After walking away from the crime scene, Velkir and Danzel went towards the base, which was near the tents of the Dynasty soldiers.
What awaited them there was the aged man with two guards on each side of his. The man's face seemed expressionless at first, but after taking a better look, Danzel noticed that his expression was a facade to hide the anger within him.
"Master Archmage, about the request of yours, we found the decision to have been made in haste so we from the "Great" Dynasty would like-"
"There is no need to discuss this anymore, you people had died together with the enemy. Unless you want to reward us with doing your work, there is nothing else to talk about." Velkir said with an ice-cold tone while passing the three humans and walking towards the stone base.
The aged man who heard such news had his eyes wide open in surprise, while the guards beside him turned towards the two in anger.
"You! How dare-"
"Stop!" The aged man yelled to the two idiotic guards.
Although he understood that they were doing what they were taught about, offending an Archmage that was a necromancer on top of that, was much worse than seeking death.
`I shouldn´t have brought those two idiots with him´ The aged man thought as he made eye contact with his guards.
Understanding what they have even done, they bowed and apologized, but Velkir treated them as if they weren´t there and continued to walk towards the base. Danzel who was following his steps, had his head slightly turned and observed the two guards with a cold aura.
"Master Archmage, for the war effort and following our contract, we ask you to give us a detailed report for your group's "own volition" of decision." The aged man said with the same expressionless face.
Hearing about the contract, the Lich halted his steps and looked toward the three humans.
"My discipline here eliminated the group of enemy soldiers by turning the prisoners into undead. Even in their death, the captured soldiers of the "Great Dynasty" showed their loyalty until the very end by taking their enemy with them."
"If you accepted our request of paying for our "own effort", I would have ordered my discipline to risk his life to save you people, but after denying my request, I put my discipline's life in priority," Velkir said with a cold and amused tone towards the shocked trio.
Knowing that their friends and colleagues had been imprisoned and potentially tortured was already bad enough, but hearing that the man with the dark armor killed them and turned them into his undead minions, the guards gripped the hilt of their sword, but that was about it.
They didn´t dare to raise their swords against either the Archmage or his discipline.
"Master Archmage...I am in believe that such a decision was met too hastily and the way your discipline resolved the matter is inappropriate. To turn our soldiers into undead is-"
"Is exactly right with the contract that I signed with the Dynasty. The use of necromancy was allowed, be it ally or foe. In fact, calling the magic that I taught my discipline inappropriately is like insulting me. It seems like I would have to make some words of advice for Dynasty for people like you." Velkir said with a cold tone.
"I-I didn´t mean it that way, oh Great Archmage. Please forgive this old fool, with age catching up to me, I said something that I didn´t mean. I hope you can forgive me." The aged man said while bowing slightly.
If it weren´t for his hand clenching to the point where veins started showing up, one could easily believe that he was just the neighborhood grandpa selling groceries.
Of course, both Danzel and Velkir with much superior senses could see through the old snake's act.
"If it weren´t for the fact that we are allies, I would even have put those old bones of yours into a much greater use." Velkir said while turning his back.
"I will give you tomorrow a detailed report, till then, don´t bother us unless it´s an emergency."
Entering the stone base, the first that Danzel noticed was that the stone base grew and created different rooms, but the middle had still cube-like seats.
"Follow me." Velkir said towards Danzel.
Nodding at the Lich, he followed the stairs that went underground till they reached another room which Danzel guessed was Velkir´s one.
"I observed you fight with those humans, and for someone of your skill, I was quite impressed." Velkir said.
"So you were indeed testing me, huh." Danzel said, not surprised by Velkir´s revelation.
The fact alone that the Lich came to pick him up after finishing his slaughter made it pretty obvious that Velkir was nearby.
"Oh, so you knew?" Velkir said unimpressed.
"Anyway, for your performance being satisfactory, I decided to give you a reward." Velkir said while bringing out two small wooden boxes and giving them to Danzel.
"Open them."
Nodding at him, Danzel opened the two boxes which both contained two large gems.
"Mana Crystals?" Danzel burned out while staring at the Lich in confusion.
It was as if he was asking `What I am supposed to do with those?´
"Indeed, those two are some high-quality mana crystals, but they themselves aren´t my gift. I am giving them to you so that you can engrave your runes on them. After you finished, I will craft you a magic ring that would be useful in hiding your runes from other people's gazes."
"...Thanks, Master Velkir." Danzel said with a cold tone.
Secretly he was cursing for his shamelessness.
Of course, he was happy for getting such a valuable item from someone of the 4th-tier, but one had to read through the lines of the Lich and the content that he provided.
There were 2 mana crystals and one item which he will get.
Unless Lich uses both of those mana crystals for his item, Velkir was telling him to make carve one rune for my item and one rune for him to use.
Whatever the case might be, Danzel decided to stay silent about his thoughts.
Putting the two wooden boxes that contain the mana crystals into his storage ring, Danzel left Velkir´s room and went outside the stone base to see Skull Claw.
Laying on the ground in a manner that suggests that Skull Claw was dejected, once the undead saw the sight of his liege returning, she imminently rose up and walked towards him with excited steps.
If she still had any flesh on her, Danzel guessed that her tongue would be out of the excitement. But since that´s no longer the case, she was only opening and closing her mouth as if she tried imitating be excitement.
"Are you a dog or what?" Danzel mumbled as he touched the skull of Skull Claw.
"Hmm, Master Velkir did mention that he will make you stronger, maybe then I can bring you to my fights." Danzel mumbled to himself.
He almost went ahead to jump on Skull Claw back to start carving runes, but once when he remembered where he was, Danzel abandoned the idea.
`Although Velkir caster a barrier of some sorts, that doesn´t mean that they aren´t spies looking for our information.´
It wasn´t that he was paranoid, but the fact that the Dynasty learned what they did, it was either Velkir revealing such information or someone else finding it out.
"It seems like you will have to stay the night alone this time around, Skull Claw." Danzel said.
Hearing his lieges words, Skull Claw turned her head with her mouth wide open.
She looked toward Danzel as if she had done a great sin and is now being punished.
Danzel was speechless by such behavior and even wondered how come such an undead developed such a personality.
"I wonder if Master Velkir made a room for me, if not I will have to sit somewhere inside."
While Danzel was mumbling to himself and was preparing to leave inside, a feminine voice came from behind him.
"Hey, how is that cutie called again."
Having long sensed the presence behind him and recognized the voice of the figure, Danzel answered.
"This one is called Skull Claw."
"Huh? That´s a really weird name you know? I mean, I get it with such claws and the big skull face, but couldn´t you be more creative when naming your pet?"
"First, Skull Claw isn´t my pet. Second, what are you doing here Vanessa?" Danzel said with an annoyed tone.
"Ehhh~Why are you so cold to me? Just so that you know, if it weren´t for me, you wouldn´t even have joined our group! Show some gratitude towards me, you bastard!"
"Did you really come to me to complain..?" Danzel said with a lazy and cold tone.
He already sends his command to Skull Claw to go back to being a "guard".
Seeing that, the dark elve Vannesa got more frustrated.
"Ugh! You are no fun you know?"
"If that´s the case, I will go back inside. I have some work to do." Danzel said while walking away.
"Alright, alright! I came here for a reason!" Vannesa said while dragging Danzel's arms towards her soft parts with incredible strength.
Knowing that he was no match for her, Danzel looked at her dejectedly.
"Then what is it..? Compared to you I am busy." Danzel said with a cold voice.
Some might have been delighted in being in his situation, but for him, she was plain out annoying.
Vannesa who saw such a cold reaction, smiled while gazing directly at Danzel.
"Hey Rue~, might you be interested in my body~" She said with a soft voice almost to a whisper and pushed her soft parts more towards his arm.
"..."
