The old witch lay on the ground, laughing so hard she nearly suffocated, yet she could not free herself from the effects of the laughter spell. It was only when the druids bound her tightly with vines that Ambershade finally lifted the curse.
Though the time was brief, it had caused severe damage to the witch's body. She had nearly laughed her lungs out and now, blood filled her mouth, rendering her speechless.
The druids of the Golden Vine tribe stood watch from a distance, wary of approaching the powerful lich, Ambershade. They could only pull Naomi aside to inquire about the events that had transpired.
Naomi, having nothing to hide, explained how she had met Ambershade in the tavern and they had joined forces to rescue people from the sewers.
The druids were utterly incredulous. The idea of druids working with the undead was unthinkable. According to Sylvanas's teachings, beings like the undead, which disrupted the natural balance, were to be immediately purified.
However, the druids had witnessed Ambershade's formidable power and knew that making a move now would mean certain death for them.
Out of gratitude for Ambershade's rescue, they decided not to follow the divine mandate this time.
This was how the druids justified their actions.
Van Jones struggled to accept the reality that they had been saved by the undead. His anger then turned toward Naomi.
Cooperating with the undead was one thing, but venturing into the sewers could be excused as Naomi's concern for everyone. But bringing the idol of Sylvanas? That was sacrilege.
Van Jones shouted in fury, "Naomi, how dare you steal the idol! Do you have any idea what the consequences are? Even if we all die here, it's nothing compared to the importance of that idol. If anything happens to this artifact, the entire Golden Vine tribe will be destroyed!"
Naomi retorted passionately, "It was the High Elder's command. He ordered me to take the idol!"
Van Jones was stunned. "Impossible! Has the High Elder lost his mind?"
Naomi answered, "The High Elder must have seen the future. Didn't we follow his orders for this mission?"
Van Jones intended to ask more, but the druids nearby quickly restrained him, casting a glance at Ambershade.
Realizing the sensitive nature of the matter, Van Jones immediately fell silent. This was not the time for such a debate.
Ambershade, however, paid no attention to the druids. He had already taken several magical items from them. An enchanted ring, leather armor imbued with nature magic, and a magical shortbow… These items were worth nearly ten thousand gold coins.
Having pocketed the wealth, Ambershade had no further interest in the druids.
Now, he stood before the ranger, Huo, and said, "You see, you're alive because of me. By all reasonable logic, I am your savior, am I not?"
Huo nodded eagerly. Earlier, he had planned to double-cross Ambershade, but who could have known the lich was so powerful? He had truly been blinded by greed, attempting to deceive such an influential figure.
Huo spoke gratefully, "Thank you, my lord Lich, for saving me. I am eternally grateful."
Ambershade smirked, "I'm a lich. What need have I for your gratitude? I prefer something more tangible."
He raised two fingers and rubbed them together lightly.
Huo, understanding the gesture, gave a wry smile, "My lord Lich, I am but a poor man. I don't have much to offer."
Ambershade raised an eyebrow. "How much do you have?"
Huo opened his meager coin pouch—not a space pouch—revealing only two gold coins and a handful of copper.
"Is this all?" Ambershade remarked, displeased.
Huo awkwardly replied, "My lord, we two brothers are poor. We truly cannot offer more."
"I see." Ambershade sighed. "Well, I see potential in your bones. Perhaps you could serve as a skeleton. You'd have some use after all."
Huo immediately turned pale, his legs buckling. He quickly stammered, "No, no, no! We have money, just not on us. We can't afford a space pouch, but there's more at home. If you'll send us back, we'll bring the money to you."
Ambershade finally relented, "Fine. I'm not unreasonable. I've received ten thousand gold for saving six druids. You two brothers will owe me two thousand each. Fair enough?"
Huo, counting on his fingers, hesitated, "But, my lord, six druids for ten thousand gold? That's less than two thousand each."
Ambershade shot back, "Ever heard of rounding off?"
The soul flame in Ambershade's eyes blazed fiercely, as if about to burn Huo to a crisp. Huo immediately agreed, "Yes, yes! I've heard of it, my lord. Your math is impeccable."
"Good. You're a smart one. Now, sign this IOU."
Ambershade presented a parchment, clearly outlining the debt owed by Huo and his brother, including interest for delayed payments, nearly matching the high-interest standards of the Alchemist City.
No one could find fault with this contract.
Reluctantly, Huo signed his name, glancing at his unconscious brother. "My lord Lich, my brother is still unconscious. I'll sign for him."
Ambershade waved his hand. "No need for that."
A burst of magic revived the dazed thief, Dahei, who muttered, "Goddess? Where are you, Goddess?"
As the illusion faded, Dahei blinked in confusion, only to vomit violently upon seeing the witch tightly bound in vines.
Seeing Dahei's torment, Ambershade suggested, "I have a spell for memory removal—three hundred gold per use. It precisely removes specified memories without side effects. Would you like to try?"
Dahei quickly signed the contract. He didn't care if it cost three hundred or three thousand gold—he would sell whatever he had to in order to avoid permanent psychological damage.
Ambershade, satisfied, took the contracts. He had no fear of the two brothers failing to pay. He had ways to extract every last coin from them.
Next, Ambershade presented another parchment, instructing Naomi to mark the location of the slime gathering site. Now that the girl had reunited with her tribe, it was unlikely she would continue accompanying Ambershade. She complied, drawing the map before leaving with her people.
Having secured all the valuables, Ambershade turned his attention to the dying witch.
The greatest treasure from this sewer venture was not the magical gear or gold, but the grotesque creature before him.
Approaching the witch, Ambershade said earnestly, "Now, we have time for a proper conversation. Tell me more about the prophecy of the sewer deity."
End of Chapter