Chapter 115: Soul Rebirth

‘The Most Noble Elf, huh. Could she be Isidore’s ancestor?’

‘That must be it. The level of her soul must have been high too. Her body wasn’t twisted in the least. So even such a being ended up corrupted like this in the end. Well, even a dragon couldn’t withstand it, so what hope did even the Most Noble Elf have?’

A small square shrouded in silence.

All around, gray Stone Statues encircled them.

Those that, just moments ago, had been alive, now stood frozen, turned to stone.

Hio gazed quietly at the body of the elf, whose soul had departed, at the center of the square.

All traces of Abyssal Curse had vanished, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell. If not for the difference in hair color, one could believe she was Isidore’s twin.

‘She was even stronger than Isidore. Is that the influence of being tainted by the Abyss, or was her original power simply at this level?’

Her original power must have been the foundation. The Abyssal Curse likely enhanced it further. But she lost that much more of her intellect, so you could even say she became weaker in the end.

The Most Noble Elf was strong.

The Stone Statues scattered about, and the fact that she breached the heavily guarded Imperial Academy, were proof enough.

On the other hand, to think that even such a powerful and noble elf fell into corruption—just what is the Abyss?

Lost in such thoughts, Hio stood there for a long time.

“Hey… you haven’t forgotten about me, have you?”

A sudden voice brought him back to himself.

“Oh, right.”

‘Sirbert was still there, wasn’t he?’

Turning his head, he saw Sirbert surrounded by dying plants, his face contorted.

His expression looked as if he really couldn’t believe Hio had actually forgotten about him.

“Come on, seriously… Ugh, whatever. More importantly, do you think you can break this?”

Through the gradually receding vines, the hard gray stone beneath was revealed.

It was none other than Sirbert’s body.

“It’s a kind of mental attack…”

That’s why it hadn’t worked on Hio.

He had high resistance to mental attacks.

“Hold on a second.”

Leaving Sirbert frozen with only his face exposed, Hio turned away.

‘Could someone really still be alive if their body had turned to stone?’

That’s what he thought, yet Sirbert was indeed alive.

And quite a bit of time had already passed.

So Hio began examining the many Stone Statues encircling the square, activating his trait.

[Skill – ‘Ghost’s Eye’ is activated.]

Viewing the statues through the Ghost’s Eye—

“They’re… still alive.”

They were no different from living people’s souls.

However, whether he could restore them to their original state was another matter.

There was no method.

No matter how he considered all the magic he knew, nothing came to mind, nor did any skill.

Even the highest-level divine magic, Skill: Celestial, had failed—’what other skill could work?’

“How about melting only the stone parts with Blue Flame?”

‘…Would that even work?’

“Probably not, right?”

It wasn’t just unlikely—it was too risky.

If something went wrong and he melted them for real, it’d be a disaster.

They were still alive, after all.

‘Let’s see… among the spells I haven’t tried yet…’

The only thing he could think of was a spell he’d recently learned.

[Fourth Circle: Purification.]

Since it started as a mental attack, it seemed to have at least some possibility.

Though it was a slim one.

It was petrification caused by a mental attack, but still—hadn’t they turned to stone in the end?

Even though the Abyss-tainted elf who cast it had perished, soul and all, the effect still didn’t vanish.

That suggested a simple purification spell wouldn’t be enough.

So then, what other magic was left…?

‘Hmm?’

Suddenly, a spell flashed through his mind.

‘Kreutzvalt-style Necromancy…?’

“Necromancy? Are you actually going to try that?”

Hio’s gaze shifted again to the fallen, soulless body of the Most Noble Elf.

If Kreutzvalt-style Necromancy could be used here…

That body, which had single-handedly devastated the Academy, might gain the abilities of a different soul as well.

Thinking about it that way, it really was an utterly absurd spell…

No wonder it was so well hidden and hard to find.

“Hm… It’s all a bit sudden.”

Just as Furnel worried, it was a sudden idea, but a significant problem presented itself.

“Will the soul you’ve kept and that noble body be compatible?”

Compatibility was the most crucial factor.

Everything else could be prepared.

The dark-attribute mana needed for Kreutzvalt-style Necromancy, or the dead souls needed to extract it, those could all be arranged.

But if the body and the prepared soul weren’t compatible, it would all be for nothing.

‘But what is compatibility in the first place? How would I even know if a soul matches a body?’

There was no explanation regarding compatibility in the “Book of Kreutzvalt-style Necromancy”.

It only stated that if you failed, the soul you used was likely to be destroyed.

And to Hio’s question, Furnel replied—

“How would I know? If I knew that, I’d be Kreutzvalt myself.”

Just as expected.

He hadn’t really expected anything different anyway.

‘Compatibility… compatibility, huh…Let’s think. The only soul I can use for necromancy is this one. The Soul Harvester’s Lantern, one of Kreutzvalt’s Three Sacred Tools. There is only one soul stored inside. A soul that ended its life as a villain in vain, and even after awakening its sealed memories, for some reason never departed this world.’

‘That’s right. A tragic soul. Airlights.’

‘I need to consider whether Airlights’ soul would be compatible with the Most Noble Elf’s body.’

“If you ask me, appearance-wise it’s a match.”

Appearance-wise, it’s a match.

Whether appearance really mattered for compatibility was unclear, but their heights and builds seemed similar.

Both were exceedingly beautiful as well.

Though Airlights had a glamorous face, and the elf a more elegant one, there were some differences…

‘Well, I doubt compatibility is decided by appearance.’

Still, the similarity in build was probably quite relevant.

That left abilities.

Airlights’ ability was Enchantment.

She could cast her skill by making eye contact, and those who were enchanted could spread the enchantment to others, like a contagion, following only Airlights’ orders.

The Most Noble Elf’s main abilities were twofold.

Controlling mana-absorbing plants.

And petrification.

Sirbert had said that it triggered by eye contact and began as a kind of mental attack.

Which means—

‘It might actually work.’

There were a lot of similarities.

Similar physique. Similar abilities.

Not to mention—the same gender.

Also… pretty faces?

…Honestly, I have no idea. I can’t say for sure.

I won’t know until I try.

‘Appearance, abilities, what else could affect compatibility?’

‘Would personality need to be similar too?’

If so, that would be a total disaster.

“Think carefully. I know you pity that soul.”

‘…Pity? What are you talking about?’

Then why else would you keep only her soul in the lantern? Even if you could fool a ghost, you can’t fool me.

‘What’s the difference between you and a ghost?’

Ignoring the dumbfounded Furnel, Hio took the lantern out of his pocket.

A deep green glow faintly leaked from the lantern.

It was the Soul Harvester’s Lantern, radiating an eerie aura.

If he held it up to eye level and peered inside, he could see it.

A single soul, curled up and sleeping.

In any case, there was nothing for it but to try.

There was no data.

So the only way to know was to do it.

“Be careful. If you fail, that girl’s soul might be annihilated.”

‘Yeah, I know.’

But just keeping her sealed up like this wasn’t an option either.

It was something that would have to be tried eventually, and Hio had decided that time was now.

‘Let’s do this.’

He used the skill embedded in the lantern.

[Soul Harvester’s Lantern – ‘Soul Extraction’ is used.]

Soul Extraction, used on souls leaving this world.

He drew out only the purest darkness within the soul, which immediately transformed into dark-attribute mana.

Far thicker and richer than ordinary mana.

Mana with a sticky, viscous feel.

…So this is dark-attribute mana. I see.

Mana extracted directly from a soul—how pure it was.

‘If this could be used, just how far could necromancy or black magic develop?’

It was a pity that the only way to extract it was by using this lantern.

‘So I’m supposed to use this just like regular mana.’

The dark-attribute mana drawn from the soul slowly accumulated within his body.

Of course, since it was a special type of mana, it couldn’t be regenerated—it was strictly single-use. But in the end, mana was mana.

And if it was a type of mana, there was no reason Hio couldn’t control it.

“Whoa… the efficiency is incredible. Twice, no—three times as much as regular mana…”

That circulating dark mana formed a formula in his memory—the basic structure of Kreutzvalt-style Necromancy.

The foundational spell formula was complete.

“Now then…”

Time to take out the soul sleeping in the lantern.

[Soul Harvester’s Lantern – ‘Soul Storage’ is used.]

[Please select a soul to extract.]

The green light darkened and deepened.

Through that green, something began to slip out—a soul.

Airlights’ soul, which had slept for a long time since the battle at Ba’al Forest.

Guided by the necromantic formula and dark mana, he drew it forth.

Toward the elf’s vacant body.

Guiding it wasn’t difficult.

As soon as Airlights’ soul left the lantern and awoke, it immediately complied.

It was usually very difficult to direct a soul with its own will, but Airlights’ soul followed wherever Hio led it, without knowing where or why.

But the entire necromancy process wasn’t easy.

It took longer than he’d expected and required patience.

It was his first time handling dark mana, and maintaining the spell structure while guiding the soul was trickier than he’d thought.

But in the end—

…it’s done.”

It was a matter of time.

At last, Airlights’ soul was embedded within the Most Noble Elf’s body.

“Now, do we just wait?”

All that remained was to wait.

The dark mana that had entered alongside Airlights’ soul began to spread throughout the elf’s body.

He could feel it stretching out through her arms, through her legs.

And then, the body twitched—moved.

Slowly, it sat up.

The eyes that gently opened were not stained black as before, and she looked around at her own moving body in wonder.

“…Did it succeed?”

“Looks that way.”

Airlights’ soul now occupied the Most Noble Elf’s body.

Those eyes soon turned to Hio, curving prettily as always.

“Hio Pavlenko.”

At the same time, a rosy light spread.

The first words Airlights spoke after regaining a body were so very like her.

“I love you.”

She staggered for a moment as she stood, then immediately dove into Hio’s arms.

So now, there could be no doubt.

“It worked.”

“Definitely.”

Anyone could see it was Airlights.

The face was the elf’s elegant one, but every gesture, every action, every word was Airlights.

“Airlights.”

“I love you!”

“Does your body feel uncomfortable, or like you can’t move as you want?”

“I love you!”

“I need to check for side effects—”

“I love you!”

“…Did something happen to your head?”

She nodded while hugging tightly, so she understood him at least…

Maybe she was just overjoyed to be able to speak again after so long.

“Is this really… is this real? This isn’t a dream, right?”

Airlights touched Hio’s cheek and traced his face with trembling hands.

Tears even formed in her eyes.

“Yes. It’s not a dream.”

“…Thank goodness.”

She buried her face in his chest and murmured softly.

“I kept having dreams. Dreams of the moment I died. It hurt way more than I expected, but sometimes, when a certain voice reached me, the pain strangely faded. And at those times, I’d always…I’d dream. Of my childhood or of being with you, Hio.”

Hio simply held Airlights gently in his arms, listening to her words, more monologue than conversation.

It filled him with a strange emotion.

Truthfully, the time he’d spent with Airlights hadn’t been that long.

And yet, how had his existence left such a deep impression?

“When I think back, my childhood memories weren’t all bad. Maybe it’s just time that’s softened them?”

So for now, he decided to just accept Airlights’ words, petulant as they might seem.

After all, this was the moment of being reborn after death.

He couldn’t even imagine what that would feel like.

“So, listen…”

But being so absorbed in this scene, he was missing something else.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, almost as if its owner was clenching his teeth.

“You… haven’t forgotten me, right?”

Turning toward that voice, Hio saw Sirbert, still rigid and stone-like, staring stiffly their way.

Hio tried to respond—

“Ah, right…”

But someone else beat him to it.

Airlights, still in Hio’s embrace, turned just her head to look at Sirbert.

Her expression had turned frosty—utterly different from when she looked at Hio.

And then, she spoke.

“What’s with that ugly thing?”

A vein throbbed visibly on Sirbert’s forehead.