Chapter 44: Invitation from a Noble Organization

Sandru pointed at Asa and said to the guest, "This guy has been into going out and messing around at night recently."

"It's natural for a young man" the guest nodded with a smile. His tone was full of understanding and tolerance, like an adult addressing a child's mischief, but the hoarse and unpleasant voice sent shivers down Asa's spine.

There was absolutely no any other person who could produce such a terrible sound. From the very distinctive voice, Asa immediately recognized that this was the creature, the necromancer, that had nearly turned him into minced meat in the Whispering Woods—the one that Bishop Ronis had spoken of. And now this monster was speaking to him in a tone reserved for elders, which was undeniably strange.

Sandru had a lazy and peculiar expression, as if this was merely an ordinary friend coming here for a tea and conversation. He stood up and tossed out, "You two take your time. I'll sit outside for a while," and turned to leave the main hall, shutting the door behind him.

"Please, have a seat." The lich gestured like a hospitable host, pointing to an empty stone table amidst the group of corpses. In a place full of dead bodies, she looked remarkably harmonious with her environment, reminiscent of a scholar from ancient texts among a garden of flowers, as if she truly belonged to here as a host.

Asa could hear his own heartbeat and breathing echoing in the eerie, empty hall filled with corpses and organs; he was the only living creature present. He cautiously glanced at the Lich and hesitated before walking over to sit down.

Since this monster had appeared here at Sandru's, and was greeting him so courteously, it should mean she wasn't here to cause trouble. At least, Sandru had no reason to trap him. Moreover, he was quite curious about the Necromancer Guild and wanted to know what this Lich wanted with him.

"I thought our past misunderstanding would make you wary," the Lich smiled. Her fake face, likely a creation of Sandru, showed a range of expressions. "Let me introduce myself first; this will save us a lot of time explaining away hostility and misunderstandings... I am a Lich, and you can call me Vadenina. To put it simply, I am your classmate."

"Classmate?" Asa widened his eyes in surprise. He never recalled having such a relationship, let alone with a Lich. Moreover, 'Vadenina' was clearly a woman's name. Asa scrutinized the undead creature claiming to be a classmate for a while, making an effort to connect his sinister impression of her with the concept of 'female.'

"Yes. I was once a student of Professor Sandru and also of Professor Ronis. So naturally, I am your classmate. Now you should understand that we are not enemies."

Asa was quite taken aback. It was one thing to be related to Sandru, but it was hard to believe that she was also a student of Bishop Ronis. In his surprise, he didn't bother to clarify; at least, in his impression, he never regarded Sandru as a teacher.

"No need to be surprised. There might be no records of me left in the Magic Academy... Long ago, when I was still human, my name was Vadenina T. Griffinhart. Now I am a Lich, a member of the noblest, most prestigious, and honorable organization of magicians—the Necromancer Guild."

"Griffinhart? That sounds like a royal surname, right?"

A sound like a bellows breaking erupted from Vadenina's throat, and Asa realized that was likely a light chuckle indicating relaxation. "Names are just codes; surnames are merely given by others and have no real significance. As a Lich, the highest and wisest form of existence, I have long abandoned such trivialities."

Asa frowned and scrutinized this creature from head to toe once more, struggling to imagine that this monster actually had such an impressive background. He asked, "What do you want with me?"

Vadenina's fake face broke into what seemed like a false smile. "I can probably guess that you've been very depressed and troubled lately."

Asa nodded involuntarily. Ever since Bishop Ronis forced him to take that job, he had indeed been feeling very down and annoyed. All the tasks he faced were things he wasn't good at, didn't understand, and didn't know how to handle, yet he couldn't charge in recklessly as he used to. He felt like he was being led around by the nose. It was a frustrating feeling, and he sensed his mind becoming increasingly sluggish.

"The biggest flaw of Professor Ronis is his tendency to impose his beliefs on others, regardless of whether they are willing to accept them or whether they are suited for them. That's probably a stubbornness unique to old people."

"Indeed," Asa nodded again, finding himself in deep agreement.

"So, I'm here to help you," this well-meaning classmate said.

"Help me? How?" Asa's eyes lit up with interest.

"I represent the world's noblest, most prestigious, and honorable organization of magicians—the Necromancer Guild—to invite you to join us."

"Are you joking? No way." Asa rejected almost without thinking. "I might not want to be a hero, but I definitely don't want to become a zombie."

"Hahaha..." The Lich's laughter, while seemingly well-meaning, sent chills down Asa's spine, as if the room full of corpses and organs was stirred by that sound. "I think the main reason you refuse is due to the reputation of our Guild. Please allow me to explain. Those are merely the prejudices of the mundane world, the misunderstandings of frogs at the bottom of a well. Let me first ask you, what do you think of our Dehya Valley?"

This kind of question didn't require deep consideration, nor was there any need to guess; there were countless accounts from bards and legends. Asa recited without thinking, "A land full of zombies and skeletons, with monsters and ghosts in the sky, a lifeless wasteland where necromancers eat human flesh and drink human blood to study how to resurrect demons…"

"Utter nonsense." Vadenina's laughter interrupted Asa's recitation, making the corpses seem to tremble at her sound. "The sunrise from the highest peak of the Spiral Shadow Mountains and the mirage in Fly Dragon Desert are undoubtedly the most beautiful and wondrous sights on the continent. From the cold peaks of the Spiral Shadow Mountains to the spring-like lowlands, and down to the hot valley, the diverse climates allow for the most precious and rare flowers and plants to flourish abundantly in Dehya Valley. I'm certain there is no place on the continent more beautiful than Dehya Valley. As for the cultural atmosphere, it's hard for me to describe. I can only say we have exquisite wines that even emperors from various nations find hard to taste, and artistic treasures worth half the royal collections of the continent. At least three members are top-tier artists and musicians."

Listening to the Lich describing what was considered the most dangerous and evil place as a beautiful tourist destination in the most unpleasant voice on the continent, Asa burst into laughter. This was probably the funniest exaggeration on the entire continent. This classmate could also be considered the most humorous undead creature.

But he soon found it hard to continue laughing. Because in response to his amusement, Vadenina merely smiled lightly.

Even though it was a fake face, it still appeared eerie, yet the calm confidence that radiated from her could be felt by anyone. Besides, a Lich would never come here just to tell him a joke.

"In the past decade, nearly a hundred people have gone through hardships to reach Dehya Valley. Of course, countless others have died in the Fly Dragon desert and the depths of the Spiral Shadow Mountains. Those who find Dehya Valley on their own are mostly the most heinous criminals on the continent, the most twisted murderers. The only common trait among them is that they kill without batting an eye; some enjoy dismembering young girls, some have a penchant for collecting human faces, and others have slaughtered entire villages just because someone looked down on them... They all wish to join the legendary Necromancer Guild to escape the bounty placed upon them by outside world, so they can enjoy killing and corpses more boldly and recklessly. But do you know what happened to them?"

"Aren't they allowed to join?" Asa asked. It seemed anyone could be considered a candidate for the Necromancer Guild.

"They don't deserve it." The contempt in Vadenina's voice made it sound even worse, like a file scraping against metal. "These garbage do not even have the qualifications to leave their corpses in Dehya Valley. They all become zombies or wraiths, forever wandering outside Dehya Valley as laborers and guards. The Necromancer Guild is the noblest organization in the world. Only the most intelligent, outstanding, and elegant individuals are qualified to join. Many among us are great sages and wise men in this society, charming artists, or industry leaders who proudly smile in the face of nobility."

Asa couldn't laugh anymore. He recalled the three names Bishop Ronis had mentioned to him. He asked, "Former president of the Empire Adventurers Guild, Agrenel; merchant Nopolinot; royal mage of the Duchy of Roendes, Lamardo. Are these people really members of the Necromancer Guild?"

"Indeed." The Lich was quite frank, showing no intention of hiding anything. "These should have been told to you by Teacher Ronis. Now do you believe it? We are all such elegant and extraordinary people; how could we live in poverty like beggars and be as miserable as mice? We have the ability, and of course, we are even more qualified to enjoy the highest pleasures in this world."

Asa had to admit that it was probably true. At least, it was said that a famous merchant once bought a tourist city with excellent hot springs just so he could take a quiet bath. However, he still couldn't make sense of it and asked, "But surely your reputation isn't just groundless rumors? I mean, this is an organization that deals with necromancy; how can there be so many powerful people in it?"

"I've already said that those are merely the misunderstandings of frogs at the bottom of a well. You probably haven't been exposed to higher-level magic yet, so you don't understand. No form of magic is more profound, intricate, or artistic than necromancy." The Lich waved its withered hand, indicating the countless corpses around them. "Look at the human body. It is so precise, so perfect. Even the finest work of a dwarf craftsman, the most intricate creation, is crude compared to a human finger, like a lump of clay. Only those with extraordinary intelligence and exceptional talent are qualified to learn such advanced magic. And like attracts like, so our guild is undoubtedly the noblest place in the world, gathering the most extraordinary individuals. Joining us would be a very beautiful thing for you."

Asa remained silent for a moment, thinking, and after a while asked, "Why do you want me to join your organization?"

"Because you should join the Necromancer Guild." Vadenina's response was firm, but her words were ambiguous.

Asa smiled faintly and sighed, saying, "I suppose it's because of the Leaves of the World Tree and the Sun Well, as well as your Dark Star."

Fortunately, Teacher Ronis had already told him the reasons behind it. After so many twists and beautiful words, the real purpose hiding behind it must be this.

Vadenina smiled, her fake eyes made of dead men's eyes narrowing slightly.

She didn't respond directly to Asa but lightly touched upon the core issue: "Teacher Ronis should have told you some nonsensical things. I can probably guess what kind of cliché story that is—nothing more than some evil being unsealed to destroy the world, right?"

"Isn't it?" Asa felt a bit of pressure. What he had learned from this classmate today was too abnormal, and it seemed that there was even more shocking information behind it.

"I don't need to refute or explain anything. I just ask you to think with your clear mind and you'll understand that it's pure nonsense. Let me ask you, why would we want to kill everyone and turn this continent into a dead land? Would we just stare blankly at a world full of skeletons and zombies? Even the most cruel vampire wouldn't have such a thought. Not to mention, we are such a noble and elevated group?"

"Aren't you devoted to some dark gods or gods of destruction?" Asa continued to bring up the stories and legends.

"Devoted?" The Lich looked at Asa, asking. "Do you still worship any deities?"

"No…" Asa shook his head.

"If you don't even worship, why would we?" The Lich's response seemed somewhat inexplicable, but Asa felt he could vaguely understand. "Faith is for those who are weak inside to support their beliefs and spirits. Truly mature and strong individuals do not worship; they only believe, believe in what they see and feel."

"It's not about destroying the world… then it's about conquering it, I suppose." Asa thought hard and stepped back to come up with a more suitable reason.

"Conquering the world? How cliché and tasteless," the lich's laughter expressed utter disdain and contempt for the term.

"The desire to conquer is merely a product of young people's naive passion, or a pathological mindset stemming from excessive inferiority complex wanting to surpass everything. Is it possible to put the whole world underneath your feet? No way. You remain you, still having emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and it's exhausting. How could we, who are aware of worldly matters and have long surpassed mundane desires, still cling to such nonsensical desires? Besides…" The Lich's tone changed; it was both extremely calm and yet had the weight of a thousand tons. "Even if we truly wanted to conquer the world, we wouldn't have to expend much effort."

Asa sighed, finally revealing a relaxed expression, as he could now be sure that this classmate was indeed talking nonsense. He never expected that a Lich could have such an impressive ability and audacity to boast.

However, Vadenina seemed completely unaware that her boast was about to burst, continuing in her calm tone, "Using force to conquer people is simply a synonym for stupid people. Manipulating the common folk or controlling a nation is far easier than creating a top-tier skeleton or zombie. You see, the society formed by humans is quite peculiar. Countless ordinary people living at the bottom are very honest, simple, and lovable, obediently following the commands of officials and laws, and those officials and laws, in turn, obey the monarch, the king. So, as long as we control the few people at the top, we effectively control the entire nation. With our ability, wisdom, and means, initiating a few coups and assisting some easily manipulated individuals in usurping power is hardly a challenge." Vadenina's ghostly wailing voice was rendered even more unpleasant by her languid tone. "In fact, even just out of curiosity, the members of the guild can easily start a war on their own."

Asa had to admit that this was probably true; at least, Teacher Ronis had personally stated that a court mage had instigated the continuous wars with neighboring countries over the past ten years.

"Even inciting the entire nation to go mad and conquer the world wouldn't be difficult at all. The people not only submit to social classes but also entrust their thoughts and emotions to religions, philosophies, and various nonsensical values and beliefs. Among us, there are those who understand and manipulate human emotions like playing with building blocks. Manipulating those infatuated mortals is simpler than training dogs. As long as we grasp the threads of these religions and beliefs, we can completely control them. If you master the correct skills and methods, you can make them follow you anywhere, even to hell…"

"Alright, alright, alright…" Asa declared his surrender. His mind was now a chaotic mess under the unparalleled eloquence of this classmate. He took a few deep breaths to sort through his boiling thoughts and returned to the core of the problem. "I admit you are indeed formidable, a true camp of experts. But I still don't know what you want me to join you for. I won't believe it has nothing to do with the Sun Well and the Leaves of the World Tree."

"Once again, you were meant to join the Necromancer Guild." Vadenina's response returned to that unclear place, but she added, "As for those connections, you'll understand once you join…" Her eyes glimmered with a green fire behind them. "The most crucial part is, once you join us, you will be completely free. What elves, what church's bounties, they are nothing but waste before us. You can do whatever you want."

Asa took a deep breath. After all this time, he finally heard something that was most enticing and practical to him.

"And I've also clearly explained the situation of our noble organization to you, so you don't have to worry at all. I've already completed the membership procedures for you, with the consent of more than half of the members. All you have to do is nod." Vadenina's dead eyes fixed intently on Asa. "So, what do you think?"

Asa's mind struggled to process everything, but unfortunately, he couldn't make sense of it all.

Vadenina's words were enough to overturn anyone's preconceived notions about the Necromancer Guild, and the conditions and prospects she offered were incredibly appealing. Compared to his current dull and gloomy situation under Teacher Ronis in the royal capital, this felt like a breath of fresh air. However, he sensed that something was still off, though he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"Let's forget it." Asa finally sighed and declined.

Vadenina smiled, seemingly not too disappointed. She pulled out a scroll from her robe and handed it to Asa. "You don't need to make a decision right now. Take this; when you decide to come, just show up."

Asa hesitated for a moment but eventually took it. Suddenly, he recalled something and asked, "That vampire we encountered in the hunting grounds a few days ago, was it released by you guys? Can you tell me who did it?"

"We mostly operate independently and do not interfere with each other. I'm not quite aware of what the other members are doing," she replied.

"Can you at least tell me who your spy is in this royal capital?"

"That's something I can't disclose. You'll know when you become one of us."

"Alright. I've told you everything I needed to. Now, I need to return to the Dehya Valley." Vadenina took out another scroll, unfurled it, and was enveloped in a blue-white light. "I hope you don't tell Teacher Ronis that I came here; it would put Teacher Sandru in a difficult position."

"You don't need to worry about that," Asa nodded. If Teacher Ronis found out that the Necromancer Guild had invited him, who knew what would happen? For safety's sake, he might end up thrown into the dungeon.

Just as Vadenina's figure vanished in the teleportation light, Sandru opened the door and walked in. He glanced at the blue-white light's remnants, shook his head with a sigh, and muttered to himself, "If you really don't want to put me in a difficult position, you shouldn't come at all."

Asa stared blankly at the spot where the Lich had just sat, scratched his head, thought for a moment, then turned to Sandru and asked, "Was everything she said true?" He could tell that Sandru had been just outside the door, and he should have heard their entire conversation.

"I don't know," Sandru replied lethargically.

Asa looked at the old man and frowned. "Aren't you supposed to be friends with Bishop Ronis? Why are you entertaining me, then? Which side are you really on?"

"I'm not on either side," Sandru said, rolling his eyes.

"What should I do then?" Asa asked.

Sandru glared at him and said, "How should I know?"