This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

Abyss ruffled Leona's hair without a word, then said, "Next, we have two choices: one is to go to the elven kingdoms to find the legendary druids of the past; the other is to go to the Eastern Empire to find the legendary alchemist of that time. As for that genius dark elf assassin, since her burial location is currently unknown, we won't consider her for now. What are your thoughts?"

Flora didn't care about that; she just wanted to travel with the Abyss, so she shook her head.

Leona thought for a long time, then looked up and said, "ABC, I want to go to the Eastern Empire!"

"Yes, of course. Is there anything you need to do in the Eastern Empire?"

“I remember you promised us that you would fulfill our dreams from when we were alive, right?” Leona’s face showed a hint of longing. “I want you to help me get something I dreamed of in my life, and that thing is located in the Eastern Empire.”

"What is it?" Abyss asked curiously. "I'm quite curious about something that can make an imperial princess, who can have whatever she wants, yearn for it but can't have it."

“It’s the ‘Moonlight Emblem’,” Leona said earnestly. “It’s a special magical tattoo that proves the wearer’s identity—a member of the Moonlight Knights. Have you heard of it?”

Abyss has traveled all over the continent and has a certain understanding of local customs and legends. Of course, he has also heard the story of the Moon Knights.

Thirteen hundred years ago, the continent of Caledi, a territory of the Mina Empire, which is today the Shadowfall, was suddenly conquered by otherworldly creatures, the Shadow Demons, within a week. All the surviving inhabitants retreated to the continent of Hay-Tver. After a joint investigation by the Empire and the Holy See failed, some scholars speculated that these monsters might have used the Shadowfall as a base to launch their attack on Hay-Tver.

At that time, magic in Hay-Tver was far less advanced than it is today. It couldn't effectively use magic arrays to defend against shadow demons from the Shadowfall for extended periods, nor could it detect them in real-time at a lower cost. While the Holy See's divine magic was effective, its exorbitant cost made it largely impractical. To protect the continent, the Minia Empire and several kingdoms in the eastern part of the continent jointly formed a continental defense army to defend against the shadow demons, ready for battle at any time.

However, the Shadow Demons were extremely powerful, and it was clear that ordinary soldiers could not completely resist them. Therefore, several powerful warriors in the Empire spontaneously formed a knightly order that volunteered to participate in the battle without receiving any military pay, and it was called the Moonlight Knights.

The Moon Knights are an all-female knightly order unlike anything seen before on the continent. It consists of only seven members, but each one is a peak ninth-tier Qi Master, and a rare find within the empire—a female knight who has received formal investiture.

Initially, the Moon Knights were practically a laughingstock of the entire empire—an all-female knightly order that sounded like a publicity stunt group assembled solely for fame. Even though all seven members were genuine ninth-tier aura warriors, they initially failed to earn respect. After all, the Shadow Demons hadn't yet struck, and they hadn't done anything.

However, just when people thought the Shadow Demon intended to settle down in the Fallen Lands and live there permanently, the worst happened.

One day, intelligence came back from the Continental Defense Force stationed in the northeast corner of the continent—a shadow demon was found swimming in the sea between the continent and the Shadowfall!

The Shadow Demon was quickly destroyed by the warship at sea, but the news still caused a huge stir, plunging the entire continent into panic.

Since one monster can swim, there must be others who, like it, want to swim to the other side and wreak havoc. If the Shadow Demons cross the sea in large numbers, warships alone will not be able to defend against them! Although the Empire immediately dispatched its most elite fleet to the Shadowfall to investigate, everyone remained uneasy.

Just when people were filled with fear, the Knights of the Moon stepped forward.

These seven powerful female knights volunteered without hesitation to join the expedition to the Shadowfall and find a way to stop these monsters from spreading throughout the world.

All the remaining stories of these female knights were passed down orally from the veterans of the expeditionary force who returned alive that year—they all fought to the death there and sent back a significant investigation report to the continent—the Shadow Demons were not a disorganized mob; they were actually divided into strict classes based on power, and all demons obeyed the command of a leader, whom the knights called the "Shadow Queen".

When discovered, the Shadow Queen was preparing for a massive migration, her destination the vast continent of Sea-Tver. Seven female knights of the Moon Knights immediately decided to assassinate her. After six died, the Shadow Queen was killed. Without her authority, the demons, acting only on instinct, scattered in disarray, and the planned sea crossing was abruptly halted. The knights saved the world. However, the last of them succumbed to her injuries after completing her investigation report. According to veterans, the last knight's heart was already ruptured when she wrote the report; only her immense strength and vitality allowed her to survive to the very end.

When the heroes passed away, the people of the continent began to remember them. Legendary novels and poems were created by bards who had heard the veterans' stories, and they spread throughout the continent. The ashes of the female knights were brought back to the continent, and the empire built mausoleums for them in their respective hometowns with the highest honors for knights. The emperor and the pope personally mourned them and awarded them medals. But that's another story.

It is said that the Moon Knights were actually recruiting members before leaving the continent. As long as a woman passed the trials prepared by the members, she could join the Moon Knights and become the eighth member. However, no one who met these conditions appeared in the end.

After the seven female knights died, joining the Knights became impossible. How could one find them and pass their trials when they were dead? Unless their souls were summoned from their tombs, and the deceased were asked to act as examiners again, and perhaps even give those who passed a magical tattoo, what necromancer would dare to do that? Unless they were out of their minds, who would dare to desecrate the tombs of the continent's heroes?

Leona couldn't help but raise her head and stare at the Abyss in front of her.

Here's a necromancer right here, another one who's mentally unstable and incredibly audacious. Leona's wish used to be just an unrealistic romantic fantasy from a little girl, but now it seems like it could actually come true.

Abyss nodded nonchalantly, "Sure, then you can take me, while I'm asleep, towards the Eastern Empire. Once I wake up, I'll search for the third person's grave while fulfilling your wish. Leave it to me, I guarantee you won't be disappointed." He flashed Leona a bright smile, revealing his white teeth, seemingly trying to reassure her.

"Really? It's a deal!" Leona immediately perked up. "Once I become a member of the Moon Knights, you'll definitely receive plenty of praise!"

“Absolutely!” Abyss nodded solemnly. “I, Abyss Bellator, will fulfill your dream with the utmost seriousness, for you are one of my most trusted members of the family!”

"Don't give me that! Do you think I'd be moved? Do you say that to every single one of your family members?!" Leona said, blushing.

Abis chuckled and scratched his head: "Because I really trust you guys."

Leona sighed softly, but still managed a happy smile.

"Oh, by the way, Leona, I have a small question."

"what?"

"Where do you plan to get the Moonlight Emblem tattooed on your body? You're not planning to get it tattooed on...?"

"You pervert! You want me to tattoo your emblem on your private parts to satisfy your indecent desires!?"

"...On your face...Eh? Why are you so angry!? Wait, let's talk this out, put down your aura spear!"

Chapter 81 Flora's Embrace

Flora was the first of the three to wake up.

Abyss had a piece of his soul torn off and needed to recover, requiring several days of sleep. Leona, on the other hand, needed to adapt to the power of the Fallen Lord in her sleep. According to Abyss, Leona should wake up at dawn, as the Fallen Lord had not yet given her the full power, so it wouldn't take too long.

When Flora woke up, she felt a warm breath on her chest. She was a little surprised and looked down to see Abyss curled up comfortably in her arms like a baby, with a smile on his face.

Abyss, immersed in sleep, looked quite handsome. His gray eyelashes trembled slightly, and his somewhat pale lips were gently pursed, as if he were having a dream.

He was never idle at night; always a man of action, he would do whatever came to mind immediately and make the most of his evenings. Even when he slept, he would only lie there for a short rest. Perhaps the power Leona provided him, along with some of his own magic, allowed him to maintain good energy even without sleep for extended periods.

But he's still human at heart. No matter how energetic a person is, they always need a good night's sleep to relax their tense mind.

Flora couldn't help but feel a little guilty for not sharing more of the burden so he could get a good, undistracted sleep. Looking at him now, it seemed he really needed rest.

Flora couldn't resist reaching out a hand and gently stroking Abyss's hair. His hair was freshly washed, incredibly soft, and emitted a pleasant sandalwood scent as it was touched. He instinctively let out a soft hum, appearing quite comfortable as Flora stroked it.

"Sleep, sleep..." Flora smiled gently, stroking Abyss's hair, tidying it up, and then gently tousling it.

A small, pale foot rested on the Abyss's waist—Leona's. Despite being a princess, she slept without the expected posture; naked except for her bathrobe, her snow-white thighs exposed to the warm inn air. Flora gently pulled down the hem of her bathrobe to cover her legs. The little princess, lost in her dreams, smacked her lips and pressed her face, through her mask, against the Abyss's back.

Flora sat on the bed, watching the two of them. Their power was at the pinnacle of the world, unmatched, yet they slept like children.

Perhaps they really need maternal love... Abyss was raised by her master from a young age and didn't even know who her mother was, while Leona left her mother's side early and entered the palace to become an unloved illegitimate princess.

Flora wanted to help them, but she wasn't old enough to be a mother and didn't know what a mother should do. She couldn't make up for their lack.

"Maybe... it would be good to just stay by your side, so that when you need it, you can go back to a place you can call home..." Flora murmured to herself, somewhat lost in thought.

She didn't know when it started, but she began to look forward to the cemetery that the Abyss had mentioned, the one that would belong to them. One day, an underground palace would be built, where everyone would live, and when they got tired on their adventures, they could walk through a portal and return to rest.

That was the happy life Flora longed for. Having experienced betrayal and conspiracy, what Flora really wanted was just a warm enough home and a group of companions she could entrust with unconditionally.

She lay back down, letting Abyss continue to snuggle in her arms. Even though her shoulders weren't broad and her body wasn't warm, she still tried her best to let Abyss have a completely relaxing sleep.

……

The next day at noon, when the maid politely came to inform them that their room rental time had expired, Leona had already woken up early, and Abyss had changed into his clothes, which had been washed and dried at the hotel, but he was still sleeping at this time.

Leona woke up at daybreak, and when she found herself sleeping with all four limbs wrapped around the Abyss, she was so embarrassed that she almost threw the Abyss out the window. She felt incredibly refreshed and her power had increased considerably; it seemed the Fallen Lord had faithfully fulfilled his promise.

She and Flora thought that all they had to do was take Abyss out on their journey, but just as Leona was about to carry him on her shoulders, Flora suddenly remembered that Abyss wasn't dressed yet.

Changing Abyss's clothes proved difficult for the two girls: Abyss was wearing a bathrobe just like them, and of course, nothing underneath. Neither of them had ever seen a boy without clothes, let alone changed his clothes.

A saintess must be a virgin and forbidden from marrying for life. Therefore, Flora only had some knowledge of matters between the sexes and had never received any formal education. As for Leona, as a princess, although there were royal courses to enlighten her and train her on how to use bedroom skills to please her future husband, Leona believed that such courses stifled her personality, so she skipped them all. The royal family had no way to punish this super martial arts genius who could kick a mountain apart, so they could only let it go.

Finally, the two girls had no choice but to call a male waiter from the hotel to help Abyss get dressed. Fortunately, this kind of service didn't cost extra, and the three penniless girls were at least not stuck in a financial stalemate.

When Leona carried the still unconscious Abyss out of the room, the maids at the door were stunned.

Last night, the boy went in full of energy. Although he didn't look very strong, he was still quite energetic. Later, the two young ladies went in and slept in the room with him for the night. The next day, the boy was unconscious and had to be carried out, while the two young ladies were radiant and glowing.

Upon closer inspection, the young man was pale and thin, looking like half-dead. Common sense suggests that he had been drained of his strength by something.

She didn't know what happened that night, and she didn't dare to ask.

Leona, carrying the Abyss, looked back with a hint of reluctance as she stepped out of the luxurious hotel. She was about to embark on her journey again, and who knew when she would be able to enjoy such a grand life again.

"What's the best way for us to proceed now?" Flora asked Leona. "The Abyss told us how to summon the little fire dragon before it left, but I don't think there's much to do if we arrive in the Eastern Empire too early. Perhaps we should slow down?"

Leona patted her chest triumphantly: "Of course we can't fly away on a dragon. Although you can use divine magic to hide us, I have a cooler means of transportation—let me show you my magical pet. The Abyss created it for me before, but I haven't had a chance to summon it yet."

Chapter 82 The Western Empire Has Changed

While Abyss and his two companions were fast asleep yesterday, Golden Griffin City underwent a massive change that had not occurred for a long time.

According to an unnamed source, Princess Helen suddenly requested an audience with the Emperor last night, accompanied by her two sons. The two princes, who had previously strongly opposed their sister, seemed to be under a spell and firmly sided with Princess Helen. The four engaged in a two-hour conversation at the Emperor's table, during which ministers were repeatedly summoned, but none revealed the specific content of the discussion.

In the early hours of the morning, the emperor, having concluded the conversation, issued several decrees: increasing the strength of the princess's personal guard; dismissing more than a dozen officials for embezzlement and replacing them with others, confiscating all the embezzled funds; and declaring that several nobles, led by General Beth, had attempted to assassinate the princess, committing treason and being sentenced to death, to be arrested personally by the royal guard.

Several nobles who were directly or indirectly involved in the murder were pushed to the guillotine by the Griffin Knights before they had fully recovered, their heads rolling. General Beth probably realized something and packed his bags in the middle of the night to escape before the emperor issued the decree. However, he was intercepted at the city gate by his four brothers and beheaded on the spot. His brothers, who had a good relationship with him, did not even blink when they cut off his head.

After the four brothers of the general's family handed over General Beth's head and all the property he had embezzled, the emperor decided not to punish his family members. Instead, he promoted General Zeke's third son, Leonard, and appointed him as the new general.

Immediately afterwards, from morning to noon, numerous officials took sides, publicly expressing their support for Princess Helen to use the seized funds for projects that benefit the country and its people. Some even volunteered to contribute money and effort, and the royal family accepted them all without hesitation.

The once peaceful and prosperous Golden Griffin City transformed overnight into a progressive city full of ambition. The nobles, who used to spend their days idly smoking, drinking, and getting their hair permed, were transformed in just one night into moral exemplars who upheld the code of chivalry. They sang praises of the royal glory, put on their long-unworn, gleaming armor, and wore unsharpened ceremonial swords at their waists, making a special trip to the palace to pledge their loyalty.

Furthermore, the Emperor issued an order for the city guards to cooperate with the Papacy in searching for illegal gatherings within the city and arresting all suspected cult members, with a focus on those with many wrinkles and particularly round eyes. Needless to say, this must have been the Abyss somehow informing Princess Helen, reminding her to promptly eliminate potential terrorists in the city. Those followers of the Fallen Lords may still be unaware that their master has become a necromancer's servant; when they find out, they certainly won't sit idly by.

The members of the Papacy in Golden Griffin City were all moved to tears. This was the first time in years that they had been given instructions by the Emperor to do something. They were all full of energy. Every divine mage put on their best armor, picked up their weapons, and went to fight on the front line without even having breakfast for the honor of the Nine Gods.

The whole city was in chaos. The people didn't know what was going on, but since Her Highness was willing to give so much money to the people, they naturally praised her generosity.

At noon, as Leona and Flora carried the Abyss out of the city, they even heard children singing newly composed nursery rhymes by the roadside. The rhymes included references to Queen Helen, things that shouldn't be said during the emperor's reign. However, the patrolling guards ignored them, and none of them threatened the children to shut up. The rhymes were quite sophisticated in their wording; perhaps the children hadn't even composed them themselves…

Leona seemed very proud of this. Princess Helen was a good niece whom she favored. If she became empress in the future, she might even get some credit for it—after all, she had spoken up for Helen.

……

Leona had Flora carry the Abyss, disguising themselves as the three siblings as they left the city. This didn't arouse the guards' suspicion; Flora, being undead, carried the thin Abyss effortlessly. After leaving the Golden Griffin City, Leona led Flora to a secluded spot, intending to summon her summoned creature there.

If it were just an ordinary magical pet, Leona could easily summon it directly within the city. Golden Griffin City is one of the most prosperous cities on the continent, and its residents are naturally well-informed and wouldn't be surprised by a mage summoning their own magical pet. However, Leona's magical pet is quite different from other mages' magical pets—it's enormous. Ordinary mages simply cannot create magical pets of such size. As the size increases, the magical power required to create a magical pet increases exponentially. Flora's magical pet rabbit is the average size of a typical magical pet, and apart from being very soft and obedient, it doesn't have many other distinguishing features.

Leona recited the incantation the Abyss had taught her, and a wave of magic emanated from the Abyss, reaching Leona. Leona then acted as a relay, casting a spell to summon a magical companion.

Flora couldn't help but become curious about Leona's magical pet. After the Abyss created a magical pet according to Leona's request, she kept it a secret and didn't release it, saying that it would be more ceremonial to use it only when needed.

With a flash of magical light, a blurry phantom appeared in front of the two, about two meters tall, truly a huge creature.

As Leona watched with smug satisfaction, a magnificent horse appeared before them. It was a pure white warhorse, adorned with beautiful ornaments and equipped with complete tack, even featuring a pair of short stirrups—designed to prevent Leona's short legs from being unable to reach them. Needless to say, this was the magical pet that the Abyss had painstakingly crafted, adjusting it bit by bit to meet Leona's demanding client requirements.

Few mages choose to create a magical pet for transportation, because low-level mages cannot create magical pets, and high-level mages can almost all fly, so a horse is a rather rare magical pet.

"What a beautiful steed!" Flora looked up at the summoned magical pet of Leona and exclaimed sincerely. Leona, as expected of a formally knighted knight, was quite knowledgeable about horses. The horse she had commanded Abyss to create had strong limbs, well-proportioned muscles, and a beautiful face. It was a rare and excellent horse. If you could find such a horse on the market, it would be cheap to sell for tens of thousands of Imperial coins.

“I call it ‘East Wind.’ It’s the steed of my dreams. Once I’ve saved enough money to buy my own full suit of knight’s armor, I’m definitely going to ride it and show off.” Leona introduced it to Flora, then winked mysteriously, “It has some other abilities too, want to see?”

"Other skills?" Flora asked, a little curious.

"Dongfeng, activate destruction mode!"