The fiends remained silent in response to Eren's words, but their emotions spoke volumes, easily discerned by him.
He swiftly ascertained that none of the current fiends harbored even the slightest inkling of rebellion.
Some of them regarded Eren with eager anticipation, while others bore expressions tinged with fear. All, however, displayed their allegiance by bowing in unison, touching their noses to the ground.
Hilda was no exception.
Once a fierce adversary who had cursed Eren and met her end as a result, she had now been reborn, her loyalty pledged entirely to him. Though her memories had been somewhat fragmented, the vivid recollection of her pitiful first death remained etched in her mind.
For her second chance at life, Hilda had heeded Eren's counsel, choosing to inhabit the body of a striking female Ranker from House Lancelot. The fiend creation process had not entirely stripped her of her humanlike presence.
Hilda now appeared as a beautiful woman in her mid-20s, her voluminous grayish-white hair cascading gracefully around her face. Other than the faint runic markings on both her cheeks, her features remained virtually flawless and pristine. These ivory-hued runes, somewhat blurred in nature, lent her an otherworldly aspect, distinguishing her slightly from a typical human.
Her light blue eyes sparkled, complemented by her crimson lips. Two inconspicuous horns, concealed by her gray hair, adorned her head.
The torn and almost-destroyed clothes of the female Ranker, whose body she had chosen, had been meticulously mended by Hilda, who aimed to present herself appropriately to her lord.
Thus, she now wore a stunning black top with a deep neckline beneath a sleeveless leather armor. An elegant necklace adorned her neck, while a black rose ornament nestled just below her left shoulder, possibly a remnant from the body's previous owner.
Kneeling beside Hilda, Ashton underwent a similar transformation. Having initially appeared as a fiend with fang-like teeth, he took a few moments to regain control and revert to a more human-like guise.
***
Eren's fiends possessed the capability to revert to their original forms, a trait demonstrated by Harja Mel and Darven. However, Eren anticipated that it would take some time for the fiends from this batch to gain control over this ability.
After all, these newly created fiends were more potent than their predecessors, having undergone a wholly distinct resurrection process. To his pleasant surprise, someone like Ashton seemed to have already mastered this skill.
'Hm, it appears this man has a better grasp of his fiend abilities compared to most others,' Eren mused silently as he observed Ashton. He couldn't help but commend Ashton's control, especially considering their past confrontation in mortal combat.
Eren contemplated, 'Death often reminds us of lessons we've long known but conveniently ignored. Who knows this better than me?' and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
Eren offered a warm smile to Ashton and Hilda before passing between them. The two fiends exchanged glances and experienced a surge of emotions. Eventually, they managed to smile at each other, their eyes glistening with emotion.
The one known as Grimdawn didn't hinder them from expressing their feelings; instead, he celebrated their ability to wield emotions so vividly. This indicated that his current fiend creation process had been more successful than previous attempts.
It became evident that the disposition and inherent nature of the Rankers who were transformed into fiends played a role in influencing their fiendish abilities. Eren made a mental note of this observation as he traversed the assembly of fiends, all kneeling before him.
***
"Hm? You are?"
As Eren approached a particular fiend, he sensed a distinct curiosity about her. This fiend, with her forehead respectfully lowered to the ground, slowly raised her head upon feeling Eren's interest. Her appearance was remarkably striking, devoid of any monstrous features. If not for her mana signatures, which clearly deviated from those of regular Rankers, one might mistake her for a formidable Grandmaster Ranker hailing from Anfang.
This enchanting fiend possessed shoulder-length plum-colored hair, setting her apart from the others. Her nose was delicately cute, her facial features alluring. Her skin, a flawless and supple light peach hue, was complemented by cherry-red lips. Her neck was graceful, bosoms ample, waist slender, and hips curvaceous, showcasing her prominent posterior.
However, what truly distinguished her were her misty eyes, devoid of pupils. Aside from these eyes, she bore no fiendish traits. Witch-like charms seemed to envelop her, with her eyes possessing an eerie power to ensnare and subdue anyone who met her gaze.
She had inhabited the body of a female Ranker but had wholly transformed it after possession. Those who knew the body's previous owner would hardly recognize her now. Eren deduced that she had made maximum use of the slime primer he had provided to all fiends, fully returning to her original form, completing her revival on her own terms.
Eren placed his right palm on the female fiend's head and delved into her soul. A vague sense of familiarity tingled within him. He had encountered her at the time of the soul selection but had been in haste when selecting her for resurrection during the Fiend creation process, not pondering it too deeply. Yet, now, her presence intrigued him.
"Hahahaha. I didn't expect you to come back to life as well."
He burst into wild laughter, catching Alephee and Naya's attention. Alephee inquired,
"Who is she, Eren?"
Eren regarded the captivating female fiend with amusement as he responded to Alephee's query. "She's the same female wraith from whom I obtained Life Drain," he said, narrowing his eyes at the female fiend.
With a change in his demeanor, he questioned her in a deep voice, "You... you were a witch from Labh Salem before your first death, weren't you?"
The female fiend lowered her head in submission, her voice trembling as she sensed the imminent danger from Eren. It was apparent she struggled to recall her origins, but after a few breaths, she managed to confirm Eren's query.
"Ye… yes, my lord. I believe I was from Labh Salem, and I died here in this world after coming here. My name... my name is Hettie," she answered, her voice quaking with fear.
AN: Hettie, previously known as a female wraith employing the Life Drain Ability who had confronted Eren, made her first appearance in chapter 318. Her roots as a witch originating from the world of Labh Salem were unveiled in chapter 1139.
