterested. “Don’t look at me; I didn’t do the investigating. Normally, I’m just here to protect my employer’s safety. Liliya, you shouldn’t be relying too much on me.”
“Um… You’re right, sorry…”
Liliya suddenly realized, gritting her teeth, that she had unknowingly come to trust and depend on this unlikely mentor and protector far too much within less than a month, which was not a promising sign.
Though Vilyric’s words sounded a bit cold and heartless, Liliya knew the other person was genuinely considering her well-being.
“Let’s put it this way: Your Highness, do you recall the battle against the treacherous royal guards where several mages appeared on the enemy’s side?”
Hua’s voice broke through again; it seemed she had finally figured out how to explain.
On hearing this, Liliya began to understand.
“You mean, the undead?”
“Exactly… but also not.”
A glimmer of conflict and seriousness crossed Hua’s eyes. She paused, then explained earnestly: “Ordinary necromancy merely involves the caster manipulating corpses to battle. Corpses cannot be preserved for long, and they lack autonomy and intelligence, retaining at most half of their former strength—this is a shallow application of necromancy.”
“But several years ago, I witnessed a far more eerie, or rather profound, type of necromancy.”
“It allows a living body to transform into an undying corpse, freezing it at the moment of death, preserving all wisdom, memories, and combat skills. While their power can never increase again, their lifespan can be greatly extended. They are no longer hindered by the desires for food and sleep or any of the other needs of the living, becoming what we call the undead.”
“Whoa?”
Miss Vilyric listening in uttered an impressed gasp.
This was indeed intriguing; similar abilities weren’t something even Vilyric had heard of in the “Fantasy World,” as lifespan extension held no significance to players. Such life-prolonging magic likely only existed in the real world.
As this conversation unfolded, Liliya’s expression grew increasingly grim. “You… you mean… those things inside are…”
Hua nodded. “I can’t say with 100% certainty, but I’m at least 80% sure. I’ve seen and come into contact with the undead, or rather, walking corpses. They may look similar to the living, but the stench of decay and rot is impossible to mask. Even from a distance, I could vaguely smell it when hundreds gather together.”
Gulp…
The young princess swallowed hard; as a small girl, the last thing she wanted was ghosts or corpses. Even though she had killed numerous people on the battlefield, those concepts weren’t easy to shake off.
“Hua, sis, those… walking corpses, they won’t just keep coming back no matter how we kill them, right? Just like in the stories…”
Upon hearing this, Hua smiled casually. “There’s nothing in this world that can’t be killed. If you can’t do it, you’re either using the wrong methods or you’re not strong enough; that’s something you don’t need to worry about, Your Highness.”
“However… when I first saw those few necromancers, I didn’t pay much attention, but now seeing such a large-scale appearance of walking corpses, connecting the dots back to the same puppet masters behind it all, Your Highness, it seems one of your… might have come into contact with something rather unsavory.”
“What is it?”
“The Throne of Immortality; you may not have heard of it. It’s a cult operating within the Ost Empire, advocating for the idea of achieving eternal life through necromancy—essentially, a heretical group that developed the technology to create walking corpses.”
“Hua gently stroked the intricate design on her ancient short bow and continued somberly, “During my travels in the Empire, I clashed with the 6th Throne of their 12. Their power surpassed mine, reaching legendary status. As for the top 5 Throne members, they’re only stronger than him, which is why I think this situation is quite dire.”
Miss Fiery Blossom turned around, gazing toward the distant basin, then cast a meaningful glance at Vilyric. “If this really is the stronghold of the Throne of Immortality, given the scale we’ve uncovered so far, there will likely be at least 1-2 Throne members inside, coupled with the beastman army that could arrive at any moment, Your Highness, we’re in for a tough battle.”