Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Rivers of Blood (Part 2)
The current state of the elf girl mirrored the situation of all adventurers present.
A few minutes ago, when the skeletal soldiers appeared in the hall, it wasn't just the royals and nobles who were shocked but also the adventurers who had infiltrated the venue in plain clothes, following the Crown Princess's battle plan.
According to the plan Princess Yuffie had told them, they were to reveal their true identities and catch the rebels from the Five Flowers Alliance off guard as soon as they rushed in.
Afterwards, the knight-ordered troops, lying in ambush by the Crown Princess, would also appear, striking from both sides to quell the long-planned coup thoroughly, while also taking the opportunity to eliminate the corrupt nobles of the Five Flowers Alliance.
However, many adventurers, from their initial bewilderment at the skeletal soldiers to their current fear of these unknown monsters, found themselves in a state of panic.
"What's going on, this... this isn't what Princess Yuffie promised!?"
"What are these skeletons!!"
"They're with the Five Flowers Alliance! F@ck! how can they control such monsters!!"
"Where's the knight order? The knight order that's supposed to coordinate with us from inside and out!!"
"Idiots, didn't you see the blood on those skeletons? They're dead, all dead already!"
"How does the Five Flowers Alliance have such an ace up their sleeve, damn it! It's impossible to win, those monsters can't be killed, they simply can't be killed!!"
Now, the grand hall was filled with the fluctuations of spells and martial skills.
Finally, there were signs of resistance and combat.
These came from the adventurers of the Crown Princess's camp, but their level was not high. Facing the skeletal warriors and the thugs of the Five Flowers Alliance, they were almost in constant retreat, suffering heavy casualties.
This made Vielsia, who still hadn't grasped the situation and was somewhat confused, very anxious.
Her anxious question to Reji at the beginning was just to express one thought.
"Vielsia, you want to save them, right?" Reji asked calmly.
Reji's "them" referred not only to the adventurers.
But also to those royals and nobles.
And the elven princess did not hesitate.
"Teacher? What are you talking about, of course! These are all lives! How can we not save them when they're in danger!"
Vielsia had yet to act, mainly because she was worried about Reji.
With Reji's strength, one or two skeletal soldiers definitely wouldn't be a problem, but looking around, there were at least thirty to forty skeletal soldiers. Moreover, from the wide-open entrance of the hall, more undead creatures were continuously pouring in.
This was the reason for Vielsia's extreme anxiety.
At this rate, everyone would die.
"All of us here will die."
"If you want to save them, go ahead. Don't worry about me; I'll take care of myself."
Reji shook his head.
He didn't stop Vielsia.
Instead, it seemed like he was even supporting her.
Under normal circumstances, Vielsia would have noticed something was off with Reji. Even now, she could vaguely feel that Reji had become a stranger.
But with her urgent desire to save lives, unable to bear seeing the massacre, she didn't dwell on it. After instructing Reji to be careful, she directly launched her magic and charged into the area with the most skeletal soldiers, to rescue the royals and nobles.
Reji sighed slightly at this scene.
But it was also expected.
Elves often have a bit of a savior complex.
This was evident from before when they sealed the demons but chose to preserve them.
Reji couldn't control other elves.
But as Vielsia was his companion and nominally his student, Reji hoped she could grow. Previously, he had wanted to change her gradually, but now, taking advantage of this opportunity, Reji changed his mind.Perhaps this could be a good chance to change Vielsia.
But as Vielsia was his companion and nominally his student, Reji hoped she could grow. Previously, he had wanted to change her gradually, but now, taking advantage of this opportunity, Reji changed his mind.
Perhaps this could be a good chance to change Vielsia.
Of course, he had another reason for purposely sending Vielsia away.
Now, a skeleton that had wanted to approach Reji for a long time but had been hindered by the elf's presence finally managed to hurriedly make its way to Reji.
Actually, describing her as a "skeleton" wasn't quite accurate.
Although she was a skeletal frame, as a female skeleton dressed in a black and white maid's uniform, if you didn't look directly at her face, at first glance, anyone would think she was just an ordinary maid at the venue.
But in reality, anyone with a bit of understanding of the undead would flee for their lives upon seeing a female skeleton, not daring to take a second look.
Because there's only one female skeleton.
At the very top of the undead hierarchya Lich.
This was the Lich that had been summoned at the Count's manor before, and Reji remembered her. The maid's uniform she wore was something he had picked out on a whim for theLich.
This was the Lich that had been summoned at the Count's manor before, and Reji remembered her. The maid's uniform she wore was something he had picked out on a whim for the
Lich
.
The appearance of the Lich meant that Leo's side had also entered the fray.
Looking at the Lich's terrified and cautious demeanor, she probably didn't expect to find herself here. So, upon realizing this, she likely set aside Leo's orders and hurried over to see Reji at the first opportunity.
Reji waved his hand.
He signaled the Lich to rise, indicating she didn't need to bow to him and that she should continue executing Leo's plan without worrying about him.
After understanding Reji's clear intentions, the Lich maid seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
With a somewhat human gesture, she clasped her hands in front of her and deeply bowed to Reji again, preparing to leave and not disturb the king when...
"Kill them!"
A somewhat abrupt and dramatic shout for attack rose.
Both Reji and the Lich looked toward the source of the sound, which was none other than the thugs from the Five Flowers Alliance who had been eager to kill Reji for the "bounty."
Reji didn't even need to do anything.
Angry nether flames ignited in the eye sockets of the Lich maid instantly.
She raised a hand, her slender bone fingers shimmering with terrifying necromantic power. A skull scepter was summoned, and the pitiful wails of tortured souls formed a psychic assault that swept over the Five Flowers Alliance thugs charging at Reji in an instant.
The Lich maid, who had been so careful and fearful of making any mistake in front of Reji, now seemed like the most terrifying monster in the world to those thugs.
Their flesh was nearly instantly drained by necromantic magic, and they hadn't even stopped running before they turned into skeletons mid-stride.
[Life Conversion]
[Fifth-tier necromancy spell.]
[Inflicts certain damage to enemy units, and if it kills the target, turns the target into a skeleton.]
It seemed the Lich intended to use this newly summoned group of skeletons to protect herself.
But Reji shook his head.
There was no need.
The Lich then backed off and shifted her attention entirely. She opened her mouth, emitting an inaudible ultrasonic wave that rapidly spread.
Subsequently, the skeletal soldiers who had been following the orders of the Five Flowers Alliance thugs and fighting alongside them paused in their movements.
Before the thugs could react with surprise, the next moment, what were once "comrades" in the skeletal soldiers, their nether fires in their eye sockets flickering rapidly, turned their bone blades without hesitation and stabbed towards these thugs.
"Sh Ah!"
"Damn it! What are you doing? Have you gone mad? The enemy is them, not me.
Ahhhh!"
"They've lost control! They've lost control!!"
"Wait, wait, don't... aghaaa."
"Forget about the royals! Quick! Kill these damned skeletons!"
"What's happening? The number of skeletons isn't right! How... how can there be so many!"
The situation, which had been one-sided just a moment ago, under the influence of the Lich, instantly turned into an even more gruesome slaughter.
It was then that the thugs from the Five Flowers Alliance realized something was amiss.
Lady Lisa could only summon up to thirty or so skeletons through blood sacrifice at most.
But looking at the situation now, there were at least fifty to sixty, and more kept joining.
Indeed, under the Lich's [Life Conversion], the corpses of the dead became new skeletal soldiers.
When the skeletons were on their side, they killed with gusto, not noticing the increase. It was only when the skeletons "lost control" that they realized something was wrong.
In a way, they were lucky.
Had the Lich not been delayed by discovering Reji, she would have taken control of all of the Five Flowers Alliance's skeletons right from the start, conducting indiscriminate slaughter.
This was the task Leo had given her.
When the skeletal soldiers began to view the Five Flowers Alliance as targets as well, the adventurers breathed a sigh of relief, and another person coincidentally benefited.
"Don't kill me, I'm under Lady Lisa, I'm your master!"
The thugs previously watching over Sophia, now had no time to care about the little princess as they fled and fought against the skeletons attacking them.
Taking advantage of this chaos, Sophia actually managed to break free from the clutches of the Five Flowers Alliance thugs.
The terrified Sophia had only one thought now.
Forget being a princess.
Forget the coup.
Forget having children with the Imperial Envoy.
Survive! I must survive!
Thus, in the midst of the chaotic venue, the frantically fleeing Sophia was once again favored by "Lady Luck," noticing a spot that seemed extremely safe, completely devoid of the undead.
Quick!
Head there!
Sophia ran helter-skelter, not minding the food and soup that splashed onto her beautiful dress as she knocked over banquet tables and chairs.
The little princess used all her strength, sprinting towards that "safe spot."
And there... Was Reji, sitting quietly in the corner.