Chapter 339
Chapter 339: Want to Learn?
Upon hearing Auréliane's introduction, everyone couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
There were more experts?
It seemed the Empire had taken this princess's diplomatic mission very seriously, protecting her thoroughly from the inside out.
Not only did this Council Member Clavena accompany her personally, he had even brought along an entire Knight company.
The Kant Kingdom had no Knights of its own.
As for the reason—everyone present understood it perfectly well.
The Kingdom worshipped strength and pursued endless self-advancement.
To them, honor, morality, and justice were nothing more than empty notions.
What they pursued was making themselves stronger, their bodies more resilient.
Becoming a Knight, however, required belief in one's own justice and virtue.
And naturally, no warrior of the Kingdom had the leisure to devote themselves to something so meaningless.
A big enough fist—that was all the reason anyone needed.
So the Kingdom had never developed the Knight tradition.
That said, what they said was one thing; the strength of Imperial Knights was something they greatly respected.
To have become nobles and lords in the Kingdom, these men certainly hadn't gotten there on muscle alone.
And so, when they saw Gwen and heard the Imperial princess's introduction, they couldn't help but feel their hands itching for a fight.
When you see someone strong, you should dare to challenge them.
That was what they said—but they certainly hadn't reacted that way when they saw Viktor.
For one thing, Viktor was a Mage, and moreover one of the twelve Council Members of the Mage Council, a top-tier international organization.
Of course they would show him every courtesy.
And there was another, very important consideration.
To have become lords, their heads weren't filled with nothing but muscle.
They still understood the difference between "difficult to beat" and "impossible to beat."
The Battle of the Padalenbu Sea—Viktor's nuclear-warhead-level combat power had made the entire world take notice.
So Mages could be played like that?
These Kingdom warriors couldn't exactly claim they were tougher and harder-hitting than those earth-shaking Magical Creatures.
Besides, one only needed to look at the comparison.
So many warriors in the Kingdom.
And yet the strongest 5-star Duke was a Mage.
So Kingdom warriors generally held Mages in an inexplicable kind of respect.
As for Gwen—this Knight from the Empire—that was a different matter entirely.
When they sensed Gwen's powerful, ice-cold aura, these noble lords couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement rising in their hearts—
Challenge.
Of course, most of those present eventually cooled down.
Their strength had already declined somewhat from their younger years.
Their muscles were no longer as powerful as before, and their bones had grown more loosened and fragile compared to their youth.
Even the old injuries they'd accumulated over the years would flare up from time to time.
It was well known that the older a warrior grew, the steeper the decline in their strength.
Even if they genuinely beat Gwen, it would only prove their seniority gave them a slight edge.
If they lost, however—now that would be a truly spectacular humiliation.
But Hilda was different.
This young 3rd-Tier female warrior had been staring at Gwen ever since she appeared.
Because Gwen was close to her in age, and even in gender.
And so Hilda couldn't help but compare herself to Gwen.
After hearing Auréliane's introduction, she almost acted on impulse without thinking it through—wanting to spar with this Grand Knight.
But at that moment, the Imperial diplomats noticed the mood and blurted out:
"Oh, right—our Empire's Grand Knight Gwen actually has a bit of a connection to Count Viktor."
"Indeed—the two of them are engaged to be married."
"Even Grand Knight Gwen's equipment was personally prepared by Count Viktor."
"Hahahahaha, they really are a perfect match."
As those few words fell, the mood around them stiffened immediately, as if silence had swept over everything. Only the wind blew gently past, lifting a curl of sand and dust.
Even Hilda reined in that urge to compete.
Then the diplomats' laughter cut off abruptly.
For reasons they couldn't quite explain, the princess had seemed to glance their way just now.
That cold look had sent a chill through them, right down to the marrow.
And by the time they came back to their senses, that moment felt like an illusion.
Auréliane spoke with a smile:
"Indeed—I forgot to mention that just now."
"My Master Gwen is also Master Viktor's fiancée."
Seeing the mood, Auguste gently smiled along:
"I see."
"No wonder Grand Knight Gwen and Mr. Viktor carry such a similar air about them."
A similar air? Did he mean they both had stone-faces?
The others, hearing Auguste's words, couldn't help but quietly study Gwen and Viktor's expressions.
At that moment, Grand Duke Balo at the very front of the group brought his walking cane down heavily against the ground.
Thud!
That crisp sound reverberated endlessly through the space, sending a ripple through the hearts of the assembled nobles.
Everyone turned toward the source of the sound.
Before Grand Duke Balo, a deep, murky black-green aura had begun to rise.
A hazy mist began to spread, gradually surrounding the Grand Duke.
A single large point of deep-green light began to sway and flicker.
The point of light started to expand continuously; its murky green edges pushed outward, and the pitch-black opening at its center grew immense.
The deep opening began to tremble—as though something was about to emerge from the tunnel within.
Under the shocked gazes of everyone present, Grand Duke Balo turned back and addressed Auguste:
"It is getting late, Your Majesty."
"I should return for rest."
Auguste smiled and nodded.
Grand Duke Balo always kept an early bedtime; once his appointed hour arrived, not even a king could make him stay.
Everyone present—noble lords and the reigning King Auguste alike—knew this perfectly well.
And yet today, because of the Imperial princess's visit to the academy, the Grand Duke's usual hour had long since passed.
Still, he had remained this entire time.
Truthfully, that alone had already shown them considerable face.
After all, Grand Duke Balo hadn't even needed to attend this diplomatic gathering.
Auguste was more than satisfied. He smiled and turned to Auréliane:
"Then, we shall take our leave as well."
"Until tomorrow, Your Highness."
Auréliane smiled and nodded in return.
And the very next second—
From deep within that awe-inspiring black-green opening,
Countless skeletal warhorses wreathed in black-green flames came charging out.
Around the neck of each warhorse hung a long, drifting thin rein.
Even between the ribs of these warhorses, ghostly black-green flames burned.
The flames spilled from their hollow eye sockets, revealing themselves to all as the horses let out low, rumbling cries.
Their manes danced within the flames, and their tails flickered like torches of black-green fire.
The night sky around them seemed to be set alight by those eerie green flames, growing bright in the most unsettling of ways.
Following close behind was a large and sturdy Carriage.
Drawn by 12 skeletal warhorses, it was built from deep-brown, finely crafted timber. A lantern with a swaying green flame sat at its peak, large enough to seat more than 10 people.
Cold green fire burned along both sides of the Carriage as well, carrying an air of restrained menace.
Bleached white bones had been intricately set into the edges of the Carriage, lending it a grim and imposing presence.
The diplomats stared slack-jawed at the skeletal horses and that flame-wreathed Carriage, their hearts thoroughly shaken.
This stylish?
So this was the legendary Necromancer?
The Knights, too, were stunned by the scene before them—as though something had crawled straight up from Hell.
Good heavens!
These Knights had encountered all manner of horses throughout their lives, but they had never once seen warhorses this magnificent in skeletal form.
If you rode one of these even once, wouldn't it shave years off your life?
Even the Kingdom's noble lords couldn't help but marvel at what unfolded before them.
No matter how many times they witnessed it, Grand Duke Balo's undead magic never failed to deliver absolute awe.
The power of a Mage truly was something extraordinary.
The nobles marveled inwardly with particular feeling.
Since they had no chance of ever reaching such heights themselves, they turned to imagining.
How wonderful would it be if their own children could become Mages.
Just then, the Carriage came to a stop in front of the 12 diplomats. And the great many skeletal warhorses moved toward the Knight company and Demi-human guards, lowering themselves voluntarily.
Whether diplomat or Knight, everyone gazed at the skeletal horses—their flames slowly dimming—with nothing short of wonder.
And at that moment, one skeletal warhorse larger than all the rest walked calmly to stand before Gwen.
Gwen looked at Viktor, as if seeking his opinion.
When she saw him nod, Gwen didn't say a word—she swung herself up into the saddle.
In an instant, a surge of black-green flame enveloped her from the feet up, rising swiftly until it swallowed Gwen's form entirely.
When the flames steadied and Gwen appeared again, black-green fire burned across her entire body—just like the warhorses. Even her eyes blazed, as though she had become an undead Knight herself.
Seeing this, the other Knights grew excited and mounted up one after another.
In a single moment, wave after wave of black-green flame surged across the ground, weaving among all the Knights and Demi-human guards.
A mass of undead warriors, every one of them wreathed in ghostly green flame, appeared upon the earth like spectres.
Though the Demi-humans' frames differed from humans, within the flames their silhouettes carried a strange and savage might.
Beneath the fire, the fur of their tails seemed to have burned away, revealing some unique tail bones and beast-like skeletal features beneath.
The undead horse formation let out a sudden whinny, sending a thunderous cry rolling across the earth.
Auréliane looked around at the Knights and Demi-human guards now transformed into an undead army. Envious as she was, she couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.
Where was her horse? Where was her horse?
At that moment, a more luxurious white-bone Carriage rolled slowly out from the black-green tunnel and came to a stop before her.
This Carriage was fitted with several delicately shaped arm bones, and its cabin was notably more spacious.
From a corner of the cabin hung a rope of green flame, from which dangled an iron cage.
Inside was an owl, its eyes burning with ghostly green fire.
Just as Auréliane was examining the Carriage, Grand Duke Balo had already come to stand beside her. He spoke calmly:
"You and Viktor—ride in my Carriage."
Auréliane startled slightly, then hurried to reply:
"Yes, of course…"
***
The Carriage convoy, ablaze with ghostly green fire, rolled steadily onward, the muffled sound of skeletal wheel-rims striking the road marking each step.
The surroundings seemed sealed in mist; the convoy appeared to trudge through thick fog, the world reduced to a single, still and colorless tone.
The silent skeletal horses bore their Knights and Demi-human riders, following in the wake of the great skeletal warhorse that carried Gwen.
Jade-green smoke poured continuously from between the roads.
Wherever the green mist reached, the Carriages and skeletal horses seemed to gain some mysterious power—able to ignore all obstacles, moving straight through as if they weren't there.
Auréliane sat inside the magnificent Carriage. Her gaze passed through the window, drawn to the eerie green outside, and she murmured softly in wonder:
"How is this even possible?"
Grand Duke Balo sat across from her and offered a calm explanation: "At this moment, we are traveling between the 'Realm of the Dead' and the 'Realm of the Living.' Ordinary people cannot see us, and we cannot see them."
"This technique can only be mastered by a Necromancer."
Auréliane turned back, a trace of surprise on her face.
She had only meant to casually ask Master Viktor beside her—she hadn't expected Grand Duke Balo to answer her himself.
The Grand Duke raised his head slowly. His slightly clouded eyes rested on Auréliane, his tone even:
"Remaining constantly on guard and alert will exhaust you without fail."
"But this is something you must go through—and something you need to learn."
"However, in here, you may relax a little."
Auréliane gently rolled her neck, her thoughts drifting briefly.
Indeed—in this diplomatic exchange between nations, the prolonged performance had worn her out completely.
She felt as though every smile had taken a particular effort.
Hearing the Grand Duke's words, a warmth passed through her eyes, and a genuine smile tugged at the corner of her mouth:
"I do feel much better now."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
At those words, Grand Duke Balo's body stiffened—barely perceptibly, for just a moment.
Auréliane didn't catch it.
Grand Duke Balo simply steadied his hands on his walking cane in calm silence.
Then, suddenly, he spoke:
"Want to learn?"
Auréliane blinked, puzzled.
Grand Duke Balo slowly turned his head toward the jade-green outside the window. His voice was faintly deep:
"My Necromancer magic."
"If you wish, I can teach it to you."