Who Said A Necromancer Can't Be A Priest?-Chapter 66: Eleanor’s Nightmare (1)
The next day…
[Have you gone insane, boy?]
Dread wasn't pleased with what happened last night. Aaran struck a deal with the Covenant. As long as Kiara taught him dream-walking, he would join them for a year, but the timing would be of his choice.
Unlike the temples, Aaran didn't know about them. In all his incarnations, it was the first time he had even heard about them. That's why he wanted nothing to do with them.
However, they kept offering him things he desired the most. First, the Spirit Walk technique, and now the Dream Walk. These were things that even his father or the Emperor didn't know. Since Aaran knew he would someday have to fight the empire, it was good if he learned such techniques.
But for Dread, who knew the Covenant, Aaran was making the wrong decision. They weren't people to be trifled with.
So much so that Lucien only got out of their influence when he was at the peak of his strength, when the legion was at its peak. Yet Aaran, who had nothing, was trying to toy with the Covenant.
"What choice did I have?" Aaran said, playing with the obsidian locket.
Just as Dread knew the Covenant, Aaran knew the Emperor like no one else. He held all the cards against Aaran. If he didn't help Princess Eleanor, the Emperor would have no use left for him and would execute Aaran for being a necromancer.
No one would believe Aaran, even if he revealed the Emperor was a necromancer as well. It would also be a way to silence him regarding Princess Eleanor's condition.
"Tsk, as expected of an ape with no brains," Darius scoffed. "Everything little liege does is for his and our good."
[Bold words from someone who threw a tantrum and ran away the second things went out of hand.]
"Silence."
Aaran interrupted the two. He had too much on his plate already; their bickering was the last thing he wanted. However, the next second, Darius turned to the gate and flew out of the window.
"That emperor bastard is here," he said. "It's better if I don't see him."
Not waiting for a reply, he flew away, disappearing into the sky.
The next second, the doors were flung open, and the Emperor walked in, accompanied by Donovan as usual.
"Will you help us?" the Emperor asked, wasting no time.
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"If you mean pouring darkness into the Princess and extending her misery, then no."
"…Be careful with your words, Your Highness," Donovan said, warning Aaran.
"While pouring darkness will extend her life in the hopes of recovery someday. What will you do if she wakes up, broken beyond repair?"
[This brat! Are you out of your mind!?]
After all the talk Aaran gave about helping the Emperor or getting executed, this was the brilliant plan he came up with. Dread couldn't help but dread the situation. After all, his life was linked to Aaran's. If he died, so would he.
"However, there might be another method to save her," Aaran continued.
"What do you mean?" the Emperor inquired.
"There's a way to wake her up. One must eliminate the source of the problem."
The Emperor frowned. For the first time, he was disappointed with Aaran. Did he think that he, as Eleanor's father, hadn't already considered finding the demon who cursed his beloved daughter?
Then, as if reading his mind, Aaran continued.
"I'm not talking about the demon, Your Majesty," he said. "The dream is the issue. As long as we get rid of the dream, won't that heal Princess Eleanor?"
"How will you accomplish it?"
Since Aaran was being objective, the Emperor did the same.
"By entering her dream."
"…Can you do that?"
Aaran nodded. He had learned the basics from Kiara, but this would be his first attempt at entering someone's dream. If things went wrong, he might get trapped with her inside it.
Aaran made the Emperor aware of the risks. But before the latter could decline his offer, Aaran said something that stopped him in his tracks.
"If I fail, you can drain me of my darkness. Princess Eleanor would live on, just as she has been, until you find the demon. You have nothing to lose, Your Majesty."
The Emperor didn't speak for a while, lost in thought. Initially, he had planned to use Aaran as a darkness dispenser for Eleanor. The stronger Aaran became, the more darkness he would have, keeping Eleanor alive forever if necessary.
Aaran's idea of entering Eleanor's dreams put that plan at risk. If Aaran failed, the Emperor would lose his dispenser, and finding and manipulating another necromancer would be next to impossible.
Hence, Aaran's notion that the Emperor had nothing to lose was wrong.
"Fine… Do what you have to," the Emperor said, turning to leave. "However, say your goodbyes to the people you care for. In case you fail, no one will ever see you again."
"Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."
After inquiring about the details of when and how Aaran would proceed, the two left. The Emperor still had his doubts, but went with it. Unlike Dread, who was more riled up than ever.
[Congratulations, you just fucked up.]
Relax. It isn't that bad.
[Not that bad? You don't even know what kind of monstrosity that girl has created in her mind. Yet, you want to enter her dream? For what? To be a hero?]
Do we have a choice? Either I get trapped inside the dream, or I get executed.
[We can run. Lucien used to do it all the time. Well, most dark mages do. I know a few places we could hide and lie low.]
Run away? That was never a choice.
If Aaran even thought about it, the Emperor would destroy anything and anyone close to him. Aurelia, his parents—everyone would suffer because of him.
Aaran couldn't let that happen. It might feel like he was acting like a doormat, but he had to play that role… for now.
Besides, Dread was forgetting something.
I'm not just a necromancer, am I?