Chapter 406: Reviving the Corpse
Northwind Fortress outskirts.
Inside the Iron Dragonwing Palace.
Cassius sat on the Iron Throne, with Langpu, Dolo, and Medrolash—the three dukes—beneath him.
Currently, most of the empire's high-ranking officials were stationed in Isthalia. This time, they had received an emergency summon from Cassius and immediately teleported back.
Cassius glanced around the room and asked:
"Gentlemen, you should be aware of the general situation by now. What are your thoughts on this lich?"
Medrolash furrowed his brow and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, with all due respect, ancient and evil undead creatures like this lich are not to be trusted."
As a former Paladin, he understood that liches were irredeemable beings.
Dolo countered, "He could be a valuable asset in the empire's military, especially to fill our gaps in necromantic magic."
Langpu added, "Your Majesty, you hold the lich's phylactery. These ancient monsters have lived for centuries, harboring lost knowledge and terrifying secrets from bygone eras—essentially, a treasure trove."
"We could squeeze every bit of it out."
The ogre mage licked his lips, his tone brimming with greed.
"Well said."
"However… let me first show you his usefulness."
Cassius nodded slightly.
At his command, a team of tiefling soldiers carried in a stone coffin and laboriously pried off its lid.
"This is… Count Hart."
Inside the coffin lay a tall, muscular half-dragon man with a ghastly wound on his chest. His pale skin, preserved through special treatment, showed that life had long since left him.
During the Magul incident, Hart, the leader of the "Free Trade Caravan," had been frozen by a spell and subsequently stabbed to death by a flurry of spears during the coalition's assault.
However, Duke Leo was astonished to find that the dragon-blooded count's body was so resilient that it could not be burned by fire.
As a result, the coalition soldiers brought Hart's corpse back to Strathburg, hoping to uncover the secrets of the draconic bloodline from his remains.
Unfortunately for them, before they could conduct any research, the Ember Kingdom's forces stormed Strathburg and reclaimed the body.
After the war's victory, Hart was publicly honored by the empire as a "hero who sacrificed for the liberation of the North" and was posthumously awarded the title of Honorary Marquis. His statue and remains were displayed in the Imperial Memorial Hall.
But now, this dragon-blooded body had been brought here.
It was clear what Cassius intended—after all, this count had been personally appointed by him, and letting him die in vain seemed like a waste.
"Bring in Orest."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The lich entered the hall nervously, kneeling before the red dragon. His presence was noticeably diminished, as his phylactery remained in someone else's hands.
"Your Majesty—no, my esteemed master—I have come at your command."
"Transform him."
"Yes, Master. But how would you like him revived—as what kind of undead?"
"The highest level, one with autonomous consciousness."
"But…"
Orest's withered face revealed hesitation.
Cassius lightly raised his claw, and [Myrkul's Bone Staff] floated down in front of the lich.
"I'm lending this to you."
"Thank you for your generosity, Master."
Orest waved the bone staff, pointing it at Hart's corpse as dark necromantic energy surged from the magic stone embedded in the staff.
"Driven by dark desires and enormous vanity, these mortals are transformed into vile undead—"
"Ghoul King, heed my summons—"
[Summon Greater Undead]
When death stills the heart and snuffs out life's breath, the spirit can return in undead form, attached to its former body to wage eternal war against the living.
That is the nature of a ghoul king.
They obey any dark entity that turns them into undead, retaining their autonomy while pledging servitude to their new master.
Tireless and relentless, a ghoul king pursues its target without distraction.
Langpu suddenly interrupted coldly, "Lich, are you creating a servant for yourself? Look carefully—who's the master here?"
Orest froze, realizing that his centuries-old habits had almost led him to make a grave mistake.
This wasn't a personal project.
He was reviving this undead for His Majesty!
Bowing his head deeply toward Cassius, he corrected himself, "Of course, Cassius, Your Majesty. You are the undisputed master of this ghoul king."
"Master, please bestow your will and complete the final step."
The powerful will of the red dragon descended.
The final call was made.
Necromantic mist shrouded the half-dragon's body.
Like embers, negative energy spread from the heart, seeping into the body, armor, and flesh, transforming the corpse into a vessel capable of housing the spirit of the undead.
Hart felt himself floating in the void of darkness for what seemed like an eternity. Visions of spears stabbing him to death and flames consuming his body filled his mind—images of his final moments before death.
A distant, grand call echoed in his mind.
"Hart—"
It was the Dragon Lord's voice.
The voice of the emperor who had granted him new life, altered his fate, and blessed him with noble blood.
"The Emperor needs me."
"I must return."
Slowly, Hart's eyes opened, their dark depths gleaming faintly.
"I'm alive again?"
Rising from the coffin, he looked at his cold body in confusion but quickly understood—His Majesty had resurrected him and granted him new life.
A ghoul king retains its memories and is driven by its former self-awareness, though whether this new entity is a continuation of its original self or a false copy is a matter of debate.
Hart gradually adapted to his undead nature and climbed out of the coffin, kneeling before the red dragon.
"Your Majesty."
The ghoul king's voice was hoarse and low, devoid of emotion.
Yet Cassius could feel the loyalty emanating from his soul—a mixture of submission to the draconic bloodline and devotion to the one who summoned him.
"Welcome back to the empire."
"Marquis Hart."
Cassius gazed down at the newly resurrected ghoul king and calmly spoke.
In the grand blueprint of the empire's future, undead beings were a vital piece of the puzzle—cheap cannon fodder, reusable labor, and highly effective forces in the shadowy regions.
However, Hart's revival was only the beginning.
Cassius had an even greedier and bolder plan for utilizing the lich.