"These people will be the visible force of the Heim Territory. Sometimes, showing a portion of your strength can help avoid a lot of trouble."
"Hmm, Master, then who have you decided to appoint to lead this team?"
"Black."
After a moment of thought, Hel decided to let Black take on this responsibility. Black was Arwin's son, and under Arwin's subtle influence, his loyalty to Hel had reached 90 points. His abilities had also been gradually revealed over these days. Though he looked sloppy and unreliable, he was dependable when it mattered.
When everyone returned to Heim Castle via the underground passage, Hel summoned Black over.
"My lord," Black greeted Hel, then lazily stood opposite her.
Looking at this somewhat worn-out man, Hel furrowed her brow. Although he was reliable in his work, he couldn't be this lazy all the time. Hel had learned quite a bit about him from Arwin. After his wife died a few years ago, he had become like this: decadent and unmotivated. The only good news was that he hadn't developed a drinking problem.
"Sit." Hel gestured to the chair opposite him.
"I remember Lady passed away in the winter two years ago, right?"
Hearing this, Black frowned and instinctively clenched his fists. The death of his wife was an unforgettable pain. He rarely spoke of it, but now the person asking was his lord.
He didn't know what Hel was planning, but as a proper knight, he knew he must remain restrained. Hel was his lord, the object of his loyalty. Even if he felt weak and despondent, he remained a knight bound by his code.
He unclenched his fists, slumped into the chair, and spoke with melancholy:
"Yes, that winter afternoon, I will never forget it. Nini wanted to taste the oranges from the North Mountain Territory again, so I went to the market. I didn't know it would be our last parting."
"How did she die?"
Black shook his head. After a long pause, he said with difficulty:
"The church said it was from overwork, but I know it wasn't that simple. I had offended too many people. Everyone wanted me dead, but they couldn't touch me, so they went after the people close to me. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out who did it at the time."
"If you can't find them, just kill them all."
"My lord, what did you say?"
Black could hardly believe his ears.
"It doesn't matter. Heim Territory doesn't need the nobles. I would have dealt with them sooner or later. Previously I held back to avoid attention. But now, in these chaotic times, losing a few nobles isn't a problem."
"My lord, isn't that a bit too—"
"No need to worry." Hel waved her hand, deciding the matter.
Frankly, she had completely lost patience with the nobles in the city: timid, selfish, and cowardly. When the Beastmen invaded, those who could flee did so, and those who couldn't just locked their doors. Even when Hel ordered each family to send people to defend the city, they only sent a few servants, and refused to dispatch even low-tier guards, despite having 60 points of loyalty to Hel. Heaven only knew how much trouble it would be if they didn't have that loyalty.
"We'll settle them after the New Year." Hel dismissed the matter lightly.
"Now, let's get to business." Hel folded her hands on the table, adopting the pose of a commander. A faint smile played on her lips as she proposed an offer Black could hardly refuse.
"So… do you want to resurrect your wife?"
"Resurrect?" Black's eyes briefly lit with hope, but the glimmer quickly faded.
"My lord, you jest. Even the legendary Great Resurrection Rite of the Church cannot bring someone back after several years. If you mean to resurrect Nini as an undead, then forget it."
"You know about the undead?"
"Yes. Actually, my father already passed that night."
After a pause, Black spoke frankly:
"Though he's no different from before, he's my father, and if anyone knew him best, it would be me. I'm grateful that you brought my father back this way. But Nini is different. She had no talent for cultivation, and cannot become a sentient undead. I don't want her to suffer in this world just for my selfish desire."
"Perhaps I can resurrect her as a living person."
Without further explanation, Hel stood and led him to the cemetery behind Heim Castle. Sebas, Arwin, Lily, and Anna had gathered there as well.
"Niv has briefed you on the situation, right?" Hel nodded to them, then entered the cemetery.
Most of the graves belonged to members of the Heim family and their servants, numbering only a few dozen.
"The souls of ordinary people can linger in their bodies for about seven years, so this resurrection may not work for many."
Hel first stopped before a grave belonging to Melanie, Black's wife. With a wave of her hand, the grave split apart as if alive, revealing the already decaying coffin. She waved her hand again, and the surrounding soil solidified into sturdy rock, encasing the coffin.
"The soul is still present. Resurrection is possible."
Black exhaled in relief. After ordering Arwin to carry the coffin into the undead space, Hel moved to another grave. She paused briefly, then shook her head with resignation:
"The soul here has already vanished."
Arwin sighed quietly behind her, as this grave contained his own wife's remains.
"Time… has passed so long." He murmured, accepting the inevitable.