This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 560 - 499: How to Spend the Last Days of Life

Chapter 560: Chapter 499: How to Spend the Last Days of Life

"I will imprison you to ensure no one can kill you!"

Withered Rose’s words left Amberser stunned; was this even an option?

But Amberser could only decline.

"I’m afraid I must disappoint you, the future I foresee is not a dignified one, and I do not wish to be seen by anyone."

Withered Rose was still not ready to give up and pressed on, "Then tell me, who is it that killed you? I’ll take care of the murderer right now."

Melina also stood up excitedly and said to Amberser, "That’s right, Father, together we can even try to take down a Deity!"

They just wouldn’t believe it.

All Amberser could do was smile and reply, "Well, since you still insist, I will make an effort. I will analyze the future as I have seen it and ask for your help after I have studied all the details of the prophecy."

Hearing this from Amberser, Withered Rose finally breathed a sigh of relief; her only fear was that Amberser might give up. As long as he maintained confidence, with his wisdom, sure he could resolve anything.

After repeatedly reminding Amberser to stay in touch, Withered Rose reluctantly returned to Dark Hell with Melina.

However, as soon as Amberser had sent the two through the Teleportation Circle and the light had faded, a middle-aged man with a weary air about him appeared.

He was dressed as a Bard, plucking the strings of a Lute.

Amberser was about to speak when the man began to sing.

"Oh, my dear friend, you are about to leave me, while I can but stand alone here, playing a ballad unheard..."

The blunt lyrics devoid of culture and jarring chords confirmed it was the Poet.

Amberser awkwardly waited for the Poet to finish his farewell song before clapping insincerely.

The Poet bowed politely in thanks, crushed the Lute into a ball of shadow, and then addressed Amberser, "You’re about to lose your life, and yet you don’t dare to speak the truth, do you? This song, to you, it must be unpleasant to listen to, right?"

Amberser awkwardly admitted, "It seems my acting isn’t very convincing."

The Poet dropped his joking demeanor, patted Amberser’s shoulder, and said, "You’re a Lich, with no face to speak of, so from where could you derive expressions or acting? But no matter how well you act, it’s the same—I’m well aware that my music is discordant to you. Because my soul is structured differently from yours, the music I enjoy is noise to others."

This made Amberser even more embarrassed; he had previously praised the Poet’s "musical taste" rather enthusiastically, and now the Poet knew all along.

The Poet didn’t intend to make Amberser feel any more uneasy, he simply said, "I heard everything just now. You’re deceiving Rose and your daughter; you’ve already given up, haven’t you?"

Amberser replied helplessly, "Outsiders cannot comprehend the power of fate. My death is now inevitable, and any delay will only make things worse. After I reclaimed the power of destiny, I was prepared for the end, but death came faster than I had anticipated."

"You still have one chance at rebirth," the Poet reminded.

The last time, bolstered by the Poet’s music, Amberser gained three chances at rebirth: once he tricked Rose, the second time Sass, and the effect of the last chance at rebirth was still in place.

Yet Amberser just smiled and said, "It appears, Senior Poet, that you too don’t understand the meaning of fate. Even if I were given a million chances at rebirth, it would be of no use."

The Poet was surprised by Amberser’s resignation, a stark contrast to his usual behavior in their chat group.

"I am very curious about the future you have seen," the Poet said.

Amberser said wistfully, "It’s too embarrassing, I’d rather not describe the scene at that time."

"Even though you know you are going to die in an embarrassing manner, you accept it?"

"It’s not about acceptance, but the reality of it. However, rest assured, I won’t end my life carelessly.

"My senior brother, who spent his life wishing to restore our family’s honor, chose to sacrifice himself to save the Kingdom at the moment of his death. Selwyn avoided fate all his life but never abandoned the struggle against it, leaving the last glimmer of hope to me at the end. Being a Diviner Mage myself, I surely cannot lose to them."

"Well, I’m certainly not a devotee of destiny, for when I was born, the fate of this world was nothing but Chaos. This is for you, something Shael asked me to pass on to you. I thought there was no rush, but suddenly you are just... Perhaps this thing could offer you a glimmer of hope."

"Something from Shael for me?"

Amberser accepted from the Poet a mass of pitch-black smoke with a puzzled expression and after sensing it briefly, showed a look of shock.

"Is this the entire knowledge of the Dark Web? How could Shael possibly entrust something like this to me?"

Amberser was well aware of its value, claiming it was akin to a Deity Position was no exaggeration. Shael had toiled most of her life to replace the Magic Goddess, and this was her research outcome, now she was just handing it over?

If Amberser mastered the knowledge within, it would mean that the Magic Goddess would also learn it, and Shael would never have a chance again.

"Wait a minute, this one is... Kalsass’s Deification Technique!"

Amberser’s hands were trembling. This spell was too infamous; it was the very one rumored to have the power to turn someone into a deity in an instant, far surpassing the Wishing Spell, for Kalsass’s Deification Magic replaced the position of the Magic Goddess. Even more outrageous was the fact that the last person who cast this spell had succeeded.

Albeit it was only for a moment, Kalsass indeed replaced the Magic Goddess, became the master of the Magic Web, and then was obliterated along with the Magic Web.

After that, the Second Generation Magic Goddess forbade the spell, rendering it absolutely taboo.

Amberser said doubtfully, "Does Shael want me to use this spell, to help him deal with the Magic Goddess? Has he gone mad? How could I possibly do such a thing?"

The Poet, however, laughed and said, "I also thought it impossible, but now it seems it may not be. Aren’t you about to die? What could be a more commemorative way to die than blowing up the Magic Goddess? Could this be the arrangement of Fate?"

Amberser tucked away the orb of dark essence, lost in thought from the Poet’s suggestion.

But it wasn’t that he actually wanted to blow up the Magic Goddess. Setting aside the question of whether it was even possible, he had no grudge against the potent Goddess, so why provoke her?

However, the emergence of Kalsass’s Deification Magic gave Amberser an odd feeling because, in the future he had seen, it seemed he died atop the Magic Array of that very spell.

Previously, Amberser couldn’t recognize which Magic Array was depicted in the hazy images, but after skimming over the contents of Kalsass’s Deification Magic, he felt the two Magic Arrays were very similar.

"I’m definitely not going to cast this spell and kill myself, so why does it appear there?"

As Amberser was pondering, the Poet couldn’t help but ask, "What are your plans next?"

"Plans?"

"You’re about to die, don’t you plan on doing anything?" the Poet asked, puzzled.

Before, this Lich had said he wouldn’t end his life carelessly. Likewise, the previous diviner mages’ deaths had left a significant mark; this Lich should follow in their footsteps.

Would he spend time documenting all of his life’s knowledge and pass it on?

Or would he use the World Weaving Technique to leave behind a world wonder similar to the Golden Desert?

Or perhaps, would he give up everything he possessed, change his way of life, and truly make a sacrifice for the peace of the world?

The Poet was full of anticipation; he was eager to witness Amberser’s transformation.

Because he truly liked this Lich before him, even if he didn’t understand music at all, he was the most interesting "friend" he had met in recent years.

When boasting about heroes, it was common to say that mortals could stand shoulder to shoulder with deities. Yet using that phrase for Amberser seemed inappropriate; it should be that a mortal bamboozled the deities.

As long as he was alive, the world became fascinating.

The Poet was eager to remind Amberser that if he could transcend his desires, then Guild Leader Yeg would offer him the position of Grim Reaper.

It would certainly be interesting if this Lich became the Grim Reaper.

Moreover, once he accepted the Grim Reaper’s deity position, the so-called fate of death would have no effect on him.

The Grim Reaper, how could it die?

Having control over the concept of death, he would simultaneously possess countless incarnations, each at different stages of death, or perhaps he would completely transcend the concept, utterly unaffected.

Each Grim Reaper’s understanding of death was different, but they all equally attained true immortality.

But the Poet also clearly understood Guild Leader Yeg’s standards, and knew that if he hinted, it would mean depriving Amberser of the opportunity to compete. "Yeg, with his old-school nature, likes these convoluted games. I really don’t understand what’s the fun in being a riddle master."

Now the Poet could only hope that Amberser would figure it out on his own.

Death was already close at hand; it was time for the Lich to become enlightened.

Come now, surpass your desires, transcend your greedy nature, think about a more meaningful life, and you will gain much more, and also completely avoid this death.

"How many days do you have left, and what do you plan to do?" pushed the Poet.

"I plan to accelerate the construction of the Alchemy Factory, quickly pull together funds, then draw money from other businesses, and make a huge profit. As for the world peace conference, that needs speeding up too, get those kings over here as soon as possible, reach cooperation swiftly, and make a substantial profit..."

Amberser said quite a bit, leaving the Poet astonished.

"Hold on, stop right there. I’m not asking about how you want to handle your business; I’m asking about your life. Your life is about to come to an end, what should you be doing now?"

Amberser calmly stated, "I should make a huge profit."

Poet: ...

This Lich, with his mind fixated on making money, was beyond saving.