As the battle raged in the sky, the Wraith King found himself being pushed back every time he clashed with his opponent.
Even so, King Leoric's calm expression on his face never changed, as if everything was under his control.
Truth be told, the Wraith Queen was slightly weaker than him. However, he was currently at a disadvantage, and the reason was simple.
His opponent had the home-court advantage.
The countless Wraiths who were supporting their Queen were granting her the power of Faith.
It didn't take long for Lux to understand why the proud King was losing in his one-on-one duel. However, there was nothing he could do to help him.
He knew that this wasn't a battle that he could interfere in because this was a battle between two Monarchs.
And in this battle, their honor and dignity were at stake.
If he really helped Leoric win the duel, the Wraith King's loyalty might decrease, and there was also a chance that it would affect their relationship.
The only thing he could do right now was believe in his Champion's ability to overcome this handicap.
Suddenly, King Leoric did something unexpected.
The Wraith King dove into the sea, catching his opponent by surprise.
After a brief hesitation, the Wraith Queen followed suit and dove into the water as well.
The Wraiths who were cheering for their queen continued to shriek in support, but none of them dove underwater.
It was as if there was an unwritten rule that they couldn't go underwater where the battle was being waged.
Perhaps due to the storm's increasing intensity or perhaps due to the battle, the waves in the sea towered so high that it seemed that they would swallow the ship whole and destroy it with its embrace.
Asmodeus firmly held the steering wheel as he braced himself for the giant wave that was about to descend upon his head.
The Wicked Queen Slime wasn't bothered by their current situation in the slightest and was even using a nail file to fix her nails.
As the wave crashed over the bone ship, pushing it down in the water, Lux briefly saw the battle that was being waged under the sea.
Bright flashes of light illuminated the cold darkness below, showing the level of intensity that the battle had progressed to even though they were fighting underwater.
Suddenly, a dazzling light lit up the darkness, forcing Lux to close his eyes due to its unbearable brightness.
The sea churned as a powerful explosion catapulted the Bone Ship upwards, making it nearly touch the storm clouds in the sky.
Fearing that the Bone Ship might shatter if it fell on the chaotic waters, Lux un-summoned it and Asmodeus before opening his Draconic Wings to hover in the sky.
The Wicked Queen slime grabbed hold of his foot as she looked down at the sea below.
"It's over," Lilian said. "Such an unexpected turn of events."
Lux, who had no idea what the Wicked Queen Slime meant, followed her gaze and saw something rising in the waters.
King Leoric was holding his opponent in a princess carry, and the latter's arms were wrapped around his neck.
The Wraith King then hovered a few meters away from the Half-Elf before clearing his throat.
"Um, Lux. Let me introduce you to Queen Mary," King Leoric said. "Mary, this is the Master whom I currently serve."
The Queen Wraith removed her visor, and a beautiful face appeared in front of the Half-Elf.
"Nice to meet you, Lux," Queen Mary said.
"N-Nice to meet you too," Lux replied before giving King Leoric the "what is going on?" gaze.
The Wraith King glanced at the beauty in his arms before shifting his gaze to his Master.
"We got to know each other during the battle, and we decided to become a couple," King Leoric replied as he shifted his gaze to the beauty in his arms.
Queen Mary smiled as she looked back at the handsome King, leaving the Half-Elf scratching his head.
Although falling in love with your opponent in the midst of battle wasn't unheard of, he didn't expect the dead king to still be capable of falling in love.
The Wraiths, who had all been cheering for their Queen earlier, surged forward like a dark tide before circling King Leoric like a tornado.
After a few tense moments, these Wraiths suddenly transformed into their human forms.
Some were dressed as soldiers, while some were dressed in noble clothes. All of them then clapped their hands as if to applaud the two lovers who had also returned to their human forms.
King Leoric was a handsome, middle-aged man with sharp looks, while Queen Mary was a truly exceptional beauty who seemed to be in her mid-thirties.
Both were wearing clothes of royal red that faintly glowed in the darkness.
The two then shared a kiss with each other, which made the Wraiths applaud and whistle.
This scene would have been several times better if not for the fact that they were currently inside a raging storm, with thunder and lightning roaring in the background.
"Congratulations to the two of you," Lux said. "May you live—err, die happily ever after."
"Thank you, Lux," Queen Mary replied with a smile, making the Half-Elf blush.
As if waiting for that moment, several rows of text appeared in front of him.
< Queen Mary has become a vassal of King Leoric. All of her retainers will now become a part of your strength. >
< You have gained 20,000 Wraiths under your command. >
The storm quickly calmed down, and the winds abated.
It was as if the one causing the storm was the restlessness of the Wraiths that had haunted the Purple Sea for hundreds of years.
Patches of white light descended from the dark sky, and one of them fell on King Leoric and Queen Mary as if the heavens themselves were blessing their union.
Lux looked at this scene with a sigh in his heart. He never imagined that he would witness something so otherworldly and beautiful.
"Lux, I will be gone for a while," King Leoric said as he looked at the Half-Elf with a smile. "Mary and I plan to get to know each other a little better. However, if you need my assistance, don't hesitate to call. Bye."
The Wraith King didn't even wait for Lux's reply before diving into the purple waters with his Queen.
The other Wraiths then bowed their heads towards Lux before turning into particles of light and merging with his body.
For hundreds of years, they had accompanied their Queen in the purple sea, but they had yet to see salvation.
But now, things were different.
They knew that once Lux's long journey in this world ended, they would finally be able to cross over to the other side and have the opportunity to start their lives all over again with his blessing.
