Creating Anime In A Fantasy World - Chapter 85: Lich? Undead? Saintess?

“Heroic spirit? Hehehe, this is the first time I’ve heard a human call me such a decent name. If it were in the past, I’d have already stripped you of your soul and crafted you into a puppet for such impudence.”

Amid the smoke, a sharp sound like nails rubbing against a blackboard echoed throughout the hall, and then a dark figure slowly walked out through the smoke.

“Director Edward!”

The voice of the Headless Horseman came from a distance.

In response, Edward immediately stopped the other party from trying to get closer.

After all, he hadn’t turned off the live broadcast yet.

If the other party was on camera, it would be too chaotic.

And then, as the figure in the distance gradually approached, the other party’s appearance was also exposed.

It was a skeleton whose appearance was so rotten that even the flesh could not be seen at all, and only a few outlines were left.

Despite its weakened appearance, an overpowering aura of dread radiated from it, making even Edward hesitate.

His mind immediately warned him against any resistance, not even a flicker of defiance arising in him

At the same time, the nobles who were watching the live broadcast also made a noise at this moment.

This group of nobles who usually stayed in the imperial capital saw a living undead for the first time in their lives.

At the same time, they all showed great fear at once, but at this moment, they felt as excited as if they were watching a movie.

In fact, because the live broadcast images were much more realistic than the movies, they were more excited than when they watched “Goblin Slayer” just now.

Unlike the nobles, one of the Church’s archbishops remained silent and grim. Now, however, he looked as though he’d seen a ghost. “No… impossible! How can it still exist? That’s only supposed to be a legend!”

“Legend? Bishop Morris, what are you talking about?”

“The Saintess of Flames… That’s only supposed to be a legend!” The bishop’s voice was filled with shock, though before anyone could respond, the broadcast feed suddenly cut out, plunging the screen into darkness.

“What just happened? Is this…?”

“Was that truly an undead? By the Light, I never imagined such a terrifying thing could exist.”

“The bishop mentioned something about a saintess. Surely he wasn’t referring to that horrifying lich?”

Everyone exchanged uneasy looks, each with their own interpretation of what had transpired.

But most of them shared a sinking feeling—that if what they had just seen was indeed real, then Baron Durin and his crew might already be in grave danger.

………

In the winter castle in the chaos land.

The live broadcast just now was not interrupted by any external factors. It was just that Edward cut it off himself in order to allow the Headless Horseman to come to help him.

Just moments before, the lich’s aura had suddenly surged, filling the air with a powerful deathly energy.

Everyone besides Edward, whose formidable mage spirit shielded him, collapsed under the pressure, fainting on the spot.

Now, with the broadcast off, Edward gave a subtle nod, allowing the Headless Horseman, Belldia, to approach him.

Yet even Belldia, the mightiest ally at Edward’s side, trembled slightly as the lich came into view—a reaction that surprised Edward.

It was like watching a lion recoil before a frail, emaciated wolf.

Belldia finally spoke, his voice laced with fear. “I can’t believe… you’re still alive.”

“Oh, Belldia?” The lich’s hollow voice echoed. “Ah, so that explains how these humans managed to breach the barrier I set around my castle. Don’t misunderstand; with my undying body and soul, I could not have perished even if I’d tried to end it myself. I simply chose to slumber from sheer boredom.”

Belldia shuddered, the lich’s words sinking in.

So, that terrifying eruption of power he’d once witnessed had been for the simple purpose of allowing the lich to sleep peacefully?

“You abandoned your duties,” the lich’s voice reverberated again, “though I allowed it at the time. But you’d best explain to me why you brought these mortals here to disturb my rest. If your reason doesn’t satisfy me, even you, who served me for so long, will find your soul sacrificed in a ritual to summon an elder god.”

Hearing the lich’s icy threat, Belldia flinched, feeling certain that his life now hinged on Edward’s words.

Edward, piecing together the lich’s connection to Belldia, knew that he needed to respond quickly and carefully. He cautiously began, “I sincerely apologize for disturbing your slumber, Your Majesty, the Lich King…”

The lich seemed pleased by this respectful address, her faint grin widening ever so slightly.

Edward, aware that his explanation could determine their fate, spoke again with utmost care. “We came to your castle to complete a project called a ‘movie.’”

“A movie?”

“Yes. Since you’re unfamiliar with movies, would you like to watch one? It may help you understand our purpose here,” Edward offered, hoping to ease the tension.

The lich’s face twisted into an expression of interest, her skeletal features shifting just enough to indicate amusement. “Intriguing. No mortal has spoken to me so calmly while in my presence. Very well, human. Show me this ‘movie.’ Do not disappoint me—I don’t take kindly to wasted anticipation.”