Chapter 15: The Lich’s Mausoleum

“Ugh…”

Regina’s state, as she let out an unintelligible groan while being held in my arms, didn’t look good, to say the least.

I thought she had gotten a little better after we talked, but was that just my misunderstanding? I had only left her side for a moment to deal with the Death Knights.

“Don’t leave, don’t leave me…”

“Don’t worry. I’m never leaving you, Regina. I just went to deal with the Death Knights for a bit. It’s dangerous if they attack us while we’re sleeping.”

“R-really…? You’re not abandoning me? If you leave too, I, I’ll really break…”

Regina muttered with difficulty, clinging to me and acting spoiled. Her condition was clearly not good.

Maybe I had been thinking too lightly of 999 regressions. Regina had to repeat those 7 years, from the age of 10 to 17, 999 times.

Even if she knew it would end in her own terrible death, she had to live while being forced to smile, bound by ‘fate’.

That’s why I couldn’t just push Regina away. She was broken because of me, so how could I abandon her?

“I’m sorry I left your side.”

“Oh, no, Sian…! It’s because I’m, I’m not good enough. It’s because I’m mentally unstable, so it’s not something Sian should apologize for…!”

“I’m sorry. You must have been very lonely.”

So, I held Regina tightly for a while to calm her down.

It was an hour later that Regina finally felt enough warmth and moved away from me.

“Are you, able to get up now?”

“Ugh, yes…How long was I asleep…?”

“Hmm…There’s no clock here, so I’m not sure, but I think it’s probably evening now. It seems like quite a bit of time has passed.”

I muttered that and slowly got up.

“Regina, are you okay where it hurt?”

“Um, yes…My body is very weak, but my recovery is quite good…”

“Then, let’s go catch the boss now. The exam must be over by now, so if we don’t go back, everyone will be worried.”

“Yes, I understand…!”

Having regressed 999 times, Regina’s swordsmanship and magic skills were probably the best in the world.

The problem was Regina’s body. With a fragile body that was worse than the average first-year student, she couldn’t properly exert her true abilities.

“This dungeon, you said the name was…’Tomb of the Ancient Lich’?”

“Yes. To be precise, this second dungeon we’re in is the ancient lich’s mausoleum. The corridor upstairs is probably the entrance to this dungeon.”

“Th-then…does that mean an ancient lich will appear…? Oh, that. I’m definitely not doubting your abilities, but still…an ancient lich…”

“Yes. That’s right. An ancient lich is an opponent that the two of us can’t defeat.”

If Regina had been in perfect condition, even an ancient lich would not have been a match for her…

Regina Strelachia, who had fallen into despair and just lived as ‘fate’ dictated, didn’t care about training or taking care of her body.

Regina’s body, which was seriously frail, had very poor stamina.

“Then…shouldn’t we, find another way…?”

“Hmm, don’t worry about that.”

Normally, an ancient lich is a monster around level 80-90. But this dungeon is level 55. The level is a bit low for an ancient lich.

The reason was simple. The boss of this dungeon was a fake lich, at best level 55.

“The ancient lich in this dungeon isn’t a proper one.”

“It’s not…a proper one…?”

“Yeah. It barely has any control over the Death Knights, right?”

“Ah….”

Death Knights are the elite soldiers that guard the dungeon. The fact that those elite soldiers were wandering around inside the dungeon meant that something was wrong.

It was like the Imperial Knights abandoning the security of the Imperial Palace and wandering around inside the palace without thinking.

Therefore, the boss of this dungeon in the game couldn’t use the overwhelming numbers that are characteristic of an ancient lich. It only had one ‘lich’ thing, a phylactery.

“So, don’t worry too much. Someone like you should be able to win easily.”

Even if my weapon was a practice sword, there wasn’t much difference between a practice sword and a real sword for someone who could coat their sword with mana.

Although it was far inferior to the aura used by Swordmasters, the cutting power of a practice sword coated with mana was no different from a real sword.

I muttered that and slowly moved forward.

As I remembered, [Ancient Lich’s Mausoleum] also had a fairly simple structure. The corridors were intertwined like a maze, but the path to the boss room was brightly lit by torches.

We slowly entered the heart of the dungeon.

There were no particular dangers. The only high-level mobs that appeared in this dungeon were Death Knights, but Death Knights were no match for us.

“The traps…are, all sprung…?”

“This dungeon was made hundreds of years ago. The things that made up the traps have all rotted away.”

I muttered that and stood in front of a huge door.

A wooden door that was unusually well-maintained, unlike the moss and dust-covered walls. The huge door, reminiscent of a castle gate, slowly opened with a creak as I applied a little force.

“Are you, ready?”

“Yes…! I’m, used to fighting now…”

After hearing Regina’s confirmation, I slowly pushed the door.

Boom…

The boss room opened with a magnificent friction sound. At the same time, a translucent window appears before my eyes.

[You have entered the Ancient Lich’s Coffin (Lv.60)]

I lightly brushed aside the translucent window and slowly looked around the boss room.

The room of the ancient lich, which I had seen countless times on the screen. Purple torches flickered, illuminating the room.

White pillars made of well-maintained bones. A ceiling with faintly glowing purple minerals embedded in it. And an altar built far away.

Regina, overwhelmed by the temple-like atmosphere, clung to me.

“ouhhhh”

“Are you scared?”

“Ah, um…yes…I’ve never been to a place like this before…”

Having lived 999 lives, Regina was afraid of the landscape of this unpleasant temple. No. To be precise, she was afraid of the future she did not know.

So, Regina held Sian’s hand tightly. This dungeon was scary because she had never been here before, but more than that, Sian’s presence reassured Regina.

Noticing Regina’s feelings, I gently stroked the small hand of the girl holding mine and murmured.

“Don’t worry, Regina. Earlier, I said I would change your fate, right? I will prove those words right here, right now.”

“Ugh…?”

Regina’s body trembled slightly, her face flushing slightly, perhaps because she liked being stroked. I smiled and let go of her hand, placing my hand on the hilt of my sword.

“Get ready. It’s waking up.”

“Yes, yes!”

Clang-

With a cheerful sound of unsheathing, the altar began to shake. The altar, made of the bones of many races, including humans, elves, dwarves, and demons, gradually cracked.

Overwhelming mana weighed down the space. Boom! A hand made of bone smashed the altar and sprang out.

“Regina.”

“Yes…!”

“I’m really sorry, but can you overdo it one more time?”

That guy was a degraded ancient lich.

It couldn’t command an army, didn’t have overwhelming mana, and only had one phylactery.

A hidden boss created for users to practice fighting an ancient lich that would appear later.

“Ah, yes! Of course…!”

“Then that’s good.”

[‘Ancient Lich Alexctus’ recognizes the intruders]

[Boss ‘Ancient Lich Alexctus’ awakens]

[Ancient Lich Alexctus’ minions awaken]

Status windows appeared. Simultaneously, bony hands sprang out from the ground.

The ancient lich that rose from the altar stared at the intruders who had set foot in its tomb with empty eyes and moved its mouth.

Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack-

A creepy bone-rattling sound filled with slimy mana. At the same time, thirty Death Knights rose from the ground.

Rotten shields with faded, glorious patterns. Notched swords that were once sharp. Rusted pauldrons that had lost their original color.

Those who once took up swords to protect humanity had worn away over hundreds of years and now pointed their swords at the girls who had entered.

Empty eyes that did not contain anything stared at us.

“Si, Sian…? You said it couldn’t command an army…?”

“This is a very small number.”

A proper ancient lich could wage war alone with thousands of undead. Compared to that, this was a cute level.

I muttered to myself and quietly stared at the ancient lich. It wasn’t time to step forward yet.

Clack-

The battle began when the ancient lich snapped its fingers. In formation, the Death Knights, covered in slimy mana, closed the distance.

Along with an unknown, hollow cry, geometric patterns appeared around Alexctus. Dozens of layers of huge magic circles unfolded over the bone temple.

The momentum of the knights marching in formation was like a wave. In front of the black wave sweeping through the temple, Regina pulled up her mana without a word. A distinct crimson mana pushed away the surrounding murky mana.

“Regina, wait a minute.”

“Huh…? But…”

“Wait. Not yet.”

Whoosh-

As soon as I finished speaking, the interlocked magic circles began to rotate like gears, emitting a sharp friction sound. Thick mana weighed down the space, and Alexctus raised both arms towards the sky, letting out a bizarre laugh.

[‘Ancient Lich Alexctus’ casts the ancient magic ‘Garden of Ruin’]

[Within 5 minutes, eliminate all Death Knights and interrupt the casting of ‘Garden of Ruin’]

“
“Get ready.”

Alexctus’ and my voices overlapped, and the Death Knights approached, pointing their sword tips. I smiled and hugged Regina’s waist.

“Ugh…?!”

“It’ll be, a little dizzy.”

The Stigmata hidden under the glove began to glow. The moment a strange floating sensation enveloped my body, Regina and I were on Alexctus’ altar.

I shouted, pulling up the dark mana.

“Now!”

At the same time, Regina’s longsword blazed with crimson. A sharply refined, pure aura began to surge.

“?!”

Alexctus’ voice, mixed with astonishment, could be heard. At the same time, Regina swung her longsword, imbued with crimson mana.

Boom!

A faint explosion could be heard nearby.

The footsteps of Elin and Yelena stopped almost simultaneously.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes. It seems to be coming from the underground near here…”

Yelena’s expression hardened as she gripped the hilt of her sword.

Her instincts, honed from fighting monsters in the north, were screaming that this explosion was related to Sian.

There was no hesitation. She was not the same young girl who could only watch as her mother was ravaged before her eyes.

“I’ll go that way!”

There was no time for deep thoughts. Yelena’s mana-enhanced legs kicked off the ground.