This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 609 - 540 Time and Memory_2

Chapter 609: Chapter 540 Time and Memory_2

Withered Rose had thought that these so-called pasts had already rotted away within their enclosures, never expecting them to resurface in her most vulnerable moment.

The golden-haired girl, Rose, seemed telepathically connected to her spirit. Without needing her to speak, she knew what she was thinking and continued, "It doesn’t work like that. The length of time has nothing to do with the depth of memories. Do you remember the knight novels we read? The princess that the young boy saw in his youth, even if it was just a distant glimpse under the moonlight, was unforgettable even decades later. When he heard that the kingdom was in trouble, the knight rode his old horse to the battlefield."

"Decades of life couldn’t overshadow that single glance the knight had taken. Hatred has made your centuries feel like a single day. On the day the Ryan Royalty fell, do you remember how much effort you had put in? These day-to-day torments might not compare to those memories of your initial decades."

After hearing this, Withered Rose felt an indescribable sensation rising in her heart; she even felt a tightness in her chest.

As a lich, how could she possibly feel tightness?

She had long forgotten about breathing.

Yet, the feeling was so real, as if a large stone was stuffed inside her chest, continuously pressing against her bones.

Withered Rose painfully clutched her chest, her body curling up, enduring a type of agony she hadn’t felt in many years.

Finally, amid violent coughing, she opened her mouth and inhaled a breath of air.

The fragrant scent startled Withered Rose as she widened her eyes in shock. She could actually smell, how refreshingly new was this?

The stone in her chest seemed to disappear, and Withered Rose couldn’t help but take a deep breath, as if to exchange all the polluted air that had been buried in her body for years.

"This is right."

The original golden-haired girl seemed to have grown a few years younger, turning into a little girl just over ten. The little girl looked at Withered Rose and said in a childish voice, "We have to eat well, sleep well, and study hard so that when we grow up we can..."

The little girl stopped midway, then changed her tone and said to Withered Rose, "But you’ve already grown up, so you can choose your future now."

Withered Rose looked at her own doll-like reflection, her eyes welled up with tears that she could not hold back.

As those scalding tears slid down her cheeks, the dream in front of her shattered like a broken mirror, the young image of herself fell apart, and she was once again in the dark underground Royal Palace, lit only by the dim nether fires.

Withered Rose looked into the Magic Mirror at Amberser, asking in confusion, "What have you done?"

Amberser smiled and said, "I have merely unsealed all your past memories so you remember the beauty you once had. Rose, I won’t force you to live. You have to want to live for me to be able to help you."

Amberser did not directly alter Withered Rose’s soul or forcibly implant any belief about living.

What he did was to awaken all of her beautiful memories while she slipped into the dream realm, turning them into vivid visions within her dreams.

In the dream, Withered Rose could temporarily regain the sensations of the living, but only if she was willing.

After all, having forgotten these feelings for many years, Withered Rose, now on the verge of complete soul silence, couldn’t conjure up these sensations on her own, nor could they be replicated in a dream.

Amberser did not wish to forcibly change Withered Rose’s consciousness, as he didn’t desire a compliant puppet.

Thus, he could only guide.

Who would have thought that the once Undead Queen, as a child, loved knight novels the most?

The stories of knights and princesses were subtly hidden in dozens of books in her room. Even if her parents and teachers discovered them and she had to copy hundreds of holy prayers as punishment, she still found all means to hide those novels.

Under the pillow, beneath the mattress, inside the wardrobe, within the vanity... some were even hidden inside her clothing.

Amberser was surprised when he saw this memory—it was nothing like the resolute and decisive Undead Queen.

One could only say that the extremist ideologies of the Ryan Royalty were truly deadly, pushing all normal people to madness, making these once beautiful memories painfully unbearable when recalled.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and Withered Rose finally remembered her childhood, willing to recall that bit of warmth.

Although it was just an attempt, at least in her dreams, Withered Rose could feel now.

Feeling is the pillar of survival for the Undead, be it joy, anger, sadness, or pleasure, any emotion will do, the most feared is utter nothingness, complete void.

Amberser did not explain in detail, but Withered Rose could guess what he had done.

"You needn’t have gone to such trouble, why not just modify my soul directly? I wouldn’t mind that."

Reading memories might not be difficult, but allowing Withered Rose to experience these memories without damaging her soul was extraordinary. Withered Rose understood this, so she felt only gratitude towards Amberser, grateful for everything he had done for her, but she equally did not understand why he did it.

Amberser shook his head and said, "Directly modifying your soul, what difference would there be from having killed you? Lady Rose, I have only recalled a bit of your sensation for now, but you are still an Undead, this sensation will still fade over time. To truly solve this issue, I currently have only a preliminary idea, and it will take a long time to achieve.

"Therefore, you can stop at any time, and I will respect your choice."

Withered Rose looked at Amberser in the mirror and asked, "What are you thinking? This method sounds like it’s treating the symptoms, not the cause."

If she had to enter the dream every so often for a "sensory charge," that way of living was rather troublesome, and Withered Rose doubted whether it could really be called living.

"For now, it is indeed necessary to use this method to temporarily alleviate the loss of humanity, but with Melina around, I am quite certain that Undead do not necessarily need strong emotions of love or hate to sustain their cognitive abilities. Curiosity is sometimes a driving force, perhaps it should be said that it is the most important internal motivation for all intelligent beings."

Amberser joked, "Lady Rose, don’t you love knight novels? Perhaps, reading more novels could help you find a reason to keep on living?"

Withered Rose’s expression stiffened, and she could not help but say, "I somewhat regret letting you see my memories."

Amberser smiled and said, "That’s great, you need this kind of emotion right now."

But after the joke, Amberser resumed a serious tone and said, "Please be assured, I am researching the power of this mask. Ogma was able to grant me rebirth with this mask, it seems the Lord of Knowledge would not mind me learning this knowledge. When the day comes that I can create my own mask, I will personally put it on for you."

Withered Rose was silent for a moment, then asked, "Do I need to enter the dream every day now?"

"The longer the better, if you have the time, you might as well dream more. Even if you’re really busy, my advice is to sleep at least eight hours a day, just like a living person would."

Withered Rose revealed a charming smile and, in a different tone, said to Amberser, "One last question, can I see you in the dream?"

Amberser was momentarily stunned, looking at Withered Rose’s stunningly beautiful face, his heart began to race.

He had never felt this way before, but when such a Queen invited him to join her in a dream, even if it might not have that implication, Amberser still felt his heartbeat quicken.

Is this the "side effect" of becoming a living being? Amberser could hardly maintain complete calm anymore.

But seeing Withered Rose’s expectant gaze, Amberser nodded and said, "I’m not sure if my current state can be affected by the dream realm, but, I can try."

The Connected Dream Realm affects even the Undead, theoretically, the Instrument Spirit can also sleep, not to mention that Amberser had already regained all human senses.

But the problem is, Amberser’s overall presence is too "massive"; if Amberser were to fall into deep sleep, he had no idea what effect it would have on the Magic Mirror network, and the Connected Dream Realm might not be able to sustain Amberser, this "colossal" entity, in sleep.

Trying is always an option.

"Then I have no issues now." Withered Rose stretched out her hand, touching the surface of the Magic Mirror as if she was touching Amberser’s face.

"Thank you, my Knight." Withered Rose said softly.

Amberser also smiled, and said to Withered Rose, "It’s my honor, Your Majesty."