This Lich Requests More Remuneration

Amberser had witnessed countless joys and sorrows, reunions and departures over the centuries, often so overwhelming that it left him gasping for air. But that was no excuse for forgetting.

The Lord of the Dawn fell silent for a moment, then said with a sigh, "Your soul is filled with ancient shackles, and it’s already remarkable that you’ve managed to stay sane. In this respect, you are very much like Arthur. I once issued three invitations to him to join my Divine Realm, but he refused them all. Each time he faced a desperate situation, I extended my hand to guide him forward, but each time he chose to stay in the past."

The first time, when Arthur Laine rose in rebellion as a hero set to save the world, the Lord of the Dawn had already decided to allow Arthur into His Divine Realm. But Arthur refused, instead betting his own fate in hopes that the Lord of the Dawn and the Dragon Pantheon would no longer influence the battles of the Mortal Realm.

The second time, Arthur Laine’s soul was tainted by the Dragon Blood Curse. The Lord of the Dawn invited him again, even willing to lose that bet, hoping that Arthur could enter the Bliss Realm—even at the cost of the Laine Empire’s decline. Clearly, Arthur Laine once again refused the invitation of the Lord of the Dawn and annihilated himself in extreme pain after taking down the resurrected Magic Dragon with a final pact.

Thɪs chapter is updated by No(ᴠ)ᴇlFire.nᴇt

The third time, Arthur Laine’s Heroic Spirit ascended to divinity through Kalsass’s Deification Technique, and the doors of the Bliss Realm were already open to him. However, Arthur Laine’s Heroic Spirit, no different from the man himself, didn’t hesitate to forsake his future. He used all his power to slay the reborn Magic Dragon, and once again, he perished.

Each time, Arthur Laine stayed in the past, trading his life for the future of others.

Although Amberser didn’t know the details, he could guess the general idea and humbly said, "That’s too high praise for someone like me. I’m just clinging to life; I’m nothing compared to Arthur."

Amberser spoke modestly, then shifted the conversation to something else.