Who Said A Necromancer Can't Be A Priest?-Chapter 72: Eleanor’s Answer

The Philosopher's Stone.

It was a relic of the ancient civilizations, lost in time. Only it wasn't lost, but hidden. The last demon king had found it, and that's how they could wage countless wars with no setbacks.

Not only did the stone grant immortality to the Demon King's loyal subjects, but it also gave them gold to keep fighting while draining the world's resources at the same time.

It wasn't until the Virtues defeated the demon king that they found it in his treasury.

That was the tale everyone was fed. But Aaran never believed it. The story had too many plot holes. If the stone could grant immortality, then how were the demon king and his commanders killed?

No one ever talked about that.

Now Aaran knew why.

To fight off the effects of the Philosopher's Stone, the Necromancer's Stone was created.

Unlike the Philosopher's Stone, the Necromancer's Stone stripped away an individual's life. That was its sole purpose, and it couldn't generate wealth like the Philosopher's Stone.

Of course, the Virtues were told the stone was a relic and not something made by the Emperor's family ages ago. Just to ensure the stone remained a secret, he also wiped away the Virtues' memories of the stone.

That's why no one had an explanation as to how the Virtues killed immortal beings.

However, it wasn't the first time Aaran had seen the jet-black stone.

Necromancers and dark mages were quite prominent during Hell's invasion. But not all of them were evil. One of them, a man who never revealed his identity, often fought alongside Aaran.

That necromancer was the one who showed Aaran the true powers of the stone. The biggest army of demons and dragons alike stood against humanity.

The battle lasted for… a second.

The necromancer used the stone to steal their souls. However, he paid the ultimate price for it. He couldn't control the powers and the stone turned the demonic army into an uncontrollable undead army.

It made things worse, much worse, for humanity.

That's how Aaran's twelfth life ended. To stop it from happening, Aaran had spent the last seven incarnations looking for the necromancer and the stone, only to find them when he had given up.

It was… him?

The necromancer and the Emperor shared the same physique. Even their mannerisms were similar. But Aaran couldn't be certain that the man was the Emperor—not after meeting the Covenant and realizing what they were capable of.

"Son, are you alright?" the Emperor asked, placing his hand on Aaran's shoulder.

"Yes, Father… just got lost in my thoughts."

"I can understand," the Emperor chuckled. "The first time I saw it, I fainted. The overwhelming darkness was too much for me to handle. You're doing better than I expected."

Before Aaran could say anything, the Emperor grabbed his wrist, handing him the stone.

"You are giving this to me?" Aaran asked.

"You've proven you're a better necromancer than I am," the Emperor said, smiling. "Besides, as my son, this heirloom belongs to you."

"I… don't know what to say."

"Use it well. For the empire. That's all. Now go, Eleanor is waiting for you."

***

The strict security Aaran had seen before was missing when he visited Eleanor's room. The room wasn't dark anymore, but full of light and life.

Eleanor sat on the bed, gazing out the window and into the garden. She was still weak, but looked much better than before. Color had returned to her skin, her hair was regrowing, and so was her body.

Two weeks ago, she was at death's doorstep, and now she was brimming with life. Maids and healers tended to her, but Eleanor seemed lost in her thoughts. That was until a knight announced Aaran's arrival.

"The wig."

Eleanor reminded the maids. Since her hair still looked patched and weird, the maids had prepared a wig for her. Despite her condition, as a princess, Eleanor had to look properly before her fiancé.

"There's no need for that, Your Highness," Aaran said, stopping the maids. "I'm not so shallow as to judge someone by their outer appearance."

Eleanor smiled—not the smile one would give to a friend, but more of a politician's smile.

"Have a seat, Your Highness," Eleanor said, gesturing to the chair next to her bed before dismissing the maids and healers.

She wanted to have a private conversation with him. Aaran wanted the same, and hoped she would reject the engagement. Besides, since the Emperor called him his son, things would get awkward if they shared an intimate relationship.

"Father told me you're the reason I'm awake and alive," Eleanor began. "For that, you have my eternal gratitude."

"It was my duty."

Eleanor again gave him the politician's smile before sighing. It was as if she had grown tired of acting.

"I know you're here to hear my answer regarding our engagement. But before that, can I ask you something?"

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"Of course, Your Highness."

"…You're not the one who saved me, are you?"

Aaran smiled. He knew if he agreed, the Princess would break the engagement. However, it would lead to a different problem.

The Emperor would question her reasoning, and things might get out of hand from there. He had to be tactful.

"You mean the adolescent boy you saw fight your mother's spirit?"

Eleanor was surprised, as she had told no one about it. Only she and the man who saved her should have known.

"A person's soul and body are not the same, Your Highness. The form you saw was my soul, and the body standing before you now is just a vessel that holds it."

"…So, you're the same?"

Aaran nodded.

"Does anyone else know?"

"You're the only one."

That answer surprised Eleanor. She couldn't understand why Aaran would reveal such a secret to her. Wasn't he afraid she would tell others?

"Life choices shouldn't be made on a whim or based on lies," Aaran said, knowing what she was thinking. "Now that you have all the cards in your hand, you can make an informed decision about your life."

Eleanor chuckled after hearing him, covering her mouth.

"You sound too mature for your age, Your Highness," she said.

"I hear that often."

The two sat in silence afterward, with Eleanor gazing out the window.

"Do you still have those rings?" she finally asked.

Aaran presented the rings to her. Eleanor took both rings, putting them under her pillow.

"Your Highness?"

"…The answer is yes," Eleanor replied. "As for the rings, they are too small. So… please wait until I get them fixed."