Chapter 173 - Warlock's Staff (Part 2)

Faustina blinked, seeing the corpse standing on its two feet. Its eyes were hollow and empty, and it didn't have any sign of distinction unlike the undead princess, undead prince, and the queen—who still managed to retain their appearance.

This corpse… was charred—all black like coal, and had nothing on. 

"Where is the maid?"

The maid was gone, but that doesn't mean that it won't attack. The corpse walked forward. And despite the corpse being several meters away from Faustina, she could still smell its foul smell. The scent was as putrid as can be, even way worse than anything she had caught a whiff of. 

"This is good." Says one of the nobles. Faustina believes her name was Violet, the one who ranks fifth from the race. 

"If the corpse had no clothes, we can easily track the weak spot."

That's right. Their job was to track the weak spot and possibly destroy it while Claire and the other two are fighting the undead king. Faustina turned to the three—they were conjuring large scales of magical attacks, but the corpse—even at its feeble appearance—was easily evading the attacks.

"But isn't the weak spot supposed to be the undead king's heart?"

The undead king's heart wasn't there. There was a hole in his chest, and in that hole, they could see the other end of the place. 

"Let's go!"

The nobles then charged towards the undead king and surrounded him. Faustina trailed behind, looking observantly to the undead king's body. There was no sign of insignia from their distance, so they had to get close to the corpse to observe properly.

Although Faustina knew they were in a dire situation, she couldn't take her mind from the song the undead maid had sung. 

She felt that it bore a meaning… but she still couldn't tell what was it.

"Terram!"

"Ventus exacuare vade!"

The three were still attacking the corpse, making it focus only on them. This had given the nobles the opportunity to view the undead king up-close. But there was nothing else but its charred body. No mark whatsoever.

"You."

Faustina blinked—that voice. 

The maid's voice.

"You are special."

"D-did you guys hear that?" Faustina asked.

"Hear what?... We ought to back away, come on!"

Faustina and the nobles drew away from the undead king. Faustina looked into her left and right, finding the source of the voice. The voice wasn't speaking their language, but Faustina could still understand her, nonetheless.

"Why are you in a place where you do not belong?" 

Faustina's eyes widened as she turned to her side where the voice had materialized.

The undead maid was beside her.

And she was now a corpse, as well.

"FAUSTINA!" Anakin and Leviticus called her name in chorus as the both of them rushed towards her. 

And then, time stopped.

At least, for Faustina.

"Rest, my love, rest. I will take care of your heart and hide it in my treasure chest. Do not fret, my love… your heart is safe. Just believe in me, as I believe in fate."

"Rest, warlock king, for time had stopped. Your frozen heart is already beside my snow-clad corpse. I am here, my love, to treasure your heart. My death is nothing but the beginning of our love."

"Rest your soul, and do not wake. Warlock king, my love, only close your eyes. Your wrath does not belong in this accursed land. Fall into a deep slumber and pay no heed. I will treasure your heart for all eternity."

Faustina glanced at the undead maid's chest.

And without thinking, Faustina reached her hand onto her rotten flesh.

Light emanated from Faustina's palms, the same way the marionette in Feuer capital had illuminated the sewers. The undead maid only stared at Faustina. There was no hint of remorse or anything wicked in her face despite her terrifying appearance.

She only looked… at peace.

"You are special."

Faustina blinked as the sees two hears merged and were enclosed into a piece of jewel-like ice.

"You, who hold a warlock's staff…" The undead maid closed her eyes. "Belongs to a different place."

Faustina blinked as the light engulfed the entirety of the space. The undead maid and the undead king vanished into thin air. Their remains—which became a hoard of dark butterflies—merged into one as they vanished into the light.

Faustina fell to her knees as she held her staff.

"W-we…"

"We defeated… we defeated the undead king!!!!!!"

"We won!"

"WE PASSED THE EXAM!!!"

Rejoice.

She had to rejoice.

But Faustina knew she was the only one who understood the undead maid's words. She would be the only one who wouldn't be able to celebrate with her heart's content.

Warlock staff…

She has a warlock's staff?

Faustina's fingers trembled as she loosened her grip to the wood of her magic medium. 

--

From a distance, Leviticus stared at Faustina, who had now stood up. She looked deep in thought, and she was the only one who didn't look ecstatic with the results. Leviticus turned to Anakin and Claire, who were still anxious. If he recalls correctly, these two were aiming to be in Ianua I. 

Leviticus glanced upwards. The entirety of the space was set alight.

Faustina… she used her hand to destroy the undead maid's heart. Leviticus couldn't believe what he had seen, but everyone bore witness to what Faustina did. She used her bare palms to conjure magic… or was he imagining it?

Only royals could do something like that.

But then again, she's the daughter of a duke which is the branching family of the royals in Feuersturm, the Feuerkriegers.

Unless she is the result of an affair, there was no way she could use magic without using a magical medium.

Leviticus narrowed his eyes.

He ought to observe her closely.

Faustina Feuerlon.

**

Meanwhile, in the midst of the darkness of a certain mansion where the half-moon served as the only light…

"She passed."

"That's great. As expected of her. No wonder she was spared by father."

"I guess we shouldn't underestimate her too much."

"We also need to report the results to father."

"He would like this." A chuckle. "That girl… attending HIS and HER alma mater."

"SHE would like it as well." Red eyes narrowed. "SHE raised her, after all."

"But is the spell completed for HER wake?"

"No," a smile. "Not yet."