This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 477 - 443: The Collapse of Aeolus

Chapter 477: Chapter 443: The Collapse of Aeolus

Amberser had never imagined that Aeolus could look like this.

A severed hand seemed like an impossibility to him; after all, what was that to someone who could regrow a severed head? Couldn’t he just commit suicide and be reborn?

But Aeolus’s condition seemed a bit off.

Amberser could sense that the effects of the Crown of Madness that had previously entwined Aeolus’s soul were gone, but his soul was not complete; it was as if... a piece was missing.

Amberser looked toward the Lobster Girl who bore a striking resemblance to the Fury Tide Kingdom’s Princess, and said in surprise, "You split your soul and gave a piece to her?"

Aeolus, with a haggard face, said, "Old friend, let me... let me rest a while... I’ll tell you everything..."

Before he could finish, Aeolus fainted.

The Lobster Girl beside him quickly propped him up, and although her actions were agile, the consciousness of this Lobster Girl seemed abnormal. Apart from instinctively protecting Aeolus, everything else about her seemed very stiff, even lacking expression.

Amberser could see at a glance that there was something wrong with the girl’s soul. If Aeolus was only missing a piece, this Lobster Girl was missing most of her soul; it was a miracle she was even alive.

"Interesting."

Amberser opened his private space and sent the two inside.

Upon entering, Amberser immediately used his Time Freeze authority to control both individuals.

"Hehe, does this count as fulfilling the prophecy? In the end, you walked right into my trap, controlled by my Time Freeze," Amberser murmured to himself as he approached Aeolus, trying to read his soul.

But the moment he touched Aeolus’s soul, Aeolus’s body completely shattered.

Even Time Freeze could not stop this collapse, and it was not only Aeolus— the Lobster Girl was affected too, her chitinous body cracking open, flesh ripping apart as if something inside had exploded.

However, what came next was rebirth. Aeolus regrew, only his severed arm did not return, and the Lobster Girl was also reborn, emitting a pained scream.

Time Freeze had lost its effect, although Amberser quickly reapplied it, it only managed to control Aeolus for a few short seconds before the cycle of shattering and rebirth occurred once again.

Gasping for air, Aeolus asked Amberser, "What have you done to me?"

Amberser did not answer the question, instead he spoke with interest, "Interesting, the blessing of a Deity is enough to break through the effect of Time Freeze, but one must die first. Normally, one can’t die under Time Freeze, but your soul has a serious issue—it shatters upon the slightest touch, then automatically regenerates."

"Aeolus, what exactly have you been through?"

Amberser’s question made Aeolus a bit ashamed, and he said helplessly, "I was deceived, it was all fake."

"Ah, this..." Amberser was at a loss for words. This guy had also cried of being deceived before launching an attack on him; now he really didn’t know what face to show him.

But Aeolus did not notice Amberser’s awkwardness and began to recall on his own.

"Brivodoup deceived me, turning me into her weapon, commanding me to lead the Kuotuo Murlocs to fight for this Volcanic Ocean Region..."

The first time Aeolus prayed to Talos and received no reply, his mind had already been influenced by Brivodoup.

This mad Goddess used her Divine Power during Aeolus’s moment of psychological vulnerability and cursed him, rendering him forever incapable of rational thought and tormenting his soul, keeping him in a state of constant anger.

Then, the Kuotuo Murlocs gained a powerful leader, and initially, it indeed had a good effect, at least the Kuotuo Murlocs gained more territory.

It was only after meeting Amberser again that Aeolus tasted defeat.

Latter, when the Lobster Girl was attacked, Aeolus decided to rush back, but he was still too late.

And it was not just physical damage that was the worst, but also the impact on the soul.

The attacking Sharkwa Fishman seemed to have collected a small amount of Yixi Manta Ray blood and used it as a weapon in the fight, causing severe damage to the soul of the Lobster Girl.

"At that moment, I took Airel to seek Brivodoup’s help, praying for her assistance. However, she claimed she would treat Airel, but fully deceived me—she didn’t care about Airel’s life or death at all, instead she was ready to create a fake one to deceive me."

Aeolus was astounded then because the Lobster Ariel was wearing the conch he had given her; hence Aeolus saw everything that happened around the Lobster Girl.

Brivodoup casually captured two lobsters and a Kuotuo Murloc, using their flesh to create an exact replica of Airel.

Afterward, Brivodoup pushed the fake out and presented it to Aeolus.

Aeolus was aware of all this; his true love had been discarded by Brivodoup and was struggling for life somewhere in the depths of the sea.

Perhaps not personally killing the Lobster Girl was the last bit of sanity left in Brivodoup, but it also gave Aeolus a chance to find his "real" love.

Only the damage to the soul was killing the Lobster Girl, and Aeolus had no idea how to heal her.

As he watched his love about to die, Aeolus thought of his own immortal state and took a tremendous risk. He tried tearing his soul apart and stuffed it into the already torn soul of the Lobster Girl.

Amberser said with a sigh, "You really are mad, but also quite clever. Ordinary people don’t have the ability to tear their own souls apart."

Just like one cannot lift oneself by one’s hair, one must use a Flight Spell to do so.

Ordinary people can’t even sense the existence of their soul. Aeolus, truly blessed by the Deity, simply tore his soul apart with his bare hands and stuffed it into the body of the Lobster Girl.

Aeolus was immortal, but his rebirth seemed to depend on the state of his soul.

Now that he had torn himself apart, Aeolus would forever lack an arm because part of his soul had merged with the Lobster Girl’s.

So if Aeolus died, the Lobster Girl would die too, and when reborn, both would be reborn together.

And because of this brutal method, the effect of the Crown of Madness bestowed upon Aeolus by Brivodoup was nullified. Probably not even that mad Goddess had thought there could be someone in the world madder than she was.

The effects of Destiny Weaving had, by now, all been realized: the Crown of Madness removed, Aeolus turned against Brivodoup, and then fell into Amberser’s private space-time trap. Everything had been achieved, just not in the way he expected.

But after a moment of contemplation, Amberser asked Aeolus, "So you’ve come to me for salvation?"

Aeolus said shamefully, "I know, everything before was my fault. You are the first friend I knew and the only one who never deceived me. I have wronged you, and so my request is presumptuous. But please, save her no matter what!"

Amberser responded, "You’re well aware that the Koutao Mermaid Goddess can create a second Lobster, so this first one, she was also crafted by Her. From the beginning, the Airel you sought was not her. It was the Koutao Mermaid Goddess who created this creature to ensnare you."

Aeolus replied, "I know, and I have come to understand that, but please, save her."

After the Crown of Madness was removed, Aeolus regained his sanity. He lacked experience, not intelligence, due to his short life. Over time, he gradually came to possess a normal person’s way of thinking.

The Lobster Airel by his side was false from the start, nothing but a deception fashioned by that mad Goddess.

But the time they spent together wasn’t false; at least Aeolus truly felt he had found someone who wholeheartedly loved him.

For Aeolus, no matter how fictitious, that affection was incredibly precious.

After being discarded by Father God Talos and deceived by Brivodoup, Aeolus was left with nothing but the Lobster Girl before him.

Amberser hadn’t anticipated that the once foolish boy would now show a measure of a man’s responsibility, yet still too foolish to let go, despite knowing the falseness.

However, Amberser then asked Aeolus, "Why should I help you? Give me a reason."

The two were not strangers, at least they could be considered unacquainted. This foolish boy came to him on his own, and Amberser considered that he had treated him fairly, never outright betraying him.

Yet after being controlled, Aeolus turned on Amberser, attacking him; thus there was no reason to help.

Aeolus hurriedly said, "I know I was wrong before, I dare not ask for your forgiveness, but I can offer information in exchange, please save her."

"What information?"

"Brivodoup is collaborating with Koutao Mermaid Goddess Serkolla to move against you and your friend. They are plotting to control your friend and tear her apart when she ascends to Deity."

Amberser laughed and said, "I already know that."

Aeolus was stunned and said in shock, "You already knew?"

"Of course, they haven’t even tried to hide it." Amberser mentioned the matter of the invitation.

Perhaps those Deities thought mortals were ignorant of Divine Power, but Amberser—fortunate as he was to have received knowledge taught by the Lady of Mist—understood the basics related to Deities quite well and spotted the issue immediately.

Aeolus had not anticipated this turn of events, his sole piece of valuable intelligence now rendered useless?

Aeolus hesitated for a long time but couldn’t help pleading again, "Although I have nothing left now, please save her. I’ll do anything, I can help you with anything. Since my birth, only she has been kind to me, I beg you."

Under normal circumstances, Amberser would have been plotting how to take advantage of Aeolus, to turn him into a worker and thus ease the work of uniting the Volcanic Ocean Region.

But this time, Amberser didn’t follow those scheming thoughts and instead said to Aeolus, "Answer me one question, and I’ll consider helping you."

"Any question, just ask, and I will tell you," Aeolus replied without hesitation, grasping at this last straw, willing now to do anything.

"My question is, which Deity sent you to the Mortal Realm?" Amberser asked.

Aeolus hesitated for a moment, then said, "I was created by Father God Talos, I am His son, it was He who sent me here."

"Talos... that madman."

No sooner had Amberser spoken than peals of thunder sounded.

Both Aeolus and Amberser heard that angry, majestic voice, "Aeolus, you have greatly disappointed me!"