"Mr. Rhein? What are you doing here?"
Lucian asked in confusion, his voice coming out clear and real. The heart that had been lodged in his throat settled back into place. He remained on guard, but the bone-deep terror he'd felt upon hearing that laughter had finally subsided.
The person raising a wine glass in a casual toast was none other than Rhein — the Observer — the familiar acquaintance who had vanished without a trace after their parting in Altor. He had appeared here, inside the projection of the Necromantic World's Withered Vine Castle, looking perfectly at ease, as though he had been waiting specifically for Lucian.
Count Viter's magnificent golden throne — custom-crafted to symbolize nearly a century of glorious warfare — appeared in the Necromantic World as a monochrome study in black, white, and gray. It seemed that everything valuable in life — emotions, honor, loyalty, treasure, fine food — all of it, here, after death, was reduced to the same dead silence, the same pallor, utterly meaningless.
Yet Rhein, seated upon this throne, displayed the full spectrum of silver, red, and countless other colors. In a world still as stagnant water, among one rotting, lifeless corpse after another, he was like a living person who had leaped into the midst of it all — a vivid splash of color that churned everything around him while remaining completely out of place, radiating an intense sense of rejection.
Rhein swirled the wine in his glass, watching the crimson liquid slosh and shimmer. He chuckled softly. "Well, of course I'm here waiting for you, Lucian."
"Mr. Rhein, stop joking..." The corner of Lucian's mouth twitched slightly. Sure enough, it was the same Rhein who loved to crack jokes. That put him considerably more at ease.
But Lucian didn't actually believe Rhein had come here specifically to wait for him. They hadn't been in contact for ages. Rhein wouldn't even know what had happened to him since arriving at the Arcane Magic Council or what missions he'd been assigned. Divination alone could hardly achieve that level of precision.
Rhein shook his head, set down his glass, and slowly rose to his feet. Behind him, two enormous bat-like wings unfurled, completely obscuring the great hall of Withered Vine Castle. Their dark radiance rippled gently, like waves of water.
"So he really is a vampire... Is he a legendary powerhouse?" Upon seeing this, Lucian was finally certain. Even back when he'd encountered Rhein's "grandson," Viscount Karenrdia, he had more or less guessed as much. But Rhein was so mysterious that only witnessing it with his own eyes could truly confirm it. Of course, sometimes seeing wasn't necessarily believing.
Rhein descended the throne's steps at a leisurely pace, smiling easily. "Lucian, I really was waiting for you. I even projected myself into Count Viter's dream specifically for this."
Though he appeared perfectly relaxed and at ease, Lucian suddenly had a strange feeling — that Rhein was expending every ounce of his power just to maintain his current existence. Before him stood not the real Rhein, but merely a projection!
"Is there something you need, Mr. Rhein? You know about the Necromantic World too? Have you been exploring it all this time?" Hearing him mention Count Viter, Lucian's expression turned serious, and he asked attentively.
Rhein nodded. "Originally, I was commissioned by the Dark Council to carry out a task in Altor. But I unexpectedly discovered the existence of the true seal of the 'Lord of Silver White.' Since it concerned an event that shook the world before the Holy Calendar era — something tied to entry into the Necromantic World and the secrets within — I changed my plans on the spot and cooperated with what had been my enemy's side."
"Cardinal Saer de?" Lucian ventured thoughtfully. Someone capable of partnering with Rhein — this mysterious figure who was suspected to be a legendary powerhouse — and who had previously been worthy of being called his enemy... in all of Altor, only Cardinal Saer de had the strength for that. The other two legendary powerhouses in the Duchy were both stationed at the Northern Fortress —
Rhein flashed a handsome smile and praised him. "Sharp. Very clever. We eventually managed to achieve our goal, more or less. But while exploring the Necromantic World, we encountered certain complications, and Saer de turned out to be far more guarded than he appeared. So I ended up trapped somewhere deep within the Necromantic World — much the same as Maskilin, who left you that talisman."
As he spoke, he glanced briefly at Lucian's chest.
"How do you—" Lucian began in surprise, but quickly caught himself. Before entering the Necromantic World, Rhein had known full well where he was headed. He knew Lucian was a mage, and he had almost certainly heard about the collapse of the "Grand Cross" maze. Combine that with the secrets known to an Observer of his caliber, and it wasn't hard to deduce that Lucian had obtained the relics of the "Prophet" Maskilin.
So now, face to face, a legendary powerhouse like him could easily sense the presence of the "Crown of the Sun" talisman with a bit of careful probing.
Perhaps he had even encountered Maskilin deep within the Necromantic World...
Putting aside his surprise, Lucian asked with lingering confusion. "Mr. Rhein, you and Lord Maskilin are both trapped, yet your conditions are completely different. What secret exactly is hidden in the depths of the Necromantic World?"
This was a question that had plagued Lucian for countless days and nights — especially after discovering that Maskilin was likely connected to the emergence of the Church of the Truth God. Now, at last, he had encountered a powerhouse who had been trapped in the depths of the Necromantic World and could speak from firsthand experience. Of course he had to press for answers.
Rhein spread his hands with an easy, dashing gesture. "I've always been cautious. I made preparations in advance, and I was able to borrow the power of a certain someone. So even though I'm trapped, I haven't lost all my abilities — I still have ways to project myself out. Unfortunately, this projection can currently only manifest within the Necromantic World and carries no real power. To communicate with the primary material plane, I can only choose living beings on the verge of death — those who can faintly perceive the aura of death — and project myself into their dreams."