Chapter 296: As He Wishes
A lich, taking the blame for a war among deities?
Was there no justice left in the world, no logic at all?
Ambrose had absolutely no intention of becoming the scapegoat for this entire debacle.
Shara, however, said smugly, "You're quite skilled at twisting my words, but it's all meaningless. Not every god cares about reason. Believe me, I can spread this news to the entire pantheon in no time. If even one or two unreasonable gods decide to come after you..." She paused, then added with a hint of amusement, "When that happens, come find me. I wouldn't mind offering you some help, provided you're willing to pay the price."
"Thank you for your generosity, Lady," Ambrose replied calmly, "but let's focus on business. Are you really not offering anything better? If that's the case, I'll have to decline. These two domains won't be yours."
Shara hadn't expected him to remain so composed. She sneered, "Still trying to haggle? You truly are a gold-obsessed lich."
Ambrose answered evenly, "As you said, if a god truly wants a mortal dead, whether I struggle or not makes little difference. I might as well focus on what I can control."
He didn't take the threat seriously at all. He had already offended plenty of gods. If he were going to die, he'd be long dead by now.
As long as the gods didn't intervene directly, he wasn't afraid of anything else.
And if things really went south, he could always find that ancient ghoul elder Yugasi and bury himself in his tomb for five whole centuries. By the time he re-emerged, the divine war would be long over.
A lich who didn't court death could outlive most gods.
Seeing that intimidation wouldn't work, Shara changed her offer. "I can elevate her legendary boon into a divine spell, just like the illusion you obtained."
It was Ambrose's turn to be surprised. How did she know about the illusion he had received from the Lady of Mists? Gods were hardly omniscient!
Shara clearly enjoyed his reaction. "When you deceived those three goddesses and hid yourself, you must have done so using Leyla's True Illusion. I am older than most gods, and know far more than those young upstarts.
"I can enhance her boon," Shara continued. "Rest assured. It will not be under my control, but rather entirely hers. In the future, should she ascend, it may even become part of her divine domain."
Now that was a much better offer.
Leyla's True Illusion could deceive even divine perception, and was proof of how powerful such exclusive divine spells could be.
Black Rose's original boon was already terrifying: her Death Gaze could forcibly convert any living being within her perception into undead. It ignored resistance, armor, and magical barriers alike. Its only flaw was that it required sustained focus. Once her attention wavered, the effect would break.
Last time, James Watson had avoided it by turning himself into mist. In that state, he was no longer considered a living being. But that trick came at a cost: he couldn't cast spells while in gaseous form, and was left drifting helplessly. A strong gust of wind could scatter him entirely.
He had only survived because the battlefield had been too chaotic for Black Rose to finish him off.
If this ability could be strengthened further, she would become the absolute bane of all living things. Whomever she looked at would die.
Compared to that, the corruption and darkness domains were rather minor. Trading them for such a boon was more than acceptable.
Ambrose consulted briefly with Black Rose. She agreed: the deal aligned perfectly with her goal of destroying Lyon.
If the conversion speed improved, she might be able to kill the young emperor before the Draconic Armaments could even activate.
With her decision made, Ambrose stopped haggling and looked at Shara seriously. "You're not deceiving me, are you?"
"What do you think?"
"How about swearing it in Aion's name?"
"Lich, you go too far!"
......
After a lengthy argument, Shara ultimately relented and swore, in Aion's name, that she would not tamper with Black Rose or lay any traps for her.
That was enough for Ambrose. Unless Shara wanted to end up like the Spider Queen, she wouldn't dare break such an oath. Aion didn't care for loopholes, and any attempt at wordplay would be dangerous.
In the end, Shara chose the domain of corruption. The domain of darkness truly did hold no value for her.
The offering was made, and the ritual began.
Shara's massive head shattered into countless black runes, which flowed into Black Rose's body.
Despite being a lich, she let out a pained groan. The process, clearly, was far from pleasant.
It lasted for several hours. At last, the dark runes faded, and she opened her eyes.
They had turned rose-red, and even Ambrose felt a severe sense of pressure from her gaze.
"Did it work?" he asked.
She smiled and nodded. "It did. My boon has been strengthened."
"In what way? Does it activate more quickly now?" Ambrose asked.
That would have been the most obvious improvement. If she could instantly convert her targets into undead, entire cities could fall in moments.
But she shook her head. "Its speed has improved slightly, but not significantly. The real change is in targeting. I no longer need visual perception. A drop of blood or a strand of hair would be enough. Even across thousands of kilometers, my ability can still take effect."
Ambrose's jaw nearly dropped.
That was far more terrifying than a mere speed increase. If she obtained even a single hair from the Lyon emperor, she could kill him from afar.
Black Rose seemed to read his thoughts. "That's right. With just a hair, I can kill him even from where I sit."
"Incredible... truly incredible."
Ambrose was genuinely envious. Her legendary boon wasn't an ordinary curse. Once the transformation began, even holy magic couldn't reverse it, only delay it. The undead transformation was inevitable.
While he was still considering its applications, Black Rose suddenly embraced him tightly.
"Thank you," she said softly. "Without you, I could never have achieved my goal."
Ambrose was caught off guard. This was nothing like her usual cold, regal demeanor. The revelation about the Draconic Armaments must have shaken her deeply.
For a lich, believing one's lifelong obsession to be unattainable might well have been enough to disperse Black Rose's soul.
If Ambrose were told he could never become rich again, that he would remain poor forever, his soul might disperse in much the same way.
Come to think of it, they made quite the pair. He could help her destroy Lyon, and she could ensure he never lacked gold.
They made for a perfect duo.
Patting her back, he reassured her, "Don't worry. Lyon will fall, I promise. I'll investigate the Draconic Armaments. That old man James Watson should know something. Just wait for my news."
She held him for a long moment before letting go.
"Alright. I'll wait."
Ambrose was in high spirits. Another divine domain had been sold. Even if he hadn't profited directly, it was a long-term investment in a generous client.
Now, only the darkness domain remained. He needed to think carefully about how to price it.
Black Rose watched him leave. Once he passed beyond her perception, her expression returned to its usual cold nobility.
With a wave of her hand, she summoned Milena. "Go select another twenty drow beauties for your father—the best ones."
Milena tilted her head in confusion. "Mother, isn't that a bit strange? Why are you giving Father beautiful women?"
Black Rose replied casually, "Because he likes them. And anything he likes, I'll do everything I can to provide. Oh, and bring some gold as well. I think we have ten, maybe twenty, million gold in the treasury. Send it all to him."
The Umbral Depths were rich in gold, though most of it remained as raw ore. Minted coins were relatively scarce: they simply weren't needed. In hindsight, she thought, she should have refined it earlier just to give it all to him.
Milena didn't fully understand her parents' dynamic, but if her mother said so, it had to be right.
After Milena left to carry out the order, Black Rose took out her Necromantic Codex and sent a message to her confidante, Alabastra. [Black Rose: I think I'm finally starting to understand the sensation you told me about.]
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