Although at first the aim for this exploration was to find the Lich, somehow after getting the mission/Quest from T.A.S the objectives have changed to save as many Wisp of Spirit I can. Luckily, I don't really need to work hard to keep the Wisp safe, because for some unknown and mysterious reason whenever we find a Wisp, it would naturally fly to me and follow me around. As if I was some kind of magnet, the Wisp will always float around me and will not separate themselves away.
"With this many Wisp around…, we should just forget about going covert…". (Sasu)He grumbles as he pokes at the ball of harmless fire that hovers around him."Still, at least we don't have to worries about not wondering in the dark…with these hundreds of these little guys around it feels like we got a portable spotlight to illuminate our way…". (Alehandro)On the other side, Alehandro feels like he was some kid that just fascinated at theAs we walk further and further into the woods, along the way we have saved countless Wisp of Spirit that we encountered along the way. As well as saving the defenseless Wisp of Spirit that seemingly knowing their way towards me, we also have killed an uncountable amount of both undead monsters and the Seed of the Deep Ones.One thing that we certain for sure is that we are closing in on the Undead Lich and probably the Dynasty Altar. Because the numbers and the frequency of undead monsters that we encounter have been largely in numbers and often comes towards us. on the other hand, The Seed of the Deep Ones already almost got to the point of non-existence."Hold…Sasu go get the vantage points…I feel that we are getting closer to the Lich and the Dynasty Altar…".I stopped the track, as I realize that the ground surfaced has gotten more solids and flat as if it was regularly used to move around. In the glance of my sight I also se
"Can't we just get our own corpse bag?…I mean, why do we both have to use one?..". (Alehandro)"so that the chance's of us getting separated were lowered…also both of you were small, so it's better to use just one…or do you want to go around and hunt for another hour?…No right?..so shut up and just stay still in there…".The plan to enter the Tower was fairly simple and easy. It was simply being smuggled in by the undeads, after carefully observing the undead movements for about 2 hours or so, I have discovered that undead will be going out from the town to find a fresh corpse to be brought back, the corpse then will be brought directly to the tower doorstep, and then it would be revived by the Lich, just so the undeads numbers will continued to stabilize and maintained.The undeads was simply doesn't have any capability of intellect, it's only hunt and roaming around, even the Wraith, Zombies and Ghoul, which I con
"Psst..slowly..". As I've already the only one who's outside the carcass, I help Sasu and Alehandro opened up their hiding place. Both of them slowly crawl out from the Boar monster carcass and also kneel on the ground. The Undeads horde outside doesn't know where we were, because of thanks to the placing of the carcass we were hidden from the outside views.After we were ready to move, I looked at the tower, surprisingly the tower does not have an entrance door. The entrance was just opened up for anyone to enter without any resistance at all, seeing both of them ready to move, I take the lead and enter the tower.We all move in silence, the inside of the tower was very dark, but thanks to our night vision goggle, traversing what normally hard for normal people was easy for us. The ground floor of the tower has nothing, it was just an empty floor, devoid of any objects, no moss, no debris, nothing. Seeing there's no resistance to us, I continued le
Our discreet ascend the tower continues slowly after getting passed the 2ndfloor which we named a freezer, the next floor which is the 3rd
“...ohh~ well, for a Lich you definitely does not match the usual descriptions of the Overlord of Death…”.For certain the Lich before me was different from what I expected. It is much more appropiate to called him a well mannered uncle rather than an Overlord of Death.
Hearing there’s a nations openly against the Church Of Light and won against them in a war, was shocking to the Lich, He who once that had the experience of how dirty and powerful the Church Of Light was astound to hear such amazing thing took place outside from his little forest.The Lich were actually a survivor of the Black Keep Empire, once he served as one of the royal butler
"{That ring….how?…is it alive?…It can't be right?…}". (Lich)Baffled and shock at the appearance of the ring on my finger, the Lich was unable to look away, he looked at me and the ring as if salvation was here. But still, in his head, he tried to reason with his emotions, part of him hoping that the ring was fake and part of him wanting the ring to be authentic."{Of course it's active…because only Kaiser can make it alive…}". Seeing him in contemplations, I decide just to activate the ring. Although I can't infuse mana on it, since the ring has been recharged a few times it can be easily activated, the ring if it was activated it will glow with a golden color enlightening its insignia, when the ring was activated, it only functions as spatial dimensional storage and give a little bit of strength buff."{Dear god…Pure high human…}..". (Lich)Seeing me activated the ring c
".…..Wait What??..". (Alehandro & Sasu)Hearing the Lich request that the wishes to served me, made not only the 2 of them shock but me as well. From hearing he said that his family has long served the Sai Clan and looking at his determination, it was understandable. But honestly, it was a bit shocking now that he offered me his servitude."Why would you want to serve me?…you're a Lich, even on your own, you are already a powerful figure in this world…".I asked him because I was a little bit warry about his stance, I don't really care about his Lich status but, still, his identity might bring a little bit of trouble."I might be a Lich, bur before a Lich I am a butler, a butler needs to serve his lard in order to be a complete butler….Also, I am a Monticello, no matter how long, no matter what…a Monticello rightful place is by the side of Sai Clan...I am the last of my family, this is the pride of Mo
The project would take time—perhaps years—but its impact would begin in weeks.“Once the roads are in place,” Merrica said, entering her chamber with a report in hand, “we’ll be able to move goods faster, respond to crises quicker, and prepare for the second phase: economic zone development.”Helen took the report with a tired, but satisfied smile. “This… this they will see. This they will believe.”“And when they do,” Merrica said, “they’ll follow.”Late that night, as the wind howled against the palace windows, Helen stood in her private study, gazing out at the flickering torches lining the city streets. In her hand was a smooth, curved stone from the first road pile—just a plain stone, but to her, it was the beginning of a foundation.Her fingers closed around it as she whispered to herself, “Let this road lead us to a better kingdom.” And with that, the first steps into a new Hallerus had begun.The throne room had seen war plans, council betrayals, and royal declarations. But on
The ministers eagerly pointed out their favorite places from their student years.“Over there—that café served synthetic ice cream you have to try.”“That’s the district where I first saw a holographic opera.”“This is where I spent hours in the central library—eight floors of pure knowledge.”Helen listened with quiet amusement and growing wonder. These weren’t just stories. This was the future.They stopped first at a shopping promenade, where modern boutiques lined the plaza. Aeternum fashion—streamlined, elegant, tailored for form and comfort—was on full display.Helen tried on a pale blue dress lined with iridescent threads that shifted color slightly under different lighting. She admired herself in the mirror. Regal, yet free. She hadn’t felt this light in years.Merrica chuckled as she twirled slightly. “Careful. You’ll make the palace tailors obsolete.”Next came the Aeternum cuisine district. The aroma of spices, imported meats, baked delicacies and exotic fruit blends filled
Meerkat sipped from his flask; eyes gleaming. “Monster cores alone could offset our collective energy reliance on Aeternum’s hybrid reactors. If those dungeons are stabilized and regulated under UNA protocols, we’re looking at a resource boom.”Angela arched an eyebrow. “All that assumes stability. A kingdom can’t regulate dungeons if they can’t regulate their own court.”“Well,” Meerkat said with a shrug, “that’s what Merrica’s for, isn’t it?”They all laughed lightly—because it was true. The man’s reputation preceded him. Hallerus may have signed with a queen, but Merrica had built the bridge.Kaneda leaned forward. “It’s risky, but it’s a calculated risk. We’re not signing blind loyalty here. We’re watching. Evaluating. But make no mistake—if this works, Hallerus becomes the keystone of continental connectivity.”Redwall drummed his fingers on his knee. “I suppose that’s why we’re here. Not to clap at the signing. But to see if the queen is truly changed.”“She is,” Angela said qui
“And now, a major announcement: With the signing complete, Hallerus Kingdom is formally inducted into the United Nation Alliance as its thirty-first member. This marks a turning point—not only for Hallerus, but for the entire Central Continent.”“The UNA, now composed of thirty-one sovereign nations, officially becomes the largest unified alliance in the world’s history—its reach, economic power, and strategic cooperation unmatched by any prior coalition.”“Following this event, Aeternum has confirmed it will begin a nationwide rollout of its Super Stores, factories, and humanitarian infrastructure in Hallerus territory. In exchange, Hallerus will provide critical resources and cultural integration into the alliance structure.”“Public reaction is already beginning to surface—here in New City, spontaneous celebrations have begun in the multicultural districts where former Hallerians live. Meanwhile, markets across the UNA are surging in response to the stability this alliance signifie
“I don’t forget betrayal easily,” I said. “And Aeternum doesn’t forget pain lightly. What happened between us—it scarred people. People who trusted Hallerus. Soldiers who bled for your freedom. Civilians who saw us pulled out overnight.”“I know,” Helen said. “And I accept the cost.”“But,” I said, letting the word hang before softening my tone, “I do respect accountability.”Her eyes met mine. “Then we start again?”“We do,” I said, extending a hand.She took it. Her grip was firm.“We bury the hatchet,” I added. “But let’s be clear—this is not a return to old friendship. This is a new foundation. One built on lessons learned.”Helen nodded. “Agreed.”Merrica exhaled, satisfied. “It’s what both sides need.”I looked at Helen, voice calm. “You have a second chance now. Few leaders get that. Don’t waste it.”She nodded again, quietly this time. “I won’t.”“Good,” I said. “Because your people need you more than ever. Rule wisely. Rule well. Let this alliance be your legacy.”For the fir
“We’ll export more to Hallerus—especially food. You’ll need it. In return, we’ll import more raw ore and minerals. Your mining sector’s still decent, right?”“It is.”“Then let’s grow that. More volume, more jobs, more imports on both sides.”He beamed. “Thank you, my friend.”I smiled back. “You’ll find I don’t just use the whip.”“A carrot, then?”“Always. A balanced hand is how you keep control. Too much punishment, and you push people away. Too much reward, and they forget who they owe.”Merrica nodded slowly. “You’ve become a real ruler.”I stood, offering my hand again. “I became what this world needed.”He shook it. “And I’ll make sure Hallerus becomes what Aeternum can trust.”We stood in silence for a moment longer. The sound of cheering still floated in faintly from the streets below. Somewhere out there, Queen Helen was being paraded through New City—through a modern marvel built from vision and precision. Through a world she couldn’t have imagined a year ago.And now, she’
“They’re… happy to see us?” she asked, disbelief in her voice.Duke Merrica gave her a half-smile. “Some of them, yes. The others are watching. Judging. As they should.”One young woman in the crowd, her hair wrapped in Aeternum’s signature style, waved a small Hallerus flag and called out, “Welcome back! My family’s from Archenport—we’re with you!”Helen felt a warmth rise in her chest. Her lips curled, hesitant, but sincere. She lifted a gloved hand and waved back.Her ministers behind her smiled with relief. The people hadn’t forgotten them. Or maybe… maybe Aeternum’s citizens were willing to forgive, even if their leaders were not.Still, with each new marvel the city revealed, her pride took another small wound.Digital traffic signs shifted in real-time. Elevated walkways moved gently above the streets. Tall towers bore solar glass and climate control systems beyond her comprehension. Everything was clean. Efficient. Vibrant.Hallerus, by contrast, was still struggling to clear
“But that’s not all,” he said. “We’re not just building stores. We’re buying land.”Elijah’s eyes narrowed. “Land?”Andrea arched a brow. “Personal Aeternum-controlled territory?”“Exactly,” Mies said. “We’ll negotiate the purchase and designation of sovereign Aeternum land within Hallerus. Locations where we will build permanent structures—embassies, farms, factories. Property they can’t touch. Not legally. Not politically.”Andrea crossed her arms. “You want to turn this alliance into territorial leverage.”“I want security,” Mies said. “We trusted them once. And they betrayed us. This time, we own the pieces on the board. If they want access to food and prosperity, they give us something real in return. Soil.”Elijah nodded. “No oversight from their monarchy. No interference. Full extraterritorial jurisdiction.”Mies smiled. “Exactly. We build an Aeternum that lives inside their walls. One they can’t tear down without declaring war.”Andrea added, “And when we build those farms and
“We’re proud Aeternians now,” said one local organizer. “But we remember where we came from. If we can help fix the old home while serving the new one, why not?”In university lecture halls, students debated passionately.“Strategically, re-integrating Hallerus into Aeternum’s economic sphere is a no-brainer,” one economics major argued. “We’ll be able to shape their policies from within.”“But trust is a currency too,” another replied. “If we spend it on the wrong partner again, we might pay more than we think.”In a small park in the east district, a group of Aeternum veterans sat on a bench, medals on their coats, eyes on the screens showing news footage of Andrea’s visit.“You remember that street?” one said, pointing.“I remember clearing it house by house,” another replied. “They cheered us one day. Chased us out the next.”The youngest of them, silent until now, finally spoke.“We gave them peace once. Maybe it’s time to give them a future.”Silence followed. No one disagreed.