This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 319 - 297: Training of the Drow Elf

Chapter 319: Chapter 297: Training of the Drow Elf

Amberser had spent quite some time returning from the depths back to his Alchemy Factory.

Having the ability to teleport, he never thought long-distance travel was problematic. It was only after losing that ability that Amberser realized how troublesome journeying truly was.

Finally arriving home, he saw Katherine sitting at the entrance of the Underground City, hugging her knees with her head buried in her lap.

This posture looked so familiar, didn’t it?

Oh, it was the same one Melina adopted when she was laughed at and called a fool, sitting on her bed.

Amberser asked in surprise, "What happened? I haven’t been gone that long; are you already depressed?"

Raising her head, Katherine’s eyes were red, as though she had cried.

"They, they all lied to me..."

Katherine tearfully explained everything to Amberser.

Initially confident, Katherine planned to have the Drow Elves swear loyalty to her. Her approach was simple and direct, first letting the Drow Elves rest well, eat and drink their fill, then she began to have heart-to-heart talks with them.

At first, it went well. The Drow Elves went from being guarded to opening up, sharing their tragic experiences with Katherine.

Katherine felt deeply moved as she listened, not expecting the Drow Elves to have such heartbreaking backgrounds. Since birth, they were assigned a cute little spider that grew up alongside them. No sooner had they learned to speak than they were taught vile magic spells. Once they mastered these spells, the first target they had to cast upon was the little spider they had raised from infancy.

This inhumane education aimed to strip the Drow Elves of compassion and love from a young age.

After this ritual, the Drow Elves would undergo strict training. Assassination, poisoning, stealth, torture... Each task was designed to erase their humanity, until as adults, they had to go to the surface to hunt a High Elf and sacrifice it to the Rose Spider Queen to become a true Drow Matriarch.

Of course, the captive Drow Elves were underage, but after years of torment, they had turned into completely inhumane and cruel monsters.

When Katherine talked to them heart-to-heart, the Drow Elves initially resisted, until her genuine compassion "moved" them. They then opened up their hearts to her, and a few even cried alongside her.

After a good cry, the Drow Elves no longer had looks of caution and vigilance on their faces but started to show smiles.

Katherine believed she had accomplished her mission of converting them and kept these five closely-bonded Drow Elves by her side, almost always together, even when eating or sleeping.

And then, at a moment when Katherine let her guard down, she was stabbed.

Legendary as they were, the unguarded were still made of flesh and blood, and Katherine’s body clad in pajamas couldn’t stop the blade.

However, perhaps Katherine’s charm had an effect; the stab didn’t hit a vital spot but seriously wounded her.

And then, the five Drow Elves who were freed from the soul binding by Amberser took Katherine hostage, intent on leaving the Underground City.

In the end, they succeeded.

The Undead guards along the way didn’t stop them, allowing the Elves to escape smoothly to the city gates.

That’s where they fell into a Magic Trap.

Amberser had prepared this in advance, knowing the Drow Elves would surely cause trouble, so he casually placed a paralysis trap.

All the Drow Elves were caught in it, then Big Black and Husky, the two Undead guards, emerged from the corner. They moved the injured Katherine aside to pour a healing potion down her throat and then captured all the escaping Drow Elves and locked them up in a cell.

Katherine was greatly shaken, not by the physical assault, but by the emotional betrayal.

After all, they had confided everything in each other, and Katherine had promised them a better life. Why then did they still betray her?

Katherine couldn’t fathom a reason why these Drow Elves would rather risk death in an attempt to escape instead of choosing to stay by her side for a good life?

After listening to her story, Amberser curiously asked, "Why do you think their words are true? Katherine, they are Drow Elves after all!"

Katherine shamefully buried her head back into her knees.

Amberser walked over, patted her head, and said, "Don’t mind it; being deceived isn’t your fault, it’s the fault of those who deceived you. Now you know what Drow Elves are like. Put away your kindness until you fully understand them. Come with me now; let’s deal with those runaway Drow Elves."

Katherine looked up, asking a little excitedly, "What are you going to do with them?"

"What, you still want to let them go?" Amberser asked.

Katherine indeed wanted to plead with Amberser to spare them, but when the words reached her lips, she hesitated and ended up saying, "No, I’m listening to you."

Retaking the Drow Elves was something she indeed wasn’t capable of handling on her own.

"Since that’s the case, I might as well listen to what the Lich has to say. As for those Drow Elves," Katherine recalled the times when they had deep conversations together, and then remembered the moment they plunged a knife into her body.

Since they chose betrayal, Katherine would no longer plead for them.

Amberser said cheerfully, "Good, that’s progress. But don’t worry, I don’t plan on killing those traitors."

"Ah? Why not? That doesn’t sound like you."

Katherine couldn’t believe that Amberser would spare those traitors. This Lich dares to lay hands on a Deity and is usually ruthless.

"Killing should be meaningful. I never indulge in senseless slaughtering or meaningless torture; I respect every form of life equally."

Amberser spoke these words with great sincerity, which was the greatest realization he had after becoming a Lich.

Transitioning from a human to a Lich meant becoming a different species, and Amberser began to view all life from another, more fair standpoint—judging who was more valuable and how to utilize that value.

Even Amberser himself was on the same scale, and only this could be considered fair.

The betrayal by these Drow Elves was, in fact, part of Amberser’s plan. There were only twenty of them; wiping out five in one go, what fun would there be left to play with?

Besides, those Drow Elves would fetch a high price if sold. How could they simply be killed?

Amberser took Katherine to the location of the cells where five Drow Elves were locked in chains, all hung on crosses and looking battered and bruised as if they had been severely disciplined.

"These two, how could you strike the face?" Amberser said discontentedly.

Katherine thought Amberser was sympathizing with these Drow Elves, but his next words were, "Their faces are damaged; they won’t fetch a good price now."

Katherine looked at Amberser in surprise and asked, "You’re going to sell them?"

Amberser nodded and said, "Of course. What else are they good for? Many nobles would want a Drow Elf as a family heirloom; who knows, it might even birth a Half-Elf and improve the family’s bloodline."

"How can you do this? It’s better to kill them than to sell them as some noble’s ’family heirloom’!" Katherine couldn’t accept this outcome. It was one thing for traitors to be killed, but to be sold as a noble’s "family heirloom" was worse than death. Katherine couldn’t imagine the kind of mistreatment they would endure.

However, no sooner had Katherine spoken than the five Drow Elves shouted, "No, no, no, don’t kill us. We’re willing to be slaves, to be sold to anyone. Please let us live!"

Katherine’s eyes widened, completely taken aback by the Drow Elves’ choice.

Amberser laughed and said, "You really don’t understand Drow Elves. Chastity means nothing to them. As long as they can survive, what does it matter if they become family heirloom Elves? There will always be a chance to escape, and as long as they live, no insult will weigh on their minds. It is precisely because they have almost no sense of shame that Drow Elves will also betray without reservation."

Katherine was left speechless by Amberser’s words. She had indeed been too naive.

What she thought was good was actually not good for the Drow Elves. Could it be that this difference in beliefs led to the Drow Elves’ betrayal?

Katherine fell into thought, while Amberser turned to the five Drow Elves and said, "Katherine is kind-hearted and cannot bear to see you suffer, but I also know that this kindness is meaningless to you. Every Drow Elf is born ambitious. So, I’ll give you another choice."

The words of Amberser left the five Drow Elves puzzled. This Lich was clearly much more formidable than the foolish Elf; they had no good expectations for the future,

Amberser didn’t care what they were thinking and simply said, "I know you desire freedom, so let’s make an agreement. I have another fifteen Drow Elves under my command, and there will be more. I’ll hand over these Drow Elves to you to lead. The task for you is simple: assist Katherine and make these Drow Elves willing to obey Katherine’s commands.

"For each of you, as long as you can get one hundred Drow Elves to voluntarily obey Katherine, you can leave. I swear by the name of the God of Alchemy to this contract and will absolutely not break it! If you’re willing, I’ll leave a Magic brand on you; once you fulfill the contract, I’ll let you go.

"Of course, you can choose the second option—I kill you now."

Without any hesitation, all five Drow Elves chose to sign the contract with Amberser, and they each were given three Drow Elves to command, thus the twenty Drow Elves were divided into five groups.

Amberser gave them enough time to consult among themselves and then took Katherine aside to say in a low voice, "I’m leaving these Drow Elves in your charge. All you need to do is respond ambiguously to whatever they say. Do not agree, nor disagree, and just carefully record every single word and action they take, regardless of significance. Do you understand?"

Katherine, a bit puzzled, said, "I’ll handle it, but why would you let Drow Elves manage Drow Elves? If they band together, doesn’t that make it more dangerous?"

Amberser wanted to say that Katherine’s fate was to work for him overtime until she cried in agony, that she would definitely not die before fulfilling this future.

But saying that would surely make Katherine angry at him, so Amberser told her, "Drow Elves understand Drow Elves best. They already have a class structure among themselves. How to make Drow Elves loyal can only be known by them, and all you need to do is record the method. As for danger, what, are you scared after being stabbed once?"

Katherine firmly said, "I’m not afraid. This is a task assigned to me by the Deity, and moreover, I won’t be careless anymore!"

"Very well, then it’s all yours."

Once Amberser had finished giving the orders, he returned to his laboratory, took out a piece of parchment, and pondered how to write a letter to James Watson.

After some thought, Amberser decided to start by mentioning the matter of Allen owing him two hundred thousand Gold Coins.